Archive for ethical fashion

Swishing


Unfortunately Ethical and Green missed this great event.  You can see below that it was a great evening and raised money for Cancer Research UK at the same time.  Swishing is definately taking off and is a good way to get your hands on some very nice clothes for free which is very handy in a recession.  Next time we hear about an event we’ll be sure to pass on the info!

 

FUTERRA AND CANCER RESEARCH UK JOIN FORCES AT FIRST ACCESSORIES SWISH

 

Futerra Sustainability Communications and the Shoreditch Women’s Institute hosted the first accessories swishing party on Friday, 22 May at The George pub near Shoreditch in aid of Cancer Research UK.  Swishing, which generally involves women getting together and swapping clothes, expanded for the first time to include accessories!

 

Guests (swishers) were encouraged to bring at least three accessories to swish (belts, jewellery, sunglasses, bracelets, necklaces, scarves, hats, shoes, handbags, etc.) or clothing if they didn’t have any accessories they wanted to part with!

 

Items swished on the night included Vivienne Westwood jewellery, vintage tea dresses, leather boots and bags (many with the tags still attached) and vintage costume jewellry.

 

Swishers experienced a plethora of activities from a fashion sins confessional booth, entertainment by an indie band (do we know the name or can we find out as they might be well known!), and of course, swishing!  All of the unswished clothing and accessories at the end of the event went to Cancer Research, who took away numerous bags of goodies, which will be sold in Cancer Research UK shops.

 

Lucy Shea, the founder of swishing and director at Futerra Sustainability Communications,

said, “With the recession starting to bite, swishing is a great example of the ‘new austerity’: save money, save the planet, have a party. We are thrilled with the success of the event and are in the process of planning more fabulous swishing parties for the coming year, so be sure to visit our website ( www.swishing.org) to find out about our upcoming events”.

 

 

What is the definition of swishing?

 

Dictionary Definition: To rustle, as silk

 

Our definition: To rustle clothes from friends

 

The Art of Swishing involves getting your friends together to swap gorgeous clothes and party at the same time. Every lady must bring at least one good quality, clean item of clothing, or an accessory, that she’d feel proud to hand on.

 

 

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How far would you go to be totally green?

Going green and being eco-friendly is all the rage at the moment.  Everywhere you look now there are adverts and articles telling you how to be more environmentally friendly.  Environmental issues are now rightfully at the forefront of Government policies and even celebrities try and show off their eco-credentials.  In the credit crunch being eco-friendly goes hand in hand with saving money so more and more people are taking interest in green issues.  But just how far would you be prepared to go for the environment?

 

It is one thing to change your car for a hybrid or recycle your plastic.  It is however another thing to move into the country and go ‘off grid’ being totally self sustainable.  Ethical and Green recently read that if you want to be truely green you need to do all of the above and more…..In fact in order to be as green as green can be you need to become a……nudist!  That’s right- walk around as bare as a bare person.  As we know clothes have a carbon footprint and rather short life span so I guess that wearing nothing is kinder to the environment….I wonder what your work colleagues and neighbours would make of it?!  Surely being totally nude is not the be all and end all….What do you think?  How far would you go to be green?

 

Ethical and Green will be bringing you more information on ethical fashion so that you can wear clothes whilst helping the environment and cutting down the carbon footprint of your clothes.  We also feel that we should remind you that if you wonder around naked the police may pay you a visit……….

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The First Ethical Fashion Awards

At long last November brings the first ever Ethical Fashion Awards brought to us by Anti-Apathy and Futerra Sustainability Communications.  Here is some more information about the evening:

 

RE:FASHION AWARDS 2008 CELEBRATING ETHICAL FASHION- ANNOUNCE A HOST OF TOP MODELS AND PERSONALITIES ON BOARD

 

The RE:Fashion Awards are shaping up to be the fashion event of 2008 with the announcement of a list of high profile celebrities on board for the event taking place at Shoreditch Townhall on the 13thNovember 2008. Top models and personalities include Daisy Lowe, Portia Freeman, Leah Weller, Leah Wood and Pixie Geldof who will be modelling one-off pieces from high-profile designers including Vivienne Westwood, Todd Lynn, Zandra Rhodes, Preen, Allegra Hicks, Jonathan Saunders and Aimee McWilliams.

 

The RE:Fashion Awards are the world’s first dedicated ethical fashion awards celebrating people and organizations in the fashion industry taking great strides in tackling poverty, environmental issues and changing consumer attitudes to ethical fashion.

 

The star-studded Ceremony will see the coming together of major faces from the fashion world including the award-winning Oswald Boateng, Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director of the Daily Telegraph, Jane Shepherdson, CEO of Whistles, Anna Orsini of the British Fashion Council, and leading designers including Vivienne Westwood and Katherine Hamnett to celebrate the developments taking place in the fashion industry.

