www.furisgreen.com
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes when I found this site. How can killing be eco friendly. This made my blood boil!!
www.furisgreen.com
www.furisgreen.com
Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney has been making stylistas of vegans for years. Her brand of animal friendly and eco-aware fashion has never played victim to the sorts of compromise that many labels make when it comes to environmentally badged collections. Using organic cotton and linen, natural rubber, recycled fibre from plastics and faux leather — Stella proves that fashion with a conscience is possible. We asked Stella about her green stance . . .
"First it’s important for me to say I’m not perfect and that for me, it is about the principle. Sustainability is important, recycling is important. I think it is a mind-set: everyone can do really simple things to make a difference, every little bit counts and there is still a long way to go. My first job is to be a fashion designer — my first job is to make desirable, luxurious, beautiful clothing and accessories that women want to buy but I will always take the opportunity to use a beautiful organic fabric. I obviously don't use any animal skins or furs in my collections which has a huge impact on the planet. About fifty million animals die for the sake of fashion ever year, which is extremely wasteful and significantly contributes to climate change as farming uses a lot of water, energy and land, devastate forests and pollutes oceans."
Indeed! Feeling eco-inspired, we picked five fab Stella pieces available through Net-a-Porter.
Sourced from www.fabsugar.com.au
The Dilemma with Leather and other animal skins - Green Me
Other than the obvious ethical issues surrounding the culling of animals for their hides, in recent years studies by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and NGOs such as PETA have discovered that the environmental impact caused by our reliance on meat and its by-products is neither sustainable nor ecologically benign.
Meat production is responsible for 18% of all manmade greenhouse gases, with a single dairy cow emitting 19.3 pounds of methane annually. When compared to transportation, which accounts for 13% of global greenhouse gas emissions, you can begin to see why not eating meat on a Monday makes sense.
Factoring in the resources needed to rear cattle, producing a fur or animal skin jacket consumes 20 times the amount of energy needed to produce a coat made from natural fibres or synthetic materials.
In India, the leather industry is more harmful to the environment than the textile, medicine, fertilizer and paper industries combined.
Animal skins used for clothing and accessories are loaded with caustic, toxic chemicals that prevent them from decomposing – the very opposite of what we expect from an organic resource.
Although leather-makers like to tout their products as “biodegradable” and “eco-friendly,” the process of tanning stabilizes the collagen or protein fibres so that they actually stop biodegrading.
Groundwater near leather tanneries in developing countries have been found to contain critically high levels of lead, formaldehyde, and even cyanide, causing cancer and other fatal illnesses in nearby populations.
Most leather produced in the United States and around the world is chrome-tanned.
All wastes containing chromium are considered hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency. A chrome-tanning facility wastes nearly 15,000 gallons of water and produces up to 2,200 pounds of “solid waste” – for example, hair, flesh, and trimmings – for every ton of hides that it processes.
Raising animals whose skins eventually become leather creates waste and pollution. Huge amounts of fossil fuels are consumed in livestock production – it takes about 35 calories of fossil fuel to make one calorie of beef, and 68 calories of fossil fuel to make one calorie of pork. At that rate, according to one Cornell University expert, the world’s fossil fuel resources will be exhausted within a decade.
Fabric
Bamboo
Bamboo is incredibly soft, making it ideal for baby clothes, snuggly fleece bathrobes, and knits worn right next to the skin. The finished fabric is silky and drapes beautifully. It doesn’t stick to the skin in hot weather. The fabric launders well in the washer and dryer. It’s naturally more wrinkle-resistant than cotton or hemp, and also warmer. Bamboo fibers do not need to be mercerized. Bamboo is good for all seasons: it’s breathable in warm weather and keeps the wearer warm in cool weather. For knitters, bamboo yarns are soft and luxurious to work with, and offer an affordable alternative to knitting with cashmere or other super-soft animal fibers. Summer knitting isn’t just the realm of cotton anymore.
bamboo and sustainability
bamboo and sustainability
The bamboo plant (technically a grass) is an excellent example of sustainability – bamboo grows tall and fast, requiring little water and no pesticides. Anyone who has ever tried to get rid of bamboo from their yard knows how resilient it can be! The plant doesn’t deplete the soil where it is grown, and it even absorbs more carbon dioxide than a tree of similar size. Bamboo is a real alternative to wood, and many producers now use bamboo for flooring, furniture, dishware, and other products as well as textiles.
