Don’t worry, we at Garments Without Guilt are not advocating arson, but rather giving a shout-out to those individual “sparks” who have tirelessly taken up the cause of those left out in the cold.

Today we take a look at Annie Oakley Waterman, founder of the annie O. boutique.

(photo from annieoboutique)

It all started with a trip to Peru. It was here that Annie came across a women’s cooperative with around 80 members who were engaged in producing traditional embroidered textiles, but were still trapped in poverty.

Writing on her company’s website on what got her started, Annie says, “I traveled down to Peru about three years ago, where I made the connection. I was drawn to their work because it is women run and supports women who are often victims of domestic violence. These women are living in impoverished conditions, and I saw such a chance to help, seeing they produce vibrant and irresistible embroidered textiles.”

…And so the spark was lit!

She saw an opportunity to help these women find sustainable livelihoods by incorporating modern designs with the hand woven creations they were producing. The result of this collaboration is a flamboyant range of embroidered belts, clutch bags, handbags, scarves and other accessories that blend contemporary style with the vibrant colors of Peru.

…And the spark became a flame!

(photo from annieoboutique)

The end result was more than just an exchange of ideas or monetary transactions, but rather a start of a close partnership that brought financial stability to these women and their families, while helping them sustain a better way of life.

The annie O. boutique has branched out from its humble beginnings and apart from supporting “fair trade practices which promote healthy lifestyles and financial independence” for the women’s collective in Peru, it now works with female artisan cooperatives in other parts of the world as well.

…And so the flame became a fire!

Through it all, Annie is quite clear on what the company’s objectives should be:

“The goal is to create beautiful accessories, with a conscious and a story. To help these artists create financial stability and a sustainable income. To empower these women and support traditional artisan craftsmanship…It’s a collaboration and these women are my inspiration.”

And you are one of ours. Thank you Annie for showing us yet another example of ethical, eco-friendly, sustainable Garments Without Guilt that make the world a better place.

Women runners rejoice! It’s finally here, an organic sports bra that not only feels great, but has a non-invasive pocket up front for your iPod (or for cash or credit cards). You can forget about those pesky (and sometimes itchy!) armbands for your mp3 player and now run with the freedom and comfort that comes from a sports bra that is made from 90% organic cotton.

Freedom! (Photo from Girlhabits)

Called “Mi-bra”, this eco-friendly sports bra is the brainchild of Carolina Baker, who as a regular marathon runner was not happy with the existing products in the market. Quoted in Eco-Chick, she explains the circumstances that led to the creation of Mi-bra.

Creator of Mi-bra, Carolina Baker
Photo from Girlhabits

“I was having chafing issues with my other sports bras and running with my music was becoming a nuisance because my armband kept sliding down my arm. I started putting my iPod in between my sports bra and tank top and it stayed put quite well. I started searching the internet for sports bras with pockets and couldn’t find any! That’s when I knew I had an idea I could run with (no pun intended) and so I did.”

And so Mi-bra was born!

Writing for Eco-Chick, Starre Vartan also points out that while this sports bra retails at an affordable 20$, the label behind the brand is a socially conscious one as well: “…a portion of the proceeds of the bra benefit Back on My Feet, a charity organization that uses running as a means to get homeless men and women back into jobs and school.”

Who says you can’t stay in shape, look good, be eco-friendly and help those in need at the same time!

(Photos from Treehugger)

Mi-bras can be purchased via the girlhabits.com website which is also a great site to find out more on its creator, Carolina and get her interesting insights into life.

“Remember those awe-inspiring moments you had as a kid? When you believed you could do anything, be anything, and that nothing could/would ever stop you? You CAN do anything, BE anything, and nothing IS stopping you. If you can overcome the mental hurdles that life throws at you, you CAN and WILL achieve your dreams.”(Carolina Baker)

Thank goodness Carolina followed her dreams. Women runners everywhere thank you whole heartedly!

Mi-bra has a facebook page, while those interested in the latest developments concerning the humble sports bra, should definitely check out the Garments Without Guilt blog post regarding a bra that could actually generate its own electricity–enough to recharge an ipod!

The Great American Apparel Diet began with 18 women who decided to diet, (it’s more like a fast, really), and not buy any new clothing for an entire year. From there, it has grown to be a global sensation.

It’s good for those who have been hit by economic challenges, and good for the environment, two of the biggest hallmarks of the current global climate. Making this commitment encourages people to use what they have, and to perhaps even creatively up-cycle items for use as accessories or new wardrobe pieces.

After a year of examining the underlying reasons they feel the need to shop, they were ready to be unleashed upon the shopping malls once again. But now they had created new criteria:
• Choose items that you really love
• Choose high quality items that can be worn repeatedly
• Choose… well, basically, Garments Without Guilt – clothing made ethically, ecologically and sustainably.