 

The Awards will also host an iconic catwalk show with top models and personalities including Daisy Lowe, Portia Freeman, Leah Weller, Leah Wood and Pixie Geldof wearing one-off pieces from designers including Vivienne Westwood, Todd Lynn, Zandra Rhodes, PreenAllegra HicksBora Aksu, Aimee McWilliams and Jonathan Saunders.

 

Louise Roe, the presenter of the RE:Fashion Awards says, ”It’s great to be part of such an eco-conscious initiative. Ethical fashion has come a long way – there are very edgy, on-trend labels out there now and if you can do something to save the planet as well as look hot – I’m all for it!”

 

The founders of the Awards Ethical Fashion Forum, Anti-Apathy and Futerra Sustainability Communications have this to say about the RE:Fashion Awards:

 

“With more than 200 applicants to the awards, the RE:Fashion team and judges have been working around the clock to arrive at a shortlist. We have been stunned by the quality and breadth of what has been achieved. The RE:Fashion Awards represent not just the most important movement since fashion began – but also the answer to the industry’s future,” says Tamsin Le Jeune, Director at Ethical Fashion Forum.

 

“Sales of ethical fashion jumped from £29 million in 2005 to £52 million in 2006, according to The Co-Operative Bank’s Ethical Consumerism Report 2007. And the shortlisted entries show how ethical fashion remains the perfect antidote to the credit crunch. This is true ‘feel-good’ fashion: you look fabulous, feel good and ethical… and often it’s easy on the wallet,” Lucy Shea, Strategy Director at Futerra Sustainability Communications.

 

“If RE:Fashion can reward designers and brands for changing their practices, then we’re well on our way to propelling ethical fashion from a niche to the norm,” says Cyndi Rhoades, Creative Director at Anti-Apathy.

 

Tickets for the glittering event are selling out fast. Options range from VIP tables next to the catwalk with delicious food and champagne, to a public balcony for as little as £37.50. 100% of the profits made through RE:Fashion will be donated to the Ethical Fashion Forum, an organisation focused on transforming the lives of people behind fashion, and reducing the environmental impacts of the industry. If you would like to come and be part of this eco-fabulous evening, please visit www.refashionawards.org/tickets.

 

For more information please visit www.refashionawards.org.

The team here at Ethical and Green think this is going to be a great evening so why not get yourselves down to Shoreditch on 13th November and get involved in supporting ethical fashion.

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Top tips from BBC Thread winner

Ethical Fashion at BBC Style Awards

Following BBC Style’s competition, Holly Bryant, the 21 year old winner from Bristol Uni has these top tips: 

 

On hunting for a great ethical outfit:

Never dismiss anything you see, as every item of clothing has potential to become something fabulous. 

 

 

 

On finding inspiration:

Think outside the box.  Nobody wants to see something they’ve seen before.

 

 On ethical fashion:

Ethical fashion is not to be snubbed, its a growing industry which clearly reflects that there is a strong interest from consumers for ethically produced clothing.

 

Bryant’s Best of British

 

Holly Bryant takes you through the hectic scenes behind BBC Thread’s Best of British catwalk at London Fashion Week:www.bbc.co.uk/thread/video

 

Ethical fashion going up on the Frock Exchange

 

While you’re there, why not have a go at some ethical fashion yourself?

 

Check out Twiggy’s Frock Exchange and find out all you need to know about holding your own clothes swapping party:www.bbc.co.uk/thread/twiggysfrockexchange

 

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Twiggy’s Frock Exchange on the BBC

Finally the BBC has made a programme that can help is in the credit crunch AND is great for the environment.  When Ethical and Green wrote about Sex and the City we signposted you to a site recommending swapping your frocks.  Now it seems that the BBC are encouraging us to do the same.

Twiggy’s Frock Exchange encourages you to get together with your friends and swap the clothes that you might not want anymore.  This is great for the environment but unfortunately it has taken a financial crisis to make people think it’s a good idea.

A great part of the show is that there are experts on hand to give advice on how to re-style old clothes.  There are also experts giving general fashion advice.

Instead of filing landfills with clothes you can now pass them onto your friends.  This also means that you can get a new outfit for free.  Everyone wins!  If you want to host your own frock exchange party click here.

The down side of this is that people are cutting back and not buying as many new clothes.  We have written before about how the credit crunch is affecting the ethical fashion industry.  This is largely because ethical fashion is more often than not slightly more expensive than the high street.  Many owners of ethical fashion companies have noticed a slump in sales that are not picking up.

Even though we are in a credit crunch we still need clothes so if you are going shopping check out ethical fashion brands as well.  You will be pleasantly surprised!  Over the coming weeks we’ll be looking at some ethical fashion companies and deciding who are the best.

For now check out:  www.quailbymail.co.uk based in Devon (UK)

Adili Ethical Fashion
    
Devidoll Ethical Fashion

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BBC Thread Ethical Fashion competition

We have just heard about an interesting competition run by BBC Thread.  Unfortunately my fashion design skills are non-existant or else I’d be having a go.  Check out the details below:

The Search is on!

