Air Drying

Kensington Gardens area of London next to the Phoenix Hotel

instead of using an energy sucking dryer has benefits other than cost/carbon savings.

Air dried clothing and linens smell great (unless the air is stinky with pollutants) and sunshine is a natural bleach and will kill germs and mildew; so dark clothing should be hung in the shade.

If done with intent hanging the wash on an outdoor line is an op for stretching and bending, which is good for flexibility.

Aqua Green Silk Dress

was finished on the day it was needed. I forgot to take a picture. Will try to get one later as it really turned out beautiful. Really!

Eco friendly

Brush and vanity jar top are celluloid (early plastic), resin topped (BPA hazard) plastic and metal belt from the 60s,
mod shades and a vinyl handbag...PLASTICS, PLASTICS EVERYWHERE

Fabric from recycled plastic is being labeled eco friendly and there is some truth there but perhaps not enough to justify a long term engagement.

The melting process requires "energy" and most likely spews toxic gasses into the air, perhaps these gasses can be contained but according to several websites the amount of time and energy put into the product doesn't justify the friendly labeling.

On the other hand, the smatter that is reused keeps it from the landfill for one more round. Metals, glass and paper however can be re-cycled multiple times and are easier to process. Plastic needn't be a total loser as some things are highly useful and better adapted to the plastic formulation.

So for now, drinks in plastic and excess packaging are on the top of my scratch it list.

Caral - War was not the Answer

In a Gothic Library in NYC

Early this morning PBS aired " Lost Pyramids of Caral" a doc on the Caral site which is one of a cluster of 18 in the Supe Valley. These are the oldest known urban settlements in the Americas, dating around 2600 BCE.

These "cities" had large public areas, irrigation systems, sunken plazas and public buildings with stairs, rooms and courtyards built around a large plaza. These ancients were fairly sohisticated planners and developers. The largest pyramid is 60 ft tall and covers an area of about 4 football fields.

That is interesting, but the best is that they were an advanced civilization built on commerce and pleasure. A peaceful society where no weapons, mutilated bodies or protective walls were found. Instead bone flutes, cornets and beads were found in the pyramids as well as evidence of squash, bean and cotton crops.

Prior to this it was theorized that only war would bring people together to form such complex societies.

Justifying war and exploitation as human nature hits the dust big time....we can be civilized and fair trade is in our natures ...definitely our better natures.

reFashion profile

This is the start of a refashion from a dress that was made about 14 years ago from a pure silk fabric that was purchased in Sienna about 15 years ago.

The sleeves and skirt are being salvaged and the bodice is a redesign cut from fabric left over from its first life.

Letter to Ethical Fashion Forum

Hello,
I was at the Urban Craft Uprising (Seattle WA USA) last Saturday to gather up some interesing eco designers that would like to be in on a sustainable fashion show at the Western Gallery where i was asked to show the recycouture clothing I am doing for the fashionRIP Project.

I was happy to see that the quality, variety and number of designers doing reFashion has improved even since last year. I also came across some great screen printed tees - some fresh graphic styles that stood out even in this rather avant garde group of artisans.

A couple of the best printers told me that affordability of more sustainable blanks was all that held them back and that they would love to switch to the greener, fairer path. I thought of you (EEF) and wonder if you can point me to a supplier that i could turn them on to. I suspect i could gather a few more printers and then be able to do collective orders where the costs would be within their range.

thank you, deborah barnes

Urban Crafters

en masse at the Urban Craft Uprising this weekend (8/1 and 8/2)
It will be cool inside the Exhibition Hall at the Seattle Center and the last time i attended i smiled a lot. Checking out the vendors this time around i see that many are picking up on the green. More smiles.

vegan shoes

I am curious about the faux leather or Vegan products ......not from animal sources. Is that a necessarily good thing when looking at full product lifecycles as most (if not all) faux leather is a petroleum based product which causes a lot of toxicity in recycle and production processes whereas organic (animal) products are microbe friendly and add nutrients to soils as they breakdown. Petrol breakdown is part of our plastic waste nightmare etc.

I am caught on this issue and can argue well for either side using the sustainable agenda as a platform. That is why it is one of those tricky gray issues.

My feet sweat puddles in plastic and leather breathes, so for feet's sake i am opting for leather. When it comes down to it, the healthiest rules.

Sara of Devout Dolls

Sara in a 1920s vintage red flapper dress at her opening reception last Thursday at Some Space in Pioneer Square where the artist premiered "The Big Sleep" collection. Check out the show to really see the beautiful attention to detail and "staging" that makes these dolls works of art.
In the meantime wander her website .....it is worth it!

Plaid tidings

Mad about plaid especially these great tartans.
Beauty, sustainability and fair trade ....soon to be in the Seahawks colors among other NFL schemes.

Eco Design Fair

hands on art in my neighborhood and for the wrist....
.

a Beatles charm bracelet

I noticed i have followers; thank you
and i apologize for being slow on the posts.

i am trying to arrange sewing/recycouture classes, do the first volunteer workshop to make altered cards from the unsolicited cards that nonprofits mail to people hoping to guilt them into giving -i have a problem with resource misuse no matter the cause, sell more of my worldly goods and get to London for the Eco Design Fair.

I am glad i "invested" in cool old junk, rock n roll and vintage clothing because it has resale value and is enabling me to carry on with this sustainable fashion crusade.

The British have embraced eco design with more support than here in USA so going there to be in its glow keeps me positive. The organizers are delightful and i hope to meet up them as well as with some designers i have connected with via email.

i am learning so much with their help!

organic hair shirts

vintage fabric, ethical without the zzzzzzz's

After the Seattle GreenFest i knew the USA needed a more inspired approach to ethical fashion and other things of style. So i booked a flight to the Eco Design Fair in London.

Going green isn't all earthy, raise your own chickens and wear boring beige hemp garb; please dear people, what is this hair shirt nonsense!

The dye issues are relevant but i was told there have been some major breakthroughs on that front. (Something i will try to track down) Otherwise cut, line and a little frivolity are not taboo! Ethical is not tedious, boring nor bland....despite its prior framing in the morally righteous a hole club; ethical is from a wide angle lens, a fresh heart and a lot of courage. Ethical is about being your best possibility and in the new model, where it is encouraged, a kind of magic ensues.

Or i am mad as a hatter and so be it....better mad than hollowed out by the sellers of fear and crush. Human sacrifice is not an option.