Spotlight on Gaiam

Gaiam has been one of my favorite sustainable clothing resources. Since I lead an active lifestyle, I love style mixed with comfort. Their clothing allows me to go from studio to street with just adding a flowing top or wrap. Among other items, I have a lovely asymmetrical skirt from Gaiam that has been in my wardrobe for years, and it is still one of my favorites. I just love the way it flows when I walk, and the soft fabric feels so sensual!

Gaiam is a lifestyle company, which offers casual and yoga/athletic clothing basics for women and men; as well as home goods, wellness products, fitness equipment, and videos. Gaiam even puts outfits together for you, on their "Must Have Looks" page. Below is their Organic Flow Wrap + Organic Flow Capri + Pima Flow Tank + Yoga Wrap Flat. You can purchase the whole outfit on one page - Can you say convenient?!

Photo courtesy of Gaiam

About Gaiam Life:

"Our name GAIAM was created as a fusion of the words Gaia — the name for Mother Earth in the Minoan civilization in ancient Crete — and “I am.” It symbolizes the interconnection of the Earth and all the life it sustains.

Gaiam (pronounced "guy-um") was founded on the concept of making decisions based on personal values that consider all aspects of our lives, as well as our impact on others and the planet, today and in the future. This concept is already shared by over 50 million people in the United States alone — and we believe that it is not just a trend, but a major cultural shift.

We see signs everywhere in today's life experience of how conscious lifestyle values — including social and environmental responsibility, health and wellness, and personal development — are driving more consumer purchase decisions and pervading an ever-wider range of venues, from mass-market grocery stores to online communities. We believe that a growing number of people have a desire for media and products that inspire them to expand their awareness and pursue positive change in their lives."

Please visit Gaiam on their website, or connect via their blog, Gaiam Life, Gaiam TV, or facebook page.

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.

A New Rage: Infinity Scarves

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudrishta/8444412918/">sudrishta</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>

Infinity scarves are also called circle scarves. They are a length of fabric, fabric strands, or fabric braids that are sewn or tied at the end to form a circle or oval shape. They can also be knit. Some can we worn at full length, or wound in two or more loops to make the scarf fuller and shorter. They can be embellished or plain, and are not just for women! In the case of the flat fabric scarves, they can be pulled up as a hood or worn over the shoulders as a cape. American Apparel has a great chart showing how you can wear an infinity scarf.

If you are interested in organic options for purchase, here is a Google Search link for organic infinity scarves: https://www.google.com/search?q=Organic+infinity+Scarf&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS551US551&oq=Organic+infinity+Scarf&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.8866j0j8&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=Organic+infinity+Scarf&tbm=shop

You may be the thrifty, crafty kind like I am. In that case, I have found some links on how to make one yourself:

How to make a circle scarf from Made by Me

Upcycled Sweater to Hooded Circle Scarf and Leg Warmers from The Cheese Thief

12 Ways to Tie a Scarf from In the Loop

DIY Decontructed T-Shirt Scarf You Tube Video

Circle Scarf Twist by allparenting.com

Tshirt ruffle scarf tutorial by Simply Salvage

How to Turn a Normal Scarf into an Infinity Scarf in Just a Few Minutes by gimme some Style

I took a flat scarf that I purchased for the amazing price of $1.00 at a flea market (score!) and turned it into an infinity scarf. It was pretty easy being that it had tassels at the end which I could simply tie together.  

I made a video on how to do this which you can find on YouTube: http://youtu.be/poYM3py-D2c   Sorry that it sounds a little monotone, I am new at video making!

Please let me know if you have any questions!

~Sonya