Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Eco Chic Weekly – December 16, 2008

The Alternative Consumer tells you how to recognize if you’re a Trendy Fashion Victim…and how to slow it down if you are!

Eco-Chick encourages her readers to rock an Ugly Christmas Sweater.

Fashion, Evolved has a gift idea for the girl who has everything!

Green Cotton reports on the economic downfall crippling the recycling market and asks– is there anything we can do?

Green Girls Global introduces their newest team member, ethical fashion stylist Lou Taylor!

Green Girls.tv has an exclusive interview with eco fashion designer Nicole Facciuto.

Green Glam Girl sings the praises of the Goody Green Bag.

Stop by Green Grechen to meet New Eco-Friendly Graphic Designer Mel Lim and Enter To Win a Recycled Cotton/Soda Bottles Tote & Matching Print!

Victoria Everman has an Anti-Body all-natural beauty products review, discount code, and giveaway!

Eco Chic Weekly – November 17, 2008

Eco-Chick gets Eairth-y with some Fabulous Phillipino Eco-Fashion

Fashion, evolved interviews Sara Suemae, the founder and designer of the eco-fabulous line SPUN.

Green Cotton says congrats to the D.C. Green Festivals for a terrific eco-fashion show and impressive recycling for 30,000+

The GreenGirls.tv tells us why knockoffs and fakes are a crime of fashion.

The Alternative Consumer has the scoop on natural wrist warmers:  tre chic and handmade, a yummy accessory for fall, winter and spring.

Green Grechen shares chic handbags for vegans–100% Vegan Handbags (that you’d actually carry)!

What Are You Tired Of? Tell the World and Make It Change!  Victoria Everman has an interview with I’m Tired Of co-founder Dan Hoffman.

Choose Sustainable. Choose Style. Choose SPUN.

If you haven’t heard of SPUN yet, don’t worry.  You will.  The lovely and talented founder of the company, Sara Seumae is riding a wave of popularity as her sustainable, chic designs continue to gain a reputation among fashionistas.  I had the opportunity to “meet” Sara online and asked her if she’d let me interview her for Fashion, Evolved:

The Q: Do you design all the clothing at SPUN?

Sara Seumae:  YES! But I will have to say that the emails from our customers and my mom and sister’s “two-cents” should be also be included.

The Q:  Where do you get your inspiration?

Sara Seumae:  My inspiration was and still is my two little girls. Like any mother, I want them to live the healthiest life possible. This includes what they eat as well as their environment. I also believe wholeheartedly that we need to leave this planet in better shape than we found it. I can’t dare look at my girls in the eyes if I feel that I have let them down. It’s not their fault that the world is the way it is. But I can do my very best to try and change it any way that I can. By choosing to wear organic cotton, you will not only help the environment but also the farmers who grow your cotton. Just like us, they have families that love them and I don’t want to be blamed for their failing health due to their exposure to pesticides either.

The Q:  What kind of woman is a SPUN customer?

Sara Seumae:  Our pieces are meant to be worn by every woman. We choose colors that will work with all different types of hair and eye colors as well as different complexions. We have also recently introduced Extra Large sizing to further broaden our customer reach. All of our pieces are longer than normal, allowing those of us who have had children, as well as those who wish to have a little more coverage the ease to do so. This also allows you to layer our pieces with some of your other favorites. We also make the bust on our pieces a little more fitted, as we feel that this is more flattering. Every piece is made in California, fair wage and sweat-shop free, using an environmentally friendly low-impact fiber reactive dye process. So you can rest assured that your clothes aren’t made under cruel conditions. The typical SPUN lady believes in the importance of not only wearing affordable clothing but cares about the condition of the people who have worked to bring the piece to you. From the farmer who works the cotton fields to the sewer who puts it all together, our customer cares about all of them. She also wants quality as well as classic pieces that aren’t the throw away pieces that you find elsewhere. Our pieces won’t fall apart after a few washes and are meant to be around no matter what the next season’s style brings us.

The Q:  Why is sustainability an important issue for you, personally?

Sara Seumae:  Living in Washington State, you can’t help but think about the environment. The rain helps keep everything green and that’s how we like it! Personally, my husband and I were always concerned about environmental causes. We started eating organic and using cloth diapers when our first daughter was born. It wasn’t until the birth of our second daughter, that we really started realizing all the other ways we could be better citizens. That’s when I realized my own desire for taking it a step further into green clothing. It was really easy for kids stuff and my husband just needed t-shirts. But for me, I couldn’t afford spending a lot just for clothes. We contribute one percent of our annual sales to environmental organizations through our membership with 1% For the Planet. We also try to reduce our footprint by doing such things as taking care of our own local deliveries rather than using other shipping methods. We also use recycled or reused cardboard boxes for shipping, biodegradable garment bags made from corn, and our hangtags are also made from 100% recycled paper. We believe that every little thing you can do helps.

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Eco Chic Weekly!

Announcing…the new Blog Association that is heralding the Fashion Revolution!
I am so pleased to introduce you to the new blog group Eco Chic Weekly.  We are a small but rapidly growing group of writers that focus on future of fashion:  Sustainability!

The members of Eco Chic Weekly are all dedicated to bringing you viable options to the mass-produced, over worked clothing and beauty that is designed first and foremost for the bottom line.

Eco Fashion is both a industry revolution and a cultural revolution.  It is a movement that promotes a higher quality of living for everyone on earth.

