All of the fashion world was looking forward to see what Olivier Theyskens could do at Theory, and, of course, he didn’t disappoint; he took Theory’s classic-contemporary vibe and elevated it, creating beautiful, elegant work AND after-work pieces. But I was surprised (and pleased) to see some hemp accessories.
(I’m personally dying for these shoes!! I love the pointed toe; they balance out the heaviness of the wedge)
This large messenger bag is also available in white, which would be beautiful for Spring (and easy to clean!). And I love the crisscross detailing with the straps.
Of course, the cost is prohibitive, but perhaps they’ll end up on sale in a few months. Overall, I’m happy to see a luxury designer use hemp to create beautiful things (he also uses velvet for shoes – clearly he’s interested in alternative fabrics!). Even if they’re not accessible, it’s a step in the right direction.
What do you think?
{hi!}
I haven’t updated here in months – as you’ve probably noticed. And honestly, I’ve thought a lot about shutting it down. The truth is, I’m discourage & disappointed with the state of eco-fashion lately, and don’t really feel hopeful about the future. why?
- We (eco-fashion bloggers) can talk all we want about fast fashion being over and/or shoppers desires to shop more sustainably, but I’m not seeing much evidence to support that happening. In fact,
- eco-fashion IS expensive. I know, I’ve written about that before and it’s not an excuse, but it’s tiring. and hard to justify.
- the greenwashing burned me out. Re-usable grocery bags ARE NOT ECO-FRIENDLY. You’re being more friendly towards the environment if you USE them, but they themselves aren’t eco-friendly. and the truth is, most people who have reusable grocery bags, don’t use them.
- I’m tired of getting press releases from new “eco-friendly” t-shirt lines. I love a good t-shirt as much as the next girl, but isn’t there more to eco-fashion than organic cotton tees? I think so.
- and speaking of what IS NOT eco-fashion, a dress made out of CONDOMS is not. Even if they’re not used, there are some things you JUST DO NOT MAKE CLOTHING OUT OF. It’s silly. And I don’t want to read about dresses made from condoms on an ECO-FASHION blog. I’m just saying…
BUT. I still believe in sustainable fashion. I believe in the designers who are TRYING to avoid waste, to source ethically, to produce interesting products on a smaller scale for women who CARE about their clothes. And I still want to write about them.
So. I’m not giving up on Green Grechen, yet. I’m not giving up on “slow” fashion, on meaningful fashion, on the ultimate demise of Forever21…no matter how long it takes 
This giveaway is courtesy of Hare & Hart, a leather company that uses only the by-products of the meat industry in Argentina in their leather shorts, jackets, shirts & scarves. More about the company:
We produce our collection in Argentina so that all of our cow leather is sourced from grass-fed, free roaming Argentine cows, providing a better life for the cow as well as preventing marring of the hide. We choose hides from cows that are also being used for beef so that no part of the animal is wasted.
Additionally, we believe that the people involved in creating our collection should also be treated with consideration and fairness, so we ensure that all of the craftsmen working on our items receive fair wages and benefits.
They’ve just launched their online shop and want to celebrate by sharing one of their new suede scarves with one lucky reader! The winner will get to choose her own color from the selection of four. I love that these scarves are SUEDE, so you can wear one with your favorite leather jacket, or even with just a long-sleeve tee; how elegant!!
Fill out the form below to enter to win one suede scarf from Hare & Hart. When you leave your e-mail address you will be signing up to receive e-mail updates from Green Grechen when there are new posts. Your e-mail will NOT be shared with a third party. For an additional entry, please visit Hare & Hart then leave a comment letting us know which is your favorite product. Your additional entry will NOT count unless you first leave your e-mail, however. Contest ends Wednesday, December 1. good luck!!
Oh, and be sure to check back at Hare & Hart this Friday (November 26), they’ll be running a 20% sale through next Friday site-wide. In addition, 10% of proceeds from any item purchased on www.hareandhart.com during the month of December will be donated to Cimientos. Cimientos is an amazing NGO from Argentina (the country where they manufacture) that promotes equal education opportunities for children from low income families.
If I was doing a gift guide (which I’m not), this organic cotton scarf by Rubyzaar at Totokaelo would be top on the list of things I’d like to receive Love the colors, love the price ($58), love the company’s ethics…
about Rubyzaar’s scarves (from their website):
Our Organic Cotton Scarves are delicatley hand-spun & hand-woven by
skilled weavers in the northern Chiang Rai region of Thailand.
The color is extracted from 100% natural botanical sources, from
roots, herbs, vegetables, fruits and other organic sources.
The careful process involved in creating each woven piece results in a unique
& gorgeous work of art, so that no two scarves are exactly alike.
Production & distribution of these organic cotton scarves not only
helps to keep traditional crafts alive, but also supports
local crafts-people in Thailand through fair-trade practices.
They also support Heifer International with every purchase via their website – and they have TONS of color options available.
If you’ve been reading Green Grechen for any time now, you already know my feelings on hemp:
- It’s more environmentally friendly than organic cotton or bamboo
- It lasts longer than cotton (organic or otherwise)
- In my opinion, hemp represents the best hope for future clothing sustainability
And thanks to Nimli, now it’s a little easier to do your part and start adding some hemp to your wardrobe with Hemptress bags. (use code HEMPTRESS20 for 20% off all Hemptress bags through 11/15)
I’m partial to this one, because, well, honestly, it doesn’t scream HIPPIE to me – it would be very easy to incorporate into a modern, edgy wardrobe, adding some great texture and interest:
