Green Grechen Eco-Friendly Fashion and Shopping Online

Must Have: Watson Jewelry Agate Bracelet

grechen — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:56:05 +0000

One of my very favorite recycled leather handbag designers (Ashley Watson) is now doing jewelry (Watson Jewelry). And just like her handbags, I love everything. But if I HAD to choose a favorite, it would be this agate bracelet:

Ashley handcrafts everything in Vancouver using vintage materials whenever possible. But I especially love her inspired-but-not-literal interpretation of antique jewelry; she keeps it totally modern for today’s woman.

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Must Have: Splendid Hemp/Organic Cotton Striped Top

grechen — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:43:12 +0000

Splendid is a FABULOUS company for basics, I have quite a few Splendid pieces, most of them over 2 years old. They are definitely for a more casual lifestyle, but hold up nicely and are very high-quality. Oh, and made in the US. This particular top is a hemp/organic cotton blend in such a great style & colors.

Must Have: Lost Property of London Upcycled Leather bag

grechen — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:32:11 +0000

I always get excited to find new designers working in recycled/upcycled leather, and while it’s only one of the salvaged materials Lost Property of London works with, it’s the biggest component of my favorite bag: the Belmont Eco Messenger. The company also works with recycled coffee sacks and salvaged wax cotton in addition to recycled leather.

Shop online via Lost Property of London’s web store, or at Yoox.com

Wool and the Gang: Buy, or DIY

grechen — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:49:01 +0000

Generally I balk at hipster style, and honestly, I still don’t get the “mustache thing,” but I ALWAYS appreciate good (and intelligent) writing along with an appeal to conscious consumerism, so when Jeremy contacted me about Handlebar Magazine and their recent feature on Wool and the Gang I had to look. In turn, I decided to bring green grechen back from the nearly-dead Also, I’m considering taking up knitting.

In Handlebar’s Monday “Treat her Right” segment (“An occasional briefing on the latest goods, getaways and hot spots your lady will love” <- awesome) Jeremy featured buy or DIY knitwear company Wool and the Gang. I’d seen Wool and the Gang before, Net-a-Porter sold their DIY scarf kits last Winter, but honestly didn’t pay it much attention.

Now, thanks to Handlebar’s photo shoot of some Wool and the Gang pieces in person, I’m obsessed. And I don’t just want to buy the Mary sweater, I want to make it.

Or maybe I should start with a “beginner” project like this sweater/tee:

I would definitely be interested in buying a finished product, but right now, I love the idea of using my hands to MAKE something. Besides blogs. And I am SO behind what Wool and the Gang is trying to do; supporting a community of artisans and shepherds in Peru by sourcing their yarn there and having some of their pieces knit there. I mean, read this

We wanted a yarn from sheep which are carefully looked after by their shepherds, we discovered this strong relationship between the shepherds and their animals. Time honoured traditions include giving names to their animals and grazing the flocks in large open areas. Shearing the fleece from the animal is a craft, great care being taken not to harm the animal, since the wellbeing of the sheep takes a real part in the quality of its wool…

and now tell me you don’t want to buy something immediately

SURevolution Review, Giveaway & Coupon Code!!

grechen — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:28:09 +0000

I love jewelry as much as the next girl, but honestly, most of it is boring; everything looks the same, or it’s so cheaply made, it’s obvious. Not so with SURevolution. I noticed the jewelry first, because it’s beautiful, and fashionable, second, because it’s ethical & eco-conscious.

SURevolution is a mission-driven company, focusing on five pillars of sustainability:

Respect people – create relationships with the artisans who create their products.
Respect cultures - provide artisans an opportunity to make a living from traditional crafts.
Respect nature – work with responsible production methods.
Upcycled – give new life to used materials.
Use certified materials – include certified organic cotton and FSC certified wood.

All of that is ALMOST enough to make you want to support the company anyway, but what’s key is that the jewelry is BEAUTIFUL. I received two of the “snake” necklaces to review (above); these are made from brass caps and are kind of “slinky” and moveable, which makes them interesting to wear, but also attention-grabbers! Every time I’ve worn a necklace I get comments/questions….

