In October 2006, a Women’s Wear Daily headline declared that ethical fashion had gone mainstream. “Forget hippy,” said the article; morally conscious clothing had become so popular that retailers could hardly keep up with the demand. Designers from Canada, Peru, Denmark, France, and Chile weighed in on the rise of ethical consumerism. At long last, they said, people want to know where their clothes come from.

But there was one glaring omission among the international array of experts: Where were the Americans?

Academically, culturally, artistically-nearly all of the major forces driving “the movement” have come from abroad. Ethical fashion stories have been far more ubiquitous in the U.K. Guardian, Times, and Independent compared to major U.S. newspapers. Professor Kate Fletcher and other sustainable fashion scholars have brought a new level of depth and awareness to fashion-related issues. And the rising popularity of initiatives like the U.K. Ethical Fashion Forum and the Ethical Fashion Show have created new opportunities for designers in addition to the cooperation of major European fashion platforms like London Fashion Week.

Over the past two years or so, however, things have been looking up on the other side of the pond. Nearly a decade after the first wave of “green” fashion in the 1990s, ethical fashion has finally been making a comeback in the U.S.

There is a lot to be said about the stylistic “coming of age” of the State-side movement, not to mention the unprecedented (though fad-like) popularity of green shopping. But the evolution of ethical fashion causes beyond eco-textiles or solar-powered purses and towards education, human rights issues, and long-term sustainability suggests that something more advanced is at work.

Sustainable fashion advocates are finally finding themselves an audience, not only to buy but also to listen. And the cooperation of mainstream fashion designers and media has been — and will continue to be — the catalyst for further change.

Click for slideshow: A snapshot of the origins of today’s mainstream American ethical fashion movement.