Ethical Design Lab

OK, this is not product news, but this is such a creat report that I wanted to draw your attention to it. The David Report latest issue “I shop therefore I am” looks into the world of consumer culture from different point of views; ethical, social, political, economical and humanistic.

The authors say, "Shopping has turned into a lifestyle. We consume as leisure and a way to pass time. But at the same time many are realizing that the power of consumption is stopping us from finding true and sincere happiness; and that shopping often works as a substitute for something that we’re missing in life. At what point does the accumulation of material goods become less fulfilling and more stressful and overwhelming?" 

THIS LINK takes you to the new bulletin (and yes, it’s free!).

Peligrosa use sustainable and certified organic materials to produce "elegant, timeless silhouettes with a modern twist" that include collections for men and women. Current collections are a relaxed everyday casuals, nothing too sophisticated, especially in the mens line.

Peligrosa

"Decidedly forward looking and fresh, aswell as romantic and reminiscent of the past" is how Kimberley Jurek describes her philosophy. Her collections are "locally and greenly made" according to fair trade principles.

KJUREK

Why are Kim White Handbags so special? Made from vintage automotive fabrics, Kim White uses dead stock never-used textiles intended for use in American automobiles: cars, trucks and vans. She fortuitously unearthed an entire warehouse of automotive fabric, which may be the last existing stock anywhere in the US, and she is the sole owner of these amazing textiles.

Each Kim White Handbag is tagged with the year and make of the fabric, so you know exactly what car your bag comes from (i.e. 1983 Camaro or a 1978 Ford Mustang). Kim White Handbags specializes in automotive fabrics from the 1970’s and 1980’s, when color was de rigueur in the automotive industry.

Since these textiles were originally intended for use in cars, they are incredibly durable. Perfect for handbags in style as well as function. Kim White Handbags, in keeping with the tradition of the American car industry, are sophisticated, beautiful and built to last. And just like American automobiles, they have a widespread appeal, from trendy teens to stylish grandmothers and every woman in between.

In addition to her collection of vintage automotive textiles, Kim has also unearthed some of the most gorgeous vintage florals from decades past. The wonderful vintage florals were originally intended for use in furniture from the 50s through the 70s. The detail in these textiles are beyond beautiful, and the craftsmanship harkens back to a time when the beauty was truly in the details. And of course, the durability lends itself perfectly to ladies handbags.

Kim White

Sustainability is at the heart of Kelly Lane - from being a locally-made line to using over-run fabrics. This season she has also taken it one step further by offering a colorful collection of dresses made from all organic and sustainable materials. She is offering dresses made from bamboo, soy, hemp, and organic cotton.

Kelly Lane

"The highest quality, most sustainable apparel brand on the planet" clains the website. Green Label sells shirts that are domestically made in the United States with 100% certified organic ring spun cotton, dyed with low-impact reactive dyes, and printed without the use of plastics.

The collection includes Tees for her, him & the kids.

Green Label

Filly is a line of women’s clothing locally produced in small batch runs on the Central Coast, USA. The collection uses  American-milled and sustainable fabrics whenever possible. But Filly is also something more. It´s designer says, "confidence, peacefulness and beauty because this is how I feel when I am designing and pattern-making and sewing. I like the way I move and pull fabric. I like lifting and setting down and using tools and watching my hands move, without thought, around the sewing machine. I want women wearing Filly to feel the same; to like themselves and feel assured."

Filly Designs

Heather English got the idea for English Retreads when she was floating down Boulder Creek on, you guessed it, an inner tube. “I needed a new handbag but I was a hardcore vegetarian. I wanted something that was fashionable and invincible—but not made from leather,” Heather explains. “I didn’t find what I was looking for, so I went to McGuckin's, [a favorite local hardware store] bought some tools and started my own personal sweatshop—with me doing the sweating.” After friends started asking for a bag just like hers, Heather knew she was on to something and English Retreads hit the road in 2001.

Truck stops in the Boulder area supply Heather with the used inner tubes—each of which probably has more than 60,000 miles on it before it gets reinvented. "Just think of all the places these tubes have been," says Heather.

The product catalogue includes a whole range of bags and accessories for him and for her.

Heather English Retreads 

Deanna mixes organic, recycled and less poluting fabrics to create fashion that has been said to be a mix of time and cuture. It also has a strong international urban and cosmopolitan feel.

Deanna Bratt

The first of its kind in North America, Bring Your Own Bag Designs Inc. offers reusable tote bags that are both environmentally and fashion conscious. BYOB bags are sustainably made under socially and ethically responsible practices in Vancouver, BC CANADA

When 1 ton of plastic bags is reused or recycled, the energy equivalent of 11 barrels of oil are saved. Better than this would be not producing them in the first place. Each bag you choose to reuse can eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of plastic bags over its lifetime. Plastic bags have a devastating effect on the environment and can take up to 1,000 years to break down in landfills.

Bring Your Own Bag

Blend Apparel create shirts in the hope that the will "encourage people to look closer, think harder, smile wider, and love deeper." They say, "We feel t-shirts are like personal billboards, and that they have a capacity to reach a much larger audience than people may give credit to. We also feel they should not be used exclusively for branding, but instead, for connecting on the human/we are all in this together dimension."

