When you hear the company name “English Retreads” you may imagine getting your tyres upgraded in England. But actually, the company makes its home in the American state of Colorado, and the name comes from the founder, Heather English, the subject of Garments Without Guilt’s continuing spotlight on individuals who have made a positive impact on the environment.

Heather English
(photo from English Retreads)

It all started with an inner tube. That’s what Heather was using at the time to float down Colorado’s Boulder Creek, when a spark of inspiration set her creative ingenuity alight. Being a dedicated vegan, Heather was in need of a non-leather handbag that was not only durable, but fashionable as well. Her inner voice pointed her to her inner tube.

Quoted in the company’s media kit, Heather explains how it all got started:

“I needed a new handbag but I was a hardcore vegetarian. I wanted something that was fashionable and invincible—but not made from leather…I didn’t find what I was looking for, so I went to McGuckin’s, [a favorite local hardware store] bought some tools and started my own personal sweatshop—with me doing the sweating.”

And so English Retreads was born in 2002, with local truck stops and bike shops supplying the inner tubes from used tires. The company now has stores all over the United States, offering eco-conscious customers a stylish range of handbags, wallets, bentleys, belts, clutches and other accessories, all made from recycled inner tubes.

Yes, these handbags are made from recycled inner tubes!
(photo from English Retreads)

To Heather, the fact that these tubes have a “history” makes the final product all the more special. “Just think of all the places these tubes have been…Now it’s your turn to add to their miles and adventures.”

As are these, for men.
(photo from English Retreads)

Through it all, Heather has made sure the mission of English Retreads remains true to her own ideals as it continues to be an eco friendly, people friendly and animal friendly venture. As quoted on the company website she points out in the company’s mission that, “Each new design begins with the idea of striving to keep more waste out of the landfill by creating fashionable, yet sturdy items out of recycled materials…And by turning recycling into a bold fashion statement, we at English Retreads can empower consumers with an ecologically sound alternative to animal products without compromising style or durability. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

Who knew recycled inner tubes could be so stylish?
(photo from English Retreads)

Perusing the English Retreads mission page also brought into light two other facts worth mentioning. The company is working in partnership with Native Energy in order to minimize their carbon footprint and is also committed to the fair and ethical treatment of employees and workers along with promoting healthy communities where it does business.

Vested in achieving a balance as a Triple Bottom Line company (people, planet, profit), English Retreads bears testament to the ingenuity of the human mind and in particular, one Heather English who reminds us that fashion can be eco-friendly, stylishly simple and fun at the same time!

We at Garments Without Guilt are continuing to highlight individuals who have set the world ablaze (pun intended!) with their dogged determination in helping to uplift the lives of those in need. (A quick apology to all you budding arsonists who might have come to this post having been misled by the title.)

In today’s spotlight are Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson, the founders of FEED Projects, who we mentioned in our earlier post Fashion Labels With a Conscience - Part 2.

Lauren Bush & Ellen Gustafson
(photo from Feedprojects)

It all started with a bag. In 2006, Lauren Bush (a well-known model at the time) designed the FEED 1 bag in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). From its humble beginnings, the bag soon became an inspirational symbol of how a simple idea can help change the world.

Writing for Ecouterre, Lauren explains how FEED Projects got started:

“I helped start FEED Projects in 2006 as an “accidental” business. FEED’s true mission was to sell the FEED 1 bag, which feeds one child in school for one year through the United Nations World Food Program. Once it became obvious that the UN could not sell the bag itself to raise money and awareness, my business partner, Ellen Gustafson, and I decided the best route would be to start our own company.”

Lauren & Friends
(photo from Ecouterre)

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

In a previous post, we mentioned an eco-friendly and fair trade clothing and accessory shop called Global Girlfriend (a Greater Good Store). Having seen the phrase “Greater Good” on some Burt’s Bees products lately, we thought we’d delve deeper into what this Greater Good might be.

First, we went to Greater Good.com. They tell us that they have “simple online ways to protect the health and well-being of people, animals and the planet.” Well we’re behind all that. Below the words “Helping People” we saw a list of organizations that include Global Girlfriend, but also the Pink Ribbon Store.com, The Museum Shop.com. Apparently, much like Care2.com, you can click on the link to have sponsors pay-per-click to a chosen charity.

