Jonano

The Essentials
Pittsburgh is the invigorating home of Jonäno, a company that excels at both sides of the eco-fashion duality.  Designer Bonnie Siefers cites Scandinavian Modern as the primary design influence, and the body-conscious clothing reflects that minimalist aesthetic.  The concept of 'organic essentialism' underpins the Jonano design sensibility; an advocate of slow fashion that highlights classic styling and quality construction as essential to sustainable design.  Truly a collection for all (and for all times), Jonäno’s offerings range from dancewear, spa luxuries and resortwear, yoga essentials to casual basics, delightful dresses and even baby clothing.

Ethic-Chic
Jonäno eco-fabric collections like ecoKashmere, eColorgrown and Maïsseare are made from sustainable crops, including organic bamboo, pima organic cotton, peace silk, flax, corn and hemp.  Colored garments are finished with low-impact dyes, lessening toxic run-off into water supplies.  Additionally, Jonäno adheres to Fair Trade practices, and maintains business relationships solely with other companies that do the same.  Jonäno supports breast cancer research through donating 10% of sales from a line of scarves Limited Edition Designs including their Peace Silk Linen Scarf from 2009.

Nature 89

The Essentials
Stay fresh with Nature89’s casual line of sporty basics for men and women all in 100% organic cotton.  Short-sleeved hoodies, straight mini-skirts, hip-hugging capris, and curve-hugging polos look sharp, not sloppy, and the laid-back color scheme is somewhere between preppy and surfer girl.  The men’s line features similar athletic touches, and flattering fits.  The best part—the organic cotton used is buttery soft.

Ethic-Chic
Nature 89 only uses 100% unblended organic cotton and eco-friendly, water-based dyes.  Garments are made according to fair trade working conditions, and one-percent of sales go to environmental organizations as part of 1% For the Planet .

Nomads Hemp Wear

The Essentials
From their true nomad beginnings making and selling clothes out of a little van, Nomads Hemp Wear has grown into a clothing company based in Nelson, BC. Nomads’ style can best be described as funk-tional fashion with a twist. Their colorful basics range from salsa skirts to yogi tops, from grunge pants to cozy underwear. Some of the pieces are adorned with embroidery, others with prints. All made of the most comfy yet tough natural fiber on the planet: hemp.

Ethic-Chic
Hemp is resistant to insects and diseases and therefore one of the healthiest crops on the planet. The high fiber content and extreme durability make it the ultimate eco material for fashion. Apart from hemp, Nomads uses organic cotton/soy blends and recycled polyester. All clothing is fairly traded and vegan friendly.

Restore Clothing

The Essentials:
Extra-ordinary fabrics.  Timeless Silhouettes. Clothing cut and manufactured for lifestyles that crossover Fitness & Fashion, Yoga & Spa, Work Out & Out after Work.  From Plank Pose to a Plank cooked salmon dinner in clothes that fit.

Ethic-Chic:
R.E.S.T.O.R.E an acronym for: Responsible, Earth friendly, Sustainable, Technological, Organic, Recycled, Ergonomic.  All clothing fits in to one or more of the categories down to the last details including Ideal Earth zippers and biodegradable packaging.  Donating 1% of Sales to 1% for the planet, Green America Approved, Made in USA  Made in NYC from North American textiles.

BOA

The Essentials:
Founded by mother and daughter Cristina and Sara, the BOA label offers pure organic and natural products, with simple and versatile styles that can be worn easily by women regardless of their age or their daily activities.

All the BOA designs are a unique and fresh blend of casual style, effortless elegance and comfort with modern ethnic chic inspired style.

The BOA collection draws inspiration from beautiful and colorful Morocco and the African continent - where all BOA designs are created and produced - with a strong influence from Cristina and Sara's Italian heritage.

Ethic-Chic:
The BOA label is made using only 100% Organic Cotton, Natural or vegan fabrics.  Green packaging is used, and they partner with local craftspeople, farmers, and artists to produce outstanding products. Every piece in the line is lovingly made.

BOA is a family-run business. BOA practice ethical business at every step of the process.  BOA adheres to the highest standards of international fair labour.

