Thursday, March 6, 2014

Exercise in Sustainable Fashion - The Uniform Project

I wanted to share a link with you about the Uniform Project, created by a woman named Sheena Matheiken. This woman pledged to wear a Little Black Dress for 365 days - as an exercise in sustainable fashion as well as a fundraiser to support the Akanksha Foundation— a non-profit organization providing education to underprivileged children living in Indian slums.

The rules were that she had to wear the one dress each day, but could accessorize with vintage, handmade, reused, or donated pieces.

Now, I think this is quite a feat, and kudos to her! Wearing the same dress for a whole year would have been something that our great-great grandmothers maybe would have done due to necessity, but never really done by choice. Especially in the United States, we live in a time of excess. When I watch the show House Hunters, it always amazes me how some women say that the walk-in closets are not large enough to fit all of their clothing or shoes. What?!! Mine certainly would. I love fashion, but there is a limit to what you actually need and what is excessive.

I think the Uniform Project is a wonderful example of charity, sustainability, and resourcefulness that can inspire us all.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Blog Name and URL Change for Mode Eco Blog

In hopes to reach more readers, I have changed the name of the blog from Mode Eco Blog to Mode Eco Sustainable Clothing Blog. I apologize for any inconvenience!

The old web address was: http://modeecoblog.blogspot.com/
The new web address is: http://modeecosustainableclothingblog.blogspot.com/

~Sonya

Spotlight on an Eco Friendly Shipping Resource Business - EcoEnclose

EcoEnclose is a sustainable and eco-friendly shipping supplies resource. Among other items, they carry boxes, mailers, bags, fill, and shipping tape. These items aren't just made in a sustainable way - many are biodegradable and compostable. Customers are able to personalize the boxes or mailers with their business logo or designs. Customers can also order samples before they buy. Here are two samples of their offerings:


 






My friends at EcoEnclose have a vision to keep sustainable businesses eco-friendly in all aspects. I am sure that you can see the irony in purchasing a sustainable item that is given to you in a container made from virgin trees or petroleum.

I just can't say enough about Erin and Dave Kimmett, the owners of EcoEnclose. Amazing company, amazing people. They will always treat you with respect, and know how to take care of their customers. They are committed to the environment, and have a passion for what they do. Kudos to them for all of their hard work to make this resource a reality! Oh, and did I mention that they source and manufacture almost everything in the USA?!

Now, I know that this company is not a clothing resource, but it is a resource for those companies that sell sustainable clothing. If you purchase sustainable clothing and their shipping containers are not eco-friendly, please share the EcoEnclose link with them and urge them to make the switch!

You can visit them on the following social media sites:
http://www.pinterest.com/ecoenclose/
http://ecoenclose.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/ecoenclose
https://www.facebook.com/ecoenclose

Photos courtesy of EcoEnclose


Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Case for Organic Cotton by Green America

GREEN AMERICA is a wonderful resource for eco-friendly and sustainable living. Their National Green Pages are filled with sustainable businesses which have to meet certain qualifications to be listed. The Green American has many useful articles on eco-friendly living, and today I would like to share an excerpt from their article The Case for Organic Cotton with you:

"Conventional cotton farming is one of the most environmentally destructive agricultural practices—harming the air, water, soil, and farmers’ health and safety. The blame for that harm lies mainly with the huge amounts of pesticides used in conventional cotton farming. Although cotton occupies three percent of the world’s farmland, it uses more than ten percent of the pesticides, a category that includes herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants."

You can read the complete article at: http://www.greenamerica.org/livinggreen/organiccotton.cfm
You can find sustainable and eco-friendly businesses in their National Green Pages: http://www.greenpages.org/

Sustainable living starts with awareness. It is very important for me to know not only if the item I am purchasing is organic, but how and where the raw materials are grown, how they are manufactured, and how and where they are finished. Using a guide such as the National Green Pages helps to make the eco-wise purchasing decisions without having to do all of the time consuming research yourself.