Archive for the ‘Fashion Footprint’ Category

This years theme for Toronto’s Alternative Arts and Fashion Week is “Fashion Schematics.” From their website:

“The |FAT| 2011 theme “Fashion Schematics” explores the messages, systems, schemes, symbols and concepts inherent in the notion of fashion, through photography, video, fashion design, performance, installation and music. The festival will look at the ways we create visual dialogues and make sense of the world through fashion and creative expression. “Fashion Schematics” will examine how we build the systems in which we function, the strategies we use in creating our identities and the messages we convey through codes, currencies and narratives.”

The event features runway shows, music, performance art, photography, video, and fine art installations. With a different theme each day. Eco Fashion World is giving away two free tickets for April 27th at FAT: Natural Currencies. Natural Currencies explores fashion beyond the ‘green’ trend. Placing sustainability as a dominant force in art and design. Check out the efw site for information on how to enter and the FAT schedule for the days events.

Fashion Takes Action is doing a pre-event at Thieves boutique down the way. At 3pm you can join them for “Behind the Seams” a discussion son sustainable fashion.

Don’t cry if you don’t win the tickets, you can buy them here! Shopgirls is one of the exclusive ticket vendors. Tickets are $25 a day or $70 for the week.

Recently there has been lots of talk at the shop regarding the green fashion movement. After a quick inventory we realized that most of our designers fall under some sort of eco-criteria. For some it’s the fabrics or the process and for others it’s simply by sourcing locally and producing in Canada. So with a stroke of incredibly good timing one of our favorite stylists popped in looking for pieces to feature in an upcoming Marilyn Denis Show feature on green fashion.

click the photo to watch the segment!

Check out the outfit second to the left. The Chartreuse Biker jacket by Stacey Zhang is matched with a tank by The Paddock (a collection by Carrie Hayes exclusive to Shopgirls!)  They don’t talk about the accessories too much in the segment but note the orange and grey necklace by Ashen Drift made from upcycled tshirts, the bag by Anna Zigowski, the silver necklace by Norwegian Wood, and the blue crochet earrings by This Ilk.

So click the photo to watch the segment & then come in and try it all on!!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Toronto’s Green Living Show is taking place this April 15th to 17th!

Over 400 exhibitors gather in the Direct Energy Centre for a weekend focused on sustainable living practices.  You can go sample organic foods, try on some eco-jewelry or simply find some information on easy living practices to reduce your carbon footprint. There are even activities for the kids, so bring them too!

Toronto’s Sarah Harmer will be taking the main stage Saturday evening for a performance to celebrate the Parks Canada Centennial.

Kelly Drennan from Fashion Takes Action has a booth featuring 20 of Canada’s eco-designers. You will find designs by Nicole Bridger and Sarah Stevenson.  There will also be a fashion show on the main stage to check out. We love our Canadian designers!

We’ve all seen designer collections made from re-purposed clothing. (Think Toronto’s own Preloved or Paper People Clothing) Many of those designers purchase the old clothing from warehouses full of excess thrift store donations. Designer Katherine Soucie is taking this concept to a community level through (zero.O.lab.). Located in Vancouver, (zero.O.lab.) is a fashion incubator that aims to promote zero waste fashion. As an in house fashion label for My Sisters Closet (a local thrift store sponsored by Battered Women’s Support Services) (zero.O.lab.) uses discarded materials from the shop to create new designer clothing. The (zero.0.lab) project is also intended to be a place where designers, artists and creative thinkers come together to collaborate and study together the possibilities in zero waste fashion.

If you’re in Vancouver on February 15th, the first collection of garments produced by (zero.O.lab.) will be on display at My Sisters Closet at 1092 Seymour & Helmcken St, in Yaletown.

Jade may have just taken off for 5 months in Peru but she left us with quite a bit to remember her by. Clean staff room and re-organized basement aside, check out her new online portfolio!

The A2B collection was Jade’s graduating thesis from Ryerson University’s Fashion Design program. The sustainably minded collection was inspired by the 20-something traveling man and made using organic & reclaimed fabric. A few pieces are actually constructed from re-purposed tents!

The video was done by the uber talented Chris Wardle and photographed by Pawel Tosiek. More shout-outs to Samantha Compton who did the hair and makeup for the shoot.

The first annual Eco Fashion Week ran from September 27-30 this year in Vancouver. While I wasn’t lucky enough to attend in person I have been checking out the photos and articles from those who were. Touted by many as a great success, the event featured speakers, seminars, and panel discussions along with the traditional runway and trade show.

