Why fast fashion is slow death for the planet

You now demand roughly four times the number of clothes you would have in 1980. You will spend at least £625 a year on clothes – but remember thats just the average. And you are getting a lot of bang for your buck. In one year youll accumulate in the region of 28kg of clothing – adding up to an estimated 1.72m tonnes of brand-new fashion being consumed on an annual basis in the UK. But the really arresting thing is that almost the same quantity of fashion that you buy will end up being dumped prematurely in the rubbish bin.

via The Observer.

Eco-Friendly Laptop Case Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles

Plaid Doctrine, a company devoted to crafting environmentally-smart and sexy bags manufactured entirely in the USA, has the answer: a chicly crafted briefcase ($449) with outer fabric made from recycled bottles (it’s both water and stain-resistant), and vegetable-tanned leather trim. In a classic houndstooth pattern, the case is ideal for a 17” screen, and measures 12” wide and 4” deep to hold extra folders, notepads, or day planners inside, which is lined with recycled, rip-stop nylon.

via ecofabulous.

American Apparel’s New Nail Polish is Eco-Chic (and Cheap!) : TreeHugger

This could be a “small” problem for those mummies to be who love their pampering…

American Apparel is known for sex-charged ads and made-in-America product, but aside from their locally-made goods, their green side is a little lack-luster. Organic cotton might seem like the obvious way to improve sustainability, but only a few of their products are made with the eco-friendly fabric. Instead, American Apparel is working on going green in their typical quirky way. This month, the company expanded into cosmetics, launching American Apparel Nail Lacquer, a line of 18 high-quality nail colors that are greener than the average polish.

Read more at TreeHugger.

EcoChic At The UN Headquarters In Geneva

Last night, 52 prominent fashion designers from around 40 countries united on the catwalk at the Palais des Nations, headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, for the first time ever. The groundbreaking event was held in order to promote the positive impact that fashion could have on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Over 450 influential figures from government, private sector and non-governmental organizations were inspired to learn of the opportunities that fashion has on protecting biodiversity.

On the catwalk were one-off couture creations by prolific designers such as Diane von Furstenberg, John Rocha, Manish Arora, Bora Aksu and Thakoon. Sustainable labels such as Noir, EDUN and Ciel also featured at the exciting spectacle.

In attendance at the event were international fashion designers Peter Ingwersen (Denmark), Anggy Haif (Cameroon), Sarah Ratty(UK), Evgeni Petkov (Bulgaria) and Magdalana Schaffrim (Germany). Celebrity models on the runway were Kate Dillon, renowned US plus-sized model and MPA in international development and Summer Rayne Oakes, TV presenter and sustainability strategist.

“It was a great success,” said Eduardo Escobedo, Economic Affairs Officer of UNCTAD. “Several governments welcomed this creative display of a longer-term initiative in this important year for biodiversity. The event was a breath of fresh air for the United Nations and served as a tangible way to engage people in the need to protect biodiversity.”

Christina Dean, founder of Green2greener, said “We hope that this event will push the point that sustainable fashion can be both high-end and mainstream, showing to consumers that they can look gorgeous whilst also helping the environment. Our collaboration with the United Nations proves just how important these issues are.”

Sustainable ready-to-wear and couture garments were made from a variety of biodiversity-protecting fabrics such as hemp, bamboo, alpaca, soya, organic cotton and organic silks. Accessories used included necklaces made from the off-cuts of African blackwood clarinets, to recycled industrial waste and sustainably harvested seeds from South America.

The fashion show was presented by Hong Kong charity Green2greener and hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in celebration of the United Nations 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Green2greener’s next 2010 stops include EcoChic Mumbai and EcoChic New York.