Is Jewelry Eco-Fashion?

So I was perusing the latest offering from Popsugar, and happened across a special offer from Melinda Maria. She is the apparent it-girl for celebs looking for unique jewelry, according to Popsugar. I'm not arguing with it, I just really don't know. So.....I was thinking that all the ingredients to make high-quality jewelry are from nature, but then I thought about blood diamonds, strip mining, artificially created gemstones, and all the chemicals required to process a finished product.

Back in the day, and I mean way back in the day, you get some gold or silver, heat it up with coal until it melts, fashion it into a ring and drop some gems in a pretty pattern. Wipe it off with a cloth and you were good to go. That's not really an ecologically friendly process due to the coal, but it was all they had at the time. Now, strip mining is the generally accepted method by which companies get metals like gold, and the gems are cut with a laser or acids, and the polish to brighten the entire piece is made up of a lot of words I can't really pronounce, much less spell. And I don't even want to know how the stainless steel, hypoallergenic pieces get made.

So how do you create eco-friendly jewelry, and does anyone really care? I think everyone will agree that jewelry is a necessity. Pieces are handed down as family heirlooms, purchased as a sign of love or friendship, and worn to complement or dress up clothing. I think maybe if the jewelry is upcycled from pieces found at auction or flea markets, then there is a definite attempt to behave in an eco-friendly way. 

I'm not advocating a return to the days when coal was the best (only?) method to melt down gold so it could be re-shaped into some intricate design, and I'm certainly not planning on getting rid of my jewelry or to stop shopping for it, but if there are eco-friendly jewelry design methods people are using, I know I'd love to hear about them.

Plagarism Alert - Eco-Fashion is More Than a Passing Trend

That's the brand statement made by Ecouterre, and it fits. They cover everything from shopping at MUUSE to Ringo Starr's contributions to Timberland's "Canvas That Cares" campaign to eco-friendly knit accessories, they cover it all. And they have an active and engaged following who talk about the pros and cons of textiles, how to wear and care for eco, and the variety of fashion they see at eco fashion shows worldwide. They also have a very active Twitter feed. 

Just like the eco-fashion they champion, Ecouterre is more than a passing trend!

Why Eco-Fashion Works

There are a lot of misconceptions about eco-fashion out there. There are some people who believe that eco-fashion is weird, scratchy fabrics or upholstry re-made into clothing, some who think it's simply sustainable products or vintage deconstructed and re-worked, and others who believe that it's not realistic from a financial perspective. I have my own issues with eco-fashion. Bamboo materials tend to attract pet hair, so is it truly eco-fashion if I have to use the plastic sticky sheets, which use plenty of oil and other materials bad for the environment to produce? Would I not use the sticky sheets anyway, regardless of clothing material? These are the questions you have to ask yourself - kind of a cost benefit analysis for how eco you want your closet, or your life, to get.

Good news, though. Cotton, as ever, is eco. Local to Raleigh is a great resource for all things cotton, Cotton Inc. They track changes in the textile industry, provide information about cotton and the environment, and provide information about their campaign "The Fabric of Our Lives". I like cotton. It's nice and simple, easy to use and sew, and although it doesn't have the panache of, say, a silk, it's breathable for everyday and active wear.

Despite my pet quandry about bamboo, I do like the feel of it. And luckily for me, Bamboo Magazine keeps me current on bamboo's uses, not just in clothes, but accessories, nail polish, and eco fashion shows. So frequently, environmentally conscious is what drives people to bamboo - as every gardener knows, once you plant it, it's nearly impossible to get rid of it, which is great from a sustainability aspect. 

What are your thoughts? Are you content deconstructing and updating vintage, or do you like to shop for new clothes made from sustainable materials? Or have you always thought eco-fashion is just too weird?

Rhetorical Factory

Hand Printed Vintage Tie $15, www.rhetoricalfactory.com. Asheville Designer and Entrepreneur Bethany Adams scores an instant of pop surprise, superimposing original, hand-screened images on classic clothing and accessories. “I have six primary designs which I screen print onto clothes and ties,” Adams says.”I make the prints from photographs I take myself.”

“Question our patterns,” advises Factory studio owner Bethany Adams. She means it literally, of course - like when she restructures and refreshes outdated, secondhand clothes. “I'm so inspired by vintage patterns. Adding one simple print to a tie or shirt,” she says, “is a way of breathing some life into a rejected but beautiful garment.“ 

She means it figuratively, too. Like when she’s reforming a niche segment of the North Carolina economy. Rhetorical Factory, Adams says, is “dedicated to making a change in the business world, turning the focus from monetary profit to true quality,” she says, “so more people can can get tuned into this important shift in consumer culture.”  Even the studio logo - a question mark - Adams says, “is all about inspiring people to question our patterns and make a shift toward true consciousness and integrity with every dollar spent.” This ideal - the “true quality” she advocates, is grounded in relationship. “Knowing the people in this community is important. Supportive store owners, conscious customers and fellow recycled fashion designers“ each contribute to Asheville’s premiere place in the recycled clothing movement. “Asheville is definitely a leader in upcycled fashion. One of the main reasons for that is simply the customer base here. Local shoppers and business owners consciously choose to support sustainability. With Asheville being an artsy town, people are willing to wear color, and to try different garments.” Another component? Creativity. Because of the community ties, “textile artists [in Asheville have] the freedom to put their ideas out into the market.” “A loyal customer base,” Adams believes, is “keeping the artistic competition healthy, constantly raising the bar. With so many great designers in the area, I am encouraged to come up with new designs regularly.” 

The final aspect of Adams’s new quality is sustainability. “From the very beginning, I decided to use only recycled and sustainable fabric, and to save every scrap. “This means a constant challenge, and zero waste.”

To see more Factory designs, check out the River Arts District Studio Stroll (Studio 218), on Saturday, November 12, 2011. The address is 191 Lyman Street, Asheville. Upcoming Rhetorical Factory events include the Asheville Trashion Show (November 19 2011), and Holiday Hoopla (December 3, 2011). Check the Factory website for details.  http://rhetoricalfactory.com/vance-elementary-holiday-craft-explosion/

Halloween! at CAM and Humble Pie

Totally rocking Halloween fashions! Nice work, friends! 

Thanks so much to our friend Daniel Calvert for the photos!