In order to make bamboo into yarn, the stalks are liquefied and then extruded by machine through spinnerets into threads, which are then spun into yarn. The process is similar to how rayon is made, so sometimes bamboo textiles are referred to as “bamboo rayon” or “bamboo viscose”. Other cellulosics (fibers derived from cellulose) such as lyocell (made from wood pulp) and modal (made from beechwood) are processed this way also.
Some people are concerned about the production of bamboo textiles because the process uses caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is dangerous in large quantities. Our fabric suppliers work closely with manufacturers to ensure that the fabrics are made with minimal environmental impact. They use advanced wastewater treatment systems and have strict controls on exhaust emissions.
It is possible to make bamboo fibers from the plant’s stalk, rather than from pulp (the way hemp and linenare made), but currently few manufacturers are doing this, and true bamboo linen (as it would be called) is rare. Many people agree that right now, bamboo viscose is clearly a more sustainable choice than conventional cotton; we hope that market demand will lead to further research on cost-effective ways to process bamboo without chemicals, to fully harness the promise of this fast-growing crop.
Hemp
The beneficial qualities and uses of hemp have been widely documented: it’s a hardy and fast-growing plant, inexpensive to grow and beneficial for the land. Hemp fibers and seeds have thousands of uses, from textiles to building materials, bath and body products to nutritional supplements.
Unfortunately, because hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa L., and a relative of marijuana, it is currently illegal to grow hemp in the US.
fiber characteristics
Hemp has a long and important role in the history of textiles. Because of its strength and durability, the fiber was primarily used for heavy-duty fabrics such as sails (the word “canvas” is derived from “cannabis”).
Today, hemp fabrics are as diverse as the people who wear them. Hemp fans love the fabric for many reasons: hemp fabrics soften with washing and wearing, becoming even more comfortable over time. hemp fiber is naturally mildew-resistant, antimicrobial, UV protecting and even fireproof! hemp fibers have exceptional durability and strength, so they won’t tear or abrade even with frequent use. modern hemp and hemp blend fabrics include linen, silk, jersey, denim, fleece, french terry, and of course, canvas hemp launders beautifully, with no special care required (go ahead, put it in the washer & dryer!) hemp is less prone to wrinkling than linen
naturally sustainable
Hemp plants grow extremely fast, and do well in almost any climate. The same components that make hemp fabrics anti-bacterial and mildew-resistant also make the crop naturally resistant to pests. Hemp requires no or very little use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or even fertilizer. It’s also resistant to weeds because it grows so fast and tall, blocking out sunlight to smaller plants.
Unlike more delicate fibers such as flax, hemp can be grown in the same field year after year with no negative impact on the land (flax crops must be rotated in order to prevent soil nutrient depletion). Its long root system aerates the soil and helps control topsoil erosion.
Industrial hemp is grown in over 30 countries, and the United States is the largest consumer market for its products.
Organic Linen
Linen fabric is made from the flax plant. Like hemp, linen is a bast fiber, derived from the inner bark of the plant stalk. The flax plant also produces flaxseed oil (a health supplement full of omega-3 fatty acids) and linseed oil.
Woven linen is crisp, flowing, and lightweight. The fibers are inelastic so the fiber doesn’t drape much, but the crispness is what makes it so elegant. Linen is absorbent, and it conducts heat away from the body, making it an ideal fabric for warm weather. Because of the length of the fibers, linen fabric is very strong (much stronger than cotton). Linen wrinkles easily, and creases can be hard to remove. It’s easier to iron when slightly damp. Linen fabrics are machine washable, and soften over time. Mildew and perspiration can damage the fabric, but it is resistant to moths.
conventional vs. organic linen
In order to remove the long flax fibers from the plant stalks, the stems are “retted” (rotted), which can be done with chemicals, in water, or with dew. After the fiber is retted from the stalk, a labor-intensive process of cleaning and straightening the fibers begins, and finally the fibers are spun into yarn.
The retting process is often done in rivers, lakes or man-made ponds, and is very environmentally damaging. If the leftover water is returned to rivers or the ground, it carries chemicals with it that contaminate the water and endanger wildlife. Western Europe now permits only dew-retting due to pollution.