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Andrew Weaver was there as a keynote speaker and The Green Advisory Board was made up of experts from across the country including Toronto’s own Adria Vasil of Ecoholic and Kelly Drennen from Fashion Takes Action. The GAB put together ‘eco criteria’ to ensure all exhibitors and designers strove for sustainability in their practices. (My personal fave designs by Elena Garcia are pictured below but you can check out some of the other designers here)

Its encouraging to see an event of this scale put together by people from East to West and even more exciting to hear positive reviews and press. As WGSN‘s Carly Stojsic stated in her seminar on the opening day, eco fashion is indeed a movement, NOT a trend.

We’ve discussed sustainable fabric choices, proved earth conscious designers aren’t all hippies, and touched upon the issue of logistics and the organizations helping with the shift. Today lets look to those with the real power: the people. Creating change can seem like a daunting task and indeed it is, when left in the hands of a few. However, when each individual takes a short turn at the crank the wheel starts to spin and as more lend a hand the wagon gets moving and the band begins to play (see: bandwagon, jump on!). There are two aspects of this movement that are solely dependent on consumer behavior: (a) How and where money is spent; and (b) How the goods are consumed.

It’s about redefining ‘value’ in a culture where quantity often means more than quality and a sale rack bargain is celebrated over a unique designer piece. You want a governing body on certifications, more designers to use sustainable fibers, and fast fashion boutiques to stop creating sweatshop trash? Then get out there and vote with your dollar! Whether through purchasing organic and/or locally made garments or refusing to purchase clothing that is of poor quality or produced unethically, each penny spent (or withheld) makes a statement. More often than not you’ll find that summer dress you paid $150 for will fit you better, stay in your wardrobe longer, and incite many more compliments than those ten dresses you bought at the mall last summer for $15 each. Not convinced this one purchase can make a difference? Ask any independent artist and they’ll tell you each garment sold (or not) can mean the difference between the creation of next year’s line or a full-time serving job at their local pub.

A recent article in Eye Weekly discusses the pluses of slow fashion while questioning one’s ability to self-express and be creative with so few options. Only have twenty bucks to your name and need a new outfit for your date next weekend? How ’bout a thrift store hunt? Ryerson Fashion alumni Kaitlin Simonsen (and friend…can I call her a friend? she dates my friend) has a Toronto directory for vintage shopping plus tonnes of ideas on how to revamp the old on her site My Vintage Secret.

The missing piece of the puzzle is how we treat our new found treasures. Think cold water wash and hang to dry, clothing swaps rather than trash piles, and Salvation Army donations that will actually last the new owner more than a season or two. Remember also that there are ethical ways to recycle your clothes, as Ashley mentioned in a post some months ago.

Some may lament that this type of wardrobe doesn’t lend itself to fun and spontaneous trips to the mall or the whimsy of complete closet overhauls every time the mood catches. Good point and good riddance. Try it and you may find the mood catching less often. Your pocket book will thank you, though the credit card company may not! Shopping this way creates a closet full of conscious choices; give it a year or two and every outfit will have significant meaning attached to it beyond the price tag.

Logistics

Last i wrote we were discussing the fashion industries ability to operate sustainably.  On the journey from designer to consumer there are many people, organizations, and resources involved. One major hurdle is the fact that traditionally the industry has been less than transparent; keeping manufacturing behind closed doors and much to be answered in terms of distribution and environmental impact. There are however many networks and organizations focused on increasing the transparency, connecting people, and sharing resources to make it easier for all. Here’s a few in Toronto, Canada, and beyond:

Fashion Takes Action is a members based organization in Toronto that provides workshops and resources to help industry members take steps in a ‘greener direction’.

Design AWEAR was started by a group of Ryerson Fashion students in an attempt to share resources among students as well as link the school with designers and others in the industry who share a passion for environmentally conscious design practices.

Future Fashion is an initiative from Earthpledge.org dedicated to helping the fashion industry make the transition towards sustainable materials. They have a great directory of certifications from around the world.

Ethical Fashion Forum is a social networking site linking designers, manufacturers, consumers and more. The majority of the membership is in the EU but they host events, awards, and job postings from around the world.

The Center for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion has an online blog with tonnes of information to connect people, share resources, and educate.

These are just a few of many websites and organizations popping up around the globe. When i look at what the search engine brings up today vs. what was around just a few years ago its obvious that the shift to a greener fashion industry is more than just a trend, it’s a movement of the people.

There are those who dispute the ability of the fashion industry to run sustainably. (See comments on my last column!) “Isn’t fashion about keeping up with the trends, constantly buying and discarding?” Sometimes it seems that way, especially in a mass consumer culture such as ours. But let us not get caught on the racks at the fast fashion boutiques nor hypnotized by mainstream media; there is a future for fashion. It’s just that some of us may need to change our definition of the word.

