Mark Liu goes scrapless

UK prodigy, Mark Liu, is approaching eco fashion differently. Concerned about the scraps of fabric and notions that end up on the floor and then in landfills, Mark Liu put his creativity to the task of reducing this waste. He not only creates stylish patterns, but he designs the pattern pieces to fit on a single piece of fabric like a jigsaw puzzle. This idea sounds more like a Zen exercise or art instead of wearable fashion. But his pieces are wearable and they look amazing. Beyond his creative pattern making, he also developed techniques which tailor garments to create zero waste. The result are complex, structured and unique garments.

Elsom

Elsom's spring collection is subtle, quiet and sophisticated. Men will find light, tailored suits and shirts, women will find nicely draped dresses. Elsom isn't bold nor boring, the Australian label designed by Sam Elsom pays attention to quality tailoring and materials. They are committed to not only using sustainable materials like organic cotton, but also being involved with the farmers who grow the cotton. I'm not sure where you can buy Elsom, but keep a look out.

A-list designers dabble in Eco

Grace Trance turned me onto this style.com page which is very interesting and encouraging. A-list designers like Versace and YSL sent some looks down the Future Fashion Show runway that were made of sustainable materials. Renewable, organic and recycled fabrics were transformed into elegant couture gowns as well as street wear. As a part of New York Fashion Week, this is the first show for Earth Pledge and they plan on continuing to raise awareness about sustainable living. Hopefully more of these designers will value the environmental impact of their materials as highly as the quality of them and in the process, really bring eco-chic mainstream. Unfortunatly it looks like they killed a whole tree for the runway :-|

iwood accessories

Now this is a must have for econistas. I am in love with these glasses, they are sooo freakin hot. They are made by iWood ecodesigns from sustainable wood veneers. There are a couple pairs available on the saks website, green house section. They have a show room in Kentuky, so if you're in that area, go check them out.

Saks launches Green House

Another large luxury retailer has launched a green department, which is again, a sign that green is economically sustainable! The revolution is on. They include some familiar brands such as Loomstate, Beau Soleil and Organic. But there are some fresh faces on there, like Song (tunic below) and Ogle as well as specific pieces from other collections like Alabama Chanin and Eileen Fisher. I think it's an online phenomenon, but it's worth a trip to the store ;-) just to be sure.In addition, the department highlights a great charity, charity: water, that's mission is to provide clean drinking water to poor areas worldwide. I can't tell if Saks is donating anything to the charity or if they're just providing free advertising space, but it brought the charity to my attention so it's doing something I guess.

Ecogir by Bagir

Ok, now this company is doing bold and beautiful things in the apparel realm. Israeli based Bagir is innovating in both technology and tailoring. Their Ecogir Recycled line of tailored suits is made from 100% post consumer recycled material. the fabric and lining are created from discarded PET bottles. So not only do they divert waste from landfills, they alos reduce the carbon footprint. They also have a line of suits that are 50% post consumer recycled materials.

They also have a line of Ecogir Organic which uses organic cotton, bamboo and tagua nuts. The jacket is made from organic cotton, the lining from bamboo and the buttons from the nuts!

This company is definitely one to watch people! Where can I buy shares?

She Bible

She Bible is a small, San Francisco based label that started out with a handmade screen printing kit in the kitchen. Designers Deirdre O'Boyle and Stacy Rodgers turn out a simple, unique collection that also has sustainable pieces such as the mini dress above made, in part, from organic cotton. Other simple and basic casual wear is made from bamboo and viscose.