Eco-Stylista

With the holidays getting oh-so-close, now’s the time to search out and score the best in Earth-friendly gifts! Luckily, it seems every year there are more and more stores and products that make this hunt easier. So rather than give the standard reusable tote bag – again – how about some hair products for the people on your list? If this sounds good, then check out the line of products featured in The Greenie gift basket at luxury hair product online store, Lock & Mane, full of Green products from Jonathan Antin’s hair product line, Jonathan (and a Lulu Organics Dry Shampoo hair powder, the green-colored Marilyn Brush’s Double S Pro Round, and a shower comb for good measure).And if you like to test drive your products before you gift them, you can enter to win one of 3 Spearmint-scented Jonathan Green Rootine Silkening Cremes I have to give away! Just email me at kelly@eco-stylista.com with your best reason for giving green this holiday season and I’ll pick 3 winners next week. A gift from Eco-Stylista and Lock & Mane, to you. Good luck!

Etsy is full of great pieces from artists all over the world, but the best things on it are the ones that recycle old materials as well. Without using up new resources, Heidi and Seek creates funky and cool clothing, all from quality second-hand items.

For more about Heidi and Seek, check out heidiandseek.com.

One of the most difficult things about buying eco-friendly is coming to terms with the cost… While you may be able to purchase adorable cheap duds just about anywhere you go, you’re not nearly as likely to find the same sort of deals on clothing that is sustainably-created, made with eco-friendly materials, or guaranteed ethically-sound. Thankfully Shopflick.com has just announced their Summer Staple Sale! Starting tomorrow, Shopflick is offering select pieces from 4 designers for as much as 85% off, including some great eco-friendly basics from Sublet Clothing (check out my previous post about their lates Spring 2009 lookbook to refresh your memory) and Zova LA.

Here are a few of the cute pieces you can get your hands on starting tomorrow:

Sublet’s Becca Top will be on sale for $29.99 (down from the original $115)

Sublet’s Belinda Dress will be on sale for $39.99 (down from the original $275)

Sublet’s Beth Dress will be on sale for $39.99 (down from the original $220)

Zova LA’s Boyfriend Mini Dress will be on sale for $39.99 (down from the original $145)

Zova LA’s Bubble Dress will be on sale for $39.99 (down from the original $124)

The Canadian brand Elroy Apparel is yet another one of the growing number of clothing lines out there that shows just how exciting eco-friendly fashion can be. Launched during the Fall 07/08 season by designer Leanne McElroy, it’s all about “sophisticated street wear for a contemporary health conscious woman, who cares not only what she looks like, but what story her clothing carries” (according to the designer bio). Couldn’t have said it better myself!

With only a few choice dresses, shorts, skirts, tops, and jackets currently for sale, all of their pieces are bright and different, edgy and fashionable, yet made from entirely sustainable materials.

Check out a few of my favorite pieces currently available from Elroy Apparel after the jump.

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I recently took on a quest to find the ideal product for instant beachy hair – that loosely touseled, crunchy look you can normally only get from an afternoon spent between a towel in the sun and cooling dips in the ocean nearby – and came upon a resounding winner in the Philip Pelusi P2 BeachComber product.

Not only does this little tub of lightly sweet-smelling balm give even my pin-straight hair some instant volume and wavy texture that lasts all day long, but it’s USDA Certified Organic! It’s made with Organic Cane Juice sugar granules, Shea Butter, Beeswax, Organic Grapefruit, Lemon and Sweet Orange Oils, and has Reishi Mushroom and Wolfberry antioxidants to help protect hair color. Although slightly expensive – $28.95 for a 4 oz. container – you only have to use a tiny bit to see a huge difference so I’m sure a little can go a longgggg way.

Since I’ve only been able to get to the beach once so far this year, I’m already addicted and have been using it every day. Totally worth the splurge for product that will easily last you the whole summer, if not longer.

To find out more about Philip Pelusi 100% Organic beauty products or to buy it, just go to philippelusi.com.

Hi everyone,

For those that know me, you know I’m in a Master’s degree program in Publishing at NYU. And if you know me really well, you know I’m in my final weeks of it and about going insane trying to get my capstone project finished up. If you’re a really, really nice person, or happen to know anyone who may fit the bill and have 5 spare minutes, I would reallllllllllly appreciate it if you’d take my survey (and/or forward it to ANYONE you may know who would be willing to as well) to help me gauge the audience for the project I’m working on. It’s not long at all and every answer or comment is so incredibly helpful!

Take the survey about the potential launch of an eco-friendly fashion and beauty magazine here.

And if you’re really, really interested, I made up a mock cover a little while back of the kind of magazine I’m imagining. Any feedback on it or the concept whatsoever would be awesome! You can check it out on my other blog here.

Thank You Thank You Thank You!

Talk to you all when I’m done and have both a social life and free time (the more to blog with, yay!) again in two weeks!

-Kelly

Using only organic cotton, organic hemp linen, and vegan suede, Lina Rennell’s new Spring/Summer 2009 collection “Big Sur Meets Helsinki” explores the relationship between Mother Nature and her daughter with simple hemlines and flowery, fun prints. “Forming an elegant bohemian look, the collection is rebellious, intelligent and simple.” All her textiles are hand-printed and every piece is ethically crafted in Northern California.

All the material looks light and comfortable, perfect for spring, and has just a hint of Little House on the Prairie feel to it – but not enough to be annoying. Personally, I’m in love with the blouse hand-printed with the deep blue Pacific Water Weave print and that “Big Sur Meets Helsinki” limited-edition necklace shown above!

To learn more about Lina Rennell, check out linerennell.com.

Flipping through the pages of any glossy fashion magazine for the perfect handbag, you’re likely to find many made of leather and plastic and all kinds of things you can dream up which are harmful for the environment, may have resulted from the (brutally painful) death of some innocent cute and furry animals, but are of course oh-so-pretty. Luckily Matt & Nat saw how nasty a trend this was and created their eponymous handbag company which is totally animal-friendly and always made from recycled materials! Each collection is not only 100% vegan but fashion-forward and shows heavy influence from modern art and architecture.

You’d have no idea just looking at it, but these bags are made from recycled plastic bottles. They use them to create new fabrics each season – like canvas, felt, and this time around, a synthetic leather made to mimic ancient Japanese Washi paper that has a natural gentle crinkle to it and light shine.

MORE PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP!

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Edun has just launched their new Spring 2009 Collection for sale online, which the company is titling Origin of Species. Yeah, that’s right. They went there.

I mean, don’t get me wrong. I still love Edun and I still love this line, but really? How cliche.

Anyway, for anyone who doesn’t already know, Edun is a “socially conscious clothing company” which was founded in 2005 by Ali Hewson and Bono. Founded with the purpose of helping build-up 3rd world communities with “trade, not aid,” the company works at a micro-community level to teach and build skill sets to the workers in the fair trade factories in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar – where the clothes are produced using 100% organic cotton.

The latest collection has a great mix of casual basics, splashy graphic tees, and pretty blouses and dress with delicate, unique prints. Like previous collections, every piece is made from eco-friendly materials and lists the country it was created in. Although a $65 t-shirt or a $160 tunic sure ain’t cheap, you have to admire the origins of each piece and what your purchase means for someone out there.

MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP!

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These shoes are just too great to bear.

The new spring collection from Olsenhaus – the 100% vegan shoe line from ethical and eco-friendly designer Elizabeth Olsen – mix bright neon colors, splashes of stray paint, and calm earthy cork and linen. From flats to heels, booties to wedges, there are a few choice pieces of just about every possible combination. And my spring-craving heart wants almost every one of them!

MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP!

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