CT Green Scene

Fair Trade Bracelets "Made With Love"

Got a yen for recycled rubber? Look no further than Made With Love. Their recycled rubber bracelets, as well as other accessories, are made by craftswomen in Africa, Brazil, and Haiti. The women are paid fairly for their work and the profits are donated to charities that support women and children in all three countries.

The initiative was kick-started in 2007 by Mary Jane Marcasiano, a designer whose own work has been highlighted in such lines as Cole Haan and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her Made With Love organization works through the non-profit Cygnet Foundation that supports programs that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and provide day care and education and training programs.

Coldplay's Chris Martin caught the recycled rubber bracelet bug when he wore them from 2008 to 2010 on his Viva La Vida Tour. He also had kiosks set up during the tour to sell the products. All the proceeds directly supported Made With Love.

The recycled rubber bracelets retail for a set of 18 at $28. They come in an array of different colors. You can purchase them on their web site or at these Connecticut retailers:

Capri, Fairfield
Suzie Creamcheese, Westport
Whyevernot, Mystic
Wish List, Greenwich

Dress Yourself in Garbage

by Eileen Weber

Trashy Fashions. It’s a cute little quip for a great idea: Repurpose what we throw out as something we wear. Around the country, school kids have been bringing in their garbage and making a wardrobe instead.

For the last four years here in Connecticut, the Trashy Fashions group in Fairfield was born from two local teachers who saw the educational value in getting their students involved in an environmental cause.

“It’s not really about the recycled material,” said Nancy Malafatopoulos, who teaches at Fairfield Warde High School. “It’s about the construction. These kids use braiding and pleating of these materials. I’ve seen some of the kids take newspaper and crunch it up over and over again to make it more like a fabric.”

Clothing: Recycled or Vintage?

by Eileen Weber

All too soon, the crisp weather of fall will be upon us. The kids will be returning to school. And before you know it, we’ll be celebrating the holidays ending with a hoot and holler at New Year’s.

Lots of folks choose the fall as a good time to clean out their closets before the onset of a chilly winter. Old clothes are sorted, packed up, and often dropped off. While donating your clothes (and getting the tax write-off) is a great idea, some of those drop boxes may not be so legitimate—or charitable.

In late 2004, State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sued the American Recycling company of East Northport, NY. They placed as many as 73 drop-boxes across the state, particularly in the Seymour and Waterbury areas, that advertised charities the clothing would be donated to.

Unfortunately, the company sold the clothing for profit and only 10% of their proceeds actually went to the charities listed on the drop boxes. This past June, a judge ruled in Blumenthal’s favor and the drop boxes are no longer allowed in the state.

You want to do the right thing by recycling, but not everyone’s heart is in the same place as yours.

Goodwill Industries International, Inc. has been taking your old clothing and reusing it for decades. “We’re the original recyclers,” said Dorothy Viets, the Director of Community Relations. “We’re keeping the materials out of the landfills, that’s for sure.”

Green Underpants

by Eileen Weber

Sometimes silly ideas pop into my head and I feel a great urge to pursue them. I’ve written about organic wine and farmers’ markets. I have toyed with climate change and water pollution. Now for a truly gripping topic: eco-friendly underpants.

While I can’t say that I spend countless hours contemplating the fabric on my bum, it turns out other people have. There are plenty of options out there for those seeking a little green on their posterior. With fabrics made from corn, soy, hemp, bamboo and recycled plastic bottles, there’s something for everyone.

And that’s particularly true for men’s briefs and boxers. A New York Times article dated April 27, 2006 stated, “Many men will recognize their underwear as the most environmentally friendly piece of clothing they own, given their proclivity, as Jerry Seinfeld once noted, to wear it until it disintegrates.”

Clearly, the trend to go green has been gaining momentum in a range of areas, not least of all clothing. A number of online shops sell organic cotton apparel. But lately, the biggest craze has been with fabrics made from bamboo. A sustainable crop, bamboo is a sturdy and reliable material.

Out with the New, In with the Old

by Eileen Weber

Spring is in the air! Time to bust out those cute little tops and a nifty pair of open-toed shoes. One place to visit for great designs is a little shop in Fairfield. Lauren DiNardo Boutique, owned and managed by designer Lauren DiNardo, has taken eco-fashion to new heights.

Originally selling her wares to other boutiques, she now has a shop of her own. Her signature style is recycled denim. Skirts, shorts, and halter top dresses for the summer. She even has eco-friendly cowboy boots. Made from recycled denim and recycled leather, these little beauties will keep you doing the two-step.

Her silk tie skirts are a consistent standard. “They can go in any season,” said DiNardo. “You can wear them with leggings and boots in the fall or slip on a pair of flip flops in the summer.”

Many of her skirts and dresses are made from recycled denim and a combination of recycled silk ties and Swarovski crystals. The crystals give it just that little bit of bling she looks for.

“I used to live out in Oregon,” said DiNardo. “I loved that home-grown, raw look. But when I moved to New York City, I added the glitz and glam. I love the embellishment the crystals give.”

