We are getting close to the beginning of summer, which means lots of sunshine, lazy days and, of course, weddings, graduations, and other parties. As this season rolls around, there’s always something new to celebrate! Now is the perfect time to update your wardrobe for any warm-weather event. This summer, be the best-dressed (and most eco-friendly) guest at the party with fun patterns and lightweight, easy-to-wear fabrics.
Summer 2012 is going to be all about comfortable designs and fabrics, with pretty and unique details (check out these Vogue UK outfit ideas for inspiration!). Look for florals, bright colors, and fun attention-grabbing accessories. This season is full of gatherings of friends and family, so why not make your outfits reflect the sunny days ahead? So grab their attention, stay cool, and remain committed to environmentally friendly practices, sustainability, and organic fabrics. Here at Jute & Jackfruit, being eco-friendly never means you have to sacrifice your style!
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This season is all about fun colors and eye-catching designs, which makes this dress by Feral Childe perfect for a summertime fete. This silk Meadow Dress is decorated with a beautiful hand screen printed design and is perfect over a tank or slip. Lightweight silk is airy and comfortable, perfect for summer days! This Feral Childe dress would go wonderfully with the Bamboo Cattall Pendant. The pendant, created by Molly M., is laser carved, and made from sustainably harvested bamboo. With its beautiful detail and fun design, it is just the right accessory for the season (not to mention it goes with just about everything)!
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For a more structured look, look to Kelly Lane. Kelly Lane’s Rainbow Dress dresses up beautifully with a jacket or cardigan, but also stands out on its own! The woven sandstone colored fabric provides an understated and classic look, but the details (colorful collar and tie-back) make it fun. Kelly Lane is all about color and detail while remaining committed to sustainability and socially conscious practices. Her designs make even classic styles and structured pieces unique and striking! For even more color and funkiness, look no further than Kelly Lane’s Merry Go Round Dress. This one-of-a-kind piece stands out from the crowd, and can be dressed up or dressed down and will even transition well into fall. It is perfect for cocktail parties, as well as more casual gatherings. The geometric design is fresh and contemporary, and the colors are vibrant. Perfect for summer parties!
Enjoy the celebrations of the season and the lazy days of summer knowing that you can be fashion-forward AND eco-conscious!
By Amy Wright
June 8th, 2012 in
Clothing,
Feral Childe,
Jewelry,
Kelly Lane,
Molly M Designs | tags:
bamboo jewelry,
ethical women's clothing,
Feral Childe,
Kelly Lane,
Molly M Designs,
ORGANIC CLOTHING,
Summer Styles,
SUSTAINABLE FASHION,
WOMEN'S ORGANIC CLOTHING,
women's organic dresses |
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Earlier this month, the fair trade community celebrated World Fair Trade Day 2012. On the second Saturday in May each year, events are held in over 80 countries to celebrate the benefits of fair trade, and awards are given to the most deserving businesses and non-profits. More than 2100 people voted to select winners in five categories, honoring their dedication to fair practices. The winners this year were:
Most Posistive Change in a Producer Community: Ten Thousand Villages USA
Outstanding Long-Term Commitment to Producers: SERRV
Best Support of the Fair Trade Movement: Equal Exchange
Most Effective Public Education Program: Ten Thousand Villages Canada
Most Effective Advocacy for Trade Policy Reform: Oxfam America
Photosource:Fair Trade Resource Network
These awards are fantastic and support the movement toward sustainable practices and fair wages for everyone working around the world. Unfortunately, none of the winners this year was from the apparel industry. While we hope this will change in the coming years, there are several clothing companies that are doing a great job supporting fair trade principles.
In particular, Indigenous Designs is doing its part to support a fair and sustainable world. This eco-fashion brand is stylish while being “committed to providing premium fair trade and organic clothing,” for over 15 years. The company is a Fair Trade USA affiliate, and offers beautiful clothing that we can all feel good about wearing.
To check out more on the fair trade movement and what happened this year (2012) as part o worldwide events in May as well as what is happening every day, visit the Fair Trade Resource Network, an information hub designed to grow the fair trade movement.
As the Green Revolution sweeps the nation, we have all heard about the health benefits of organic food. It’s an environmentally conscious decision and tastes better, too. But what about clothing?
Organic cotton is currently earning a well-deserved time in the spotlight. As a key part of the recent eco-fashion revolution, organic cotton is not only environmentally friendly, but also incredibly soft and comfortable.
So what makes cotton “organic”? According to the Organic Trade Association, growth must adhere to the rules of organic production, meaning the systems must, “replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture.” These methods have a much lower impact on our ecosystems and produce some wonderfully soft fabric. Organic cotton is also made from non genetically modified plants.
Shopping for Organic Clothing If only it were that simple when shopping for “organic clothing” to look for a label that reads “organic cotton”! Unfortunately it is much more complicated. For a piece of clothing to be labeled as “certified organic” it must also meet strict environmental standards for all its processing steps, including the combing, spinning, finishing and dying. Some companies may only use the label “organically grown cotton” and continue with their usual dying and finishing practices, which may be very toxic and environmentally un-friendly. So that is where one needs to be a savvy shopper and read labels carefully.
Only clothing that reads “certified organic cotton” or “100% organic cotton” can you be sure that the fabric is organic all the way through its final product. Even then though, it is always good to ask the manufacturer or shop owner just to be sure. One good question to ask is what certifying body was used, and in the USA, the gold standard is GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard. Chances are if the owner does not know, then it is not actually certified organic. We know it can be confusing to navigate the marketplace, so if you are going to pay more for something, it might as well be the real thing! “Green washing” is all to common today, so when shopping “organic” especially when it comes to clothing, be savvy!
On a positive note, there are an estimated 200,000 growers of organic cotton. Many of them show great promise for the future of fair trade, as well as environmentally friendly practices. One such producer is Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, located in Kolkata, India. This mill was transformed into a model of sustainable production by Rajat Jaipuria in the 1990s. The mill now exclusively produces organic cotton, and is working for all of the fabric to to be Fair Trade Certified™ in the near future.
Photo Source: Fair Trade USA
At the moment, however, organic cotton still makes up a small proportion of global cotton production. A great hindrance to organic farmers is finding appropriate marketplaces. But here at Jute and Jackfruit, we’re working to combine this eco-friendly fabric and some incredible style to help make that happen!
As summer quickly approaches, here are some ideas to beat the heat while looking cute, comfortable and being environmentally conscious at the same time:
Organic Cotton Pocket Skirt-Flash
This beautiful, feminine skirt was hand-knit by women in Peru, supporting fair trade while using organic fabrics. And the coral is perfect this summer season, which is all about bright colors and statement pieces.
Feral Childe Neon Stovetop Tee in Ivory
This printed tee pairs perfectly with the Pocket Skirt and is, of course, made with 100 percent certified organic cotton.
Find more organic cotton pieces in our Indigenous Designs collection, Itsus and other tees, as well as many other designers on our site.
By Amy Wright
A big congratulations to Rosanna who just won our Spring Fashion Giveaway!
Rosanna will receive a $75 Gift Certificate to Jute and Jackfruit, to be used toward anything in the store, except our Vintage by Kate Jewelry.
Rosanna’s favorite Spring Fashion trend are the pastel colors and one of her favorite items at Jute and Jackfruit is the mohair wraps by Be Sweet. These wraps are truly wonderful indeed, made from 100% mohair, and made by a cooperative of women in South Africa. Good choice, Rosanna!
