Your Stylist: Getting beach ready while staying Earth friendly

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Resident Image stylist and market editor Melissa Magsaysay soothes your sartorial woes in the weekly Your Stylist blog column

In this installment of Your Stylist, we address Earth Day and items that are as chic as they are eco-friendly.

Earth Day is Friday and, though I try to abide by the “Every Day is Earth Day” mantra, it’s a good time to highlight brands and products that are using sustainable or recycled material, and are making a concerted effort to cut down on their overall carbon footprint, while still managing to design a cool-looking item that doesn’t have to scream Mother Nature in order to be Earth friendly.

I’ve decided to pack an eco-chic beach bag, because, well, it’s feeling a bit like beach weather and also to present to anyone in the market for summer/beach wares that it’s totally possible to get ready for summer while using and wearing recycled, sustainable or organic products.

I love the design, gummy candy color and of course, function of the BKR glass water bottles. They are encased in a nontoxic, dishwasher-safe silicone sleeve. Both the silicone and glass are 100% recyclable and because the glass is chemically inert it doesn’t affect the taste of the liquid you pour into it and doesn’t contain any unsafe chemicals or components. Besides looking cool, the BKR bottle will help keep you hydrated without having to reach for a plastic container of bottled water. $28 at www.mybkr.com.

Orange County-based Vitamin A Swimwear has a line of eco-friendly swimwear made from a 100% recycled nylon fiber called Repreve, a material created from waste diverted from landfills. Besides the Earth-friendly aspect, I really like the bold, graphic print of this black-and-white bikini. And what’s a sunny day by the pool or an early supper as the sun goes down without a flowy, watercolor-printed caftan? The line is filled with vivid colors and prints that eco-friendly clothing lines generally fall short of incorporating into their collections. It’s refreshing to see such bold hues used here, especially because it’s swimwear. Available at www.vitaminaswim.com.

Before shimmying into the bikini, a nice slimming scrub is always welcome. Amala Skincare is formulated without petrochemicals, parabens or genetically modified ingredients and uses all-natural ingredients in each of its products. The Firming Body Treatment is supposed to firm and smooth skin with the use of myrtle, sea algae and apricot kernel. $44 for 50ml. Before working on your tan, scrub away the dead skin with their Body Scrub, which contains crushed olive stone and sea salt. $26 for 50ml at www.barneys.com.

What’s a day at the beach without a hat and some shades? Kangol has released its latest collection of eco-friendly hats and this earthy brown fedora is versatile whether you’re lying out or just running errands around town and want some extra sun protection. The styles in their eco collection are made from sustainable bamboo and dyed with nontoxic materials such as pomegranate, orange and chestnut. $36-$86 at www.kangol.com.

A company called ECO which stands for “Earth Conscious Optics,” has a range of classic styles all made from recycled plastic and metal. The lenses are polarized, which is key for optimal eye protection, and for each pair bought the company will plant a tree. I particularly like the shape and contrasting tortoise color of the E0103 frames -- they’re slightly sporty with a ‘70s vintage appeal. $129 at www.sunglasshut.com

It’s not easy to find shoes that are cute and environmentally responsible -- especially a versatile pair of sandals that don’t have an orthopedic aesthetic. Naya Footwear uses natural fabrics and vegetable-tanned leather for their shoes and soy-based inks and recycled paper in their boxes. The Women’s Sister sandal in Palmetto is a chic strappy flat sandal that comes in array of colors. I like the green leather because they pop against easy basics and liven up go-to summer staples like denim cut-offs and a white T-shirt. $120 at www.zappos.com

And finally, of course, there is the beach bag. This vibrant blue-and-white tote from Sun Creations is made entirely of recycled plastic bags called “plarn” (plastic yarn) and crocheted to create this fun and waterproof little bag. It wipes clean with a damp towel and sand will fall right out the bottom with a good shake. Each bag saves about 50 grocery bags from ending up in a landfill. $15 at www.etsy.com

Happy Earth Day.

Send your style queries to melissa.magsaysay@latimes.com

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos, from top: BKR glass bottles; eco-friendly bikini and caftan from Vitamin A Swimwear; Amala Skincare Detoxifying firming body treatment; Kangol eco-friendly fedora; ECO sunglasses; Naya Footwear Women’s Sister Sandal; Sun Creations recycled plastic bag tote bag. Credits: BKR; Vitamin A Swimwear; Amala Skincare; Kangol; Sunglass Hut; Naya Footwear; Sun Creations