 If Loomstate's $88 organic T-shirts make you dismiss enviro-fashion as a sales gimmick for the Barneys crowd, stop looking down your nose at them -- because soon, you might be wearing the same clothes they are.
How? Barneys New York and Target have teamed up -- over eco-fashions. Yep, eco-ethical designer Rogan Gregory of Edun and Loomstate fame has created a fashionable collection for Target. And somewhat strangely, that collection's debuting at Barneys for a few days, before moving to Target's mass market racks on Sunday, May 18.
Stop by Barneys in Beverly Hills this weekend and you can get organic cotton T-shirts, jeans, and other breezy summerwear for Target prices. We're talking $15 to $45 per item!
All the cotton used in the collection is organic; other more eco-friendly natural fibers -- such as flax linen -- are also used. However, not all items are so eco. One swimsuit, in fact, seems very synthetic and un-eco-friendly. Check out the tag below, for the swimsuit to the right:
I highly recommend making your eco-shopping decisions on a per-item basis, instead of simply assuming everything in the Rogan for Target line is eco.
Last night was Barneys' sneak-peek shopping party in L.A. (New York had its Barneys party last week), and hordes of well-heeled regular Barneys shoppers snapped up Rogan for Target clothes. My friend Summer and I thought we'd browse around at the beginning and shop at the end -- to find that many items in our sizes had already sold out!
The Barneys racks'll be restocked though, at least during this weekend. After May 19, the cheap duds will be excised from the high-end retailer, to reappear on Target's more plebeian racks for six weeks.
Why're these items so inexpensive? Obviously, a company the size of Target can bring down prices simply through economies of scale. But labor justice activists may raise an eyebrow about the fact that these clothes are made in China and Bangladesh.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the clothes were made via exploitative labor. But what I've found interesting is that the details about the production of this collection are scant, and never even mentioned in the Wall Street Journal's or New York Times' coverage.
The omission's especially odd considering the fact that Rogan made his name not just through his use of eco-friendly materials, but also due to his commitment to social justice issues. EDUN, for one, was basically founded to foster fair trade and labor. According to EDUN's website, "EDUN's primary goals are to create beautiful clothes using ethical conditions and to help create long-term sustainable employment in the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa."
Loomstate too describes itself as being "dedicated to creating demand for certified organic cotton using socially and environmentally responsible methods of production," and says its "factories must use the highest environmental and labor standards, controlling factory pollution, and enforcing fair labor as the cornerstone of the effort."
A ll of that makes me want to believe that Rogan's new line has also been produced under such rigorous labor standards -- except that Target isn't exactly known for its commitment to fair labor and trade. I'm waiting to hear back from the Rogan for Target people for details on its labor policies.
So stay tuned. I did end up buying a cotton-and-linen T-shirt (right) for $19.99, which I'm wearing now as I type this. I love the design and fit -- though I do find the linen a tad scratchy. I also own a Loomstate T-shirt, for which I paid $50 a year and a half ago. That shirt's held up very well and still looks like it did when I bought it. I'll report back on how well the Rogan for Target tee stands the test of time.
After all, the Rogan tag on the tee encourages me to "enjoy these clothes and don't hesitate to wear them forever." The tags, by the way, were printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper -- a small consolation for the fact that each item of clothing came with three separate tags -- two attached via those non-recyclable plastic wires.
Update, 6/08: Target responded to my inquiry about fair labor -- by letting me know their cotton purchase, handling, and use methods were organic certified. I wrote back asking them to actually answer the question I asked -- and was pointed to Target's own "business ethics practices" page. It seems the Rogan for Target line used the same labor standard employed for the usual Target products -- an industry-defined, self-regulated standard that often comes under critique by fair labor organizations and advocates.
Photos by Siel
 Sure, you've heard your shampoo might have unhealthy synthetic chemicals in it. But scary stories about one chemical or another -- contained even in supposedly "green" personal care products -- hits the news so often that many people throw up their hands and just keep using what they've been using, health scares be damned.
Now L.A.'s getting a green beauty event based not on fear, but around organic fun. Organized by Opportunity Green, "Beauty and Sustainability: An Eco-Evening of Networking, Pampering and Discovery" brings enviro-health education together with a fun night of pampering, complete with organic appetizers and wines, manicures from water-based nail polish company Acquarella and mini-facials from paraben-free beauty company Jurlique.
