Muuve Over, Mui Mui

MUUMUU HEAVEN

This clothing line out of Hawaii takes the immense expanses of fabric garnered from a single muumuu and makes enough cute skirts and tops to run at least one Forever 21 franchise out of business. Well, maybe not all from one muumuu, but they certainly know how to get the most out old muumuus that might otherwise only be used at Halloween to scare modern children or to impersonate Mrs. Roper. From Three’s Company. Which was a show, with a woman named Mrs. Roper, who wore muumuus. Well, that basically wraps up all that I know about muumuus, except that, in the right hands, they can be turned into pretty sweet pieces of eco-friendly clothing.

www.muumuuheaven.com

get a muuve on:

www.muumuuheaven.com

www.shopequita.com

Orangyporangy Glad I Didn’t Say Bananaypanany?

ORANGYPORANGY

These bags made from reclaimed vintage materials are just about the cutest things ever, perfect for summer. Which I still totally believe exists. Somewhere. And they also have a line of vintage a-line skirts made from old-school polyester, which is a little less perfect for summer, but looks pretty fly, so whatcha gonna do? (Their skirts remind me of summers spent in Portland, riding around on the bike I got for $5 at the Bins after having to wrestle it away from a Russian Orthodox guy- who was like 8 feet tall and no way would he have fit on that bike- drinking Pabst and l-i-v-i-n-‘. )

This stuff looks like Built By Wendy but costs way super less- esp. since a bunch are on sale right now.

www.orangyporangy.com

Ahoy There, There Be Pirates in the EbAY

EBAY PIRATE BOOTS

I love pirates. And Boots. And so naturally I totally love those pirtae bots fro the 80's. I have two pair, and I wear them always, and I got them both on Ebay.

Ebay is a tricky pony- on the one hand, it is an amazing resource for recyling and getting used things into the hands of the people who might use them or might otherwise have bought something new. On the other hand, the whole carbon footprint thing is really getting me down. What to do when the ONLY pair of purple pirate boots is in Arkansas? Is a life without purple pirate boots really worth living? Probably not. So, I guess just try to take into consideration how far that stuff is being shipped, and if you can find something closer, do it. But unless you make your own shoes out of the local cows down the street, pretty much everything you buy is shipped form somewhere. At least with vintage, you’re not creating fresh material waste.

get some pirate booty:

www.ebay.com

Good Will(iam Good) Hunting

WILLIAM GOOD

I’m sorry. I didn’t actually like that movie, but it was just so obvious, I had to use it.

So these clothes are recycled and reformulated to become sassy new duds for eco-conscious people who like to wear clothes and not be naked all the time because it’s cold out. I guess the guy behind it, Matt Damon,- uh, I mean Nick Graham, has teamed up with Goodwill to refashion their wares into trendier items. I have been trying to get Goodwill to be my friend forevs, so more power to you, Nick Matt Graham Damon.

www.shopwilliamgood.com

how do you like them apples? Sorry.

www.ecocitizen.com

www.ebay.com

OMG BTC Elements ISFR

BTC ELEMENTS

Oh my god, BTC (be the change) Elements is so f-ing rad! One of the first and best online eco-boutiques, they carry emerging designers dedicated to sustainable fashion. Designers such as: Earth & Sky, Eco-ga’nik, Stewart+Brown, Kelly B., Perfectly Imperfect… the list goes on. And their site is easy to navigate and their delivery is fast, so you can get your eco-on ASAP. They also have some things made just for them, so check them out.

www.btcelements.com

Cryin' for Ryann

RYANN

Raina Blyer is a New Yorky designer who makes really beautiful clothes out of organic and recycled fabrics. Her collection is both classic and sexy- and not just sexy in a “I care about the Earth, therefore I’m hot” way, but in a “look at my awesome outfit, it’s hot, therefore I’m hot” kinda way. From cute, rock ‘n roll faux biker jackets to elegant tea dresses, her stuff is amazing.

www.lookatryann.com

make her your friend:

www.myspace.com/lookatryann

I wish I could find more places to get her stuff, but for now:

www.fashionethic.com

Prelovely and Preliscious

PRELOVED

New clothes! Made from old clothes! OMG! These dresses are sweet, and so is recycling old garments and vintage materials into fresh new looks. It's cool that so many independent designers are working with the art of re-fashion, and it's even cooler that companies like Preloved are doing it so well.

And they make dresses for guys too! Well, not dresses, but clothes anyway.

www.preloved.ca

pre-love it:

www.bunkyboutique.com

www.sodafine.com

www.candystorecollective.com

www.oliounited.com

DIY, UCC Style

The Urban Craft Center (U.C.C.)

Okay, now crafting can be a very wasteful hobby (I'm sorry, but it's true- all the glues and materials can be very toxic) but real crafting can also be the path to eco-friendly, resource-preserving enlightenment by helping us to look at a pile of old shirts and see the possibilities for new and more awesome things to be made from them. Like, say, a purse made out of a shirt, or a shirt made out of a purse? Who knows!

The Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica is offering two classes this month involving the repurposing of old clothes and other items into delightful handbags and other useful things like pants. So if you live in the Los Angeles area, check them out.

www.theurbancraftcenter.com

The Urban Craft Center

3025 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404

310.828.1348 theucc@gmail.com

Live Out Loud with Livity Outernational

Livity Outernational

Out of Topanga canyon comes a clothing and accessory company dedicated to sustainability… and stuff made out of hemp. They are political- with an outward message of environmental revolution and an inner message of putting their money where their mouth is by using organic and recycled materials, and fair trade practices to make their hats, scarves, bags and clothing. They use Straw, Hemp, Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Soy, Recycled Plastic Bottles, and Veggie-Oil-Based Synthetics to make a fashion statement that is actually really saying something.

www.livity.org

Put this in your pipe:

www.sustainable-style.org

www.tobi.com

www.optimusprice.com

www.hempest.com

www.urbanoutfitters.com

www.thegiantpeach.com

www.usoutdoorstore.com

www.mykorazon.com

www.bigspore.com

Viva La Vida Loca

VIVA LA VIDA

Yeah, that's a Ricky Martin reference. I'm bringing it back, giving the expression new life, just like the woman behind Viva La Vida's line of re-vamped vintage slips is giving these old slips and camisoles new life. The idea is simple- take boring old slips that deserve to be covered up with other clothing, silkscreen cool designs on them, and turn them into something you're be proud to wear as a stand-alone outfit. Recycled, revitalized, revived, ect.

www.vivalavvida.etsy.com

slip into something more fashionable:

www.vivalavvida.etsy.com

www.shoporangebutton.com

www.modishoppe.com

The Quest for Deborah Lindquist

DEBORAH LINDQUIST


Okay, weak play on words, but it’s high time I talked about this woman’s line of recycled cashmere clothing and accessories, because she was one of the first, and her stuff is getting quite popular, esp. with the celebrity set. Her fashions combine recycled materials with organic and hemp fabrics, to make lovely couture creations that are unique without being too crazy. Not everything she makes is something I’d wear, but some of her designs are super hip, like this skull sweater and these glove-things.

www.deborahlindquist.com

A lot of people carry her stuff, which is good, so check out:
www.shopharmonylane.com
www.lindsaylou.com
www.shopgreenrohini.com
www.ravinstyle.com
www.blondette.com
www.windsofchangestyle.com
www.fairefroufrou.com
www.shopstyle.com
www.thegreenloop.com
www.cocosshoppe.com
www.hipandzen.com



Oh, and I guess she also has a line of zodiac and heart-themed underwear, available here
www.boutiqueoverstock.com


pip pip cheerio:

www.devidoll.com

Au, H2 Oh

AUH2O

AuH2O is "Goldwater" in chemical symbols- Au=Gold, H2O=water- I tell you this because AuH2O is also the name of a recycled clothing brand created by one Kate Goldwater, out of a little village in the East, called East Village. Her creations are made from old t-shirts, slips, ties… and even curtains (watch out Julie Andrews!) These clothes are so f-ing cute, but why no online shop? Why do you hate us for not being from your “village?” Anyway, if you happen to be in the East Village, go into the boutique, try on a ‘fit, and come out looking great. You can even get your ’fit fitted in store. Fancy!

Her shop is at 84 E. 7th St. N.Y., N.Y, and her number is (212)-466-0844. So call her up and ask her “why no online shop?”

www.auh2odesigns.com

Hold On, it's Candice Held

CANDICE HELD

Los Angeles-based designer Candice Held makes hot dresses out of cool vintage scarves. There are some other people who do this, but none with such a keen eye for using the scarves to their highest fashion advantage. The dresses are, of course, one-of-a-kind and simply stunning. If you live in L.A., you can even go to her store and point at her pretty dresses in person.

www.candiceheld.com

838 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90014

get pretty at:

www.jezzabelle.com
www.shopadorabella.com
www.maneaterthreads.com
www.oliphantandpickles.com
and

www.candiceheld.com.

An Outfit Sans Anguish

ARMOUR SANS ANGUISH

Organic cotton and fabric made out of alternative materials like hemp or lyocell are great, but really the best way to reduce your impact on the environment is to re-use materials that are already out there, by either buying vintage and second hand clothing, or doing what the fashion-savy girls at Armour Sans Anguish do- create brand new happy fashion from sad, old, loser clothes that nobody likes. Designers Tawny Holt and Julie Edwards don’t just re-use, but re-fashion (is that a pun? I can't even tell anymore) existing clothes into some eye-catching items that are sure to make the person wearing them stand out in the crowd. The designers also re-use “flare” - threads, buttons, sequins (hello) whenever possible, bringing us ever closer to zero-impact fashion.

I wore an Armour Sans Anguish gown to the Emmys this year, and I didn't win anything (except the appreciation of the earth, which is all the recognition I need, so stick that in your pipe, Grey's), but I looked hot- and didn't feel so shallow for going to an awards show that had nothing to do with me, just to stare at the cast of Heroes up close. Anyway, my refashioned dress was very apropos, since the theme of the Emmy's this year was "Greeness" and everyone was supposed to at least pretend to care about the environment (the red carpet was made out of recycled bottles or something, and it was really more of a brownish red, but still...)

www.armoursansanguish.com

www.myspace.com/armoursansanguish

put on your armour:

www.armoursansanguish.com

www.beklina.com

www.oliounited.com

www.btcelements.com

www.bunkyboutique.com