Their blogs follow the experiences of those have made the one-year commitment. For the original 18, it ended on Sept 2nd, 2010, but you can join in at any time. And for those who have completed their consumer-diet-boot-camp, the site has added a section called Conscious Shopping.

“Every one of these lines is fashionable, eco-friendly and made in the US or fairly traded. This way you can rest assured you are not hurting the planet on your shopping excursions…at least not too badly. Enjoy!”

Their list includes many labels we’ve told you about before like:

Loomstate Organic - mentioned in How Jeans and T-Shirts Can Save the World and Are Eco-Ethical Clothing Lines Taking Over?

Popomomo - mentioned in L.A.’s (Eco-Friendly!) Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week Greenshows

Playback Clothing mentioned in Playback Clothing Recycles Hues Too

Vaute Couture - also mentioned briefly in New York Fashion Week Greenshows .

And some we’re happy to tell you about now! Like:
~Indigenous – fair trade and organic

~Global Girlfriend (a Greater Good Store)

~c. marchuska

~Degree Six (ºVI)

~Ashley Watson Recycled Leather

~Liv Grn

~Good Society

~reMade USA

~ecoSkin

~ Doie

Check out The Great American Apparel Diet’s Conscious Shopping section for the whole scoop!

It’s all over the eco-ethical fashion blogs – sustainable designer John Patrick decided to host an event rather than a runway show, and it’s gotten quite a bit of attention. This low impact interactive event took place in a small room at the Ace Hotel in Manhattan, where the models posed for photographs in front of a white backdrop.

ORGANIC by John Patrick Spring 2011 (photo: Abigail Doan of Ecco Eco)

The designer told Treehugger’s Emma Grady, “There’s zero footprint with this presentation; people motor in, we don’t have any trash on set, and no bottled water.”

Her story continued by explaining that water is an environmental issue close to John Patrick’s heart. “When I reached John through the crowd he was already speaking passionately about how the United Nations adopted water as a human right and to the idea of the global village. He said, ‘We’re all drinking the same water,’ and continued, ‘if you really want to understand me, go and look at the water fountain that the mayor put on the street for me….’”

photo of John Patrick at the fountain from Ecouterre

John Patrick Organic was the winner of the Ecco Domani 2010 Sustainable Design Award who say that “John Patrick is one of the pioneers of ‘green’ fashion and designs his Organic Collection with a vision of raising the profile of the sustainable areas of the industry. He has since helped to increase the use of botanical dyes, recycled fabrics and organic wool yarns and has resurrected traditional eco-conscious practices … He works with vendors and factories around the world to create next-generation sustainable textiles and adopt more sustainable manufacturing methods with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality for his brand.”

“Beautiful is beautiful is beautiful. The simplest things in the world are the most precious,” says Patrick. “I was inspired by the majesty and power of water for this collection in all of its purity.”

Ecouterre writes, “Even the models’ hair echoed the aqueous theme, with Aveda lead stylist Jenn sculpting their tresses into “wilted waves.” The undone, wavy look, is sexy and unrestrained, notes Patrick, inspired by a girl’s hair after she’s been underwater.

You can see in these photos from Ecouterre how casual and interactive the event was, with the designer interacting with both the press and the girls.

photo of John Patrick talking from Ecouterre

photo of John Patrick “tweaking” his Spring 2011 classic trench – by Abigail Doan for Ecco Eco

And at some point, each model had a turn in front of the backdrop alone – as you can see in this montage of photos taken from the slideshow on Treehugger by Emma Grady.

We love how Ecco Eco summed it up – so here it is:

“Lessons learned: Sustainability is not about materials alone. Sure this is a significant part of the equation, but it also high time to look at the whole picture when it comes to ethical sourcing, de-centralized manufacturing, and even the greener lifestyle choices of celebrated designers. It’s not easy to walk away from the fashion parade of jet setting, urban life, but John Patrick has done just this and consequently created a way for us to experience refinement in our day-to-day lives while also smartly updating the past for a brighter future.”

To see all the photos we’ve seen, check out the following slideshows by clicking on these links:

~Ecco Eco

~TreeHugger

~Ecouterre

And we’re sure you’ll agree that certainly, these are Garments Without Guilt!

One of the newest fixtures to be part of New York Fashion Week is The GreenShows - the premiere fashion event exclusively committed to eco-friendly, ethically sound, fair-trade fashion during New York Fashion Week. The GreenShows produces full-length runway shows featuring a selection of designers invited to show their entire collections to an audience of influential editors, buyers and fashion VIP’s. They believe fashion can be considerate of the earth, animals and mankind and their mission is to share that vision.

