Entertainment and Style Gossip

February 3, 2010

The benefits of organic clothing

Filed under: ethical fashion — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:37 pm

Everyone knows that the term ‘organic’ means something is better for the environment, but often the specifics are unclear or just how much ‘better’ something is for the environment isn’t known. With organic fashion however, the statistics speak for themselves and its impact on the environment is obvious.

In the fashion industry, many third world farmers use pesticides to treat their cotton. So much so, that according to figures released from the World Health Organisation (WHO), 20,000 people die every year from pesticide poisoning in third world countries. Organic fashion is made without the use of these pesticides, so if everyone wore organic fashion, 20,000 fewer people would die each year. That alone should be enough reason to wear organic fashion items.

Eco fashion also applies to the way that animals are treated on farms in the production of materials, such as the sheep that provide wool for clothing. In ethical fashion, the sheep are treated well and are raised organically, without the barbaric processes often used on non organic farms. The same applies to leather, where the animals are raised organically – although organic leather is in much shorter supply than organic wool.

Eco fashion isn’t just a label; it means that no chemicals have been used in the creation of ethical fashion items. It means that animals have been treated fairly and have led a good life. It means that the risk of farmers contracting pesticide poisoning is nullified, reducing the death rate among third world workers.

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November 24, 2009

Ascension is Dedicated to Eco Chic

Filed under: ethical fashion — Tags: , , — admin @ 3:49 pm

The world of fashion isn’t noted for its care for the environment, but as some fashion retailers ignore eco fashion and Fairtrade workers in favour of cutting costs and maximising profits, other fashion retailers such as Ascension embrace the environment.

Ascension clothing is made to be beautiful and inspiring, of course, but beauty and style doesn’t have to come at a price when that price is the exploitation of workers and destruction of non replenish-able sources. Ascension online is dedicated to offering quality fashion items that are organic and that have been produced fairly so that no workers have been exploited. This means when you wear Ascension clothing, you know that you are supporting the environment and supporting Fairtrade workers throughout the third world.

Ascension clothing gathers together some of the finest fashion labels in the industry that have adopted Fairtrade policies, offering shoppers the chance to purchase Eco Chic products that are both stylish and organic.

In addition to using well known fashion brands, Ascension has also produced its own eco fashion label, offering stylish fashion items from areas of the world such as Colombia, Nepal and Turkey. The eco fashion offered is extremely stylish, displays elements of the local styles and skills of the countries of origin, and represents the best in organic fashion available in the UK.

By supporting Fairtrade and purchasing eco fashion items such as those available on Ascension online, you’ll know that you’re doing your best to save the earth, while still looking good in the process.

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October 29, 2009

Ascension: The Eco Fashion Company

Ascension is an online eco fashion company specialising in ethical fashion for men, women and children. Ascension also sells jewellery, cosmetics and a full range of products for house and home.

Ascension stocks a wide range of eco fashion products from both well known trade names and small independent producers, across the globe. To promote fair trade still further, they are working with small producer groups in countries like India and Nepal to create the unique Ascension clothing fashion collections.

The company’s commitment to ethical trading is obvious from the moment you view Ascension online. Ascension clothing is sourced from all four corners of the globe, following strict fair trade guidelines and with organic or recycled materials used wherever possible.

Ascension works alongside new young designers, established eco fashion supply chains, and small independent producers to create the Ascension online catalogue. The result is an inspiring and extensive collection of stylish, affordable eco fashion products that are beautifully crafted and collected together in one easy-to-use marketplace.

Buying Ascension online gives you access to a full range of “eco chic” clothing in an easy to shop atmosphere. Ascension’s philosophy is to prove that eco fashion can be both chic and affordable.

Brands stocked by Ascension online include well known fashion names like Komodo, Namaste and Frank and Faith. In contrast, small groups like Rwanda Artisans have a unique platform from which to trade – either as stand-alone brands, or under the Ascension clothing label.

Ascension clothing is proof that eco fashion can be craftsman made and stylish – yet still totally affordable.

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June 1, 2009

The Fuss Over Organic Clothing - AscensionOnline goes live

Tonnes of toxic chemicals are used in the conventional farming and production of clothing and textiles.

