At EthicalStyle.com, we take pains to research all sides of the story in discussing eco-fashion to give consumers the full picture.

Nina Leen photograph for Life magazine, 1957.

As we wrote on our About page when we launched the magazine last summer, we still believe “there’s no universal prescription in creating an ethical wardrobe.” We don’t unilaterally condemn the use of conventional cotton, for example, because there are legitimate arguments to be made in its favor. Rather, we are interested in providing the necessary information to ethically minded shoppers and letting them make up their own minds about what fits their lifestyle and their conscience.

But with that in mind, there’s probably no more contentious issue in ethical fashion than the use of animal products. There are many fashionistas who can’t imagine a definition of “ethical style” that allows for the inclusion of leather, silk, or fur in anyone’s wardrobe. But much like the debates that swirl over organic cotton or sweatshop labor, the answer isn’t always cut and dried.

This is occasionally unsettling to some of our vegetarian readers, but we wish to reiterate that exploring the ethics of animal products is by no means a condemnation of vegan fashion. Recognizing that the use of leather in fashion is prevalent and unlikely to cease altogether, we are interested in finding brands that design with leather judiciously. The same goes for other animal products as well.

Of course, that isn’t to say we espouse buying animal products (or anything, really) willy nilly — particularly from China, which lacks adequate regulations of animal-welfare conditions. And we also make a point to cover vegan designers that catch our eye.

But for the majority of people who are fine with buying animal products, we’ve noticed a lack of information on the web about how to do so and still support ethical practices. So we put the spotlight on designers who are trying to do the right thing, whether that means environmentally sensitive tanning processes or high standards of care for farm-raised animals.

In this issue, we tackle the lightning-rod issue of animal products in fashion head on.

Chloé Jo Berman, the vegan stylista behind GirlieGirlArmy.com, sat down with us to provide her tips for vegan shopping on all budgets.

“Eco leather” is a buzzword that’s currently, well, buzzing in all the magazines. Check out this slideshow of the variety of options available.

Madison pored over street style photos and poses the question: Why isn’t the question of exotics raised more often?

Confused about the difference between conventional silk and peace silk? We examine at the different types of this sumptuous fabric and what it all means for the silkworms that produce it.

Finally, the fictional reboot of Grey Gardens took HBO by storm (and now there’s plenty of talk of Emmys for co-stars Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange). We look at the unique style of the original Little Edie and how she’s influenced scores of designers since.

EthicalStyle.com attracts a discriminating and intelligent readership, and we always want to urge you to participate in the discussions we are starting. This issue is no exception.