OOM

The Essentials
OÖM Ethikwear is a label that makes ethical urban fashion effortlessly cool.The collection is infused with funky slogan T’s for the boys and flirty backless tops for the girls. Reversible boob tubes also take centre stage, as do sleeveless hooded tanks. Then there’s the limited edition ‘Green Button’ range, exclusive to BeBe OÖM. These cute pieces are made from organic cotton and are completely fair trade, so even your little darlings can be worldly wise and environmentally friendly.

Ethic-Chic
OÖM Ethickwear is made from SKAL certified organic cotton and manufactured entirely in Quebec by a number of socially dedicated organizations.  What’s more, Pascale and Pascal (the two heads behind the OÖM label) ensure 2% of all sales are redistributed to a selection of charities close to their hearts.

Machja

The Essentials
Sexy jeans that become darker with every wash and soft-as-cashmere knitwear made from milk fibers? Sounds outrageous, but that’s exactly what you’ll find at Machja, the Corsican brand created by Indo-Vietnamese Catherine Soundirarassou and Corsican Jean Louis Rossi. Casual chic basics for women, men and babies include jeans, jackets, shirts, dresses and underwear in neutral tones and delicious fabrics.

Ethic-Chic
Machja uses only certified (Eco-cert, Skal and IMO) organic cotton and milk fibers, which have recently been awarded the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for ecologic textiles. Sweatshirts and t-shirts are made in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India in a workshop run by Franciscan nuns, that employs 120 disabled young women. The jeans are sewn and assembled in a Tunisian factory awaiting Max Havelaar certification.

Untouched World

The Essentials
New Zealand may be halfway round the world from most major fashion capitals, but it is the home of premiere ethical luxury brand Untouched World.  Inspired by the New Zealand lifestyle, combining modern luxury with all-season practicality makes it seem like the Kiwis might just be ahead of the fashion curve.  Utilizing classic fabrics like organic merino wool with out-of-the-box components like possum hair, the company creates timeless pieces for active and posh, men and women.  Former President Bill Clinton, actress Felicity Huffman, and television presenter Phil Keoghan all enjoy Untouched World’s tasteful threads.

Ethic-Chic
The first fashion company to be recognized by the United Nations for sustainability, Untouched World sources organic merino wool and cotton, and pioneered what is called eco-fur — made from bushy tailed possum, a non-native pest that is damaging the ecosystem and biodiversity of New Zealand.  Most clothing is made in New Zealand, with manufacturers in China and Portugal closely monitored for ethical working conditions.  The company seeks to create transparency in practices and reduce waste in materials, transportation, energy, and packaging.  The Untouched World Charitable Trust provides youth leadership programs in New Zealand.

TranquiliT

The Essentials
Downward dog to running errands to dinner with friends.  The wardrobe changes required for an active life can be daunting.  Founded by an on-the-go yoga instructor, Kimberly Wilson, TraquiliT’s soft, pliable line was designed with the bendy set in mind, but the simple, functional styles will suit those who never set foot on a yoga mat.  Versatility is the name of the game with offerings like body conscious hoodies, wrap cardigans, palazzo pants, arm warmers, and 10-in-one wrap dresses that you’d actually want to wear all 10 ways.

Ethic-Chic
TranquiliT strives to practice the yogic principle of ahimsa, or non-violence by using bamboo and organic cotton, sweatshop-free sewing facilities in the USA, donating portions of profits to the Tranquil Space foundation, planting a tree for every shipment to offset the carbon output, and utilizing minimal packaging and recycled materials whenever possible.

Prancing Leopard

The Essentials
PRANCING LEOPARD ORGANICS is a sustainable, multidimensional and philanthropic apparel company dedicated to eco-conscious living.  With fashion-forward styles inspired by Yoga, Pilates, Dance and Fitness as well as luxury organic cotton fabrics, Prancing Leopard Organics represents the ultimate in exclusive apparel for fitness and leisure.

Ethic-Chic
To benefit both the wearer and the world, Prancing Leopard choses organic fabrics.  Their goal has been to find the most beautiful fabrics, combining natural organic fibers with comfort and performance.  Prancing Leopard apparel is made with sustainable fibers to support organic farmers and sustainable farming practices.