From the farming of the crop, to the production of the yarns, to the finishing of garments, chemicals are used that eventually end up in the environment, causing devastation to plant and animal life indiscriminately. When you add in the human cost to farmers and their families who are in direct contact with these nasty chemicals, this becomes an even bigger issue.

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There are several alternatives to the conventional cottons used in most textile manufacturing:

ORGANIC COTTON

Organic cotton is grown without insecticide or pesticide or the use of genetically modified seeds – in other words it’s guaranteed 100% natural and chemical-free. It’s typically rotated with other crops – replenishing the soil and reducing farmers’ dependency on a single crop. Certified organic cotton also bans the addition of chemicals as the fibre is turned into cloth.

ORGANIC WOOL

Organic wool comes from sheep raised organically, to high standards of animal welfare and without being “mulesed” (a cruel process whereby chunks of flesh are cut off the sheep’s backside to prevent flystrike). Depending on the certification it also means that various chemicals and other harmful substances have been banned from use during the cleaning, spinning, dyeing and further processes.

ORGANIC LEATHER

Organic leather comes from animals raised on organic farms and is tanned and processed in an environmentally-friendly manner. There is very little certified organic leather currently available.

ORGANIC TEXTILES

Other organic textiles - obviously any fibre from a natural source could be grown organically. Here we’ve looked at the most common natural materials that are used in clothing and textiles. However, even though organic cotton is a vast improvement on its non-organic counter-part, it’s still “the world’s thirstiest crop” and takes “a total of 2,000 litres to produce one cotton t-shirt”. (Environmental Justice Foundation)

By buying organic products at genuine organic clothing and eco-clothing retailers like AscensionOnline.com, you’re helping to save our planet and the lives of those involved in the production. Right now organic products tend to be more expensive than conventional products. As demand grows, the industry will have adapt and support and promote organic farming.

Do your part to create the demand for organics.

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April 8, 2009

Fair Trade Products | Where Ethics and Capitalism Meet

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It is no secret that ethically and environmentally responsible goods and services have gained traction with the buying public for some time now. The Fair Trade movement has been one of the most powerful responses to the problems facing commodity producers. It gives consumers an opportunity to use their purchasing power to tilt the balance, however slightly, in favour of the poor. In 2009 we may have the luxury of having ‘ethical choices’ on our shelves, but the fight to get ‘Fair(ly) Traded’ items available to the mass market, like most movements, has a long and eventful history.

The ‘Fair Trade’ standard signifying official ethical and ecological standards have been met actually has roots in European societies - long before the first structured alternative trading organizations emerged following World War II. Many of the fundamental concepts behind Fair trade actually show a great resemblance with pre-capitalist ideas about the organization of the economy and society.

The current Fair Trade movement was shaped in Europe in the 1960s. Radical student movements began targeting multinational corporations and concerns that traditional business models were fundamentally flawed started to emerge. The global free market economic model came under attack during that period and Fair trade ideals, built on a Post Keynesian economics approach to economics where price is directly linked to the actual production costs and where all producers are given fair and equal access to the markets, gained in popularity.

The slogan at the time, “Trade not Aid”, gained international recognition in 1968 when it was adopted by the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) to put the emphasis on the establishment of Fair trade relations with the developing world.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, important segments of the Fair trade movement worked to find markets for products from countries that were excluded from the mainstream trading channels for political reasons. Thousands of volunteers sold coffee from Angola and Nicaragua in ‘Worldshops’, in the back of churches, from their homes and from stands in public places, using the products as a vehicle to deliver their message: give disadvantaged producers in developing countries a fair chance on the world’s market, and you support their self-determined sustainable development.

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The initiative was groundbreaking as for the first time Fair trade coffee was sold in supermarkets and mass-retailers, therefore reaching a larger consumer segment. The move from Fair trade concepts to the ‘Fairtrade’ (one word) labelling and branding standard also allowed consumers and distributors alike to track the origin of the goods to confirm that the products were really benefiting the farmers at the end of the supply chain. The initiative was a great success and was replicated in several other markets.

