Who is a fan of global warming? I didn’t think so. As our wise elders and teachers have tried to emphasize the importance of keeping our planet clean, we often shrug and turn the mute off of Best Week Ever (while tuning them out?). But just like those two clueless girls Cher and Dee, we must listen to Miss Geist and sign up for the environmental fair. Well, maybe just buy eco-friendly clothing. I mean small steps are better than no steps at all, right?
Let us first make note that buying and dressing in eco-friendly clothing won’t make you look like a hippie, but it will make you look hip. Eco-friendly clothing is made out of fibers that are more environmentally friendly such as bamboo, corn, and organic cotton. They don’t look any different from the clothes on the racks of Scoop or Fred Segal. Although the fashion industry is by far one my top interests, they have historically been known to be a huge strain on the Earth’s resources.
In their efforts to make a difference and minimize their typically large impact on the environment, the fashion industry has made an “earth pledge” resulting in Future Fashion Runway. This show, which will consist of 30 different looks by 30 different designers, is bringing together the top names in the fashion world, including Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Oscar de la Renta, Diane Von Furstenberg and many others to show couture garments made entirely of green-friendly materials. Their hope is to align the purpose of the fashion industry with that of green practices while educating consumers on the benefits.
These talented designers accepted the challenge of creating such a line and never said, like Samantha James from Just Friends, “I’m the talent; I can’t work with this.” So neither should we. In order to prevent tanning from making you and me even more susceptible to skin cancer, let’s shop till we drop for eco-friendly, non-ozone-layer-ruining apparel and accessories.
So you might be asking yourself, “where, oh where do I find this wearable, stylish, green friendly apparel?” The answer: shopbop.com, Patagonia, and, for jewelry, Recklace Joy jewels. Ladies, for stylish going out apparel, one can simply go to on shopbop.com and click on Shop by Category — Eco-Friendly — and there will be t-shirts, shoes and other cute stuff that leaves less of an impact on the environment.
Patagonia is also amazing for those simple sweatshirts, fleeces and coats. This label has been making an effort to leave minimal impact on the Earth by collecting old products, recycling them and using them to make new ones.
Lastly, is our own Cornell designer Rachel Goldfarb. Rachel’s jewelry line, Recklace Joy, utilizes eco-friendly materials to create distinct high quality pieces. The jewelry is very affordable and caters to a variety of individual styles (she even does custom). Whether you are buying the mass-produced items at American chains or spending the 300 dollars on a similar piece at Barney’s New York, I would suggest you stop by RecklaceJoy.com first.
So remember to reduce, reuse and recycle and do your part to save the world, and me, from skin cancer.