Fair Fashion

Shop Local: In NYC, 10 Awesome Options

madelocalnyc_crowd_02_sm

This past weekend Eco-Chick was invited to shop at the Made Local NYC Holiday Sale! Hosted at Land Yoga in Harlem, NYC, the holiday sale featured a carefully curated collection of ethically minded designers offering a wide range of clothing and jewelry to please just about anyone on your gift list! Here’s a quick intro to the wonderful selection of designers and brands that were featured.

madelocalnyc_tabiijust

It’s hard to believe that the vivid prints and colors from Tabii Just‘s collection came from scraps, but thanks to co-founder Tabitha St. Bernard’s Zero Waste Policy, wearing something sustainable doesn’t have to be so vanilla! Other than using unconventional pattern making to minimize waste, scraps are also used to make other items, like pocket squares and stuffed animals. Tabii Just also takes pride in supporting local labor and their whole line is designed and made in NYC! Read more about Tabii Just here

madelocalnyc_nataliefrigo_02

Natalie Frigo designs and sculpts all of her jewelry by hand in her Manhattan studio using a wide variety of personally selected and ethically sourced gemstones and metals. By using vintage recycled and reclaimed metals founder and designer Natalie Frigo is able to eliminate an enormous amount of new pollution and water contamination from her production process. For example, a newly mined 18-karat gold ring weighing less than an ounce creates on average twenty tons of waste, while a a recycled ring creates almost none. Another benefit of using reclaimed materials is that by its very nature there’s only a finite number of pieces that can be created, like her collection made with vintage Japanese pearls, thereby adding onto the precious and valuable nature of her jewelry.

 

madelocalnyc_gra_sm

‘Grá’ means ‘love’ in Gaelic, and just like its namesake Irish-born designer Christina Scott created the pieces in Grá Designs to be worn with love! Her unique beaded jewelry is handcrafted with loving attention to detail in Harlem, NY. Her Maasai-inspired collection of jewelry features the vibrant colors worn by the Maasai tribes of Kenya and Tanzania and is an easy way to incorporate pops of color into your daily look.

madelocalnyc_carmenanderson

When founder Carmen Anderson couldn’t find the perfect long-sleeved tee for fall, she decided to create it herself! Made of sustainable modal and 100% constructed in NYC, her collection of tops, bottoms, and dresses are relaxed and comfortable while being sophisticated enough that you can go out without looking like you’ve just got out of yoga class.

madelocalnyc_ajaie

Contemporary womenswear brand Ajaie Alaie isn’t just sourced and made sustainably, but it’s also designed to help balance your seven chakras. Each garment features a design detail centered on one chakra with a small hidden magnet. Imperceptible to everyone but the wearer, the magnet is meant to bring awareness to the fact that not only are you wearing a beautiful garment, you are also wearing intentions. Good vibrations indeed!

madelocalnyc_delphine_01

Born and raised in the south of France, designer Delphine Leymarie has since made New York City her home. Showcasing a mix of ocean-inspired organic forms and architectural pieces, the influences of these geographical locations are readily apparent in her work. Using reclaimed 18k gold and silver, her handcrafted pieces exude a sense of simplicity as well as being a testament to the fact that you don’t have to give up being luxe to be mindful.

madelocalnyc_palomino

Katie Fuller of Palomino Jewelry NY creates bold pieces inspired by her love of travel and nature. Using sustainable materials such as salvaged leather, upholstery swatches, and reclaimed stones, her collection is raw and edgy without feeling unfinished. Its also worth noting that all of her jewelry is natural and crafted by hand, meaning that each piece is totally unique!

madelocalnyc_nigirl

Niomi Plotkin of Nigirl Jewelry draws on a eclectic mix of global influences to create unique pieces out of recycled materials and beads that she sources and collects personally. Some highlights in her collection include necklaces with beads bearing the portrait of Frida Kahlo from the historic Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico!

madelocalnyc_behno_sm

An advanced contemporary womenswear label with a minimalist and structured aesthetic, you’d be surprised to find that Behno founder Shivam Punjya doesn’t come from a traditional design background, but that may be precisely why he’s perfectly equipped to subvert the current narrative of fast fashion today. With a background in political economics and global health, Punjya centers his brand around six core principles – health, social mobility, family planning, women’s rights, work satisfaction and benefits, and eco-consciousness – to ensure that his garments uphold what he calls ‘the Behno standard.’ You can get your very own Behno pieces at e-tailers such as Urban Outfitters and Yoox or at behno.com!

madelocalnyc_mirame

Directly translated from Spanish, Mirame means “Look at me,” a statement that perfectly epitomizes the heart of designer Melinda Huff’s swimwear collection. Bemoaning the absence of fashionable swimwear between “mom jeans and string bikinis,” Miranda took it upon herself to design pieces that provided support and comfort for women while simultaneously being confident, powerful, and sexy. Recently the Mirame brand has been expanded to include activewear as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Soyo Hong is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. An artist and writer in NYC, she is a regular contributor to digital platforms such as Animal New York, Hopes&Fears, and Ratter.