They also add that "while we openly encourage, we try not to preach. We’re leaders by examplers. Take for instance, that our shirts are made from 100% bamboo. Bamboo is the most environmentally sustainable plant fiber on the planet, and has many other benefits and advantages over cotton. For instance, it’s much softer than cotton and feels like a blend between silk and your favorite t-shirt you’ve washed a million times. It’s a naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic product grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It’s quick to absorb moisture, dries twice as fast as cotton clothes, and keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. We believe it’s the right thing to do for the environment, for the consumer, and for everyone involved in the production. Try one on and you’ll feel why."

Blend Apparel 

Inspired by an Argentine shoe with a hundred year history and the continent's poverty and health issues, TOMS was created with a singular mission: To make life more comfortable. TOMS accomplishes this through it's ultra lightweight design and the company's commitment to match every pair purchased with a donated pair to a child in need...there are no complicated formulas, it's simple.you buy a pair of TOMS and the company gives a pair to a child on your behalf.

The vibrant colors and patterns in the debut collection depict Blake Mycoskie's life changing experiences in his travels to South America where he embraced the lifestyle wholeheartedly and therefore gave back by creating TOMS - shoes for Tomorrow.

TOMS

Apolis Activism is an independent luxury brand that began with dreams and thread. Three brothers created a unique bridge between commerce and sustainable relief, and along the way they developed a voice for an evolving culture. Through their travels they discovered stories of struggle and survival from visionaries and activists for change. These experiences shaped their perspective and brand, resulting in a union of ideal and action. They anchored this vision to the word Apolis, which translates to a citizen of no country. Where there are no flags and no borders, humanity becomes our common cause and greatest priority.

The brothers started making garments in 2004 and began embroidering a trademark red stitch on each piece. This symbolizes the first–aid emblem and reflects the brothers’ commitment to humanity and charity, woven deeply into the brand. Their look combines an American heritage of craftsmanship and function, using military and work wear of yesteryear as a foundation for each garment. Apolis Activism applies contemporary design, premium fabrics, and ongoing stories of change to drive and inspire.

Del Forte Denim is designed for the eco-chic woman who is transforming the face of fashion. Made in the USA with 100 percent organic cotton, Del Forte’s premium denim apparel is part of a growing trend which interprets luxury as a combination of distinctive design and ethical production.

The garments are sewn and finished in Los Angeles, a fashion-forward city that is a leader in anti-sweatshop legislation and enforcement, as well as being home to the most cutting-edge wash development facilities in the country.

Del Forte Denim has partnered with The Sustainable Cotton Project, which has been building bridges between farmers, manufacturers and consumers to pioneer markets for certified organically grown and sustainable cotton since 1994. A portion of Del Forte Denim’s proceeds will go to support The SCP.

Del Forte

From organically grown cotton blended with Seacell, to their water-based silk screens and tailoring produced at the legendary Italian Confesiono Barbon manufacturers, to the carbon neutral shipping of their products, the Munich-based company is dedicated to going all the way green-wise.

"We might be a little bit darker, sexier, and more dangerous than what people are usually used to when it comes to eco fashion," says Mathias Wrba of Blake Hamster.

Their business concept is also interesting. Blake Hamster is a collaborative effort by a loose network of designers, artists, marketeers, journalists, authors and musicians from all over the world. It is their aim to experiment with different products, production processes and distribution models while upholding a set of aesthetic and ethic ground rules.

A Blake Hamster release may take on many forms. Sometimes a range of shirts, next time it could be anything from sweaters to a collection of household wares with a stylish twist, to a magazine or an art-show. But each and every release will be unique in its design, limited in its circulation, of high quality and as ecologically and socially conscious as possible.

Blake Hamster 

Fin fans include A-list celebs Keira Knightly and Kate Bosworth. From Oslo, Norway they design eco fashion that is produced in socially responsible ways. Carefully selected materials include organic cotton, hand spun wild silk and organic alpaca, the rarest and most precious fibre available. They are sourced world wide according to the principles of fair trade.

The spring / summer and autumn / winter collections can be seen on the Fin website.

Fin   

Drop waist princess cut styled into a flattering v in front and back. Gathered scoop neck and banded sleeves. Hits at the knee.

Anna Cohen is a Portland based designer with a vision: cutting edge fashion married with sustainability. Cohen spent several years in New York City and Italy where she studied and worked with Patrizia Pepe, MaxMara, and Guess. The Anna Cohen line comes from various mills in the US and is created out of organic cotton, sustainable bamboo, and surplus mill-end fabrics.

The dress shown is 91% Organic Cotton, 9% Spandex

BTC Elements

Crisp denim trousers with fashionably wide waistband, side zipper, and outside flap pockets. Super breathable with just enough stretch.

Carol Young designs for the "urban nomad" professional in mind, which is why her clothes allow for comfortable movement and sophistication. An urbanite herself, Carol's creations are based on her own lifestyle as well as her background in architecture. Functional and seasonless, this piece will live a long lifetime in your wardrobe. Carol also donates surplus fabric to local children's arts programs.

The fabric is 50% Bamboo, 48% Organic Cotton, 2% Lycra, silk trim

BTC Elements 

Ashley Watson's fabulously styled leather handbags are huge hit. With a background in fine arts and design, and a passion for fashion Ashley Watson faultlessly blends her two talents.

All styles are made from guilt free recycled leather. Each purse is unique and slightly varied and details include: front and inside pockets, fully lined and snap closure.

Beklina