You can also shop at any of the stores, where, “by purchasing one of the 4500+ products that we carry, including jewelry, apparel, and gifts…a charity royalty of from 5-30% [is] paid on every item purchased.” Global Girlfriend has a whole range of clothing and jewelry, bath & body products and accessories, and gifts too!�
But you can also be really specific about where your money goes with their Gifts that Give More™. So we went to Global Girlfriend and clicked on Gifts that Give More™ link to see what we could choose. First, we chose between issues: Hunger & Poverty, Children’s Health and Well-being, Literacy & Children’s Education, Protecting & Restoring the Environment, Care & Feeding of Rescued Animals, and Breast Cancer & Women’s Health. Clicking on Literacy & Children’s Education gave us choices like “Send two girls to school in Afghanistan – from $20” or “Liberate Girls from Indentured Servitude – from $50”. See? Really specific, so you can choose a situation that really matters to you. Or you can click on GreaterGood.org to go straight to the charity portion of the whole organization to learn more.

The Greater Good that Burt’s Bees is talking about is their Greater Good Foundation. Burt’s Bees, as you probably know, is an “Earth friendly natural personal care company” that creates products for lips, face, body and hair. Their Greater Good Foundation is an extension of their corporate ethics. The video above is clearly proof of the American company’s global reach.

“We look to help empower non-profit initiatives whose efforts resonate with our own mission, particularly in the areas of natural health and well-being, the environment and social responsibility. The Foundation is run by volunteer employees and funded by a donation of 10 percent of our burtsbees.com website sales, Bee-utify Your World tour sales and employee orders. Learn more in our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report.

What else might be a Greater Good? A search on Wikipedia told us that “The Greater Good” may also refer to:

• The Greater Good (comedy group), an American sketch-comedy trio
• A Greater Good (History 1998–2008), an album by Neuroticfish
• The Greater Good, or the Passion of Boule de Suif, an opera by Stephen Hartke
• Greater Good Science Center, a research center at the University of California, Berkeley
• ”The Greater Good”, a song by Nine Inch Nails from Year Zero
• The Greater Good, the unifying philosophy of the Tau in the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000
• Television episodes from CSI: NY, House, Lost, or Stargate Universe.

So clearly, whether it’s from the realm of fashion, beauty, comedy, music, science, video games or TV, The Greater Good is likely to be pretty good, and guilt-free!�

Sure, every fashion label out there wants “in” on the eco-ethical bandwagon these days, but do they really practice what they preach? Well the good news is that socially conscious fashion labels that take their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) seriously, do exist! Giving them the recognition that they deserve, Treehugger.com rounds up Ecouterre’s “Best of Ecouterre: 7 Fashion Labels With a Conscience”, and now we’re going to pass the good news on to you.

• TOMS Shoes – For every pair purchased, the people at TOMS Shoes will give: 1) a pair of shoes to a needy child, and 2) to another Charity: Water. Their latest project: building a clean water well in a village in Ethiopia. Funds for the well will be raised through the sale of two exclusive, limited edition shoes.

• 141 Eyewear – The philosophy of 141 Eyewear in donating eyewear to those in need, is similar to that of TOMS Shoes. In their own words “For every pair of 141 Eyewear purchased, we give a new pair of prescription glasses to a person in need. No portions of proceeds. No percentages. You buy, we give. One Four One.” Get it? 1-4-1?

Photo from Ecouterre

• FIGS – The “threads for threads” philosophy at FIGS is quite simple: “With every tie purchase, FIGS gives a uniform to a child in order for them to attend school.”

Photo from Ecouterre

• The Red Rail – This unique Dutch initiative requires those wanting to own one of the designer ensembles on offer, to pay in blood! Founded in order to “…create a new generation of blood donors by promoting the act of giving,” this limited, one of a kind collection will be given away on a lottery basis only to those who are registered blood donors.

Photo from Ecouterre

More in our next post!

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.�

“Ethical fashion represents an approach to design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing, which is both socially and environmentally sustainable”.

But if you’re reading our blog, you may already know that. Otherwise, you may be looking for Garments Without Guilt, but you’re just not sure how to choose your guilt-free clothes.