When: Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 to 10 pm
Where: lululemon athletica, 334 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills
Cost: $20, of which an unspecified portion will be donated to the Breast Cancer Fund. RSVP online.
The night will feature a panel of experts, including Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of the "Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry." (Read her recent interview with Grist here). Joining Malkan will be Rachelle Carson (a.k.a. Mrs. Ed Begley Jr.), Jolene Anello of Jurlique, Renata Helfman of Venice's Vert beauty store, and Mark Deason of Acquarella.
I'm most curious about the Acquarella nail polish, having recently read Sarah van Schagen's review of "less toxic" nail polishes from major companies. Van Schagen's conclusion: "The chemical smell from all of these suggests that pursuing your polish habit may not be the best bet for your health." However, she stuck to the major brands, none of which are water-based, as Acquarella's line is. Will Acquarella nail polish work as well as the "regular" stuff? RSVP online to attend the event and find out.
Opportunity Green, originally an annual green business conference, is keeping busy lately. Its launch party last night for Room 367, a green business networking event for young professionals, brought out a diverse crowd of twenty- and thirtysomethings to talk enviro-biz over organic wine and appetizers (above). No news yet, however, on when the next Room 367 event will take place.
Bottom photo by Siel
Eco-fashion-conscious angelenos have already been shopping at Nau's online store, but now Nau fans can try on their organic cotton or sustainably-harvested merino wool clothes before buying them. The newest Nau boutique opened at the Beverly Center last weekend in all its sleek, techy glory.
Nau's like a more stylish Patagonia. Both companies have great outdoorsy clothes made with eco-friendly materials, but Nau's designs tend to be more edgy. On Saturday, I tried on a soft, merino cap sleeve shirt (right), asymmetrically designed with a creative, double-layered bottom edge.
I also liked the Chrysalis (left) -- a puff-collared jacket-dress-vest combo made of 100% recycled polyester, which has the feel of a thinner, more pliable windbreaker but can be modified endlessly. The hem and fit can be changed by little cinchers, and the sleeves can be removed entirely.
Unfortunately, I discovered that it took forever to piece the 'fit back together once I took it apart, and decided I didn't have the patience to deal with it.
 The sleek Nau boutique doesn't scream its eco-conscious mission, but shoppers will nonetheless be surprised by the unique retail practice. For one, you can get 10% off any purchase -- if you elect to have the item shipped to you for free instead of carrying it out of the store. This policy allows Nau to stock and ship (and ship back) fewer items, allowing for more energy-efficient stores.
Each item has a number of little bar-coded cards next to it. To buy my merino cap sleeve shirt, I took one of these cards to a self-service kiosk, which read the card, asked me to select the size and color I wanted, and had me put in my shipping info.
In addition, because Nau donates 5% of all sales to progressive nonprofits, I got to pick from a list of four local groups -- Heal the Bay, Homeboy Industries, California Wilderness Coalition, Chrysalis -- to give the money to. I went with Heal the Bay.
When I got home I had an email from Nau confirming my order and letting me know my purchase sent $3.24 to Heal the Bay. And earlier today, my shirt arrived in a recycled padded envelope! I'm wearing it now as I type --
Nau. Beverly Center. 8500 Beverly Blvd., Space 724. Los Angeles. 310.358.0600.
Walk into most hair salons and you'll be greeted with a harsh chemical smell, thanks to the ammonia and other chemicals in most hair color products. Now, there's a salon that prides itself in its chemical-free atmosphere: Shades Hair Studio.
Shades is a full-service Beverly Hills salon that's gone green -- or at least much greener. Owner and salon operator Susan Henry, spurred by her own health problems due to working with conventional hair products, created a line of natural hair colors that contain no ammonia whatsoever. These products are better for the environment and for the health of the salon's clients. And because the colors don't stink up the salon, clients can enjoy their experience without inhaling noxious chemicals.
I stopped by Shades for a haircut earlier today, and loved the sunny, chemical-free atmosphere. The salon's brightly lit and heated through passive solar by two large skylights, giving the place an relaxing, airy, open feel.
