Check out this link in the Tennessean Newspaper entitled Eco-Fashions Echo Green Lifestyle

Monday, 03/10/08
Eco-fashions echo green lifestyle

By VIVI HOANG
Staff Writer

People used to think of environmentally friendly fashion as hippie and alternative.

All that’s changing as green goes mainstream. It’s hip to care about the origins of your apparel, and clothing designers are responding in kind, whipping up stylish attire made from fabrics such as bamboo, organic cotton and recycled cashmere. Better yet, you don’t have to venture to the catwalks of New York to find them; several shops in Nashville carry eco-chic garments.

Sarah Bellos, one of the owners of ASK Apparel, defines eco-fashion as clothing produced in a socially and environmentally conscious way.

“The notion of eco-fashion is changing as more products are available,” she said. “It’s definitely moved away from 10 years ago from this image of hemp products to become a lot more versatile. Now you can have a wardrobe that’s created with eco-fashion.”

Green attire relies on fabrics made from recycled materials, renewable resources and plants cultivated in a chemical-free manner. More than that, Bellos added, they’re made in ethical ways that include fair treatment of the workers that produce the fabrics and clothing.

ASK, which you can find online (www.askapparel.com) and at Whole Foods in Green Hills, specializes in clothing made from organic cotton and natural dyes.

Scarlett Begonia on West End Avenue specializes in imported products from around the world, particularly South America, but many of its offerings fall in the eco-fashion category. That includes organic cotton shirts, tagua-nut jewelry and scarves made from bamboo.

“Not a lot of people have seen bamboo,” said Laurel Staples, who opened up the eco-conscious clothing shop Ecology in Green Hills in December. “They’re kind of shocked at how you can turn something so hard into something softer than cotton.”

This season, Ecology offers pieces made from textiles such as organic cotton, hemp and bamboo.

Nor does Staples find higher prices to be an issue among customers, either. American-grown organic cotton costs more than what you’d find in most malls but the prices aren’t that different from what you’d find at boutiques around town, she said.

“It doesn’t look any different,” Staples said, “but it’s manufactured in a better way.”

ECO-FASHION MATERIALS

Hemp
The plant fiber, derived from the cannabis plant, can be used for a variety of products, including cloth, rope and canvas. The material made an appearance in Earth Pledge’s FutureFashion show earlier this year in a hemp-based Calvin Klein pantsuit and a hemp-silk Donatella Versace gown. Also used in bags, jewelry and home décor like hammocks.

Bamboo
A fabric made from the pulp of the fast-growing bamboo grass, which doesn’t need pesticides or fertilizer. Known for its soft texture, and its anti-bacterial and water-wicking qualities. In addition to apparel, often shows up in sheets, blankets and towels. Check out Mad Mod, 504 Fourth Ave. S., or any local Macy’s or Target for the bed and bath
products.

Organic cotton
In the United States, organic cotton is probably the most common “green” fabric. Grown without pesticides or herbicides, protecting farm workers and the ecosystem. Becoming more common in everything from bed linens to diapers. Wal-Mart is now the biggest seller of organic cotton products worldwide.

Recycled fabrics
Made from materials that are unraveled and woven into new fabric. Michael Kors contributed a recycled cashmere dress to the FutureFashion show. Recycled silk scarves and recycled cotton eyelet dresses make up part of John Patrick’s Organic line.

Plant-based synthetic fibers
Examples include modal, spun from the reconstituted cellulose of beech trees, and ingeo, a derivative of fermented corn sugar. Tencel, the brand name for lyocell, is also made from vegetable cellulose. Soft and durable, it tends to be stronger than rayon and cotton and can resemble denim or silk.


You can buy these ASK Apparel Designs at Whole Foods Market in Green Hills or online at www.askapparel.com!