Eco Beauty Brands for the Modern Fashionista
Happy Friday Eco lovers! Fridays are a special time for the C.Marchuska family, as it's not only one more day until the weekend, it's also a time for guest bloggers to shout their praises and opinions about their fav eco friendly and sustainable products. Here's Laura Autumn Floyd bringing you the latest in eco friendly makeup (didn't know it existed did ya? read on!;):
For all of the fashionistas out there who have spruced up their closet by embracing eco-friendly fashions, why not go the extra mile and green up your makeup bag? Below are 4 Eco Friendly Brands that I think are worth looking at.
1. Josie Maran Cosmetics:
The creation of former model Josie Maran, comes a brand that brings you luxury and eco-conscious makeup.
Packaging: Josie Maran Cosmetics are packaged in recyclable glass, aluminum, paper and plastic; several of their products use biodegradeable materials also. “30% of the outer carbon packaging” is made from post consumer waste.
Natural Materials:Maran's “miracle” ingredient is 100% Argan Oil which originates from Morocco and is extracted from the oil of kernels from an Argan tree. Argan Oil is a multipurpose product that you can use on hair, face, nails, body. It's unique because one can only retrieve it from a certain place in Morocco. A cooperative program with the women of southwest Morroco was set up so the sale of the Argan Oil they obtain helps their families and communities.
Availability: Sephora and www.josiemarancosmetics.com
2. Korres:
Originally a pharmacy chain pharmacy in Greece, that is now an international brand.
Packaging: Korres’ Eco-conscious policy ensures that all of its packaging is recyclable. The brand works to reduce their carbon footprint by optimizing production so that materials needed are minimal, use steam generated heat rather than electrical, and any herbs or plants they use are guaranteed pesticide free.
Natural Materials: Mineral oil or silicones (they are not biodegradable), as well as other materials that are harmful to the body and to nature, are not incorporated into their products. Ingredients such as olive oil, rosemary, argan oil, thyme, and aloe vera (to name a few) are in abundance.
Availability: Sephora and www.korresusa.com
3. Tarte Cosmetics:
This brand is described as “high powered natural” cosmetics mixed with glamour
Packaging: Customers can participate in their recycling program where anyone can send finished or empty bottles/ pans back and they will give you 15% off your next purchase (this applies to several specific products but not all). Products use post consumer recyclables, biodegradable material, or they are refillable.
Natural Materials: Tarte's star ingredients include a “t5 super fruit complex™ “(acai, goji, maracuja, acerola and pomegranate) and clay from the Amazon River that is “sun baked” and then milled down and put into in several of their powders and concealing products. They also stay way from including harsh chemicals in their ingredients.
Availability: Sephora and www.tartecosmetics.com
4. Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup: 
This is the brand that not only covers, but treats and protects your skin all while being eco-friendly.
Natural Materials:
In addition to the absence of harmful chemicals, Jane Iredale products can provide as much as SPF 30 sun protection, and Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide ingredients to aid in anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This company is a cruelty-free (no animal testing!) brand, and they have products that are vegan-friendly.
Availability: Find locations in your city http://www.janeiredale.com/wheretobuy.html
Of course there are many other eco-friendly makeup brands besides these four, I just happened to like these brands. Visit my beauty blog at: laflol.tumblr.com
How’s My White Tee Bad? Demystifying Eco Fashion
I have an addiction to a great sale. And not just any wimpy "buy one get one 2% off" type deal, but a sale so good you feel like you're stealing from the establishment (just kidding..sort of:D). So this itching for some good ol' saving inspired another passion...thrift shopping.
Now thrifting serves two distinct and lovely purposes in this fashionista's life 1) I save big bucks...ever know what it feels like to walk out of store with 5 great staple clothing pieces for under 40 dinero? probably not..get like me!:) and 2) thrift shopping allows me to find distinct pieces that are timeworn and well made, but still affordable.
Thrifting should make anybody this excited:D photo courtesy of blog.timesunion.com
Photo courtesy of 20something.ca
With those two things in mind, I scour racks of Salvation Army, Goodwill, Beacons Closet (insert any standard thrift shop name), searching for that next stylish blazer, blouse, or vest that will amp my wardrobe. But, in the midst of my budget loving frenzy, I was completely unaware I was becoming apart of a movement, a change in an industry so large, not one person on this planet can avoid interaction with it (unless you're a nudist, and if so good looks on great body image confidence:D lol). I am apart of a movement to completely change the apparel industry, by supporting eco fashion and sustainable consumption. Funny how it all started with a slick vest at a thrift shop.