Please visit each week for a digest of the best of the best of Eco Fashion Blogging, and spend a few moments commenting on these excellent posts — we love to hear from our readers!

Green Cotton introduces her blog and tells us about her mission of bringing organic and sustainable clothing to the mainstream!

Green Girls Global reports on water wasted in producing denim–and offers some great alternatives!

GreenGirls.tv has a video wrap up of everything on the blog for the past week.

Fashion, Evolved recaps the Project Runway Season 5 Finale (part 1).  (Poor Jerrel!)

Eco Chick gives us the scoop on a brand new line of organic body care targeted at teens.

Victoria-E showcases the new line of handbags from Ecoist, a company that uses recycled wrappers; and she includes a special discount for her readers!

How to Score an Eco Chick?

Mr. EcoGeek himself (aka Hank Green) put together this hilarious piece on how to impress (read: seduce) a green girl with your enviro cred. Title: “EcoGeek’s Guide to Getting Girls”! Love it. Being a guy, naturally he wrote a lot about how to get a woman in bed, or at least into a sexy space. (Hey, nothing wrong with seduction, especially if it’s environmentally responsible). What a romantic! Hank, I kid. Since EcoGeek is happily married he’s obviously doing something right.

BUT I couldn’t resist the challenge. As a recently single-again Eco Chick, I have to make my own list. Now, I could have made one about how to seduce a Green Guy, but really, getting most guys into bed, green, purple or ahem, blue, isn’t all that hard, right ladies?

So I’m going to go ahead and ADD to Hank’s list, in which I give away a few of the secrets to getting an Eco Chick to a) notice you, and b) get that first kiss (and maybe more). I’m doing this as a public service to all those treehugging guys who are so busy saving the world they forgot how to flirt, or are maybe just a little shy. Because there’s nothing I like less than seeing nice guys finish last when it comes to snagging dates. Mens, instead of muttering “Girls only like assholes, so I’ll be one” and then going out and behaving like a neanderthal, try these good-guy tactics instead. You’ll help save our gorgeous planet and find someone to keep you warm this winter to boot (so you can turn down the thermostat another couple of degrees!).

And remember, the key to getting any woman is turning on her mind. And what’s on an Eco Chick’s mind? (I mean besides that!!)

Know Your Shit, Or Don’t Be Afraid to Learn
Environmentally oriented women tend to be well-educated (whether through the halls of academia or through seasons of anarchic urban gardening activism, we know our stuff), and smart, conscious women like men who are the same. But don’t fake it; you won’t be able to pretend you’re interested in and love the natural world if you’re not into it, so don’t even try.

If you are just learning to be green, that’s OK, just be open about it. A “teach me” attitude is always appealing to a woman who’s passionate about any subject, from permaculture to carbon trading. If you are an expert in a subject, flaunt it, but not too much. If she’s into a what you’re discussing, a cup of coffee so you can “really get into the details” is a smart, cute way to go (see below for more ideas).

Be Original
Think creative, think low-impact, think about what she’s into.
-Instead of bringing her flowers, bring her a jar of local honey (um, unless she’s a vegan! If so, organic agave nectar. Nonorganic agave is often not sustainably harvested.)
-Send her postcards made from recycled boxes, even if you both live in the same town. It’s fun to get mail.
-Listen (it costs nothing!! and only produces a little bit of CO2…)
-During a hike, or even just a walk in the park, whip out your iPod and play a song for her that pertains to the spot you’ve chosen to stop, showing her how you appreciate the natural world.
-Make her delicious organic, local or all-natural treats of some kind, and feed them to her.

Expect the Unexpected (and Appreciate It!)
Women who are dedicated to changing the world are probably a bit different from the norm; exactly how different and in what ways varies from woman to woman. Note and compliment the things that set her apart from other women and notice what makes her special. Why does she care so much about the planet/animals/organic agriculture/raw food? What is her ideal vision of the future? How does she envision getting there?

Work Your Green Guyness
If you already have awesome eco-man cred, show it off! She will see you in your element, which is always sexy. Never downplay who you are, it’ll come out eventually anyway…

Activist? Ask her to help you make posters, masks, think up slogans, or help you distribute information for your next action.
Locavore? Take her on an excursion to a little-known farm or local-only eatery.
Vegan? Ask her to help you walk dogs at the animal shelter.
Ecologist/Geologist/Biologist? Show her whatever your specialty is in a fun way. Bring her to a super-unique local ecosystem and show her what’s amazing about it, take her on a visit to a rare or interesting outcropping, or take her to the local nature center and show her your favorite interesting insect exhibit.
Environmental Writer? Give her a copy of the book that inspires you the most, with your favorite sections marked off, or go to a reading by your favorite writer.
Green Designer? Show her what inspires you and your designs, whether it is a natural space, an industrial wasteland or the dancing movements of a microscopic creature.
Politician? Ask for her opinion about a speech, op/ed or campaign points that you are working on.
Outdoor educator? Take her on a personalized adventure rappelling, white-water rafting, mountaineering, backcountry snowboarding, or whatever your specialty is. Pack a meal for the trip and include something small but special that shows you were thinking of her (her own caribeaner, quick-dry towel or an extra pair of socks).

And How To Get Her Into Bed…

If you’ve done a few of the things above, she will most likely be pulling you towards the bedroom, into the sleeping bag, or off the side of the trail for a little all-natural frolic.

What’d I miss ladies?? Add your original ideas (and thoughts of course) in the comments section below!