Hey everybody! Last week we did a blog post on the use of bamboo textiles as a "green" product in clothing. After doing some digging on information and having conversations with some of our "green experts" [our own Ashley Newsome and Anita Akella] related to "green" products, we found some very interesting information.
Some fashion designers and brands have already started bringing "green" clothing to the mainstream market, like Stella McCartney did for Barney's in 2007, and now that movement is becoming more common. Ali Hewson and her husband, U2's Bono, also launched a "green" clothing line in 2005, which is appropriately named Edun, but when it comes to certifying "green" products is a very trickily matter that has yet to be able to be applied in a standard manner across various products and processes. So the underlying question is, "what makes one product more "green" than another?"
There are boards and regulations in the works for certifying fair trade, organic, and eco-friendly products more accurately and efficiently. One example is the FairTrade USA (http://www.transfairusa.org/about-fair-trade-usa) that certifies fair trade products in the US. In the meanwhile, any product that contains at least one "green" process can be classified as "green." For example, an organic cotton fabric can be made into garments at a factory that is not fair trade; however, the garments produced are still considered organic, which still makes them a "green" product.
With all of this being said, we would like to let you guys know that there are many roads to having a product certified as "green." As an environmentally conscious consumer, you all should be aware of what it takes for a product to be "green" and by having this knowledge you can make more environmentally responsible buying decisions.
At Haberdashery we carry various makes and colors of organic and eco-friendly fabrics. We are also able to special order dye and make custom, eco-friendly items from these materials. Feel free to check out our online store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/haberdasheryefs, email us at info@habsav.com or visits us at our studio at 311 W. Broughton St. in Savannah, Ga!
*The dress shown above is from Edun's Spring 2011 collection. Designed by Sharon Wauchob.
Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to the era of green products - and that includes clothing too! LOL! A certified "green" fabric contains at least one organic material, and quality assurance is conducted to maintain the genuine quality of these materials.
ReplyDeleteClark Adams