So you want it all in your eco-fashion — not just eco-friendly materials, but also eco-friendly, low-impact dyes — as well as fair trade and fair labor! And of course, the clothes themselves have to look good, stay in fashion, and generally last a long time –
Then stop by Indigenous Designs, a company that’s been making fair trade, organic fashions since 1994. Here you’ll find great basics — like classic polo shirts and simple button downs — that look good, fit well, and have all the socio-eco-friendly attributes too.
Combining all those do-gooder elements with good fashion isn’t easy to do, as Truly Organic’s demonstrated with its unevenly-dyed crunchy clothes. In fact, I hadn’t shopped much at Indigenous Designs because I used to associate the company with crunchy-wear — some of which, like the “earth” cardigan (below, right), you can still find on the website.
But for the most part, Indigenous Designs has gotten both more stylish and practical, making nice basics for both men and women. I recently got a Pogo Stick Polo shirt (top left), made in Peru with organic cotton and tencel and dyed almond with low-impact dyes. I like the fitted design and the gathers at the neck — details that add a nice modern accent to a classic look.
That shirt costs $72 — which some may consider pricey, but is still less than the popular Lacoste polos that have none of the fair trade, organic attributes. I will say that the pricing at Indigenous Designs does seem odd though. A gorgeous handknit organic cotton pullover (below left) costs just $38, yet the crunchy-as-can-be earth sweater (below right) costs $139. I recommend spending a little time browsing the site to find the good deals.
Indigenous Designs was founded on fair trade principles and is fully committed to fair trade and eco-friendly initiatives. Find out more about the Peruvian artisans who make Indigenous Designs’ clothes — by hand!
Photos via Indigenous Designs
The merino wool might have something to do with the high cost of the “crunchy” sweater. It looks like some of their more expensive hand knit sweater items include either wool or cables.
Out of curiosity (because for some reason I don’t understand what makes things “crunchy” or not — then again no one has ever mistaken me for a fashion maven), how would you feel about that sweater if it was all black instead? What if the material was less bulky or the neckline was a little lower?
Comment by M — July 2, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Well you’re basically asking how well I’d like a totally different sweater that looks nothing like the one above in color, texture, and design — so I guess it’s possible I’d like it better :)
Comment by Siel — July 2, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
The 2 sweaters in the post aren’t really that different (although I might be missing something that I can’t pick up from the photos because one sweater looks like it is on a person while the other looks like it is on a manikin, but I regularly look at handmade items and deconstruct them in my mind.) The blue one was made with a front pocket instead of a zipper, so the front of the sweater was constructed in 1 vs 2 panels. One is made out of a thicker yarn than the other. It looks like the front and back panels are more squared for the blue than the brown sweater and the neck areas are slightly different in that one is more finished. One is made out of a variegated yarn (which I am suspecting is what makes the sweater more “crunchy” along with the neckline and/or the presentation) while the other just has some simple stripes. Besides that they are both made with the same basic stitch in rows, opposed to being knitted on a diagonal, with cables or with intricate color work. Their similarities and very slight differences are what makes me interested in what makes something crunchy vs. not. It seems like there is a very fine line between the two.
Comment by M — July 2, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
But dude — Do you then think ANY sweaters are different? :P You’ve pointed out that the items look significantly different, have different structures (# of panels, one’s zippered, the other isn’t), completely different yarn and yarn textures, totally different colors and patterns, and significantly different necklines. The only thing they actually seem to have in common is that they’re knitted sweaters…. Yet you say they’re not v. different!
I suspect you actually have a pretty good sense of what is crunchy — It’s just that you find crunchiness less offensive to your own sense of aesthetics, and thus feel clothing with crunchy characteristics “aren’t really that different” from less crunchy clothes.
But to answer your question re: crunchiness more generally: In general, crunchy = burlap sack look and/or “my grandma made this for me” look, including, but not limited to, general frumpiness (note the uneven, rumply edges of the offending sweater vs. the smoothness of the blue one), too much color spattered about in disorganized fashion (like tie dye, or again, the sweater above), unflattering style (the sweater above would make any woman’s arms look fat), etc.
Does this help?
Comment by Siel — July 2, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
Yeah. Those sweaters are a little crunchy. We’re not talking super crunch, but there’s a crunch factor there. The loose neck line of the blue one and the pockets add a crunchiness. Very “I wear this shit so much it’s stretched out” look. The one on the right is more “I go camping a lot and wear this sweater while I’m camping for its great insulating abilities, but wear it in my regular day to day too”. It has a mild frump-ness to it. On another note, I hate that all this eco-wear come up from (insert poor third world country). Either it’s made by poor natives (Which I have nothing against per se….) Or even worse it’s just made in good old Taiwan. I often wonder if the shipping involved with it (Merino wool from country A, to factory in Country B, to shop in Country C) off sets the beneficial aspects of wearing ‘green’ clothes. Organic etc. IS important, but the benefits of local mustn’t be overlooked!
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Comment by jacobfeldman — July 2, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
as an addendum to my last post I want to clarify that I have nothing against Peruvian (etc.) natives. It’s an honorable way to make money. I don’t want to seem ethnocentric by any means. (though I do wonder what kind of compensation the natives receive. I’m sure it’s not even half of that $139). My point was meant to be about the importance of local. sorry for the rant.
jacobfeldman’s last blog post..JacobFeldman: damn! I need to shower. Who wants to join me?
Comment by jacobfeldman — July 2, 2009 @ 7:24 pm