Designing the clothes she sells is not the only thing DiNardo gets a kick out of. “I love doing custom work,” she said. “It’s really fun. I love working with antique pieces or just about anything that tells a story.”

DiNardo will often refurbish a favorite pair of jeans for her customers. “You can personalize them for about $50 and it’s like having a new pair of jeans. I can do it for jackets, too. It’s eco-friendly and economical.”

Revenge, The Environmental Way

by Eileen Weber

You know the old adage, “Love is…never having to say you’re sorry.” Honestly, I can’t think of a single time someone done me wrong in which I wasn’t expecting an extra sweet apology at the end. Some flowers and a bottle of wine might be nice, too.

But take that same quote and change it to “Revenge Is…” Now apply it to the environment. That’s what Marilyn Barrett did with her company of the same name that sells T-shirts and reusable bags made from recycled plastic bottles. To Barrett, Revenge Is…wearing your plastic instead of throwing it out. She bases her company on the belief that the “best revenge is living well.”

Her passion about the environment has been heartily focused on reusing plastic bottles in her merchandise. The RPET bottles, or recycled polyethylene terephthalate, are broken down into chips and melted into molten polyester. It is then pushed through what looks like a showerhead and made into filament. The filament is then spun into fibers that are woven into fabric. All of this is done without using any further oil or oil by-product in the process.

Not surprisingly, the company’s biggest seller is the plastic bottle T-shirt. “We get a lot of feedback from people who love the material,” said Bill Schlueter, a public relations representative from LaunchPad PR Inc., a fashion focused marketing firm for Revenge Is… and other companies that use recycled polyester. “It’s made from plastic bottles yet it feels ultra-soft like cashmere.”

More Than Just a Reusable Bag

by Eileen Weber

Looking for that classy little clutch or a funky Hobo? Look no further for your eco-chic handbag. There are some great shops online that have made the old new again.

Just a short drive down the East Coast, New Jersey-based Vulcana® handbags base their business on one simple question: Why buy new material when there’s plenty of it just lying around in landfills?

According to their web site, the car tires taken from landfills are transformed into rubber sheets. Vulcana manufactures the rubber sheeting, called “rubbRE”™, once the wire and fibers have been extracted from the tires.

 “People want the runway look with the earth-friendly aspect,” said Aline Denommee, a Vulcana representative. “The key is trying to combine them.”

The company also has a line of handbags with a layer of hemp on the outside of the rubber material. “Hemp has a different aesthetic,” she said. “There’s a little more strength to it.” Denommee also said the company is planning a new line using recycled plastic bottles, recycled fabrics and water-based dyes.

Trash in Fashion

by Eileen Weber

Do you ever look in your closet thinking you’ve got nothing to wear? Don’t despair! Grab a pair of scissors, last week’s newspaper, and a handy roll of duct tape. You, my friend, will have yourself a snappy little get-up that saves the planet!

In high schools around Connecticut, fashion has been taken to new heights. Students from Lauralton Hall in Milford, Weston High School, and Stonington High School have made clothing out of recycled material in the past several months.

Last night at Stonington High School, students from the National Art Honor Society hosted a fashion show in the school commons. The designs include dresses made from supermarket paper bags and old newspapers. Other designs like skirts and tops are made from tin foil, cardboard boxes and old fabric.

Green Weddings on the Rise

From organic caterers to gowns purchased from consignment shops and email to replace wasteful rsvp cards, brides to be are choosing to make their magical day one that has conscious, meaning and a message.

Event planner Kia Martinson-Wenzel, owner of Connecticut-based ESTOccasions 
got her first request for a green wedding last summer. "The couple wanted to get married in a state park and when we started planning, one thing led to another. The bride asked if her flowers could be gathered from the park, if the invitations could be printed on recycled paper, and she asked for recommendations of consignment shops that had a nice selection of previously owned gowns," Martinson-Wenzel says. 

In fact, a good majority of gowns on the racks of consignment shops have never been worn. Wildflower seeds embedded in recycled paper, donations to environmental organizations and brides maids dresses that can be worn after the special day promise to be lasting trends as consumers become more conscious of the impact their purchase choices have on the planet.

With spring around the corner, you'll enjoy expert tips, advise and resources for greening your events and parties from Kia Martinson-Wenzel. Check our "Parties and Special Events" category for more useful information on greening your special occasion.

 

From Junk to Funk

aGaiN NYC’s products are made from rescued or repurposed materials (junk) and transformed into stylish accessories for modern life (funk). From laptop bags to yoga mat holders and one-of-a-kind clutches, aGaiN products are made in the United States, and a portion of profits are donated to environmental charities.

Environmental advocate and designer Allison Teich scours thrift stores and garage sales for unusual vintage fabrics, buttons, ties and belts to create her unique line of handbags. By creatively transforming materials from bygone eras into reliable, hip bags and accessories, beautiful materials that may otherwise be headed to a landfill are revived into functional and fashionable accessories for everyday life.

Call aGaiN NYC 212-744-3912 to schedule an appointment at their NYC studio, or visit their website to order online.