Aventura Clothing

The Essentials: 
Aventura Clothing is designed by women for women. The look is great all American separates and basics in wearable shades and fun patterns. Mix and match the skirts, shorts, t-shirts and shirts for an easy wardrobe. Don’t miss the bathing suits and bikinis made from recycled polyester.

Ethic Chic:
Officially launched in 2006, Aventura Clothing’s eco roots were planted more than 7 years ago in 2002, when we became a founding member of the Organic Exchange and attended its first meeting on a dry-land organic cotton farm in Lubbock, TX. Organic Cotton was the star of our first season – debuting in fashionable styles and colors rarely offered before as organics. Since then, we’ve added hemp, bamboo, soy, and recycled polyesters to our mix. Currently over 90% of the fabrics in our line are produced from lower impact options with a high percentage of renewable, recycled and/or organic fibers.

Armed Angels

The Essentials
Armed Angels began in Cologne, Germany as a means of linking temporary street fashion with a sustainable lifestyle.  Local street artists lent the graphics, and Armed Angels provided the organic t-shirts.  Today the company has a decidedly populist reach.  Customers are encouraged to vote on everything—from potential new designs to the choice of models.  The vibe is cheeky and brash as Armed Angels enjoin you not just to don their modish tees, but to join their social revolution.

Ethic-Chic
Armed Angels offers a three-pronged philosophy.  Reduce impact by using organic cotton and low impact shipping.  Incorporate Fairtrade practices from the harvesting to manufacturing.  And include a give-back component to a program called Pratham that trains women in India to be teachers and provides school materials for them to educate local children.

Lav & Kush

The Essentials
For those of you who want to polish up on your Hindu mythology, Lav&Kush are the royal twins born to lord Ram and their earth mother Sita. They are raised in the forest, become the protectors of the woods and represent music, beauty, and strength. Those qualities are also found in the clothing line Lav&Kush, which could be just perfect for those of you more interested on polishing up your flirting skills. Lush materials and feminine urban styling are the trademarks of this Canadian collection.

Ethic-Chic
Lav&Kush garments are mostly made from organic cotton and sustainable fabrics such as bamboo and soy. All clothes are manufactured in Canada. A percentage of their sales goes to PETA, Imagine 1 Day and the BC SPCA .

Sweet Skins

The Essentials:
In 2004, eco-fashion pioneer Mira Fannin started Sweet Skins Clothing in her garage in Eugene Oregon. With designs that are accessible and wearable by women of all shapes, sizes and color, the label has been picked up by green boutiques all across North America. The driving force behind Mira’s work remains an uncompromising commitment to social responsibility.  She explains, “We want to be a role model for future companies and for young people from diverse backgrounds.”

Ethic-Chic:
Sweet Skins, a minority woman owned organic clothing line, was started 5 years ago at the Saturday Market in Eugene and has grown into a business that is both ecologically sound and ethically run, using the latest and greatest in ecologically sound fibers and conscious clothing manufacturing; like eco-fleece, hemp, organic cottons and wool. Sweet Skins is committed to maintaining strong roots to the community, health of the planet and to pave the road for a more conscious business model.

Ailin

The Essentials
Ailin (pronounced eye-lean) is synonymous with spirited clothing for dynamic women. Founder and sports fan Erin Bell progressively blends fashion with functionality in her elegant designs, inspired by Asian culture. In between climbing mountains and catching waves, Bell creates her stylish outerwear apparel with high technical performance. From sexy swimwear to Samurai jackets, from fleece tops to pleated ski pants, Ailin offers female climbers, surfers, skiers, riders, runners, yogis and explorers a wide range of high quality sports fashion.

Ethic-Chic
Ailin translates to ‘compassion for nature’ in Chinese; this is Bell’s guideline for her business practices. Ailin is dedicated to the ongoing development of sustainability and living with intention. This includes the integration of eco-friendly fabrics in manufacturing, packaging, distribution and consumer end-use. With an office New York City, Ailin produces all clothes in Canada.