Fair Trade certification of commodities began in the Netherlands in 1988 in response to plummeting prices in the world coffee market. The TransFair seal was later launched in Germany. Today 19 countries have their own labeling initiatives, operating with shared criteria under the Fairtrade Labeling Organization umbrella.

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As a result of this hard work, global Fair Trade has finally been brought into the public consciousness and sales have soared. The increase has been particularly spectacular among the aforementioned ‘Fairtrade’ labelled goods: In 2007, Fairtrade certified sales amounted to approximately €2.3 billion (US $3.62 billion) worldwide, a 47% year-to-year increase.

Increasingly, it is evident that High Street and online retailers are getting onboard with the principles behind Fair Trade. We can only hope this trend will continue into the future.

SOURCE: The Fairtrade Foundation | Oxfam | Wikipedia

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April 7, 2009

Bono & The Garden of Edun

Filed under: Fashion trends — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 3:47 pm

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.

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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.

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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

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March 30, 2009

Eco Chic | The Rise of Fairtrade Style

Not so long ago, a good day’s shopping was represented by unbridled credit card abuse and armfuls of carrier bags, preferably glossy paper ones with smart rope handles.

green-people

That was last just year, wasn’t it? Oh, how times have changed. In 2009 consumers have become the new eco-warriors and the latest must-have accessory is a social conscience. Saying you’re off on an eco-holiday scores more cool points than taking a carbon-belching flight to the Caribbean for a fortnight. And celebrities aren’t just endorsing ethical products, they are fronting high-profile campaigns on issues that matter, whether it’s saving the planet, stopping child labour. Sometimes, they even ‘go Bono’ and help awareness for eradicating Third World debt and disease.

Together, they are making big business sit up and take notice.

Conscience consumers

According to a recent survey by American Express, 33 per cent of us now regard ourselves as conscience consumers. Buying the right thing is the latest way to do the right thing. And it’s fashionable to be seen doing it.

It’s no wonder the rag trade is feeling this pressure to go green. Women’s clothes are now 40 per cent cheaper than they were a decade ago and we now buy twice as many. And as profit margins are squeezed ever tighter, campaigners are keen to point out that the price of cheap clothes is being paid by those at the bottom of the supply chain.

That bargain dress doesn’t look quite so pretty once we start to wonder whether the cotton was picked by a child in Uzbekistan then stitched together by someone working enforced overtime for less than a living wage in a sweatshop Asia.

The clothing industry is also one of the worst offenders in terms of environmental damage.
According to the UN, enough cotton for one jeans requires 10,850 litres of water and an unhealthy dose of some of the world’s most hazardous pesticides and carcinogenic chemicals.

Growing cotton accounts for 24 per cent of global insecticide use and is believed to account for one million cases of poisoning and as many as 20,000 deaths a year. And for what? In Britain alone, 500,000 tons of unwanted clothing end up in landfill sites each year.

Not surprisingly, as awareness increases, so does the demand for organic and fair trade fashion. And where once ethical clothing was deeply untrendy in terms of cut, fabric and style, some brands have now become respectable enough that even people who don’t care about the environment but do care about fashion - want to get their hands on them.

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It doesn’t hurt that stylish A-listers such as Jade Jagger, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Campbell have all been seen wearing the latest ethical labels - Ciel and People Tree are favourites. Meanwhile Bono’s wife Ali Hewson has launched Edun, the socially conscious designer clothing line now stocked by Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods.

Ethical E-co Chic

Online, where the movement has always been active, websites like Adili.com are catering to the eco-chic crowd in every way possible. As the movement grows, even more ethically centered vendors add to the available product line. Fairtrade goods, organic beauty products, ethical jewelry, women’s fashion, men’s fashion, kids, gifts, house & home are represented. The fashion, nightwear and home collections are attractive, prestigious and contemporary. Websites like Adili.com are living proof that you can unite great eco credentials and great style. And, that making things with concern for the environment doesn’t need to make them expensive.

With the current state of the economic climate and the environment, when the chance arises to help both at once, we should all jump on it. We say, long live the Eco-chic movement.

SOURCE: Adili.com

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