(for a full outfit picture, go to Grechen’s Closet – all of my photos were taken with Instagram for iPhone)

I also love SURevolution’s wood pieces, rings, cuffs…take a look, they’re so unique & stunning. You won’t find this jewelry on anyone else unless you have some truly fashionable friends, and you better get ready for lots of attention. (you know you love the attention

Please take a moment to check out the site, read more about the company (Lauren Bush is on the Board) and while you’re there if you find something you can’t live without, use code grechen20 for 20% off!!! And if you do get something, let me know what in the comments (it won’t help your chances in the giveaway, but I’d love to see)

And oh, look! A giveaway SURevolution is giving away to one lucky reader this Pretzel necklace (the one I’m wearing in the photos above). To enter to win please leave your name/email in the form below. When you enter your email address please be aware that you will be signed up for Green Grechen’s and SURevolution’s email newsletters. You can always opt-out of receiving either newsletter at any time, but you must leave your email address to be eligible to enter to win. The contest is open to US readers only and a winner will be chosen via Random.org on Monday, April 25. Good luck!!

them atlelier Hemp open-back shirt

grechen — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:59:15 +0000

I don’t know, maybe that sounds weird and you didn’t want to click through, but you MUST! This top is stunning and only $54. Also made in the US out of HEMP:

Sure, it’s a bit baring, but wear it over a tank top, or a bandeau bra, or a tube top, or a sleeveless dress!!! The possibilities are endless. I’d size down in it though, which is a good thing because sizes are selling out super-fast. Get it at Candystore collective

Why Shoes Shouldn’t be Made from Salmon Skin:

grechen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:23:50 +0000

they’re ugly. And they don’t fit well. And what happens when they get wet?

AND, they’re $900.

I’m sorry, but someone had to say it. These shoes are part of the “Runway to Green” initiative on Net-a-Porter to

mobilize the fashion community to raise funding and awareness for Alliance for Climate Protection, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the United Nations Environment Programme’s Billion Tree Campaign.

In order to qualify for inclusion in the Runway to Green program, over 25 participating designers made a commitment to investigate how they can integrate the sustainable manufacturing practices put forward in the Clean by Design initiative from the NRDC. In addition, the selected leading designer brands dedicated items from or created items for their Fall 2011 collections to benefit the Runway to Green cause.

Unless you’re a die-hard fashion fan with lots of money to spare, you’re better off donating your pennies to the group of your choice, but I do applaud the efforts of the group and the luxury designers participating to increase their OWN awareness of sustainable manufacturing practices. Let’s hope they learn something. Unfortunately, this doesn’t do anything to support the idea that sustainable fashion doesn’t have to be expensive……

SWASH silk scarf at Beklina

grechen — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:40:37 +0000

This silk scarf would go SO WELL with all the “nude” stuff I’ve been accumulating lately…

While it may not necessarily be “eco-fashion” in terms of the materials used (see this article for information about the eco-friendliness of silk), this scarf is a treasure, which makes it a worthy purchase in my opinion. The print is astonishing (please check out their other pieces at Beklina) and will MAKE any outfit. Of course, if you take care of it properly, it will last forever…

SWASH is available at Beklina, Net-a-Porter, and Hunting and Collecting.

Spring Transition dressing with She-Bible

grechen — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:38:38 +0000

It’s finally Spring…and might as well be Summer here in Texas, and even though I’m ready for warmer weather, I’m not quite ready to bare all yet, know what I mean? I’m still wearing cardigans and 3/4 sleeves as much as I can.

This new dress by She-Bible is just the thing for seasonal transitions; it’s made from organic cotton chambray and has slit sleeves (for coverage while still keeping you cool )

the bluma project

grechen — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:39:34 +0000

One of the most important things I can do (in my opinion) is support other female entrepreneurs; it’s empowering and liberating (WAY more important than you might think). What I noticed first about the bluma project was the amazing jewelry (made with lacquered paper beads, wooden & glass beads) and then noticed that it’s handmade in Ghana by women artisans. And the company is owned by a woman who’s an expert in “redefining materials.”

Right now, the jewelry is available at Shopbop, but coming soon to Anthropologie and other retailers.