My Fashionably-Green Semester

In retrospect, the best part of writing weekly blog entries this semester about eco-friendly fashion and beauty is that I was able to combine my daily life--obssessing over style.com, Vogue and US Weekly--with my life at school. My advice to anyone who wants to write fun, seemingly effortless articles and stories: write about what you love. If you are interested in your subject, it will come through to your reader on the computer screen, newspaper, magazine, or wherever you throw your words down.


Throughout my blogging experience, I came across amazing shops and Web sites carrying everything from organic cotton tees to make-your-own eco-friendly scents and everything in between! To wrap up for the semester, I wanted to leave you with a master list of the great places and Web sites I found carrying eco-friendly fashion and beauty products.

• American Apparel-special-edition sustainable t-shirts
• Urban Outfitters-Organic cotton printed tees (the one I am wearing in the photo above is from Urban)
• Toque de Pasion- Eco-friendly clothing, jewelry and handbags from South America
• Salud Spa Bar-Make your own natural face masks and scents
• Loomstate for Barneys- Comfortable, stylish designs gone green specifically for Barneys New York
• Alternative Outfitters-Vegan wedges, pumps and boots
• Majorica-Organic pearls in all shapes, sizes and colors
• Alexis Bittar-Eco-friendly jewelry-known for their funky bangles
• Eileen Fisher-Organic tees and tunics
• 7 for all Mankind-Special-edition organic jeans
• Stella McCartney-High-end vegan designer handbags and clothing pieces
• Stella McCartney Care-A new organic skincare line
• Steve Madden-Special edition eco-friendly shoes
• The Greenloop-TONS of eco-friendly jewelry, clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories
• Red Flower-Biodynamic bath and body products made from flower petals
• Saffron Rouge-An online beauty store carrying all-natural and biodynamic products
• Hardwear by Renee-Recycled tire handbags and cuff bracelets
• Reusable Bags-An organic, stylish alternative to plastic grocery bags
• Moonrise Jewelry-Colorful and original eco-friendly jewelry
• Lucina Eco-Friendly Jewelry-Environmentally-safe jewelry named after Roman goddesses
• Carlos Miele-Organic cotton t-shirts designed by celebrities specifically for the deisgner's green line
• Giorgio Armani-The Armani Jeans Ecology Project promots green jeans
• Phillip Lim-His all organic line, "Go Green Go", will debut exclusively at Barneys New York
• Velvet Leaf -Sustainable clothing by 18 and 20-year-old designer sisters
• Ecoist-made from colorful recycled candy wrappers-these were given to celebrities at the MTV Latin Video Music Awards!
• Eco-Handbags -a site dedicated to different brands of bizarre and fun recycled bags-materials range from sailboat sails to chopsticks, zippers to juiceboxes
• Novica-a company of National Geographic, these coconut shell and recycled wood bags are for the core naturalist
• Eco-Friendly Handbags -made from 100% reclaimed rubber inner tubes
• Pibiones-luxurious woven styles made from bamboo, coral and wood
• Flat-Bags-sporty messenger bags derived from recycled tires and rediscovered fabrics
• Eco Girl Handbags-colorful with large, overt designs-for all the drama queens out there
• Five Accessories -made from eco-friendly materials in Bali, Guatemala and Honduras
• Pristine Planet -fair-trade beaded coin purses
• Her Design by Helen Riegle-Artistic and architectural handbags worn by celebrities
• Jason's Organics-Organic shampoo and conditioner made for all hair types
• Eminence-Great-smelling body souffles
• Desert Essence-Organic body lotions and body washes for instensive treatment
• The Coconut Hut-Organic body scrubs in holiday scents like candy cane and eggnog
• Fresh-All-natural cleansers, lotions and makeup

Thanks for reading!

Amy

Green Beauty Into the Holidays

Green, clay-like toothpaste. Doesn't sound like something you want to clean your mouth with, right? Well, according to Bethany Stauffer, a beauty expert at La Encantada's Product by Maria Martin, this clay-based paste from Fresh works wonders.

Fresh is a very luxurious, all-natural line, Stauffer explained. According to the Sephora Web site, who also sells Fresh products, the line was started by Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg when the pair realized that there was a lack of beautifully-packaged, sweet-smelling soaps that actually worked available on the market. After developing their very first soap line, the ideas kept running and the twosome continued expanding into the beauty industry with everything from lotions and cleansers to perfumes and body scrubs.

Eventually, Fresh began creating products made with Umbrian clay. According to Stauffer, white clay (which is what this green substance is made of) possessed mystical qualities in old civilizations, and which is why it was originally used on the body. Toothpaste is not the only umbrian clay product that Fresh carries. Additionally, the line sells umbrian clay masks, cleansers, treatment bars and face lotions. According to Stauffer, if you can get past the initial shock of the greenish tint (and the not-so-pleasant scent), it is obvious even after the first use that your teeth feel cleaner and whiter.

One of Fresh's popular and high-end items is the Creme Ancienne ($250 for 3.5 oz.). According to Stauffer, this French product is handmade by monks in a monastery and harvested once a year. Ingredients include rosewater, beeswax, borax, chamomile wax, meadowfoam oil and vitamin E.

