Thursday, April 26, 2012

Shopping The Eco-Friendly/Cruelty-Free Way – Buy Recycled, Repurposed or Reclaimed!

If you haven’t been living under a rock over the last few years, chances are you’ve been hearing a lot about going “green”. It’s hard to ignore the message that we need to be more aware of how we are impacting the environment when it comes to what we buy and what we consume. The good news is most people are starting to accept the need to pay closer attention, especially when it comes to food, recycling and limiting our garbage output. But sometimes a girl just needs some retail therapy (i.e. shopping for clothing, accessories and make-up after a stressful day of work) and how does that fit into the picture? To me, going “green” means not only being conscious of my carbon footprint, but also being careful that no animals have been harmed in the making of what I buy. I have to admit, it is not an easy task to shop with both these values in mind, and I when I first started out on this quest, it was a little overwhelming. In fact, being frustrated with my limited options (especially when it came to shoes and handbags) was what led me to co-found my own cruelty-free and eco-friendly boutique, Compassion Couture. But my mission was not in vain because I get to share what I’ve learned over the years when trying to avoid compromising my values, while still enjoying my passion for shopping. Here are some of my top tips when buying eco-friendly and cruelty free:

1. BUY RECYCLED!
By now, we all know we should be recycling and buying recycled or recyclable products as much as possible. But we don’t often think of this in the context of apparel and instead, for most people, this probably conjures up images of recycled paper towels, toilet paper and newspaper. But these days there is no reason to stop there! There are plenty of brands out there that are using repurposed and recycled materials to make shoes, handbags and jewelry. I love that companies are focusing on being creative with garbage and you’d be surprised how beautiful trash can be! Check out these amazing platforms by Hearts of Darkness which have a suede upper made from recycled plastic:


2. BUY REPURPOSED!
Or what about repurposing plastic bags and weaving them into a fabric? sheilaOdessey’s line of handbags and clutches is made from a fabric woven together from strips of discarded plastic bags. These clutches pictured are made from used plastic dry cleaner bags and black bags from a local deli:

3. BUY RECLAIMED!
Of course, this tip wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that Hovey Lee jewelry is one of my favorite brands for gifts not only because their pieces are absolutely stunning but also because of the emphasis they place on sustainability and human rights! Their materials are sourced from fair-trade suppliers and each piece is made from recycled and renewed metals! One of my top picks is the Zipper Bracelet, which is made from a reclaimed brass chain. I’m currently in love with this rocker-chic chunky bracelet!


I hope these tips help you in making some eco-friendly and cruelty-free purchases next time you are out at the store. And remember, there is no way that we can live on this earth without impacting it, but we can respect it by making better choices. Happy shopping!

Tracey
Compassion Couture





Wednesday, April 25, 2012

New Blog Guest, Tracey of Compassion Couture

Tracey is one of the co-founders of the cruelty-free & eco-friendly e-boutique Compassion Couture, which offers an array of hand-picked, stylish shoes, handbags and other accessories. She is passionate about respecting animals and the environment, and is always looking for new ways to incorporate these values into her life.
In addition to running her business, she works full time in Manhattan in commercial real estate finance and has recently moved to Brooklyn, NY.





We are excited to have Tracey share her thoughts with us on how best to shop "green".  Look for her feature to be posted tomorrow. In the meantime get to know more about our guest blogger and her ethical lifestyle here:

Compassion Forward
A blog on cruelty-free and eco-friendly fashion

Compassion Couture Shop
100% Cruelty-Free & Eco-Friendly Boutique

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Earth Day 2012 - Pin to Win Contest

Hovey Lee & Ecouterre are joining forces to bring you a contest in honor of Earth Day, April 22, 2012! We want you to showcase your appreciation for the planet by creating a special pin board for Earth Day. Winner will receive a piece of jewelry by Hovey Lee that is pinned as a favorite on their board. :)

HL Eco Jewelry

How to Enter This contest is only open to residents of the United States.

1)Follow Hovey Lee & Ecouterre through Pinterest
2)Create a board titled 'Earth Day 2012', show us what Earth Day means to you. Include 5 of your favorite pieces by Hovey Lee with hashtag #hoveylee and 5 Ecouterre images with hashtag #ecouterre. Feel free to repin from both Hovey Lee & Ecouterre
3)Email the link of your board to contests@hoveylee.com

Good Luck & Happy Pinning!


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A board will be chosen based on creativity and focus on all things eco-friendly. Our favorite will be revealed on Monday, April 23rd via email and posted on our Facebook page. Be sure you like our page! By submitting your entry we’ll add you to our monthly newsletter (if not already subscribed) filled with exclusive offers and more.

Be In The Know:

-Hovey Lee implements the principles of socially and environmentally responsible business by working with fair trade vendors and metal reclaimers.

-Ecouterre is a website devoted to the future of sustainable fashion design and one of their main goals is to follow the evolution of the apparel industry toward a more environmentally sound future.

-The very first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environment Protection Agency as well as the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts!