It is too bad that Nau, about whom I was originally pretty excited, has chosen to support Heifer International. Regardless of how environmentally sensitive their clothes are I am not going to spend money if some of that money will then get donated to a malignant "charity".

It is such a contradiction that is undermines their whole point.

Little things can make a difference, but over priced eco friendly clothing isn't exactly "the answer".

what about an option in the poll for buying second hand clothing most of the time but if I'm gonna buy something new it should be eco?????

I chose the superficial radio button. If we as environmentalists are going to get mainstream people interested in saving the environment we need to do it in small steps. Your right, no one should buy anything, but black and white terms aren't going to encourage people to change. I go to thrift stores and then eco-re (or E) tailers.

Oh, yeah! I'm on the Treehugger front page!

Even if you ignore the energy problem the world is facing, there are many reasons to buy eco-friendly clothes. In conventional materials, there are many toxins, dangerous substances, and even heavy metals (for instance, most modern leather is treated with chromium, which can be a carcinogen in some circumstances). I don't want to be poisoned by anything I use, especially not my clothes, which rub against my skin each and every day.

The treehugger staff have somewhat distorted the meat of (what I believe is) Steve's point when they write:

"There are so many factors in making so-called eco-clothes ... Some think that the name is a contradiction in terms, and that new clothing can't be green..."

My concern is with eco-FASHION not eco-CLOTHES. Without question, I support improving the sustainability of how clothing is manufactured and distributed. This does not mean we need to embrace a culture of excess just because the manufacturing is better.

Wearing the same pieces of traditionally manufactured clothing for years is MUCH more environmentally responsible than submitting to the fashion world and its wasteful, artificially inflated impressions of "need" and buying into the latest fashion every 6 months, no matter the manufacturing methods.

The environmental movement benefits from high profile exposure, and more sustainable manufacturing is certainly a good thing, but our culture will not adequately address the environmental challenges we face until we learn to live with (and want) dramatically less.

And, magically, doing so will even make us happier.

Howabout Goodwill or ARC? You are saving clothes from the trash and both of those are charities which employ people who would otherwise having trouble getting jobs.

I voted on the last one because the vast majority of my clothing is purchased from garage sales and resale shops. But, I'd actually say that's eco clothing because the clothing is given a second life, doesn't waste my precious money (so I don't have to waste time and energy making more), and the clothes are just around the corner so the fuel cost of giving those clothes a second life (and keeping them out of the dumpster) is minimal.

It's absolutely true that we all need to consume less, and that people are sometimes misguided, believing that, somehow, buying organic or fair trade clothing is going to alleviate that fact.

However, it's nevertheless a fact that the West is a consumer-driven society, and that voting is often done with the dollar. Since that's the case, I'd rather people spend money they would be spending anyway on products that support the cause.

I think when it comes to clothing, fair trade is a bigger issue than eco.

better yet, do what i started for the folks here on tinian, with my books and donation center...

give away all the usable clothes [and other stuff] you have hanging around that you have'n't worn for a year, to a donation center that all can go to, to get what they need for free...

i've found that even the poorest of the poor here, who can't afford new clothes, have lots of things at home that they don't use and are now donating, as they come in to find what they do need... it's a self-sustaining greenest-of-all system, where everybody helps each other... what can be better than that?

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com
www.saysmom.com

"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world" gandhi

We don't have to give up new clothes to give up new clothes. Second-hand is always the way to go. With all of the clothing in thrift stores and attics, we could probably halt the production of new clothes for a very long time (I'm not holding my breath on that, though).

More sustainable practices and fair treatment and payment of workers are worth supporting. By buying the bulk of our wardrobes at thrift stores, we can probably save enough to pay for the eco and fair trade goods when we need something really nice. :) Reduce -> Reuse -> Buy eco-alternatives :D

Hmm. I posted an entirely on-topic comment here on 12/14 and it has never shown up.

I wonder if it has to do with using the Type Key thingy? Or perhaps because I was critical of an advertiser?

LA: it could simply be that I was on the road and didnt approve it, although you appear to be using typepad and don't need approval. we only delete offensive and obscene material, not critical.