H&M is making good on its promise to continue expanding their commitment to using sustainable fabrics. Their upcoming Spring, 2011 collection, Conscious Collection is the follow-up for Spring 2010′s Garden Collection. Utilizing organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester, the all-white collection means that it will work with everything from denim to silks.

“It’s no longer just about organic cotton. The possibilities for creating a complete fashion statement with eco smarter materials are huge now. By designing recurring Conscious Collections we have the opportunity to show in a variety of ways what’s possible using more sustainable fabrics,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M head of design. “Shades of white are the season’s biggest fashion trend. White creates a romantic feeling with lace and broderie anglaise, but it is also the basic color in a sporty, relaxed style and in a preppy tailored look for men.”

Photos: Courtesy of H&M

The newest installment of Harry Potter (Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1) came out this past weekend and the world could not wait to see their favorite actors battle with the evil wizards that aim to take down the good (for good!). If you are a fan of the series, you’ve seen Emma Watson’s Hermoine mature from a timid, supersmart wizard-in-training to one of the most powerful Muggles on-screen.

Actress Emma Watson, who plays Hermoine, has also grown up, from cute girl to fashion icon, with her latest modelling contract for Burberry. But Watson’s more than just a poster girl, she’s an ethical fashionista too, having recently collaborated with the UK’s super-sustainable line People Tree.

Emma’s line is called “Love from Emma” and though it’s technically for girls, there are some really cute pieces ladies of any age could rock. To ensure the sustainable characteristics are met, People Tree works with 50 Fair Trade groups in 15 countries. That means more work for more artisans. In other words more work means better conditions which leads to the alleviation of poverty (now that is cool.)

The methods used to make the beautiful collections are eco-sound. Most of the cotton used is certified organic and Fairtrade and all of the dyes are natural. Most of the materials are local so nontoxic textiles are chosen. The artisans know how to make the best of these methods so the collections are beautiful while still being low-impact. Artisans are also employed, so the collections include handwoven fabrics.

Emma Watson revealed her collection this summer, championed via (megagreenie himself) Prince Charles and demonstrated that the talents of the screen star go way beyond cute witchery. Her collection for People Tree is adorable and unique. I love the details that she has keen look-out for and which can be seen in such sustainable, chic items as, The Salmon Pink Grecian Dress, The Loretto Button Dress, and The Kitebrook Shorts.

Emma Visits Bangladesh…see how the fabrics for the People Tree collection are made!

Eco Fashion designer Lara Miller is an Eco Chick fave; her supermodern, often convertible, sensuously romantic, yet travel-friendly designs are deceptively simple but always on point.

Lara says she didn’t plan her designs for the travelling types (though they suit us so well), but that her ideas come from a playful, fun place that happens to result in highly variable separates (think dresses that can be worn three ways, or trousers that have adjustable hems):

I graduated from a very conceptual design program at the School of the Art Institute where I researched Eadweard Muybridge images and architectual theory by Gregg Lynn. I was fascinated with the idea of animation and gestures in every day life, especially when getting dressed. I wanted to give the wearer a relationship to their pieces and allow them to be more individual. As my line and I have grown up, the functionality has really become key.

The Fern Flip wrap in recycled cotton

Lara uses the most cutting edge eco fabrics, experimenting with fibers made from seacell, bamboo, organic cotton, lyocell, flax- and soy-based fibers and hemp. “My most favorite lately has been recycled cotton yarn – regenerated from scraps of t-shirts by a company in North Carolina. I especially love knitting it in a mesh like stitch that reminds me of fishnet,” says Lara.

Focusing on sourcing fabrics from US-based mills is one way to cut her company’s carbon footprint; having all the garments sewn in her native Chicago is another. She also uses low-impact dyes and researches all her fabric sources.

The Stevie T-Shirt Tunic.

Lara’s fave pieces from her Fall, 2010 collection include the cardigans, “…especially the Fern Flip Wrap (above) in the recycled cotton. And of course tunics and dresses – the only thing that makes me excited about Chicago getting cold again is The Mila Kimono Sweater Dress and the Stevie T-Shirt Tunic (pictured above and below).”

The Mila Kimono Sweater Dress

Lara stresses that she doesn’t want to make her clothes too conceptual and if you take a look at the offerings in her online shop, or previous and current collections, you’ll see they are made up of traditional colors and drapes, but each with a twist.

Being a “green” company means much more to me than just using eco-friendly fibers. It means supporting the local economy and using the least amount of energy possible. It means using a local printer that only uses recycled paper and partially runs on wind power. It means giving back in every way that I can to my employees, my community, and the world.

Lara’s entry in the Yesterday’s News: Do Gooder Design Challenge

Lara is also one of the designers in the Yesterday’s News Do Gooder Challenge, though Lara says the toughest part of working with recycled newsprint is that she can’t knit it on her loom. “After we had our first phone call with Yesterday’s News I tried to figure out how to knit it but the texture was too hard,” she says. Take a look at her video diary above for more!