My stylist, Tina, listened carefully to my ideas about what I wanted for her hair (I took in pictures), made some suggestions, and visually confirmed exactly how much hair I was ready to chop off. After a relaxing shampoo, I finally got my much-needed haircut -- and I'm very happy with it! And although I didn't get my hair colored, I will say the woman sitting two chairs down who got her hair colored strawberry blond looked amazing.
My one beef with Shades: The hair care products are full of parabens, a synthetic preservative avoided by many eco-friendly personal care product companies. Back to Basics, the product line used in my shampoo, contains parabens and is ranked "medium risk" in Skin Deep, a cosmetic database put together by Environmental Working Group. Parabens also taint Susan Henry's own line of hair care products.
Hopefully Shades will green its hair care products as much as it has its hair color. If it doesn't, I may have to see if they'll let me use my own paraben-free, eco-friendly EO shampoo the next time I go in --
Beauty doesn't come cheap at Shades, with haircuts starting at $90 and hair color at $100. Then again, these prices aren't exactly high for a Beverly Hills salon.
Shades Hair Studio. 144 N. Doheny Dr. Beverly Hills. (310) 275-4882
Photo by Siel
This week's eco-topic: Recycle
 Sick of seeing plastic bottles in the black bin? Wish recycling was mandatory? Well, when it comes to holiday trees, it kinda is. Leaving those newly naked trees at the curb or in a street or alley is illegal, as per L.A. Municipal Code 57.21.06!
However, it is not illegal in West Hollywood, at least for the next couple of weeks. In fact, every little city in our L.A. area has different rules, dates, times and locations for tree recycling. Can't they coordinate this stuff, at least this one time a year? L.A.'s Department of Public Works tried to -- and made this crazy chart here -- that's totally incomplete and inaccurate.
So, things being as they are, here's the info for L.A. and a few nearby cities:
Los Angeles: If you have the energy and tools to chop that tree up, then cut it into bits and throw it in your green yard trimmings container. The alternative is to take the tree to a drop-off site on Saturday, Jan. 5, and Sunday, Jan. 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In fact, L.A. residents who drop off their trees will receive tree seedlings, energy-efficient CFL bulbs, while supplies last, courtesy of the L.A. Department of Water and Power, plus mulch coupons from the Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation.
Beverly Hills: Just put the naked tree next to your trash bin on trash day. No specific dates or deadlines! It's always so simple for the rich folk.
Culver City: Drop off your trees at the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue or the Culver City Fire Drill Yard at 9255 W. Jefferson Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends of Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 13-14. There's a third location, but Culver City's flier about this program is messed up, so I can read only about two of three locations, with a little help from Google.
 Santa Monica: Take advantage of the "Park Your Tree" program. During the entire month of January, trees can be brought to four parks: Clover (25th and Ocean), Douglas (Chelsea and Wilshire), Christine Emerson Reed (Lincoln and California) and Los Amigos (5th and Hollister).
Alternatively, take your tree to the Santa Monica Transfer Station at 2401 Delaware Ave., Mon. - Fri., between 6 am and 2 pm. Make sure you do it this month, however; come Feb. 1, the parks will no longer collect trees, and the Transfer Station will start charging for tree drop-offs.
West Hollywood: If the deal is the same as last year, you should be able to put that tree -- sans decorations and base or plastic bag covering -- on the sidewalk on your regular trash day from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13.
Are the cities of L.A. County just bad at getting the word out about these programs? I don't know for certain, but those in other areas leave a lot to be desired too. I got a breathless press release from Zero Waste Communities of San Bernardino County about how it's encouraging people to recycle their trees, but the multi-city org doesn't actually offer any info to help its residents take that idea into action -- beyond a long phone list from which they can pick out their city's number and call for more info....
I'm dreaming of a unified tree recycling program for SoCal.
Images courtesy of the cities of L.A. and Santa Monica
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If Loomstate's $88 organic T-shirts make you dismiss enviro-fashion as a sales gimmick for the Barneys crowd, stop looking down your nose at them -- because soon, you might be wearing the same clothes they are. 
ll of that makes me want to believe that Rogan's new line has also been produced under such rigorous labor standards -- except that Target isn't exactly known for its commitment to fair labor and trade. I'm waiting to hear back from the Rogan for Target people for details on its labor policies.
Emerald City calendar