So I know you're thinking "whooa whooa hold up Christina Blacken, what exactly is wrong with my white tee, yup with my white tee? And what's this funny buzz word 'eco fashion'? Also, how is thrift shopping all eco and such?" Well I'm glad you asked! Read on my lost cyber friend read on:..
Have you ever wondered, if a shirt could talk, what stories would it tell? If my shirts talked to me (glad they don't, that's certifiable wacko but you get me?) they would enlighten me on where they grew, whose hands stitched them, and how they ended up in a retail shop down my block. But since shirts shouldn't be talking to ya, consumers are left very disconnected and in the dark about how their clothes are made and what impact those clothes are having on the future of this earth.
Sounds heavy I know, but the effects of the current structure of the apparel industry are detrimental at best, devastating at worst. The C. Marchuska team is spreading the message of the environmental, economical, and social importance of eco fashion through this blog, and will feature a Monday blog spot giving an insider's look at the apparel industry, where your clothes come from and their impacts, and how eco fashion is leading a necessary change in consumption. With 6 billion people each rocking some type of frock, clothes aren't fickle baby, they're crucial and affecting us in ways unbeknown to the public.
Keep your eye's peeled for next Monday's rundown on what major impacts are occurring from the fashion industry. In the meantime I leave you with a quick vid to get your feet wet..educational and all:D
http://www.bbc.co.uk/thread/blood-sweat-tshirts/
til we cyberbond again,
stay fly
-CBlack
Weekly Eco Fashion Wrap Up October 8th, 2010
Before we kick off our fabulous week in review, by new eco chic CMar blogger, Krystal Williams, we thought we would finally announce the Winner of our London Chic Vocab Contest! Lucky for us, we have a resident fashion forward Brit, Ajay Nayyar, on board at c. marchuska. Ajay looked through all of your awesome response, but quickly assured us that we Americans actually call the accessory in debate the same word used by our English brethren....yup that is right ladies and gents....Brits actually call scarves the same thing we, bold and sometimes brash, Americans call them....scarves! Somewhat a bit of a trick contest question, but still we think it stirred up some interesting debates on London fashion vocab 
Now, for the real moment we have all been waiting for.....drum roll please!!!!! The winner of one NYC made, super soft, super sexy and totally eco c. marchuska hunter scarf is.....Derek Sanderoff! Congratulations Derek and thank you for participating and of course, thank you for your support! Alright, let me hand it over to Krystal...
Greetings, Fashion People! It’s Krystal with the Week in Review. Things have been heating up this week in the Ecosphere. Check out our fav picks of the week!
"Q&A with new CMar blogger, Angel Lenise"
Here's an excerpt from the post - check it out here and stay tuned for future CMar blogger interviews including an upcoming Q&A with yours truly "Well it has been a little over six months since we started our new social media campaign and we have some new exciting changes as well as new additions to our team! So for the next three Wednesday posts we will be featuring our fabulous new team members and why they are passionate about fashion and the environment. Today we are kicking it off with Angel Lenise. We met Angel through a casting call for our latest web spot featuring some of our favorite c. marchuska dresses."
“Eco-Fashion: Going Green”
Photo courtesy of the The Shoe Dish blog www.theshoedish.com
From May 26-Nov 13, the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology will be showcasing ecofashion of today and yesterday. Ecofashion is often linked to the environmentalist movement and the hippie culture of the 1960’s, but rarely are fashionably eco-friendly styles before the mid-twentieth century discussed. This exhibition explores the ways in which the value of clothing has transformed in the past 200 years, putting into historical context of today’s eco-fashion movement.
For more info about this exhibition check out FIT’s website at www.fitnyc.edu.
Issey Miyake’s 132 5 Eco-Friendly Collection
The buzz on eco-fashion has been on high recently in the fashion world, but revolutionary Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake has taken things to a whole new level with the release of his innovative, origami inspired 132 5 Collection. What is the story behind the name you ask? One piece of clothe with a three dimensional shape that folds into a two dimensional shape. The space equates to the time that it takes from completion of the garment to the moment when someone puts it on and the five is equivalent to the number of permutations for each piece. Here at CMar this all adds up to 100 percent eco-fantastic!