Clothing for me has always been about self-expression. Fashion, therefore, is how I express myself in a way that pleases the eye of another. Trends may come and go but true style lasts, and so do well made pieces (when they are treated with the care they deserve). If you don’t like my definition lets look to a credible source… Webster’s Dictionary perhaps?

fash•ion
Pronunciation: \ˈfa-shən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English facioun, fasoun shape, manner, from Anglo-French façun, fauschoun, from Latin faction-, factio act of making, faction, from facere to make — more at do
Date: 14th century

1 a : the make or form of something b archaic : kind, sort
2 a : a distinctive or peculiar and often habitual manner or way b : mode of action or operation
3 a : a prevailing custom, usage, or style b (1) : the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time (2) : a garment in such a style c : social standing or prominence especially as signalized by dress or conduct
(Source: merriam-webster.com)

It seems the word has deep roots beyond the history of department store shopping. So then, lets break fashion (and responsibility) down into three parts: 1, the formation (designers); 2, logistics (distributors/manufacturers) and 3, societal norms (consumers). In this post I’ll write exclusively about the first category.

Part 1: The Designers

If independent, the designer is the person in charge of production. He or she picks fabric, decides on function, dictates quality, and chooses who distributes. When done on a small scale there is very little waste involved in this step of the process, simply because we really can’t afford it (see: starving artist). Since we’re talking about the future let’s highlight some up-and-comings as seen in Mass Exodus – a Ryerson graduation sendoff and a sneak peek at those who will soon be setting the standards in fashion and beyond.

During the opening speech the production team boasted an “eco-friendly set” with recycled steel and wood from sustainably farmed forests.

Jade Sullivan-Vallentyne is the woman behind the cheeky menswear label A2B. Designed for the twenty-something traveling man her garments are made from materials such as organic cotton, bamboo, fabric ends, and former tents. Hers are a prime example of unique conversation pieces that could spice up a wardrobe without falling victim to passing trends.

When thinking about designs to last a lifetime we can’t forget about Bridal. Enter Lilly Nichols – Eco Bridal.

Each piece is hand crafted by Kim Barr using natural fabrics such as organic hemp/silk blends, peace silks, and gauzes. In place of lace (which can have negative associations when it comes to lace makers and labor rights), Kim has laser cut her own design by hand, leaving a personal touch reminiscent of apples, orchards, and trellises. In her words, “Nature inspired lace that isn’t super girlie but feminine and modern.”

So there’s just a small taste of the many talented designers taking responsibility into their own hands. Stay tuned for what’s looking to be a 3-part spotlight on those working towards sustainable style.

** Both A2B and Lilly Nichols will be on display (among others) this summer in the windows of Holt Renfrew’s Bloor street location (50 Bloor Street West).

Eco-Fashion is a term that brings thoughts of hemp suits and hippie garb to many. Some might call it an oxy-moron. As far as I can tell it’s the future. Welcome to Fashion Footprint: a column for the socially conscious fashionista. I’ve been asked to contribute this regular post with the goal of lessening the carbon footprint that our love for fashion leaves behind. Gone are the days of the burlap cliché, I’m talking chic and innovative design. Don’t believe me? Check out the first collection by V!TOR as seen at TheKEY.to{Shift} in Berlin last month. Want something Canadian? How about Thieves by Sonja den Elzen. Those are just two of many designers who are paving the way for what’s to come. So lets start with the basics: FABRIC.

Organic Cotton – Cotton that is grown without pesticides and fertilizers that contain synthetic chemicals. (This is a big deal since conventional cotton uses more chemicals than any other crop on earth!) It is generally grown from non-genetically modified plants. There are, however, other problems with Organic Cotton such as depletion of nutrients in the soil and water usage – both to grow and crop and to clean the harvested cotton.

Bamboo – As a resource bamboo is amazing. It uses less water than cotton, grows fast, doesn’t need insecticide or fertilizer and doesn’t require replanting year after year. It also gives nutrients back to the soil & produces a huge amount of oxygen. However, with the exception of Bamboo-Linen most bamboo fabrics (Bamboo-Viscose, Bamboo-Rayon) do require harsh chemicals in one step of the process from plant to textile. At this point some experts believe the negatives of bamboo-viscose are on par with those of organic cotton. Bamboo-linen is said to be super absorbent, anti-bacterial, and compostable.

Click here for a good article that explains different bamboo fabrics and compares them to cotton.

Recycled Polyester (PET) – made from recycled pop bottles, this fabric performs just as well as polyester made from new materials (see: petroleum by-product). I’ve been noticing this stuff popping up everywhere especially in high performance gear by companies such as MEC and Patagonia.

So there you have it – Eco-fabrics for dummies. These are just three of the most common textiles advertised as ‘environmentally friendly’. Don’t forget, there’s always the option of reworking something old into a new design à la Preloved and Shopgirls’ own Susan Harris.