Organic linen is dew-retted, using only moisture and sunlight. The process takes longer and is more labor-intensive, but it’s worth the effort.
In addition, organic linen doesn’t use herbicides to control weeds (flax is susceptible to weeds).
Soy
Soy is sometimes referred to as “vegetarian cashmere” because of its incredible softness and luxurious hand. Soy is softer than cotton and more durable, so it makes a great choice for garments that hug the skin (camisoles, yoga pants, undies, etc.). It’s also warm and absorbent, even though lightweight, so it makes a great all-season knitted sweater or fleece pullover.
In fabric, soy is often blended with other fibers to make linen weaves, jersey, french terry, and many other styles of fabric.
Soy yarns are also soft, luxurious feeling, and a joy to knit with.
made from tofu
Soy is the ultimate sustainable fiber — it’s made from discarded tofu! Leftovers from tofu manufacturing are gathered up, liquefied, and extruded through spinnerets to create filaments which are then spun into fine yarns. The process is very similar to how bamboo fibers are spun.
Interestingly, Henry Ford first investigated the use of soy in textiles for his automobiles in the 1940′s, but the arrival of synthetics on the scene caused this effort to fade away. Now, manufacturers and consumers are looking for more sustainable sources for their textiles, and soy has been “rediscovered.”
Organic Cotton
imported organic cotton products
Organic cotton is an ecologically responsible fiber.
Unlike conventional cotton, which uses more chemicals than any other crop, it is never genetically modified and does not use polluting chemicals found in pesticides, herbicides and many fertilizers.
Integrated soil and pest management techniques—such as crop rotation and introducing natural predators of cotton pests—are also practiced in organic cotton cultivation.
All organic cotton producers must meet GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) standards in their cultivation and production practices. Both the land and crops must be inspected and certified each year.
The organic fabrics we use are certified by Control Union, IMO and NOP, to name a few.
local organic cotton products
This fabric is produced in Australia from certified organic cotton imported from India and Turkey.
Each cotton bale is tested and classed by an independent body for its quality by the Australian Classing Services based in Narrabri, and the yarn is spun and certified by the the Control Union (formerly SKAL) based in Victoria.
Sourced from www.purepod.com.au/ethical-fashion/fabrics/
Sourced from www.purepod.com.au/ethical-fashion/fabrics/
Pure Pod
www.purepod.com.au
Pure Pod is one of Australia’s pioneer ethical, sustainable eco-fashion labels. All of our garments are Australian made, using high quality, eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics including bamboo, organic cotton, pure merino wool, lyocel, hemp, soy, silk and linen. Pure Pod brings contemporary style to the organic and sustainable fashion markets. Pure Pod demonstrates that living well and dressing well can be as good for you as it is for the generations to come
Pure Pod is one of Australia’s pioneer ethical, sustainable eco-fashion labels. All of our garments are Australian made, using high quality, eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics including bamboo, organic cotton, pure merino wool, lyocel, hemp, soy, silk and linen. Pure Pod brings contemporary style to the organic and sustainable fashion markets. Pure Pod demonstrates that living well and dressing well can be as good for you as it is for the generations to come
ELFE – Eco Luxe Fashion Exposé
ELFE – Eco Luxe Fashion Exposé – is an amazing eco-minded fashion event that made its debut as part of the official MSFW (Melbourne Spring Fashion Week) 2009 Program.
Think a celebration of all things eco-friendly and you have the idea behind this event. ELFE would like to show fashion lovers that eco-fashion doesn’t have to be about unshaven armpits and potato sacks, but can be luxurious and super-stylish, so much so, that these days many celebrities can be seen showcasing their latest eco-luxe outfits on the red carpet . At these events however, ELFE promises a green twist when the carpet is rolled out!
ELFE, in partnership with Vintage Soul and 5th Avenue Events put on an eclectic selection of the very best in eco-luxe brands, with market stalls, display lounges, catwalk parades and live entertainment. The Spring 2009 Debut event at Alumbra in Melbourne’s Docklands, was an awe-inspiring experience and saw people from all over town rushing to get their complimentary Finlandia cocktails, ELFE goodie bags and prime viewing spots to get a good view of the two fantastic fashion shows on display.
