London · Eco-Chick

Browsing all posts tagged with London

London-Based What a Load of Rubbish Solves Recycling and Garbage Woes

We’re acutely aware that there is no magic place called “away” where our garbage goes. But when it comes to recycling and actually doing something about it, the old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ goes for many. In the U.S. alone, over 7 billion pounds of PVC is thrown away each year; and of that amount, only 18 million pounds (approximately one-quarter of 1 percent) is actually recycled. The UK fares a bit better: Roughly 25% of the their plastic waste is recycled.

Savvy London-based company What a Load of Rubbish is changing the way citizens and organizations handle their rubbish, or, as we say in the States, ‘trash.’ Their rubbish removal specialists pick up any and all kinds of garbage — no matter the size — from homes, offices, hotels, schools, constructions sites, you name it, and deliver it to transfer stations where the garbage/rubbish/trash/junk whatever you’d like to call it, is sorted and recycled in the most responsible way.
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England, green recyclable, London, recycle, Recycling, trash, US

Fashion Me Green: The London Project

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by Starre Vartan · 11/08/10

We love Fashion Me Green here at Eco Chick (in fact, Greta, the founder of the site blogged with us last year!). This breakout eco fashion site is home to one of my fave eco fashion editorials to date, the FMG city ‘projects’ wherein site publisher Greta Eagan travels to a foreign (or domestic!) city, finds amazing vernacular ethical wares and accessories, and puts together a gorgeous shoot worthy of a glossy mag featuring a local notable fashionista.

Greta has curated projects in LA, New York, Boulder and San Francisco, and the latest installment takes place in London, England, where the lovely Caroline Issa, Tank Magazine’s founder, modeled for the editorial. The shots here are just a sneak peek; check out the site for more details, and to learn more about the designers featured (not to mention find all the info to and shop the shoot)!

designer, eco fashion, Fashion, London, UK

Estethica Brings Sustainable Style to London Fashion Week

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by Starre Vartan · 11/04/10

This year I realized a long-time dream; to attend London Fashion Week. Following directly on the heels of New York Fashion Week’s first season at Lincoln Center (and the best ever Greenshows yet!), I barely had time to catch my breath from the NYC festivities before I was on a plane across the pond. While there, I had the chance to meet with Livia Firth and tour her ethical boutique, Eco Age, and catch up with my best friend Jenn, who calls the city home.

Estethica, now in its fourth year, is London Fashion Week’s sustainable showcase, and it’s grown (like eco fashion in general) tremendously in the years since it was founded by Orsola De Castro, who I got a chance to interview. Check out the video above, wherein I interview Orsola about her line, From Somewhere, hear about the sheep behind supergorgeous knitwear by Makepiece, and check out the chic chapeau-purveyor Pachacuti.

designer, eco fashion, Fashion, green, London, sustainable design, UK

Eco Chick Escapes To: Livia Firth’s Eco Age Boutique in London!

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by Starre Vartan · 10/14/10

Eco Age’s front window

During my most recent trip across the pond, I stopped by London to check out London Fashion Week and visit my best friend, Jenn, who lives in my second-favorite city in the world (the first is NYC baby!). And thanks to a fortuitous hookup by the lovely Rachel Sarnoff over at Ecostiletto, I got a chance to connect with Livia Firth (yep, wife of Colin!) who runs Eco Age, a fabulous boutique in the Chiswick section of London.

And talk about walking the talk; Livia, as the wife of a Hollywood star, (Colin recently starred in Tom Ford’s directorial debut, A Single Man), is expected to turn up at red-carpet events looking fabulous, and this past Spring she took up Vogue UK’s ‘Green Carpet Challenge‘ – and came off beautifully, exploring all the ways of being sustainably stylish, from repurposing to seeking out designers who use ethical fabrics and dye techniques. Eco fashion at the Golden Globes and the Oscars? Livia did it!

Thanks to Livia Firth for the awesome tour of her store in London!

Livia gave me a tour (see video above) of her store, which carries her own carefully edited (and strictly vetted) selection of eco fashion, home decor, and great gifts, and in the basement, an eco-materials consultancy (which I had no idea of until I was on the tour!). The amazing thing is that with the breadth of categories she covers with what she sells in the store, her awesome recycled furniture initiatives for London Design Festival, and the learning space and consultancy for eco materials (think flooring, tiles, fabrics and wallcovering) Livia’s doing so much besides running a store.
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designer, eco fashion, Fashion, green, Hollywood, London

People Won't Change for the Environment (on my campus)

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by Katie Kish · 09/03/09

A recent article outlines a pretty simplistic poll conducted in London about people’s willingness to change their behaviour for the good of the planet.

A straw poll of 15 British men and 15 British women between the ages of 25-75 in central London, showed all were willing to make small changes for the environment, such as recycling, but few would commit to more fundamental changes to behavior.

The outcome was pretty surprising. People will “try” to drive less, and others take a shot at proper recycling. But no one is ready for a change in their lifestyle. This inspired me. I was sure I could find better numbers and results here in Toronto, Canada. We are supposed to be eco-friendly up here, right?