We LOVE to hear from our readers — we read every comment and email and are always blown away by how thoughtful you are about fashion’s ethical issues.
So we want to reward you for your fashion thinking.
Post a comment on any Behind the Seams blog post during the month of February and you could be randomly selected to win a Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream ($12.50), courtesy of Weleda!
And yes — the more comments you leave, the more opportunities you have to win this little pick-me-up.
Weleda’s antioxidant-packed skin soother smells amazing and is made from totally natural and organic emollients like pomegranate seed oil and shea butter sustainably grown in West Africa.
Rewarding our readers with prizes simply for being awesome? That’s just how we roll.
No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win sweepstakes. A purchase will not improve chances of winning. Promotions begin on February 1, 2010, and end on February 28, 2010. One potential winner will be selected by random drawing on March 2, 2010, and notified via email. For the list of winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to EthicalStyle.com, P.O. Box 46808, West Hollywood, Calif. 90046.
Got the late-winter doldrums? A case of the Mondays? We’ve got the cure: Pharmacopia’s zesty Ginger Organic Body Wash.
This gentle foaming body cleanser will perk you up in your morning shower with a pallet of organic ingredients. Certified organic aloe vera combines with organic extracts of comfrey root, marshmallow root, and chamomile flowers to soothe and softly scent your skin.
Bonus: The wash also makes a great mild shampoo!
None of Pharmacopia body washes contain parabens or sulfates, and there are other delicious scents to choose from, like citrus, lavender, and rosemary.
Ginger Organic Body Wash, $15.50 at Pharmacopia.net.
Just a reminder that our February commenting contest still has two weeks left!
Write a comment on any story on Behind the Seams and you could be randomly selected to win a Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream (a $12.50 value).
Got strong feelings over the Johnny Weir fur controversy? Or feel like Aeropostale is unfairly being criticized for its Haiti charity effort? We know you’ve got opinions — let’s hear them!
(And yes — the more comments you leave, the better your chances of winning. So simple.)
Seeking supersoft skin in time for Valentine’s Day this weekend? RealSimple.com just reminded us of how much we love the Chilean Red Clover ultra rich body moisturizer by Pangea Organics.
With soothing emollients like sustainably grown organic sweet almond and coconut oils combined with organic cocoa and shea butters, even your ashy elbows and knees will be feeling loved up by this penetrating cream. Extracts of red clover, geranium, and grapefruit claim to calm, tone, and detoxify your skin, but even if they didn’t, we’d still love the deliciously fruity-floral scent.
Chilean Red Clover With Geranium & Grapefruit Body Lotion, $18 at PangeaOrganics.com.
P.S.: If you’re looking for something heavy duty for your hands this winter, don’t forget about our February contest to win a Pomegranate Hand Cream from Weleda!
We LOVE to hear from our readers — we read every comment and email and are always blown away by how thoughtful you are about fashion’s ethical issues.
So we want to reward you for your fashion thinking.
Post a comment on any Behind the Seams blog post during the month of February and you could be randomly selected to win a Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream ($12.50), courtesy of Weleda!
This antioxidant-packed skin soother smells amazing and is made from totally natural and organic emollients like pomegranate seed oil and shea butter sustainably grown in West Africa.
Rewarding our readers with prizes simply for being awesome? That’s just how we roll.
Earlier this month we reported on H&M’s Garden Collection and its lofty promises to clean up the fast-fashion retailer’s act. Unfortunately, new information may torpedo H&M’s big green hopes, if you believe genetically modified (GM) cotton shouldn’t bear an organic label.
As Ecoterre.com reports:
Roughly 30 percent of the tested samples contained genetically modified cotton, says Lothar Kruse, a director of Impetus, an independent lab in Bremerhaven, which examined the cotton fabrics in question. The contaminated cotton was traced back to India, which is responsible for more than half of the global supply of organic cotton, with an output of nearly 107,000 tons of fiber in 2009 alone, according to thee Organic Exchange.
India supplies more than half of the global supply of organic cotton.
