Eco-fashion news for Earth Day
Big clothing companies offering eco-friendly items isn't really new anymore, since Levi's, Guess, Urban Outfitters, and many others have been offering organic jeans and T-shirts for a while. Still, this Earth Day will bring more new companies into the green market, making eco-friendly wear cheaper, easier to find -- and more confusing than ever.
First, the cheaper and easier to find part: Forever 21's teamed up with BBC's Planet Earth to offer a 100% organic cotton "Freeze" T-shirt (right) at a very affordable $14.80. I'm hoping these T-shirts are made to last, unlike most of the clothes offered at Forever 21, a store's that helped make clothes "disposable." The shirts are available now.
Second, the more confusing than ever: Banana Republic's come out with a green collection -- but would-be eco-shoppers must read the tags wisely! Notes Emili Vesilind of the L.A. Times: "A knit tank top is made from a fabric that's just 5% soy silk. That's diet green, at best." The collection will be available starting Earth Day.
If your closet's already full, get rid of those unwanted conference T-shirts by dropping by Barneys New York. There, you can take advantage of a new T-shirt recycling program dubbed "Tune In. Turn In. Drop Off," created via a partnership between Barney's, green clothing company Loomstate, and the Sundance channel.
Just drop off an old T-shirt in exchange for a 20% discount on women’s Loomstate for Barneys Green and men’s Loomstate merchandise until April 27. The donated T-shirts will be recycled into new Loomstate T-shirts for Barneys Green Holiday 2008 Collection.
Eco-fashionistas will be getting still more choices in the coming weeks. A couple new L.A. eco-boutiques -- Romp and Vie -- will be celebrating their grand openings on West 3rd Street (in L.A., not the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica) on Earth Day itself.
And the eco-company Nau will finally be opening an L.A. store in the Beverly Center at the end of this month. More on that to come --
Top photo courtesy of Planet Earth; bottom photo by Siel