Portland, Oregon based textile designer Rio Wrenn has a unique vision for lingerie, combining modern eco friendly materials and dying techniques, antique constructions and ethical manufacturing to create her line, R.A.W. “I started R.A.W. in 2007, which is inspired by vintage undergarments ranging from the 1800′s to the 1950′s to modern day,” says Rio. Her collection of corsets, bras and undies has a special look, and with the Summer and Autumn 2010 trend of exposed undergarments, she’s right on target with perfect base layers for style mavens and lingerie fans alike.

And not only is Rio a conscious creator of unique pieces, she’s an advocate for women’s bodies and all the curves that go with them, and explained that her corsets aren’t meant to be restrictive or to reshape a body (she’s a fan of hips especially). “Corsets are actually very therapeutic, they make you stand up straight! I think people have a bad vision of corsets, but I don’t make them to be oppressive, they should be comfortable and supportive,” she says.

Each piece in R.A.W.’s collection is also a work of art and are handmade in Portland. Rio is a visual artist, but found that fine art was often out of reach to many people; fashion is a way to take a creative project and make it more accessible, wearable and affordable, she says.

Rio uses some unusual dye techniques, even considering that they’re eco friendly, the most unique of which is using found rusty objects to impart color. “I’m pushing the boundaries of what people consider beautiful. The things I’m using are dirty, rusting, and things people wouldn’t consider putting on their clothing. [I enjoy] finding beauty in uncommon means.” She also uses plant dyes like hollyhock and roses, explaining, “I love nature and was always interested in the use of plants for medicinal healing, but probably the first thing that interested me in plants was using them as dyes.”

R.A.W. corsets are available at at Coco De Mer in LA and will soon be online at Glamorous Amorous in the UK.

As part of their “Year of Eco-Exhibitions,” the UC Davis Design Museum & Design Collective in Davis, CA will host Fashion Conscious, an exhibition focused on sustainable fashion design from May 15th thru July 13, 2008.

This exhibition explores sustainability and how it relates to the current clothing market, from the environmental impact of eco-friendly textiles to the re-evaluation of industrial manufacturing.

The exhibiting designers and companies demonstrate a commitment towards developing clothing that provides viable alternatives to the imperfect traditions of the fashion industry. Changing a long standing paradigm will not happen overnight, but by choosing fabrics and methods of production conscientiously, designers have the power to change the way farms and factories operate. The key to success is diversity and compromise.

In conjunction with this exhibit will be the Designing with Conscience ::: A Sustainable Fashion Symposium on Sunday, May 18, 2008. This symposium is focused on “looking into the fashion industry and the move towards eco-consciousness,” and includes speakers from the fashion industry and 4 panelists from the exhibition. To register for the event go here. For more info on the exhibition & the exhibitors involved, and some great info on sustainable fashion, check out this blog.

Shannon Kline is the creator of Sweet Pepita Clothing. Using recycled fabrics from old, funky tee’s and 100% organic cotton, Sweet Pepita blends sustainability with hip, retro style. You can send Shannon a favorite old tee-shirt that you don’t want to get rid of and she will give it new life as a baby-tee. I have requested she make duds for us adult folk also but for now its just for the wee ones.

I love to sew custom baby tees. Customers send me their old favorite adult sized t-shirts and I transform them into clothing for their babies. I just read that Americans throw away an unspeakable amount of clothing every year. And I know that we all have t-shirts we’re holding on to that we’re never going to wear again. Sewing them into baby tees feels really good! We’re recycling and giving a child a piece of her parent’s history.

Check out all the pretty (recycled and sustainable) wares at LA’s Avita Co-op courtesy of Mahalo Daily!

After arriving at warm home town Barranquilla, Colombia, I was in the process of putting away my winter clothes, when inside my jacket’s pocket I found an unfamiliar object. I reached inside and out came a pair of earrings. “Nice”, I thought. And tried to remember where I had gotten them from. Not mine. Must be my friend Johanna’s, to whom I last lent my jacket.
Taking advantage of the situation (a new pair of earrings for the New Year), I was going to try them on when I realized they were broken; the piece to fit in the earlobe was missing.

Mmmh… what to do? Throw them away? Sadly, I must confess that was my first thought; but then I stopped and asked myself, “Where will these earrings go? Once they reach the garbage, what will happen to them?” It was then that I decided to save the lovely pair. What would it take? How long, how much would it cost? Is jewelry commonly recycled; turned around, from person to person? Or are we stuck in the buy-buy, throw-throw cycle? All these questions arose in my mind as I set out to quench my earring fixing curiosity.

My first stop was at my cousin’s, Colombian designer Melissa Chams (above), who owns a boutique about five blocks away from my house. “Can you fix this?” I asked. “Sure”, she said. Two minutes later, I was in front of a new pair of earrings, a living memory of my now far away friend Johanna, and a happy conscience for having contributed to waste reduction.