On a different note...

With Thanksgiving and Christmas quickly approaching, I found some festively-scented organic bath and body products that are just what you need to get you in the holiday spirit.

1. The Coconut Hut body scrubs

This Web site is PACKED with special edition organic, holiday-scented body scrubs. Scents include Gingerbread Sugar Cookie, Pecan Pie Divine, Eggnog Cupcake, Candy Cane Chai Latte, and many many more that sound good enough to eat!

2. Desert Essence Organic Repair Cream, in Pumpkin

This moisturizer claims to moisturize, heal and repair with ingredients such as organic pumpkin seed oil, organic jojoba oil and a blend of organic pumkin seed and licorice leaf.

3. Eminence Cinnamon and Paprika Body Lotion

For firming and toning, this all-over body cream claims to burn body fat tissue and regenerate collagen fibers, reducing the appearance of cellulite. The cinnamon works as a stimulating agent and the paprika serves to revitalize. Eminence also carries other holiday-inspired lotions in scents like chocolate souffle and sugar plum.

4. Jason's Organics Clarifying Shampoo in Apple & Green Tea

Smelling almost like apple pie, this shampoo is said to cleanse hair without weighing it down. Jason's Organics products are sold at Wild-Oats Health Food Stores nation-wide, as well as through their online store.

Stock up on these special-edition products, because after Thanksgiving they are sure to fly off the shelves!

Amy

Celeb-Worthy Environmentalist Handbags

I wrote about all sorts of eco-friendly bags and totes just a couple weeks ago, but I simply can't get enough! Helen E. Riegle, designer and founder of Her Design handbags is someone that I can't allow myself to skim over without mentioning.

Riegle's artistic, sometimes-architecturally styled handbags have been seen on a multitude of high-profile celebrities including Helen Mirren (The Queen), Lacey Chapert (Mean Girls), Eliza Dukshu (Tru Calling), Rick and Kathy Hilton (Socialites), Nikki Reed (The O.C.), and many others.

Riegle said she has always been passionate about fashion, but specifically creating environmentally-friendly pieces. She was born in England and received a Bachelor of Arts in Design. After her education she spent years traveling and designing exhibitions. "I was frustrated that I couldn’t find beautiful products that were made in a responsible way. With so much waste and pollution in manufacturing I was determined to do my business differently," Riegle said.

A year before the actual launch of the company, Riegle spent her time researching materials, factories and patterns and her first official collection became available to the public in 2004.

To further enhance the original quality of Her Design handbags, each individual bag has its own tag attached that describes the inspiration derived from the particular piece. Despite the individual nature of each bag, Riegle said that her biggest inspiration stems from Vicorian designer William Morris. She was especially influenced after reading his book, "The Grammar of Ornament", published in 1856, Riegle said.

According to Riegle, the materials used for Her Design handbags are extensive and well thought out for each individual design. Some of the materials she uses regularly include:

• Organic Cotton (the dyes used are low-impact, fiber-reactive, low-sulfur, low-metal and formaldehyde-free)
• EcoSpun (from recycled PET plastic bottles-a lower energy level than traditional fleece)
• Hemp (sustainable and does not use as many chemicals when growing as cotton)
• Tencel (a type of linen that is biodegradable and made from a synthetic fiber from wood pulp)
• Treetap (a natural version of leather)
• Pendleton Wood Flannel (its health impacts on the earth and on humans are evaluated regularly- "Cradle to Cradle certified")
• Nytek (a vegan alternative to leather that is three times stronger than traditional animal leather)

Not only do Her Design handbags top off a glamorous, modern look, but they also contribute to many charities. According to Riegle, Her Design has donated to Healthlink, NRDC, Plan USA, Sierra Club, Special Olympics and UNICEF. Some of the environmental organizations that Her Design has contributed handbags to for fundraising purposes include The Children's Nature Institution, Go Veggie! and The Nature Conservancy.

Stylish, environmentally-friendly handbags are everywhere right now- in every shape, size, color, texture and recycled material. For future reference, below is a list of Web sites selling green-chic bags that I think deserve attention:

• Ecoist (made from colorful recycled candy wrappers-these were given to celebrities at the MTV Latin Video Music Awards!)
• Eco-Handbags (a site dedicated to different brands of bizarre and fun recycled bags-materials range from sailboat sails to chopsticks, zippers to juice boxes)
• Novica (a company of National Geographic, these coconut shell and recycled wood bags are for the core naturalist)
• Eco-Friendly Handbags (made from 100% reclaimed rubber inner tubes)
• Pibiones (luxurious woven styles made from bamboo, coral and wood)
• Flat-Bags (sporty messenger bags derived from recycled tires and rediscovered fabrics)
• Eco Girl Handbags (colorful with large, overt designs-for all the drama queens out there)
• Five Accessories (made from eco-friendly materials in Bali, Guatemala and Honduras)
• Pristine Planet (fair-trade beaded coin purses)
  

Thanks for reading!

Amy