You might think that Bono, as lead singer of U2, with another no. 1 album in the charts and in the initial stages of yet another world tour, might be a little too busy to share his time promoting an apparel brand, no matter how ethically correct and environmentally friendly it might be.

Then, you find out his wife launched the label, and it all makes sense. 145 million record sales later, the man still knows where the bread is buttered.

Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson, launched her new clothing line, Edun, in 2005 to a great deal of fanfare. With Bono’s weight behind it, the brand label Edun acts as a voice encouraging the fashion community to do business in Africa to help out those in extreme poverty. It’s helping build the skill sets of local factories where they make their clothes. Edun uses organic cotton where possible to provide healthier working conditions and valuable market opportunities for farmers. The company teaches suppliers how to grow raw materials and shows workers how to use the cloth weaving machines. Clothes are currently produced in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar.

Bono helps choose where the clothes will be made to make the most of local resources and talents in developing areas while maintaining high standards for labor practices. “The only demand Ali made on me was that I didn’t get involved in the fashion!” the singer said with a laugh. “I’m here to try to get the sound on the radio, if you know what I mean.”

Aside from the marquee name promoting the brand and the admirable ethics behind it, a quick look across the clothing line shows that it has gotten a lot of other things right. They teamed up with New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory to create ethically fashionable clothes for men and women. With these three at the helm it’s no surprise that celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Ben Affleck have flocked to wear this brand.

The name Edun — a play on the Garden of Eden — is intended to imply innocence, sensuality and a return to nature. The company’s logo and the graphics on some of the spring garments were inspired by the Art Nouveau movement, which was in many ways a response to the Industrial Revolution.

There are also interesting details to the clothing. For example, some of the T-shirts are made using traditional Incan vegetable dyes and the jeans have a poem embroidered inside their pockets. Also, each pair of jeans is inscribed: “We carry the story of the people who make our clothes around with us.”

In 2009 sales of Edun clothing continue to stay strong in a generally lackluster market for apparel retailers. Ethically produced ‘eco-chic’ clothing is the hot trend right now and a bright spot for the industry. Labels like Edun prove that good clothing can be made the right way. We salute all involved for working towards a brighter future.

Rock on, Bono.

SOURCE: Adili.com