Wednesday, October 30, 2013

What is in My Closet? My Favorite Eco-friendly Clothing Brands


I have a couple of brands that I tend to stick to, mainly because the prices are reasonable and they offer active clothing. As someone who likes to go from workout to computer to pick up the kids at school, I appreciate the ability to transition throughout my day in the same outfit! This does not mean that there are no other brands out there that I love, and I will feature many more brands in articles to come. The top three brands you will find in my closet unfortunately only offer women's clothing, besides Gaiam which has a very small mens section.

Blue Canoe Organic
Clothing you can wear all day, every day.

Offerings: Women's active wear and casual wear
Materials: Organic cotton and Bamboo Rayon
Made in: San Francisco, USA

My fave from Blue Canoe (now discontinued):

I love this dress! The fabrics are soft and flowing, and it drapes very well.

Their clothing can transition from studio, to work, to home. 

Although I love some of their clothing, I find that I have to pick through their offerings, as they are not all my style. I also don't care for their newer color selections. I tend to stick with a black/white/gray palette. I do love their yoga pants with the fold over waist option - this helps to hide the "mommy pouch" that I have after 3 kids!




Gaiam
"We bring you eco-friendly, organic products and healthy living solutions to help you live your best life."

Offerings: Women's active wear and casual wear, sleepwear, footwear, accessories, and a very small offering of mens active wear
Materials: Organic Cotton, Bamboo Rayon , Silk, Upcycled Acrylic and Polyester
Made in: USA and elsewhere (fair trade)

My fave from Gaiam (now discontinued):

I love Gaiam clothing for the luxurious feel and comfort of the clothing , and for the design offerings. I like the color palette, and styling is sophisticated yet casual. To the left is my favorite fall and winter cardigan, but for summer I like this lightweight wrap below:



Aventura
"AventuraClothing.com is helping the Earth... One garment at a time with organic and eco-friendly clothing desined for women."


Offerings: Womens casual clothing, Accessories
Materials: Organic cotton, Spandex, Viscose/Modal, Nylon, 

Made in: USA

My fave from Aventura: 

This Ella shirt is still available on the website, and they also make an "Ella" dress. I love the top, it hides what I want it to, and I think would flatter any figure. I love the colors they have to offer, and the designs are super cute and wearable! You can find some awesome deals on their SALE tab.

*Be aware that not all of the clothing options are organic and/or natural.If you are like me, you can pick and choose what you like from the site, as they have a decent selection. 




I have more brands to introduce you to, so stay tuned!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

What does “Mode Eco” Mean?

I know that some of you will be asking this, so I decided to post on this right away. The word "mode" is French for fashionable, or stylish. Eco stands for ecological, sustainable, and organic. So this blog is about Eco fashion, and where you can find it. In America, the word "mode" is mainly associated with the phrase "a la mode", which to us means putting ice cream on a desert. In France, "à la mode" means in style, or in fashion. We may explore how that phrase became something associated with ice cream at a later date!

I have always had a passion for fashion, and in the past 10 years have become aware of the importance of living a sustainable life. I have tried to live by the rule of buying only organic or used. Don't get me wrong, I do have many conventional items in my possession. I would love to have only eco-friendly items in my home, but that is not always an option. But once one has the realization of sustainable living, it weaves its way into your life, no matter what your socioeconomic status or lifestyle. You start to think if you really need that item, or what it is made of, or where it comes from. Once you gain that knowledge, it is difficult to ignore it.

It is important that I emphasize that the fashion that I love is not only eco-friendly, but must be comfortable and attractive as well. This fashion is not your run of-the-mill tie died T shirts, or your boring unbleached clothing. This is wear every day, for work, for play, for day or night kind of clothing. Clothing that you feel good buying and feel good in.

Photo courtesy of PhotoPin

We will explore the world of sustainable textiles and growing practices, as well as the eco-designers and where you can buy organic and sustainable clothing for the whole family. I would also like to incorporate a non-fashion post on Saturdays, to introduce the many eco-friendly companies out there offering everyday goods. I have found in my search that I cannot find all of the clothing items I need for my whole family in one place, and it is a dream of mine to be able to offer that through an online store and ultimately a storefront as well. But for now, the budget allows only the blog, where I can interact with others of my mindset and hopefully gain more understanding of what others are looking for as well. I hope that my posts will be helpful to you.

My journey starts here, and I would be so happy if you joined me! I welcome your input, so please let me know how I can improve, and what you would like to see on my blog.