Around the World with Annie O.

Author: Tharmini / Category: annie O. boutique, Colombia, Craft/Artisan, Ethical Clothing, Ethical Fashion, Fairtrade, Mexico, Peru / Tags:, , , , / Comments: no comments

From intricately woven Wayuu Mochilla Bags from Colombia to beautifully hand-embroidered blouses made in Southern Mexico, annie O. boutique grant shoppers access to original pieces while simultaneously supporting survivors of domestic abuse and promoting the preservation of indigenous artisan traditions.

The fair trade certified company works directly with women-run artisan cooperatives around the world to design and source hand-crafted accessories made with local materials. The online store showcases a contemporary line of refreshingly colourful belts, scarves and bags among many other ethically produced items.

Designer and founder Annie O. Waterman was inspired by an indigenous fair-trade group she encountered while working as an intern for World of Good (now Good World Solutions) in Central Peru during the summer of 2005. The Colorado-based company has since worked with several fair-trade cooperatives across the globe.

Toronto – A Green City and Proud of it!

Author: Patrick / Category: Ethical Clothing, Ethical Fashion, Toronto / Tags:, , / Comments: no comments

Robyn Urback from BlogTo has posted “The Best Green Retailers in Toronto”. Looking for ethical and green clothing can sometimes be stressful, and can be compared to looking for that needle in that bunch of Hay.

Fortunately I found this article on BlogTo and posted it, which identifies the 10 best green retailers in Toronto that practice ethical fashion and trade one way or the other.  It’s a great post for many reasons, obviously because it identifies ethical retailers but the main reason this post is great is because all the stores are located in the city I live in, Toronto! So Proud to be living in a city that has many ethical and fair trade choices! Not so proud of our sports team, however that’s another blog for another website for another time.

Check out this great article on BlogTO !http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_green_retailers_in_toronto/

Livia Firth is Beautiful in Armani, the Green Carpet Challenge Last Night @ the Golden Globes

Author: Siyamin / Category: Armani, Designer, Ethical Clothing, Ethical Fashion / Tags:, , , / Comments: 2 comments

 

Livia Firth (wife of actor Colin Firth) graced the 69th Golden Globe awards with Giorgio Armani’s contribution to her popular Green Carpet Challenge.  Other heavy-weight participants include Tom Ford, Gucci, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Yves, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith, Valentino, Roger Vivier, Alberta Ferretti, and Ermenegildo Zegna.  You can follow this challenge through Livia Firth’s blog on Vogue.uk.  As for last night she made a clear statement that ethical fashion is the new high fashion, and it is in our hands to eliminate old-fashioned mindsets.  She looked absolutely stunning in this Armani dress made from recycled bottles, and I am sure this will encourage more designers to step up to the green carpet challenge.

A Year of Love for Preloved

Author: Tharmini / Category: Ethical Clothing, Ethical Fashion, Preloved, Toronto, Vintage / Tags:, , , / Comments: no comments

It’s been a busy year for Toronto-based label and retailer, Preloved.  The eco-friendly boutique, locally famous for re-purposing vintage fabrics into one-of-a-kind garments and accessories, has not only opened several pop-up shops across the country this past year but has also recently teamed up with the Canadian retail giant, Holt Renfrew. In addition to its exclusive clothing line for Holts, Preloved boosts three in-house lines – Preloved, Beloved, and Handcut.

Hand-picked garments – such as shirts, wool sweaters, and even saris  - are reclaimed, deconstructed and remade into unique, creative, and colourful pieces.  In 2011 alone, Preloved reused over 80,000 wool sweaters, 50,000 wool pants, 10,000 shirts, and 7,000 trench coats. Founder Julia Grieve’s remedy to what has become a throwaway society has been well-received.

We adore Preloved’s on-trend oversized cardigans and knit dresses. Also, check out their great selection of Betty Mitts, made from salvaged pieces from their Fall 2010 sweater collection.

Each eco-creation is designed and manufactured in Canada – yet another reason to love Preloved!

Stella Mc Cartney is on the Rise

Author: Siyamin / Category: Designer, Ethical Clothing, Ethical Fashion, Stella Mc Cartney / Tags:, / Comments: no comments

It was announced end of 2011 that in the midst of all this economical turmoil, Stella Mc Cartney is up 34%. A hot item of her collection was this little black dress featuring a sheer cutout dazzled with polka dots.  This dress was seen on Kate Winslet and made famous in magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar (January edition).   Stella Mc Cartney is definitely an inspiration to all where ethics and high fashion are never compromised!