Good for me, but can material reuse become a common practice in the fashion business? Designers around the world are experimenting more and more with turning would-be garbage into art. Melissa says the fashion business is always moving along with new tendencies, but in this movement, it can incorporate reclaimed materials. For example, in her jewelry designs she uses pieces that she buys, tears apart and turns into something new. “It’s easier and cheaper” she commented. Reusing materials and already made pieces, and creating of them something new, is a challenge for designers, an incentive for eco-minded buyers and an excellent way to shade some green into consumer lifestyle.

In second world countries like Colombia, reusing materials is common practice because sharing of possessions is imbedded into life style. Clothes and accessories are passed on from mother to daughter, between friends and cousins, and between women from different social classes. Unable to afford new, but still wanting to be fashionable, women exchange their belongings. Adding something new to a piece, altering it or wearing it differently, is an important part of the process. “A small change in design or a different face behind an accessory can make it look new”, says Melissa, and indeed, “for each person that receives it, the item is new”.

People come into Melissa’s boutique all the time asking her to fix their jewelry or modify their clothes. They are also buying her new designs, so she is happy to help them out, sometimes even fixing stuff for free. Although she is in constant need of new material and has local providers of cotton, linen and silk, Melissa says she is open to using recycled materials and was very interested when I talked to her about eco-fashion and organic fabrics, a relatively new concept in Colombia. But even when she doesn’t know it, or call it that way, by reusing materials and helping people recycle their belongings, she is already contributing to eco-sense in Colombia’s fashion.

Meadow’s designs are all about the detail, from creatively lined pockets to patterned layers, all presented in modern neutrals and natural (but not boring) tones of green, blue and lavender. The line is designed with fabrics like hemp, Tencel, and bamboo, and while some of the pieces have a vintage feel, plenty of them are body-skimming moderns. Meadow has created both a ready-to-wear line and a swimwear line that’s all about adorable patterns.

You can vote for Meadow in Daily Candy’s Sweetest Things year-end competition. She up against all non-eco designers so cast a vote for the designer who’s Green! 

Meadow Compton-Gerrish, the designer of Meadow

I had a quick chat with Meadow via email about her designs and inspirations, and this is what she had to say:

What is the inspiration for your designs?

The inspiration for my designs comes from all things natural,  and the quality craftmanship of vintage clothing.

Why ecofriendly fabrics?
Eco-friendly fabrics seems like the best option for me to express my self through fashion without causing harm to our precious Earth. I grew up in the natural food industry and eat all organic so the clothes I design should not compromise the path I want to take towards living a sustainable lifestyle.

What’s your design background?
I have always been a designer and creative person. I was always creating things as a child….while hanging out in my father’s natural food restaurant…..so I wanted to combine those two worlds. I went to Miami International University of Art and Design and graduated with honors. This is my first collection out of design school.

Who are your favorite designers? 
Marc Jacobs and stella McCartney.

Over here, I can buy sweatshop free (though not otherwise uncontroversial) pants from American Apparel and I can grab t-shirts from the local secondhand shops. But I’m not a small-chested girl and I need something to keep my boobs from hitting me in the eyes during downward dog. Of course, I could always buy from those big-name athletic companies, but guilt overwhelms when I pick up the latest sneaker and know that of the $100 I’m about to drop, more money will have been spent on getting David Beckham to hawk it than to the woman who sewed it together; that same guilt would surely haunt me during corpse pose … not my idea of a good meditation.

Thankfully, my singular sports bra kept its elasticity until I hightailed it back to the States this summer for a vacation. And though I didn’t know it before my trip, I soon found out that a tiny little yoga retailer I’d visited in Canada several years ago had finally come down to the US from the great white north, bringing its leg warmers and yoga pants along with it.

Lululemon, which started in Vancouver as a yoga lifestyle store, recently opened stores in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Though I only got to visit the Chicago store, it was clear the place was built with the environment in mind – placards throughout said the floors were made with reclaimed wood, the paint was VOC-free, and there were compact fluorescents throughout.

Sadly, the store’s greenness didn’t extend throughout the entire clothing line … instead, I stuck to the side of the store featuring oqoqo clothing, a line that contains fabrics made with 75% natural fibers including hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton. It doesn’t just include yoga pants and tops; the summer line, anyway, had a few flowy dresses, linen-like pants, and plenty of shirts to wear on or off the mat. I walked away with a few finds that I’m proud to show off (and seriously, people are still getting the “This is made out of bamboo!” comment two months later, as if I’m some sort of walking advertorial) and a great reusable shopping bag with an inspiring manifesto (check out their website if you can’t make it into the store – it’s a great reminder of positive philosophy).

Unfortunately, their Flash website doesn’t let me show you the goods here – and the company’s strong devotion to community keeps their stuff in stores, but not online (they really want you to come chat with their uber-friendly salespeople) – but the next time you’re near one of their stores, which are sprouting up all over, check out Lululemon and see what kind of support you can get for all your yogic poses.