If you’re a fashionista with a green conscience, this post’s for you. Fascinating fashion projects are popping up everywhere –
Little Brown Dress. This woman Alex wore the same dress — a lil brown one — for an entire year (July 7, 2005 - July 7, 2006)! “I made one small, personal attempt to confront consumerism by refusing to change my dress for 365 days.”
She kept a journal tracking the whole process, and has now moved on to a new project where she wears “only clothing, shoes, under- and outer-wear, bags, jewelry and accessories I have built myself, and make new pieces only from recycled materials.”
Umbrella Inside Out. This lil project has Kyeann of Treehugger at its helm. The idea: 33 million umbrellas’re sold every year in the US alone — and many end up in landfills. Thus, a contest! You can either 1. design an innovative umbrella with a Cradle to Cradle sensibility, or (2) design a women’s couture garment from efficiently collected old or discarded umbrellas!
Check out Jill of fiftyRx3’s entry here. More deets on entering here.
fiftyRx3. This is New Yorker Jill’s “project in sustainability and style.” Her goal for 2006: to have 50% of her clothes be sustainable, through reusing, reducing, and recycling. See what she’s wearing, and read about the latest in eco fashion, via her blog.
Thanks so much for the shout out Siel! Actually, I made that umbrella dress last year and have not yet entered anything into the contest. I have been dreaming about it, but have had a busy summer and will be on vacation for awhile… not to mention that the word couture scares sewing neophytes like myself. I will probably enter it though, since it is done I guess I have nothing to lose. I am hoping maybe Lopeti from H.O.R.R.S. will dazzle us with some crazy entry, but alas, I have no idea what is happening with the competition over at treehugger HQ. Too bad they couldn’t team up with Project Runway!
Anyway, for those readers who are interested, I do my best to also cover ecologically sensitive apparel that does not include my own experiment with the sewing machine, but things you can buy from various labels and shops. It is a really exciting time as I have seen a lot of growth in this market in the last year, lots of smaller new labels and big companes such as Levis offering organic too.
thanks again Siel!
Comment by jill danyelle — August 11, 2006 @ 4:48 pm
Hey Jill! Glad to hear you’ll be entering :) Send in the dress!
Comment by Siel — August 12, 2006 @ 8:11 pm