Now in its third season, ten designers have been chosen once again to share their own interpretations of green and sustainable fashion. The video above shows you the show from the February NYFW 2010, where you’ll see designs from Samantha Pleet, Popomomo, Joann Berman, Ekovaruhuset, and Vaute Couture. (For more info check out Inhabitat’s coverage.)

On Sept 13 – 15 2010, the designers will be, in the order of the shows themselves:

Susan Cianciolo - Artist-cum-designer

Luis Valenzuela - mixed-media artist and designer aimed at creating “a more promising and sustainable future with recycled and upcycled materials.”

Auralis with timeless yet contemporary styling of free-flowing fabrics like hemp gauze, organic-cotton dobby, and bamboo jersey

JoAnn Berman with her sizzling colors and clashing textures

Ashton Michael - with his Hollywood label made up of handmade pieces for men and women that juxtapose hard edges with theatrical silhouettes

Milliners Guild — a collective of small and independent milliners working within the eco/sustainable/local ethos present “Heads Up” which will feature hats made from organics, recycled or re-used materials.

Lavuk offers sweatshop-free, locally made garments of organic cotton, Tencel, hemp, and deadstock silk designed to have multiple styling possibilities. Every item bought means one tree gets planted!

Dress Reform designer Krystal Hoffacker creates natural-fiber, handcrafted pieces drawing from nature, ethnic clothing, quilted textiles, and Japanese Shibori.

Bright Young Things by Eliza Starbuck may be familiar for those who admired her work with Sheena Matheiken on The Uniform Project.

Samantha Pleet has been charming eco-fashionistas for a while now, as you can see above.

For more info and photos, check out Ecouterre’s coverage!

Garments Without Guilt is back on the air and is full of positive enthusiasm for the future! We know it’s possible to move forward with ethical, sustainable and environmentally-friendly business practices no matter what else is happening around us-not war, nor tsunamis, not anything- and we have no intention of stopping because we know what we’re doing is good for our workers, good for our environment and good for our planet.

Sri Lanka has experienced a year of the bliss of a nation at peace -for the first time in over 20 years. It’s amazing what peace can do for one’s outlook. Our workers, even those that weren’t directly affected by the war, now know that there is a future to be built for themselves and for their children. So now more than ever before, the communities that are served by our ethical and eco-friendly garment factories have the opportunity to not just survive, but thrive.

Knowing this, you should feel good about purchasing clothing that is made in Sri Lanka. So good that you should tell your favorite retailers that you are really only interested in buying clothes that have been made ethically, sustainably and environmentally.

Ultimately, the fate of the world is in your hands. No pressure, but it’s the choices that you make and the actions that YOU, the consumer, take that determine the direction that retailers and manufacturers will go. We’ll keep on making them, if you keep on buying them.

For now, we’ll refer you back to some of the information we’ve already shared.

• Be sure to look at the Links section on the right side of our blog page, where you’ll find organizations and information that share our eco-ethical vision.
• Also, a quick refresher on being an engaged consumer can be found in our interview with “Where Am I Wearing?” author Kelsey Timmerman from September 2008. We also encourage you to visit his website Where Am I Wearing.com — it’s got great information… and is fun too!
• And of course, don’t leave this page without checking out our video above!

Keep checking back and we’ll point you to where you can find more information so you can make your own educated, enlightened choices that help you invest in your own garments, without guilt.�

Treehugger’s Emma Grady was kind enough to do the shopping for us and found a selection of 6 Green Dresses to Ring in the New Year and 6 Sustainable Shoes To Dance in the New Year! Whoo hoo!

Of the six dresses, four of them are the classic LBD (little black dress), each with their own distinctive twist. The remaining selections include one ivory dress and one with a black and peach pattern against a white background. They’re made from stuff like organic wool, organic cotton poplin, or hemp and recycled poly denim.

They (Treehugger & Emma, that is) put it this way:

“We are keeping it simple this season and suggest scouring vintage and second-hand shops, raiding a friend’s closet, or-if you absolutely must satisfy your sweet tooth for shopping-shop slow and green. We are bringing it back to the basics with black and white dresses that can be accessorized and worn again in the year to come.”

But the shoes are likely to pull focus from the dress! Especially our faves, sure to be an Eco-Cult Classic: Melissa Lady Dragon III by Vivienne Westwood (the shoes are pictured above, but you can see Vivienne speak on the rainforest in a recent post to our GWG Universe Blog).

Melissa Metflex plastic heels are comfy, fun, festive, and a cult classic for eco-fashionistas everywhere. But if instead you’re searching for comfortable flats to dance into 2010, the right shoes for your LBD, or the perfect pumps to pair with one of our 6 Green Dresses for New Years, they recommend getting a jump start on green New Year’s resolutions by “rummaging through your wardrobe before shopping and if kicks cannot be upcycled with shoe clips or fixed-up by a cobbler, then kick back and click through to our selection of sustainable shoes to dance in the New Year.”