 

BBC Thread is looking to put your style on trial.

Can you set the trend for ethical fashion this summer?

 

If you think you have what it takes, check out BBC Thread’s Style Search competition.

 

www.bbc.co.uk/thread/stylesearch

 

You could win a day with a catwalk stylist, assisting with the styling of the Thread fashion show at London Fashion Week!

 

Style Search is now open for entries and works like this:

 

1. You upload a digital photo of an ethical fashion outfit styled by you to the Style Search website (www.bbc.co.uk/thread/stylesearch)

2. A panel of fashion experts cast their eye over it.

3. If it’s eco-fabulous enough, you get to go to London Fashion Week.

 

Simple. Get styling!

 

Applications close on 26th August 2008-07-03 Entrants must be aged 16 or over.

All finalists will need to be available between 14-21st September 2008 to take up the prize.

Sounds like fun.  Who knows where it may lead!!

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Tesco Cath Kidston bags

Blue Spot Cath Kidston bag designed for Tesco

Who else thinks that the bag shown above is a thing of beauty?  It is made by one of my favourite designers Cath Kidston and is in her trademark spotty design and are on sale at Tesco.

There are many other wonderful features about this bag including the fact that it is made out of nine recycled 500ml bottles.  Even better 50p from each bag sold goes to the Marie Curie Cancer Care.  No profit goes to either Tesco or Cat Kidston and you can earn green Clubcard points when you use it.

Aside from their style, ethical and green credentials and charitable donations the bags are a mere snip at £3.50 which make them possible the cheapest Cath Kidston bags you will ever own!

So go on and buy yourself one.  Not only will you look stylish but you’ll also be helping save the planet by recycling, going carbon neutral and donating money to charity.  Can life get any better?  Get yours here.

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Ethical fashion outfits for eco-clubbing

Right.  It’s the weekend.  You are socially responsible and want to be as carbon neutral as possible. You decide to go to London’s eco-friendly club Surya.  But what do you wear?  You feel must wear something ethical and green or the bouncers may not let you in.  There may also be a special someone you want to impress with your caring attitude towards the environment.  The clothes are important.

As we have seen ethical fashion is no longer unfashionable and you can wear ethical fashion brands with pride.  Ethical and Green are here to give you a helping hand in finding the best outfit.

Firstly, the girls.  We found some great dresses such as this one from Peopletree.

Bora Asku Dress  

This is called the Bora Aksu Dress and is available from Adiliand (joy) is currently in the sale.  Peopletree is a well known ethical fashion brand so you can rest assured that your threads will be ethical and green.

 

Another dress we loved is this one from ethical fashion brand Edun.

Requiem DressThe Requiem Dress can be worn by itself or with skinny jeans or leggins.  You can dress it up or down.  Again this is in the sale at Adili.

Hopefully you can see from these pictures that you can be ethical and fashionable!

If  you really want to impress check out British fashion company Quail.  That way you can tell people that not only is your fashion ethical but is also local as all the products they use are from Devon.

 

Next up something for the boys!  We thought these trousers were pretty cool.

Regular Fit Twill Trouser  These were designed by the folk at Adili and also come in a cream colour.  

Sunny T-ShirtThe t-shirt opposite is designed by Organic Stereo.  They are a new ethical fashion company based in Brighton.  Wearing clothing from the UK massively reduces the carbon footprint of your clothes.

All the images are from Adili and can be found in their online shop.  Click hereto be taken to the site.

So there we have it- ethical fashion for eco-clubbing!!  We’ll be bringing you more on ethical fashion brands so keeping stopping by.

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Eco-clubbing?!

  Last week saw the launch of the world’s ‘first’ eco-club in London.  Surya is an environmentally sustainable club run by the so-called Dr. Earth and is in Kings Cross.  Green really is the new black as the green revolution moves into the world of clubbing.  Is eco-clubbing going to be the next big thing?

  So how do you make a club green?  Well the club is powered by wind turbines and solar energy and generates enough electricity to pass on to its neighbours.  With rising energy prices this will make Surya very popular!

  Alongside alternative energy the club has low flush toilets, eco-friendly air conditioning and a rather exciting dancefloor.  According to Dr. Earth the dancing motion will help generate electricity!  This is due to a mixture of quartz crystals, ceramics and some interesting technology.  So now even dancing can be responsible and green!!

    The indoors is also kitted out with recycled and eco-friendly materials.  For example there is a Biro chandelier.  They even sell organic wine and beer.  Not sure about the spirits or mixers though…..

  It seems that ethical and green issues are really in the limelight at the moment.  People are concerned about their carbon footprint and being carbon neutral.  If Surya can convince it’s guests to make even the smallest of changes to reduce their carbon footprint this could make a big difference to the environment.  Hopefully eco-clubs will eventually become the norm as opposed to a unique selling point.

  We’ll be bringing you information on ethical fashion so you can have a complete eco-clubbing experience!  You can check out ethical fashion at Adili.

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