Monthly Archives: July 2012

I was 100% Sustainable in my 100%NY dress this weekend

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Daniel Silverstein, the brilliant creative director of 100%NY, agreed to lend me one of his gorgeous creations for a wedding I attended over the weekend.  Being about to launch Modavanti, I obviously like to take every possible opportunity to show off just how great sustainable fashion can look, and what better way to do so than with this dress from 100%’s upcoming Resort collection?I was 100% Sustainable in my 100%NY dress this weekend

(I’m the one on the right)

The dress is just about as sustainable as you can get. Made from eco-friendly modal, the pattern is cut to be zero waste, meaning that every scrap of fabric is incorporated into the garment.  (For more about 100% NY’s zero waste method, check out our earlier brand profile).  The dress is also sewn by Daniel on an electric, energy-saving sewing machine in his studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

So to recap Continue reading →

I went Eco-Swimming again!

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

In my itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny black-polka-dot RECYCLED bikini:

Want to go eco-swimming too?  To read more about the recycled materials and environmental efforts of this trend-setting swimwear brand, check out its website.

 

Newspaper Fashion by Alicia P.

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Newspaper Fashion by Alicia P.

I had a lovely time chatting with designer and artist Alicia P. at the Dekalb Market on Sunday!  She showed me this truly fabulous upcycled creation made from newspaper stitching, which is apparently the waste produced by a millinery that uses it as filling for the hats.

Alicia also makes beautiful jewelry from suede (check out those earrings), which she sources consciously from a manufacturer that makes sure to use all parts of the animal.

AFIA: Urban Indigenous style from the women of Ghana

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

AFIA: Urban Indigenous style from the women of Ghana The textiles come from the markets in Accra, Ghana, the designs from the U.S..  Women in a cooperative who are paid three times the usual wages sew some of the garments, and the rest are made by men and women at a women-owned factory in Accra under the watchful eye of Linda, the boss.  The finished product is brought back to the U.S. (and soon to Australia!) and sold to conscious and fashionable consumers like you and I. AFIA: Urban Indigenous style from the women of Ghana

That’s the story of AFIA, the brand conceived and run by designer and businesswoman Meghan Sebold.  The line’s “urban indigenous” aesthetic fuses the vibrant, traditional textiles of West Africa with American trends.  Meghan picks the cotton wax textiles by hand and believes passionately in showcasing and promoting Ghana‘s iconic industry; an industry that is in grave danger due to competition from the imitation prints that are flooding the world market. AFIA: Urban Indigenous style from the women of Ghana

With a degree in economics and international relations, Meghan thought she was destined for a life of development work.  During Continue reading →

Who knew beech trees could be so soft?

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Hello my name is: Modal

Who knew beech trees could be so soft?

I am: A sustainable textile made from Beechwood pulp

I am characterized by: 

  • My ability to hold bright colors
  • My resistance to fading
  • My resistance to shrinkage
  • Being 50% more water-absorbent than cotton
  • Being super duper soft and staying that way through repeated washings

I am eco-friendly because: 

  • I am a bio-based fiber that is 100% biodegradable
  • No toxic effluent is discharged from the mill where I am made
  • Minimal water is used in my production
  • The factories where I am made meet environmental certifications and use closed-loop systems of production
  • I am carbon-neutral because full integration – pulp and fiber production at one site – generates recoverable energy and reusable materials contained in the wood.

Sometimes I like to hang out with:  Continue reading →