Eco-Fashion // Current

Behind the Label: SUST Organic Clothing

While in New York City, the OrganicNation.tv crew got a chance to stop at the NOW... more

Dorothee
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20 days ago
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Screw Halloween: Give Me a Pretty Dress

Halloween is just another excuse to buy something pretty (and, in this case, make it... more

AwakenedAesthetic
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22 days ago
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Women Leading the Way to Sustainable Fashion

Dorothee
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24 days ago
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Organic Pick of the Week: Green Label Organics

If you ever shop at Whole Foods, you're sure to come across some cool-looking t-shirts... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Organic Pick of the Week: EDUN

Companies like EDUN, which launched in Spring 2005, have been pioneers in the emerging... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Vote for Dorothee to be the Next Green "It" Girl!

Who’s the next green ‘it’ girl? Project Green Search is looking for the woman... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Fight to Legalize Clotheslines Sweeps the US

Running a clothes drier sucks up 6% of a household's energy usage. So, as Americans... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Vogue Magazine (UK) Features Bargain-Priced DIY and Eco Fashion

Lots of great photos of cheap eco-fashion!

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Organic Pick of the Week: SUST

SUST clothing is colorful, comfortable and stylish - perfect for an active lifestyle... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Eye On Portland Fashion Week

Portland, Oregon is no doubt one of the greenest and most livable cities in the U.S.,... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Project Green Search: Vote for the New Green "It" Girl!

Project Green Search is looking for the next “it girl” for the Green Revolution:... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Back to School with Eco-Fashion!

Dorothee Royal, the host of OrganicNation.tv, models great green finds for your fall... more

Dorothee
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1 month ago
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Shoes for Tomorrow - TOMS - Alternative Channel

OMS – “Shoes for Tomorrow” announces their debut collection and their commitment... more

alternativechanneltv
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12 months ago
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A Case for Eco-Fashion

"For change to reinvent the industry, eco-fashion has to be more man a fad. “This is... more

Cuddlebones
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12 months ago
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Fashion Biz: Not Ready to Wear!

Recession woes affecting what you wear?? With a bleak economy it got heads... more

ilikepretty
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1 year ago
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Hurricane Chic Fashion From Debris

Natural disasters and forces such as Hurricane Ike are proving a rich resource for... more

Moopak
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1 year ago
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Power purse: solar handbag can charge your mobile

Joe Hynek, a 29-year-old mechanical engineering student, designed a handbag covered in... more

JanaPokana
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1 year ago
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Eco-friendly fashion / Benefits of hemp go beyond medicine

Did you know that growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally? Growing enough cotton for one t-shirt requires 257 gallons of water. On top of that, bleaching and then dyeing the resulting fabric creates toxins that flow into our ecosystem. The use of rayon for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels. Fortunately there are alternatives.

There are a variety of materials considered "environmentally-friendly" for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the renewability of the product. Renewable resources are items that can be replenished in a relatively short amount of time (as opposed to millennia).

The second factor is the ecological footprint of the resource - how much land (usually measured in acres) it takes to bring one of the individuals (plants or animals) to full growth and support it.

The third thing to consider in determining the eco-friendliness of a particular product is how many chemicals it requires to grow/process it to make it ready for market.

HEMP
By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. It requires no irrigation as it thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall, and it is highly pest-resistant.

Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing. Those fibres are also long-lasting, in fact, historically hemp has been used for making naval ropes that were used in and around water because they resist rot. If it held up to those conditions, imagine how well it will wear as a pair of jeans, or a shirt.

Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. You can purchase fabric or clothing, woven or knit; buy yarn, rope, belts and a wide range of products made of this versatile plant.
Did you know that growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used... more