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

Who Made YOUR Pants? (Or, Shall We Say, Undies?)

Victoria’s Secret drove me nuts even before they were accused of their most recent child-labor scandal. With high prices for low quality, their kinda-cheesy designs that have to be dug through to find anything cute, and their puke-pink-overload stores (hey, I like a little pink, see above but VC takes it to a level that’s just insulting to the color), I finally gave up on the retailer a few years ago.

I know I’m not the only one looking for alternatives.

Enter Who Made Your Pants, a British project (but they ship worldwide) that upcycles unused lace from the garment industry into new undies. And they benefit refugee women.

And I’m so into the way they talk about their company: C’mon, this just sounds like they are directly addressing all the unethical lingerie companies out there: “We also think that it’s not really on for anyone to be made to work in bad conditions just for a cheap pair of pants. Who could feel lovely in something made in a bad place? So we make our pants in a great place.” LOVE!!!

And these undies aren’t just making the world a better place – they are making your butt a smoother place too. They are designed to have no visible panty line (VPL), stay in place, and (GOOD GOD) be comfortable all day long. I’ve died and gone to underwear heaven!

“Who Made Your Pants is structured as a worker co-op, creating jobs and training for refugee women in Southampton. Who Made Your Pants was set up specifically to empower women. The women it employs and works with are primarily refugees, from Afghanistan, Somalia, the Sudan – often places where there have been wars. They may have been educated or worked, they may not, so their needs are all different and Who Made Your Pants’ training and support varies in relation to need.”

More Great Green Undies from Eco Chick:
Artful Undergarments: Rio Wrenn’s Eco Lingerie
Collection
Lovely Lingerie That Just Happens to Be Eco
Under the Root: Sexy Eco Lingerie

XOXO for MapleXO Recycled Skateboard Jewelry

Lindsay Holmes began her Portland-based jewelry company MapleXO back in 2005 inspired by her passion for skateboarding. She has since then been crafting vibrant jewelry from broken skateboards. Holmes has refined the process of drilling, cutting, shaping, and sanding the boards to preserve not only the amazing graphics of the original skateboard designs, but also to reveal the contrasting colors, wood grains, and layers inside the skateboard decks.

In this season’s collection she has expanded her line to create LeeMOXO jewelry pieces, a collaboration with origami jewelry designer Leela Morimoto, of LeeMo, and to produce a series of limited-edition iPhone skateboard cases in collaboration with Grove Made.

Holmes’s inspiration shows the natural link between the outdoor sports we love and a commitment to the environment. As she expresses: “Recycling the boards has been my way to give back to this community by reducing the environmental footprint of skateboarding and giving the old boards new life.”
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How I Wear Eco Fashion: Kristen Nedopak, Hollywood Actress and Geek Host

Kristen Nedopak is a force to be reckoned with. An actress with a serious comedic bent, she’s host of Think Hero TV and a weekly series onScienceFiction.com, a talented illustrator, superenergetic optimist, and a self-described geek. Her life resembles a fantastical movie montage wherein the heroine dons amazing costumes, interviews stars and up-and-comers everywhere from festivals to red carpets, and behind the scenes, works her bum off (with red hair pulled back into a sleek French twist while wearing nerd-cute glasses of course). And did I mention she throws some of the most kickass parties in all of Los Angeles?

Kristen fills us in on how she puts together her always-unique looks:

My job is to give people an experience to remember, whether I’m interviewing a celebrity or expert or sharing my thoughts about a favorite TV show, it’s up to me to inspire viewers to watch—and continue to watch—the show. I like my attire to be super creative, but it can’t be too over the top. I still have to be recognizable on camera and it has to be comfortable enough to wear all day. It comes down to piecing together an outfit with the right period-esque details to strike a perfect balance.

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WASTE Bags: Junk Transformed into Fab Bag For Any Occasion

Envision a typical day for yourself. The hustle and bustle likely has you switching gears and bags at light-speed. Whether you’re hitting the gym, taking your pup for a stroll, walking the kids to the park, lunching with clients or enjoying a cocktail with friends, chances are you’re swapping bags and crossing your fingers you don’t forget anything all at once. The never-ending transitioning during a hectic day is maddening!

If you struggle with bag issues like me on a daily basis, I’ve finally found an answer to our prayers. I discovered WASTE bags while scouring the internet for a bag that could take me from day to night, with ease. They’re sleek-looking and so versatile that you’ll place the countless bags you own in the back of your closet.

Aside from getting you seriously hooked on their bags, WASTE is committed to reducing their impact on the environment. The hip company re-purposes rejected materials from the auto industry. Undesirable scraps of leather, polyester, rubber and seat belts, once regarded as junk, are transformed into WASTE’S elegant bags. The unique materials used make each bag a one-of-a-kind gem, sure to capture attention and garner more than a few compliments.
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New York Fashion Week Greenshows: Gary Harvey’s Literal Take on Recycled Fashion

Dress created from Weleda boxes. Image by Brian Clark Howard.

Gary Harvey’s show kicked off the Greenshows last week, and his extremely creative use of materials included recycling Weleda (Greenshows sponsor) boxes, t-shirts, baseball jackets, rugby shirts and more. Designer Harvey didn’t just reuse materials though; he really incorporated their former distinctive style elements in his new creations. The detailed beadwork in wedding dresses, the binding of the baseball jackets, the shape of the Weleda packaging all influenced what the new dresses looked like.

Fashion is about more than making a statement, and more than just putting clothes on in the morning. With these dresses Harvey makes a point about life cycle; that every object we come in contact with has a life before it gets to us and after we use it.

This dress is made from reused pieces of the Financial Times.

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