Manufacturers and clothing retailers who are interested in giving you ethical and environmentally made clothing are gathered in Sri Lanka at the first ever Sri Lanka Design Festival to discuss the why’s and the how’s to make it happen. At the Ethical Fashion Symposium held on November 29th, they discussed topics such as:

• The business case for sustainability
• Is sustainable/ethical sourcing satisfying or creating consumer demand?
• How much international interest is there in ethical sourcing and how to market the products to the industry?
• How relevant is the sustainability of a product to the fashion reporting?
• What are the necessary definitions for ethically sourced products and how do you enforce standards?
• How much does the ethical/sustainable message need to be incorporated into fashion education?
• And of course, how are suppliers in Sri Lanka making the change from price-driven to ethically-driven demand?

You as a consumer may not even want to know the answers to these questions. But aren’t you glad the industry leaders are asking them and looking for the answers on your behalf?

Our friend Kelsey Timmerman has written a book about his journey as an engaged consumer called “Where Am I Wearing?” and he’s the guy in this video, giving you a more real-world way of understanding the ideas behind ethical fashion, and we promise you’ll enjoy the ride and come away smarter.

You can also peruse the categories to the right to learn more about Guilt-Free Fashion and Ethical Business Practices. Or visit some of our featured links like Ethical Consumer Magazine or Ethical and Green Living.

You may have also heard the concept discussed with the term Fair Trade. Check out our recent article called “Fair Trade Products Beautify the World!” or from our GWG Universe Blog “Fair Trade Does A World of Good”.

We at Garments Without Guilt want you to know all you can about ethically made, guilt-free clothing so that you know what to ask for!�

The Dr. Hauschka website tells us so. “Dr.Hauschka Skin Care is a different kind of company. Inspired by our vision of a culture of care, we’ve created a company not driven by greed but powered by compassion. All we do is in the interest of fostering well-being in the world, from our ecologically sound methods of growing and sourcing ingredients to our one-of-a-kind manufacturing processes and international fair trade initiatives. “

They go on to say, “We’re active in our local communities and engage in projects the world over that help transform disadvantage into self-reliance and economic sustainability.” We love that about them!

Dr. Hauschka products include:
• Holistic Home Remedies
• Homeopathic Medicines
• Natural Skin Care
• Bath & Shower
• Body Care
• Decorative Cosmetics
• Face Care
• Gifts & Accessories
• Hair Care

The photo above is from a Treehugger.com article promoting their new shampoo line. “Natural and organic skincare company Dr. Hauschka has… four tasty hair care products: Macadamia and Orange Shampoo for normal hair, Nasturtium and Lemon Shampoo for normal to oily hair, Apricot and Sea Buckthorn Shampoo for dry and damaged hair, and Jojoba and Marshmallow Conditioner for intensive daily conditioning treatment.

“The Germany-based firm only uses herbal extracts from plants grown organically or collected in the wild to create each product—without making sacrifices for scent, lather, or consistency. Plus, the quality seal of the German BDIH is stamped on every bottle. What does that mean? Full ingredient disclosure and no synthetic chemical colors, aromas, preservatives, silicones, paraffins, petroleum products, or animal testing.”

The company explains their “holistic” philosophy this way: “When it comes to any one action we take, any one decision we make, we take the time to look at the repercussions and ramifications on the earth, our clients and customers, our communities and our company.

“We carefully choose every plant and mineral ingredient based on its individual effects and the way it interacts with other ingredients, as well as whether it came from an ecologically and ethically sound source. We choose packaging that’s Eco-friendly and which allows us to keep our products free of artificial preservatives.

“A Dr.Hauschka Skin Care regimen should be part of a healthy lifestyle supported by diet, exercise and contemplative practices to reconnect us with our natural rhythms. All of these factors have an effect on skin health and beauty, and all are a part of Dr.Hauschka’s holistic approach.”

We at GWG like the way they go about their eco-friendly and people-friendly business!

Above you can see Rachel Sarnoff of EcoStiletto (who we’ve highlighted before) offering a great review of Alaffia, along with other fabulous eco-fashion tips, on CNN. She says Alaffia is truly amazing as a line and works incredibly well. And that it’s a great example all around: the packaging is recyclable, the products are made from all natural ingredients-organic ingredients-and also, the production of this line supports indigenous people in Togo, Africa. She also added that it smells amazing and that Shea butter is “just incredible for your skin.”