From the amazing turnout at ELFE 2009, we were able to generously support Landcare Australia by donating one tree for every ticket sold, which will be planted in areas affected by environmental and industrial impact in Victoria. ELFE aims to have each and every one of our guests feel like they are doing something to help by making a difference towards a better environment. We hope to support many other fantastic environmental causes through our events, such as WWF, Sea Shepherds, Orangutan Project, Greening Australia, to name a few.
This event concept is the first of its kind in Melbourne! So if you are someone who loves fashion, style, entertainment and who has a sense of responsibility for the environment, no matter how big or small, then this event is for you!
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. But the second best time is today.”
WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
WWF is the largest (non-governmental) organization dedicated to nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. One of WWF’s focus topics is fresh water and its use for the growth of cotton.
Cotton is a vital cash crop for poor farmers in developing countries but the high water use and pollution generated in growing cotton impact both people and nature severely. Working with several partners, WWF aims to measurably reduce the impact of conventional cotton production in the main growing regions.
Estimates are that by 2025, 40% of the world population will face water shortages; agriculture accounts for an average of 70% of water withdrawals. WWF works on a local and global scale with farmers, traders, manufacturers and retailers to find solutions so that thirsty crops such as cotton use less water and ultimately help conserve vital ecosystems. In doing so, WWF promotes better social and economic conditions in the cultivation of this crop.
One way WWF contributes to a healthier growth of cotton is active participation in the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). WWF is one of the initiators in the BCI which aims to define a new type of commodity that is grown with measurably reduced social and environmental impacts.
WWF has published a report on growing cotton: "Cleaner, greener cotton: Impacts and better management practices’. This report shows how WWF is working to address the key environmental and social issues associated with cotton farming. It focuses on making cotton more sustainable, which in turn, helps keep the environment it depends on healthy. The report can be downloaded from the WWF website
Made-By
MADE-BY is an umbrella label used by fashion brands and retailers to show consumers that their clothes are produced in a sustainable manner. The brands affiliated to MADE-BY use organic cotton and work with sewing factories that have a social code of conduct. The MADE-BY brands can be identified by means of a blue button.
MADE-BY helps brands clean up their manufacturing process. In association with Solidaridad - an expert in the field of fair trade and environmental practices – they develop production chains in which garments can be sustainably manufactured from start to finish. They have created supplier networks in India, Peru, North Africa and China as well as in Turkey and Eastern Europe. These networks include organic cotton projects, spinners and sewing factories, but also local NGO’s, unions and experts in the field of social and environmental conditions.
At the end of 2004, MADE-BY started working with its first two brands, Imps&Elfs and Kuyichi. At the start of 2007 the number of brands affiliated with MADE-BY had increased to twenty-four (based in The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Ireland), active all over the world. In cooperation with its partner Organic Exchange, Made-By has developed a track & trace system through which consumers can see where their garment has been during the different production stages.
In the near future, MADE-BY will focus on European growth. This way they can exert more influence on the garment industry. At the same time they can offer the consumer a wider choice in sustainably produced garments. While MADE-BY helps brands improve their production process, they can continue doing what they are good at, namely enticing consumers with a beautiful product. They create fashion while MADE-BY ensures they can do so in a responsible way. Brands affiliated with MADE-BY are amongst others: Edun, Komodo, Jackpot and Nomad.
DK Bunny Butcher
Peta generated site about the truth behind Donna Karan a.k.a the Bunny Butcher.
Site includes very graphic videos and images depicting the bunnies used in Donna Karan's designs.
www.dkbunnybutcher.com
PETA's Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing
PETA's Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing:
"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
Choose Cruelty Free
Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) is an independent, non-profit organisation which actively promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle.
CCF is funded by subscriptions, Licensee fees, donations and fundraising activities. All monies raised go toward the production of CCF literature.
All CCF work is performed by volunteers who believe in a cruelty-free lifestyle.
CCF is designed to:
- Encourage manufacturers and service providers to adopt a cruelty-free ethic.
- Survey companies which claim to sell products that have not been tested on animals and do not contain cruelly-derived ingredients and accredits (without charging a fee) companies which satisfy CCF's criteria. Accreditation criteria is probably the most stringent in the world today. Accreditation and listing in the Preferred Products List (PPL) are free of charge. The PPL is a booklet listing companies and brand names that operate under a cruelty-free ethic, providing consumers with information so they can choose products according to their personal ethical standards. See the online version of the Listhere.
