Remember when the “trend” in jewelry was circles; floating circles, linked circles, delicate circles? Well count yourself old-fashioned if you’re still wearing your circle necklace, it’s all about the triangle now. I couldn’t tell you how or who started with triangle jewelry, but I won’t complain, I kind of like it. And I really love that it’s seemed to have taken hold most strongly among independent jewelry designers and artists who are using recycled/vintage items.
Here are a few of my favorites (there are SO MANY I’m going to have to separate them in to several posts…stay tuned!!) from etsy.com:
by scoutholiday (this one might be my favorite)
by GATHERJEWELRY:
by littleobywolfbrother:
by ozetta:
by Garnett Jewlery:
Next week I’ll show you more of my favorites…but in the mean time, do you have any favorites? please share!
Oh..today at 12 noon EST, Melissa Plastic Dreams shoes go on sale at ideeli <--sign up via my link if you're not a member already. In case you're not aware of Melissa’s plastic shoes already, they’re recyclable, made in Brazil, and sustainably produced from start-to-finish.
For those of you who cringe at the idea of wearing plastic on your feet; don’t knock it ’till you’ve tried it 
I will admit, I’m not a big fan of many of the non-sandal styles, or the heels, but I am absolutely in love with both my pairs of Melissa flat sandals. They are CUTE, comfortable, perfect for crazy rainy weather like we’re having in Austin right now, and they always get tons of compliments. I’m getting at least one more pair during this sale…what are you getting?
Green with Glamour
Starting tomorrow (7/29), all Spring/Summer items are marked down 40-75% off at Green with Glamour. I’ll take this Perfectly Imperfect organic cotton tunic (made in California) when it goes on sale:
C&C California
C&C California is offering an extra 40% off all sale items with code SUMCLRX40 + free shipping on orders over $100. This hemp/cotton dress is now marked down to $59, so it would be $35!!!
Claire Vivier
Thanks to Daily Candy this week, use code DCSUMMER for 25% off Claire Vivier’s lovely handbags. Not all of her bags are made from recycled leather but CLAREVIVIER is a socially conscious company, mindful of the local manufacturing community for the jobs it produces and the low carbon footprint the company inhabits. These clutches ARE made from recycled leather, and I’ve been dying for one…
Gretchen & Grace Greenwear
Through August 15, use code “summer40″ at Gretchen & Grace for 40% off your order (including sale items). I’m quite smitten with this organic cotton wrap dress, in this pretty print (it’s only $68, and it’s available up to size XL!)
Stewart + Brown
Organic pioneers, Stewart + Brown are offering 50% off everything with code FIFTYOFF – I’ve mentioned before how much I love Stewart + Brown dresses, I tend to have on one every couple of days in warmer weather. This petal smocked slip dress has been on my wishlist for a while…
reMade USA by Shannon South is having a 20% off sale until the end of the month (expires 7/31) when you use code SUMMERLOVE. Call me crazy, but I’m craving a smaller bag right now (maybe because I have so many HUGE bags?) and the Dobbin fits the bill perfectly. Bonus: it’s convertible from a clutch to a shoulder bag! What’s more environmentally friendly than recycled materials and 2-bags-in-1?
I’ve come across quite a few silk dresses I’d like to have in my closet lately; many that are featured at some of my favorite eco-boutiques – but I wonder, why is silk considered an eco-friendly fabric? Should it be?
The most comprehensive article I found about the issue was written in 2007 for OrganicClothingBlogs.com and is definitely worth a read, but I’ll try to narrow it down to a few issues:
- Silk is sustainable – the moths can be raised on farms and collected in the wild and according to the authors:
silk fabric when produced by weavers on handlooms has a near zero energy footprint and satisfies most of the guidelines for sustainable fabric production
- If you’re a vegan, you wouldn’t want to wear silk that was not produced “ethically;” look for peace silk or wild silk. It’s not pretty what traditional silk manufacturers do to the moths to get them out of their cocoons without damaging the silk (they gas or boil them).
- If you’re looking for organic, and a “healthier” end-result, look for raw silk, which is pure silk fibers without any chemicals or treatments added, and even sometimes taken from cocoons that have been abandoned already by the moth.
- handloomed silks are the most energy neutral option
- silk is biodegradable
As usual, I encourage you to look at the whole picture when considering whatever you buy (consider where the final garment is produced, under what conditions, the ethics of the company & designer…) – and don’t be afraid to inquire with the designers to learn more about where they get their silk and how it’s processed, whether it’s raw, or peace silk, etc. Honestly, it’s unclear how silk stacks up to conventional cotton, although silk does not require as much water or chemical pesticides to “grow” than cotton, it IS chemically processed under most circumstances, and the working conditions under which it’s woven can be bad, and the living conditions around the garment factories unhealthy.
Right now, this is my favorite silk option (thanks to shiny squirrel for featuring Bahlo today )
This dress by Bahlo is 100% Matka Silk, which is raw silk and seems to be obtained from the cocoon AFTER the moth leaves (the story continues with her being crushed to death after laying eggs though…). The dress is then garment produced by Thanapara Swallows, a Fair Trade organisation that provides work for over 200 women in rural Bangladesh, and profits help cover the costs of the village school for 300 children. That makes me feel a bit better about the poor moths.
what do you think? Will you buy silk? Do you believe that it’s an eco-friendlier option?