Happy new year from Garments Without Guilt!

Wyclef Jean, the Grammy Award-winning musician who achieved fame with The Fugees before going solo, is also a humanitarian, and Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti. He recently teamed up with The Timberland Co. to sell eco-friendly footwear and support reforestation his homeland.

The 16-boot collection, made from recycled and organic materials, includes designs for men, women and kids. Timberland also will sell T-shirts designed by Haitian children, and a new line of organic shirts and hats will be sold at Jean’s concerts, with a cut of the profits going to Jean’s Yele Haiti foundation.

Wyclef founded Yele Haiti in 2005, to build global awareness for Haiti and help drive transformation through education, sports, the arts and environment. In the video above, Hollyscoop.com’s Brian Corsetti caught up with Wyclef Jean at ESPN the Magazine’s NEXT Big Weekend 2009 event in Florida to talk about his Foundation.

Wyclef and Timberland have a shared commitment to the environment and a passion for improving communities throughout the world. The partnership is also part of Timberland’s Earthkeepers program, which promotes environmental and social activism. Wyclef is one of their seven Earthkeeper Heroes.

For every pair of Timberland Earthkeepers(TM) Yele Haiti boots sold, Timberland will donate $2 to the Yele Haiti foundation to support reforestation in Haiti. The collection of eco-conscious footwear will be available globally in February 2010.

Our friends at White Apricot (a website about Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle for the eco and socially conscious) pointed us to this great CSR project from the clothing company Horny Toad.

Horny Toad’s philosophy is “Look good. Feel Good. Do Good.” They believe the choices they make are as important as the clothes they create, so they try each day to lighten their environmental footprint, be good partners in all of their relationships, pay attention and stay active in their communities and support organizations that improve our world - the source of our daily adventures.

This year they’ve joined together with Goodwill® to help Share the Warmth this season, by asking you to donate your “pre-loved” clothes.

The clothes will be sold at Goodwill locations, and the revenue from the sales of these donated items will go to funding job training and enhancing the quality of life for many people in need.

Also, donating clothes helps recycle usable clothing in environmentally sound ways, keeping billions of pounds of clothing out of U.S. landfills—“a little added nugget of eco-love.”

Not only do you reap the benefits of the philanthropy warm-and-fuzzies, but you get 15% off new Horny Toad clothes! Bonus!

How it works, step by step:
• Take your pre-loved clothes to a local Goodwill donation center.
• Tell Horny Toad about how many units you donated and how great it felt, on their Share the Warmth page.
• When shopping online, Use the code GOODWILL at checkout for 15% off new Horny Toad duds. If you’d rather shop at a participating dealer with your discount, you can find one on their website, where you can also see how many clothes were donated so far!

And we hope you enjoy the promotional video about winter warmth above!

We thought we’d highlight some of the green gifts recommended by Inhabitat. They’ve got suggestions for gifts for her, gifts for him, for boys, girls or tots, for moms and dads, gadget nerds, furry friends and new parents. They’ve got specialty gifts like stocking stuffers, cozy knits, jewelry, handcrafted gifts, gifts that give back, heirlooms and gifts of time. We’ve also included a video about Inhabitat, so you can get to know them a little bettah!

From the gifts for her, we liked:

Tara St. James Single Zipper Necklace – $18
Who would ever guess that this delicate charm is actually made of a single zipper! Designer Tara St. James takes discarded cream and gold zippers and whips them into these rather luxe looking pendants that the lucky girl on your list will simply fall in love with.

Recycled Vinyl Record Cameo Pendant – $56
Is there a special girl in your life that is part edgy rocker chick, part retro glam femme? If so, these intricate cameo pendants recycled from actual vinyl records will win you points in her book. She’ll think of you every time she gets compliments on it!

For the guys:

Freedom Shaver – $46
Let your man shave off the grid this year with the Wind N’ Go Freedom Shaver, a crank-powered electric razor with a battery. This nifty invention lets a man get a full shave after just a minute of cranking and has interchangeable blades for when they get worn down. Perfect for the guy on-the-go, the Freedom Shaver stays off the grid and on the road wherever he needs a quick touch up.

Bottle Opener Belt – $15
The holidays are a time to eat, drink, and be merry, which makes this one-size fits all bottle opener belt the perfect gift for the beer drinker on your list. A marvel of muti-functional design, each black web belt features a brushed metal tab on one end that doubles as bottle opener.

Check out all their great suggestions at GreenHolidayGiftGuide.Inhabitat.com!