Cruelty Free Friday: New Directions In Vegan Style

Collina Strada 'Sierra Bag' made exclusively for Kaight NYC

There were some exciting developments in vegan style and animal friendly accessorizing this past week. Kaight NYC has officially announced their latest collaboration with Collina Strada. The new 'Sierra Bag' (pictured above) is made from recycled canvas and this luxe purple vegan leather. Made in NYC. How gorgeous can you get?

Elvis & Kresse 'Box Bag' exquisitely crafted out of recycled fire hose

Jennifer Barckley of Organic Girly reports that "the story with Elvis & Kresse began in 2005 when Kresse Wesling, a Canadian-turned-British waste junkie met the London Fire Brigade. Kresse immediately fell in love with the dirty, decommissioned fire hoses that had actively served thousands of people, and she recognized a big problem. “Fire hose has a double walled nitrile rubber jacket.  Inside there is a nylon, fibrous core.  Because of this core, you can’t shred it; you can’t melt it down; and you can’t make new hose,” Wesling fervently describes. “It just goes to landfill, and it just goes to waste.”  And so she began, along with her partner Elvis, transforming the fire hose into luxe craftsmanship. Other rescued materials the design duo re-fashions include waste coffee sacks, tea sacks, scrap sail cloth, parachute silk and used air traffic control flight strips."

A selection of Elvis & Kresse lifestyle accessories are currently available in the U.S. and Canada on the luxe design site, Fab.com thru Saturday, July 30^th at 11 am EST.

You can follow Jennifer Barckley @OR_GANIC on Twitter 

Free People's pleated vegan leather skirt

The lovely Kestrel Jenkins of Ecouterre reported on Free People's new vegan leather collection earlier this week. This faux leather design is so timeless and versatile. A great investment piece for fashion and animal lovers everywhere.

Vegan designs just keeps getting better. Humane and waste-free.

This is the future of fashion. This is what real women want and demand.

Fashionably Guilt-Free 4 Fair Trade Month

Kestrel Jenkins in Bodkin and her own organic heirloom finds

Guest post by Kestrel Jenkins of Make Fashion Fair

We hear it every day now, in the midst of the harsh economic times: “Buy this affordable garment! It’s cheap, so you don’t have to feel bad when you put it in your shopping bag! It’s inexpensive! Don’t worry, because it’s GUILT-FREE FASHION!”

People Tree's fair trade pioneering style

I guess the frustration I have with this marketing strategy for fast fashion relates to what the meaning of guilt actually is. Who defines what “guilt-free” should be, and why does guilt have to correspond with dollars and cents? What about moral or ethical guilt? Which should outweigh the other when fashion is involved?

Should the producer be considered in the guilt-free shopping formula, or is it solely the consumer’s wellbeing and financial conscience that matter?

The Andean Collection's artisans and fair trade designs

As author of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles Kate Fletcher puts it, “Fast isn’t free – someone, somewhere is paying.” And most likely, in these situations, the environment is paying its damaging fees as well. It seems that a fundamental disconnect has developed between the producers of beautiful garments, and our awareness as consumers.

October is FAIR TRADE MONTH, a time to celebrate our fabulous farmers and growers and producers, whether they are cultivating, sewing, weaving, or crafting somewhere around the world, or in our own necks of the woods.

Kestrel Jenkins in People Tree, The Andean Collection, and her own home made and recycled finds

For me, Fair Trade and ethical fashion are ways to reduce the “guilty” impact of my garment purchases. In honor of FAIR TRADE MONTH, let's remember the impact Fair Trade and Ethical Business can have on fellow friends and eclectic environments around the globe, and utilize our purchasing power as consumers to redefine “guilt-free fashion”.

Kuyichi organic denim and fair trade fashions

If you are interested in learning more about FAIR TRADE and/or ETHICAL FASHION and their meanings, check out Global Action Through Fashion's Research Guide, which also outlines a listing of ethical brands and designers available in today's market.

Want to style yourself ethically? Get inspiration from MAKE FASHION FAIR