The controversy over GM and organic cotton is far from over, but we can’t help but notice they have fairly compatible goals. Organic farming is designed to reduce farmers’ reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilizers that run off the crops and poison the habitats of native flora and fauna. Some strains of GM cotton have been developed to diminish the desirability of cotton for its main pests and to increase the crop’s heartiness in poor soil, meaning less pesticide and fertilizer are needed altogether.
So while it doesn’t excuse H&M for defrauding its ethical consumers, shouldn’t we be revisiting the GM debate to see if it’s worth berating a market leader for trying to do the right thing?
Sign me up for any skin-care product that promises soft, smooth, hydrated skin in the winter. My legs always get crazy itchy! Like, for example, the sugar scrub by natural beauty line Simple Sugars. And not only does it make good on its claims, but it’s totally organic and vegan too.
What makes the sugar vegan? It uses raw sugar (like the stuff you get in the brown packet):
The only difference is the crystal size of the vegan sugar is a little larger, so it’s a bit more coarse than the regular formulation. It’s also a little darker in color due to the tan shade of the organic vegan sugar. If you have really sensitive skin, we recommend going with the original formulation which uses the refined sugar ( on purpose!) for its smaller crystal size and lower melting point which makes it a more gentle exfoliant.
Best of all, the scrub comes in five yummy flavors: almond, coconut, chocolate, raspberry, and rose (if foodie scents aren’t your thing). But don’t limit yourself to just one: In the sampler below, you get two scrubs, a facial exfoliant, and a foot treatment in addition to loofahs, microfiber facial cloths, a foot scrubber, and more. Would make a great Valentine’s Day present for sure!
Super Smooth Basket, $68 at SimpleSugars.com.
Spring is a few months away but that hasn’t stopped us from eyeing all the spring/summer collections from our favorite ethical designers. Right now, Canadian designer Nixxi’s body-conscious and yet comfy basics are topping our wishlists.
Layering is an art form in Southern California and these versatile pieces will really come in handy for those extreme temperature swings. We particularly like the ruched leggings ($66) pictured at left with a blousy V-neck top ($96).
And designer Jada-lee Watson designs everything with top-quality eco-fabrics, according to the new collection’s press release:
“My favourite piece this season is the Empire Dress,” says Jada-lee. “We always use great fabrics like organic cotton and woven bamboo voile, but I’m most excited about the linen I’m bringing in from Italy for the dresses. It is beautifully textural.”
To browse more images and shop the brand online, check out Nixxi’s website here.
It may be months before you’ll be sporting that bikini but the sun doesn’t know that. Sticking to your sunscreen regimen throughout winter is important for optimal skin health (not to mention keeping wrinkles at bay for as long as possible). But many sunblocks are weighed down with chemicals that you may wish to avoid.
To help you make the greenest call, we’ve tested a selection of organic and chemical-free sunscreens and present to you our favorites in the following five categories:
We’ve been loyal fans of Gypsy 05’s comfortable wear-anywhere maxi dresses for going on two years, but now we have even more reason to love the brand: Its Los Angeles headquarters has just gone completely solar this month.
In a press release, the company’s CEO explains how Gypsy 05 is taking its commitment to eco-fashion a major step further:
“It’s been our goal to make a mark in the fashion world, without leaving a carbon footprint on the rest of the world,” said Gypsy ‘05 CEO Dotan Shoham. “We feel like we’re living the dream right now.”
Using nature as the inspiration behind each collection, Gypsy ’05 is one of the fastest growing eco-friendly fashion lines on the market today. Garments are created using organic and natural fabrics, organic soy softeners, low impact dyes, and an organic seaweed extract for printing.
“People feel very connected to our clothing, not only because it’s so easy to wear, but because of our efforts to protect the planet,” said Shoham. “Gypsy ’05 is about a lifestyle, and our customers relate to the philosophy behind the brand in addition to loving the look of our clothes.”
Amen to that! If a small business can make this much of an impact, imagine what could happen if bigger brands followed suit.
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