Their website explains that the founder chose to promote indigenous African natural resources that are culturally, spiritually, economically and ecologically sustainable. Shea butter that is traditionally handcrafted fits. It’s a renewable resource of African origin; shea trees are wild, requiring no chemical fertilizers or pesticides; and it’s an integral part of many savanna communities. Consequently, there is a wealth of local and traditional knowledge of making shea butter.

The fair trade of our handcrafted shea butter and shea butter skin care products is bringing income to and empowering our communities in Togo, while making indigenous, sustainable and effective skin care available to the global community.

Their website also tells us a bit more about how their company empowers all who work with them.

Alaffia strives to be an integral part of our communities in Washington state and in Togo, West Africa. Here are a few ways we participate:

In Togo, West Africa

• The Alaffia/Agbanga Shea Butter Cooperative is an important part of the greater Sokode community. We provide stable, fair incomes to over 80 families. The Cooperative also provides medical care and other assistance when needed. Our members are proud to be able to use their indigenous knowledge to feed and clothe their families. One of our goals is for the cooperative to be a model for other groups and individuals in Togo and other West African nations to follow.

• Community Enhancement Projects - Ten percent of our sales go directly to fund community enhancement projects in Togo. We have several projects, all of which serve to enhance community self reliance and sustainability.

Today, Africa is considered the poorest continent on Earth. Seventy-seven percent of Africans live on less than $2 per day, and women and children make up the majority of this number. African families must also cope with the impacts of diseases such as AIDS and malaria, high unemployment rates, and increasing problems with air and water pollution, including access to potable water.

Africans are still experiencing colonial legacies that impede the well-being of the people, such as the systematic exclusion of women from the formal education system and lack of access to adequate market information to trade their products fairly. The discrepancy between the extreme poverty and the natural wealth of the African continent has been a constant puzzlement and source of frustration for many over the years. So Alaffia helps people in Togo, but those in their community in the U.S. aren’t left out.

In Washington State, USA

• The Alaffia Global Community Scholarship is designed to assist low income high school seniors in Washington State obtain higher education degrees.

• Soaps & Lotions for Local Shelters- Donating soap and lotions to local women’s shelters is important, since we believe everyone should have access to high quality body care products, especially those who are facing difficulties in their daily lives.

• Visits to Alaffia - we discuss Fair Trade and demonstrate how we make our soaps and lotions at our building in Washington.

• Soap Making Classes - Alaffia teams with a local retailer, Radiance Herbs and Massage, to offer soap making classes at our facility several times a year.

• Internships - Alaffia works with several schools and universities to provide internships for students interested in learning about fair trade.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if EVERY company did their business with this level of integrity? At Garments Without Guilt, we can imagine it, and we’re working to see it become the norm.

In an earlier post that discussed how “Fair Trade Products Beautify the World” we mentioned several companies that are doing just that. One of them, Aveda, we covered in our GWG Universe Blog and now we want to highlight Pangea Organics.

Their name brings to mind the supercontinent-the one that existed when there was only one piece of land that all libing beings shared. Their philosophy is outlined quite nicely by their CEO, Joshua Onysko, in the video above, but their website puts it in these succinct phrases:

Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative.

Ecocentric Bodycare: Always Beneficial, Never Artificial.

And this is one of our favorite things they say: “You’re already beautiful. We’re just here to help cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin.”

Pangea products are (and always will be):
• Crafted by artisans in small batches, using pure, organic ingredients that replenish the skin
• Hand-blended to soothe or stimulate your senses
• Preserved using the gentlest of methods to retain the nurturing properties of the botanicals in each customized blend
• Intentionally sourced from organic farmers through fair trade practices whenever possible
• Honest above all else: if it’s in our products, it’s on our labels

ALWAYS
nurturing
handcrafted
organic & fair trade
cruelty-free

NEVER
petroleum-based ingredients
sulfates or detergents
synthetic preservatives
artificial colors or fragrances

Buying Pangea Organics products does more than make your body feel good. It means you’re supporting sustainable agriculture and culture – everything from fair trade sourcing and organic farming to living wages and the use of renewable, recycled and recyclable resources. In other words: good for you, good for every body.

You only have one body and we only have one planet. Pangea promises to do all that they can to take care of both.

We at Garments Without Guilt believe we should all use the same philosophy in our buying decisions-sustainable and ethical-whether for inside, on our outside of our bodies.