How cool is this?! A whole mall dedicated to restoring and recycling! I would soooo shop here. Man, those Europeans sure know what they’re doing when it comes to sustainable practices. What are your thoughts? Would you shop at this mall?
Read the full story here:
Sweden’s cool new sustainable mall!
In the world of everything polyester, exploring new and unique fabrics may sound scary and daunting to you. However, there are so many new innovations in textiles these days that it’s so exciting to see and learn about! At least for me…but I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to fabric. Oh the possibilities!
Tru’s Essentials Collection is all made out of modal and I realised that many people hadn’t heard of it, so I wanted to give you all a brief intro to some great sustainable fabrics to look out for and to know that there is more out there than just polyester. There are many harmful chemicals used in the production of polyester, including carcinogens, and if emitted to water and air untreated, can cause significant environmental damage. Even within polyester there are sustainable options like polyester made from recycled plastic bottles! Who would have thought? Continue reading Fabric 101
We are very excited to announce our recent collaboration with Ethik Boutique and eco-design hub. Ethik is a Montreal based boutique that sells ethical brands from Canada and abroad. Check them out at https://ethik-bgc.ca/
Ethik is a collective of FEM International (www.feminternational.org), a not-for-profit whose mission is to support women empowerment through social entrepreneurship. Together they organized a successful fundraising fashion show last week in which Tru dawned the runway. Here are some photos that were in Le Huffington Post Quebec
. See the whole article here http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/11/29/soiree-benefice-mode-ethique–bulles-fem-internationa_n_13302942.html
Hellooooo my friends! It’s been awhile I know …I haven’t blogged in quite some time but that is all about to change and I have lots of things I want to write about. I have been working hard to bring our collection to you right in the comfort of your own homes! I am sooooo thrilled to announce the launch of our online store 🙂 Please check it out at www.truvogue.com when you get a moment. We ship throughout North America and if anyone would like to purchase any items internationally please email info@truvogue.com and we will work something out. Also, if you subscribe you will receive 10% off your first purchase!
This first collection is called ‘Essentials’ because it focuses on buildable staple pieces that every wardrobe needs. The fabric is super comfortable and breathable made out of the softest, eco-friendly modal fabric that feels like butter against the skin. All the pieces from this collection were made ethically right here in Toronto, Canada!! So shop local, shop ethical and care for the planet at the same time 🙂
Although this chart has UK facts and figures, it’s a great snapshot on the impact of fast fashion in general. It’s about time we as consumers and brands alike shifted to a more sustainable model.
Continue reading Impact of Fast Fashion
There are a lot of words being thrown around these days such as: ethical fashion, eco-fashion, sustainable fashion. But what does it all mean? It means different things to different people however I think Livia Firth nailed it in her article below when she broaches this subject.
Continue reading How do you define Sustainable and Ethical Fashion??
This is a drool worthy post. I absolutely adore Livia Firth and what she has done to bring awareness to the luxury fashion industry in regards to the environment and labour standards. She started a consultancy company called eco-age which works with brands to build sustainability into their supply chain. Part of that is the Green Carpet Challenge in which she partners with luxury power houses to go above and beyond in the creation of a collection that meets her high standards. I have already posted about the gorgeous Gucci bags made of anti-deforestation leather in the Brazilian Amazon, now here are two more luxury designers that have partnered with the Green Carpet Challenge to create stunning pieces that shows the world that not only is sustainability possible it is crucial to the future of our planet and people.
Since high street stores like Zara and H&M get inspiration from luxury runways, my hope is that if luxury fashion puts sustainability at the forefront of their designs than the high street too will have to follow suit.
First up, as if there wasn’t enough to love about Sergio Rossi! He is embracing sustainability and debuted a capsule collection on Sept 3rd. These GORGEOUS stiletto shoes and bags are made out of the first EVER locally sourced organic silk from a family run mill in Italy and lead free swarovski crystals. Take a look:
also in black!
these are my favourite!…
Other notable sustainable features of these stunning shoes is the use of chrome-free leather finishing from Europe and nickel-free metals.
We move on to the stunning display of British-Turkish designer, Erdem Moralioglu, sustainable collection that launched during London’s Fashion Week this past September at The Wallace Collection. The GCC has strict criteria in which the designers have to comply with which means the 12 designs were made from reused, surplus, or sustainably certified materials. However, that didn’t ruffle his feathers as the designs are all very much in tune with Erdem’s feminine, luxury aesthetic.
As quoted in the Telegraph, “I was inspired by the Wallace Collection,” revealed the designer; “I loved the idea of creating a collection that had a really human hand to it.”
You can see in the pics below that each dress was displayed as a work of art..a canvas to be admired.
Ah Cotton…the beautiful, soft substance that we use in our everyday lives. From our sheets, to our towels, to the clothes we wear day in and day out, its something we just cannot live without. As attractive as it is, what lurks behind in the shadows of cotton production is a not so beautiful picture.
