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Seeing Green
by Dawn
March makes me think of St. Patrick’s Day and the beginning of spring which in turn makes me think of all things green. The shade of green I am thinking of here is environmentally friendly. At this time last year, I didn’t know anything about green designers. That all changed in October, first I attended a La Rousse Happy Hour in which the owners of the Portland based company, Sameunderneath, were present and then I followed that up by attending Seattle Green Fashion Week. I was pleasantly surprised by what existed in the fashion world that was also friendly to the environment. There were more colors that I was expecting and the styles were varied and exciting. I am now a green convert.
What does it mean to be green?
I started out wondering this myself. From what I have found, it can mean different things to different people. For some designers it is about using sustainable products such as bamboo and hemp. Others are concerned about the production aspect and not wanting to produce pollutants. And then others make sure that the production and procurement is done via “fairly traded” partners. One thing I have learned is that there is no clear cut answer as to what it means to be "green".
Who are the designers?
The Pacific Northwest is filled with many great green designers. Many of these designers will be at the NW Women’s Show March 28-30 at the Qwest Event Center. Stop by the UFN booth that will be host to the following designers: Xenia Callahan, Marlo Miyashiro, Kaytlyn Sanders, Emily Katz, Kim Long, Lyn Faas, Tara Smith, Karen Fabiano, Louise Wackerman, Sawatou Mouratidou, Ed Fernandez & Brian Jones, Jen Loewen, Emily Baker, Mary Edwards, Shannin Strom, Lori Cooper, Erin Macleod and Diane Norris. This will be the first year at the NW Women’s Show to have a green exhibit area. In addition to these great designers I am also a big fan of Portland Based Sameunderneath and Texas based Abi Ferrin. I am positive there are several more but this list will give you a good start of some designers to check out.
Where to purchase?
Now that we know what to be on the lookout for, the question that remains is where to I find green fashion. A good place is to check out the above designers websites. If you are like me and are not sure where to start, Juniper in Madrona carries many sustainable lines. Another good way is to search the web. Type in Green Fashion, Eco Friendly Fashion, or Sustainable Fashion and you will get more results than you know what to do with.
I definitely found this article to be an educational experience for myself. Check out Tarah and my blog around the first of April to see a review of the NW Women’s Show. Or view our blogs and leave comments about any great designers or shops that you know of that were left out of this article that is “Seeing Green.” Until next time, Happy Shopping! |