- Make available (by way of a licensing arrangement) an independent, consumer recognised logo which manufacturers can incorporate in their labelling and advertising material to readily identify their companies as cruelty-free.
- Make people aware of their power, as consumers, to change attitudes about testing products on animals.
Friends of Animals
Friends of Animals is a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization, incorporated in the state of New York since 1957. Friends of Animals works to cultivate a respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. Our goal is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.
Friends of Animal's President is Priscilla Feral, who works out of FoA's International Headquarters in Darien, Connecticut.
The projects and services provided by Friends of Animals are entirely supported by membership contributions, bequests, and grants. Our continued strength depends upon the generosity of our members and donors.
We inform members about animal advocacy issues and our progress in addressing them through our magazine, Act•ionLine, our Web site and other reports. We encourage our members to get involved in their own communities as volunteer activists and as representatives of our spay/neuter project.
With the loyal support of our members and friends from all walks of life throughout the world, each year we actively meet the needs of more animals on more fronts than any animal advocacy group of our kind.
Animal friendly shopping
This is what I am going to base my project on. After doing some social research I have found that people do not respond well to seeing all the graphic images of animal being tortured. People already know it goes on and instead many chose to turn a blind eye because knowing the truth is too painful. I therefore want to promote animal friendly fashion in the hope that it becomes the trendy thing to buy. If the demand for animal products is removed then hopefully one day these cruel practices can be abolished too.
There are a lot of lines out there selling animal friendly products now it is just a matter of making "Eco Chic" the next big thing in fashion. This is why I plan to deliver the message using marketing techniques already employed by the fashion industry as they seem to have a hold over society in deciding what is 'hot or not'. I'm going to make animal friendly hot and cruelty NOT!
www.animalfriendly.me
There are a lot of lines out there selling animal friendly products now it is just a matter of making "Eco Chic" the next big thing in fashion. This is why I plan to deliver the message using marketing techniques already employed by the fashion industry as they seem to have a hold over society in deciding what is 'hot or not'. I'm going to make animal friendly hot and cruelty NOT!
www.animalfriendly.me
Product Testing: Toxic & Tragic
Product Testing: Toxic & Tragic: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
testing on animals- the facts by Peta
Animals Used for Clothing Factsheets
Animals Used for Clothing Factsheets: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
Getting the facts.
Factsheets about the animals who suffer for clothing
Down, Silk, Cashmere, Shearling
Down, Silk, Cashmere, Shearling: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
Other animal who suffer for clothing
The Leather Industry
The Leather Industry: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
The animal who suffer for leather
Exotic Skins | The Animals
Exotic Skins | The Animals: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals"
Facts about exotic skins and the animals who suffer for fashion
Make up bunny
First hands on experiment to start generating and image bank and hopefully spark some ideas.
The bunny was created entirely from make up products.
I'm sure there is an anti animal testing message in there somewhere I just haven't nailed it yet...
Stolen for Fashion (Peta)
In a new CGI video for PETA, Ricky Gervais and Pink lose their skin as they voice-over a skinless rabbit and a skinless alligator.
A Shocking Look Inside Chinese Fur Farms
Another horrific look into the brutality of chinese fur farms.
The Video YouTube Won't Let You See
The Video YouTube Won't Let You See: (Horrific look into the chinese fur industry)
Animals who are bred and killed for their fur in China live in misery from birth to death. Chinchillas, foxes, minks, raccoons—and, yes, even dogs and cats—are jammed into crowded wire cages, and the close confinement and filthy conditions quickly lead to mental illness. As documented in our undercover video, fur farmers kill animals by bashing their heads in or breaking their necks while they are still conscious.
Animal protection laws are nonexistent in China, but PETA Asia isworking overtime to change that. Whether by submitting recommendations for China's first-ever animal protection legislation, going undercover at fur farms, or exposing the hideous conditions for animals in Chinese zoos, PETA Asia is tirelessly on the front line for animals.
Please take a moment to write to the Chinese ambassador to the U.S.,Zhang Yesui, and ask him to do everything in his power to put animal welfare on the agenda in his country. Share the video with family and friends, and remember: If we don't watch it, we can't stop it.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
Posted by PETA
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