Conventional Cotton
Cotton is highly attractive to insects (eg cutworm, army worm, loopers, aphids, whitefly, spider mite and more). Because this effects crops, cotton has become heavily reliant on pesticides…so heavily reliant that it uses 1/4 of the worlds pesticides and are the most pesticide dependent crops in the world. These chemicals get into the soil and water and in turn destroy the environment and also effect the wildlife that come into contact with it. In addition, farmers health are at risk of pesticide poisoning and serious other health issues.
Here are some facts displayed on the effect of pesticides on human health from the site organicconsumers:
So as you can see conventional cotton has a number of unsustainable factors that need to be addressed.
Organic Cotton
In the U.S., one-third of a pound of chemicals is needed just to grow enough conventional cotton for a regular T-shirt. “Organic cotton is a solution to the problem of chemical use in conventional cotton,” says Lynda Grose of the Sustainable Cotton Project. Grose adds, “The ecological goal is to convert fields from chemical controls to biological controls.”
There is a lot of skepticism around organic cotton because textiles don’t have to be certified in order to be called organic. However there are a few certifications to look out for when purchasing organic cotton to ensure its organic from field to finished product such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Soil Association, and Organic Exchange. Check out the website cottonedon for more detailed information on these certfications.
And we all know about the sweatshops and unfair working conditions of the labourers. These organic certifications have social responsibility and living wages built into their core philosophy and monitoring so it’s not just about the cotton but the people behind the farming and the manufacturing. At least now we have information available to us to make our own informed decisions.
Granted organic cotton is more expensive but we have been brainwashed into thinking that fast and cheap fashion is normal and $5 -$10 for a cotton t-shirt is the going rate, but someone or something else is always paying the price. Organic cotton is about respect for people and planet and is more expensive to produce as it’s much more labour intensive. Cottonedon says “The price of organic includes investments made by farmers who are protecting the environment, maintaining soil fertility, preserving biodiversity and conserving water.”
Below is a chart that lists the major differences between organic cotton and conventional cotton from seed throughout the whole process.
http://www.greencotton.wordpress.com – Sources used for this table include: National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Organic Exchange, Organic Trade Association (OTA), and Harmony Art Organic Designs.
Luxury brands like Gucci, Prada and Dolce and Gabana are not without their own scandals and controversy around sweatshops, the environment and challenging the “Made in Italy” label. However Gucci seems to be on a mission to set things right!!
This ground breaking partnership between Gucci and Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge, Rainforest Alliance and the National Wildlife Federation had sustainably produced the world’s first luxury bags made out of anti-deforestation leather from the Brazilian Amazon!! And how gorgeous they were! With a passport included with the bag detailing complete traceability of the supply chain, these bags are a turning point in promoting a system whereby companies and brands are held accountable for how their products are produced and ensuring it is not done in an unsustainable, environmentally and socially hazardous manner. Jenny Greenwell of Eco-Age points out “The bags have been tanned with environmentally safe vegetable dyes, and the ranches where the cows are brought up and slaughtered for meat are 100% deforestation free.” Thank you Gucci for setting an example for other luxury brands….this goes to show that sustainability is luxurious! This collection was released back in 2013 but I truly hope to see more of this in the future!
See the full article here:
My apologies as this post is very long overdue!! After visiting the Toronto Fair Trade Show a few weeks back, I’ve been very excited to report back on some of the new brands I had discovered there. There were two lines of jewellery in particular that I found had some really nice unique pieces.
The first was from UNIKATI, a beautiful summer piece that caught my eye because of the braided cord and neon yellow coloured glass beads in it which I thought was vibrant for summer! It is accented by hanging brass charms. It goes with so many things! Luckily they have an online store…I’m all about online shopping and these brands are worth bookmarking! You can see it here and read about the artisans behind this piece of jewellery and explore their other pieces. This particular piece was made by low-income women artisans in India, who are improving their lives through their work in a women’s cooperative that pays them a living wage, access to safe working conditions, health care and child care.
Here it is:
http://unikati.ca/products/sun-and-sky-necklace
The second is from a brand called UNA fashion. This line of jewellery focuses on organic and recycled materials and this particular piece I purchased is made out of reclaimed metal from landmines and unexploded ordinance that had been collected by local NGOs in Cambodia. I love their jewellery pieces and especially what they stand for and how they have managed to turn a very negative situation into building lives for artisans. You can view it here:
http://www.unafashion.com/collections/jewelry/products/dagger-necklace
The prices are all reasonable as well!
For those of you looking for awesome fedora hats (men or women) or big summer glam hats for the ladies this is the place for you! Don Juan Hats has great quality hand woven hats from Ecuador made from organic toquilla straw. I particularly liked this big brim hat for the ladies…great for the beach!
and this very cool fedora hat for men or women available in a variety of colours and patterns including classic off-white:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/188006029/japon-lunares-black-fedora-panama-hat?ref=related-6
Until next time folks…happy shopping!
Tru Fashion With a Conscience 