Photo courtesy of evon-.blogspot.com
Some things I’d like to highlight before I let everyone get back to their fabulous weekends:
Eco Lover and Project Runway contestant Gretchen Jones is having a giveaway for a Pearl Crescent blouse. According to the EcoSalon website, “Her Pearl Crescent blouse is made from low impact, hand dyed, locally sourced silk and is versatile enough to wear with pencil skirts and heels or torn jeans and sneakers.” Go here for a chance to enter to win the blouse.
Photo Credit: www.ecosalon.com
Vancouver wrapped up its first bi-annual Eco-Fashion Week last week. Check out photos and a wrap up of the earth friendly fare here.
Photo Credit: Vancouver is Awesome (Blog)
Alright everyone - that's it for this week! Thank you for reading and if you like what you see - please feel free to tweet, share and comment!
xoxo,
Krystal, CMar & Ajay
Weekly Eco Fashion Wrap Up-Sept. 30th
Nothing like an eco fashion wrap up to start the weekend off right! Here's what's been happening in the world of sustainable fashion this week:
Blogosphere>>
Prince Charles, an avid supporter of conscious consumption and eco clothing, recently sat down with UK Vouge to discuss his ideas about sustainable fashion. Vintage materials and up-cycling (restructuring old clothing into new items) are a few of his fav ways of keeping a stylish, yet earth friendly wardrobe. I say cheers to that Prince Charles! You can catch the full story over at Ecorazzi.
>>Speaking of the U.K., C. Marchuska has traveled to the other side of the pond to offer all our British bound eco lovers a chance to catch the fall collection in London's Soho store, Sherry's. Go check out the online store. Sustainable never looked so international:D
London's Fashion Week>> Estethica, London's premier sustainable fashion showcase, was the backdrop for many aspiring and cutting edge sustainable designers. One of the strongest eco fashion shows in the world, designers pulled out all stops, displaying the avant guard to the demure. Check out Ecouterre's inside scoop on this amazing fashion show.
Events>> Since we are keeping this week's wrap up global, our friends over in the Netherlands are kicking off October in Tillburg during Textile Weekend. There will be enough exhbitions, lectures, and clothing swaps for any eco fashion fanatic.
Oct. 1st marks the last day to register for the annual Ethical Fashion Source Expo, which brings together the movers and shakers of ethical fashion. With so many designers, buyers, suppliers, and lovers of eco fashion in tow, this event is NOT to be missed!
That's all folks..
until next week
stay fly:D
-Cblacken
Weekly Eco Fashion Wrap up-Sept. 10th
Hello eco world, it's Christina Blacken bringing another fantastic weekly eco fashion wrap up. As we come down from our labor day highs, one of the best seasons for fashion is quickly approaching> fall. But, don't abandon those summer frocks just yet you summer sunshine lovers. With a little creativity, and a few fall essentials, you will be well on your way to a flyer-autumn-sexy you:
Work dem shorts and skirts!
A wise-one once tried to convince me shorts for fall are a definite no no. What's wayyy more wise than listening to wise ones? Pairing those summer shorts with patterned, colored, or black tights for a touch of fall sophistication. Sublet Clothing got it right on the head with these cute and fall ready shorts and skirts>
From Summer to Blazers
Summer dresses don't cover much for a reason (it's hot!), but that doesn't mean they should be shunned to the back of your closet come autumn. Dresses become whole new treasures with funky blazers and chunky sweaters. Imagine C. Marchuska's Monika dress draped in an eye catching blazer or a multi colored sweater. You can't go wrong with this quick and eye catching combo!
EVENTS: Fashion week has arrived! For the eco concious consumer, Fashion Week's Green Shows will provide the luxe stage for up and coming sustainable designers such as edgy Ashton Michael and Milliner's Guild, a company dedicated to the steady flow of raw materials and fashionable headresses. Definitely plan on attending one of these Green fashion shows September 12-14th and get a glimpse of how fashion can and should be glamourous yet sustainable!
Fashion Night Out: Ever wished your favorite stores wouldn't shut up shop so early? Those wishes have been answered in the form of Fashion Night Out, an annual night when stores transform into evening event venues with designer and celeb sightings, contests, DJs, champagne and of course, late night shopping. Treehugger has greatfully compiled a list of 10 green Fashion Night Out events occuring around the city that are must-go-tos. No excuses, go and get your sustainable shop on tonight. Maybe you will even spot your fav entertainer or designer on the way.
CMar News: What is fall without some great discounts? Stay tuned for great deals on all your favorite C Marchuska items, including the chic Christine dress.
Enjoy your weekends, til we meet again..stay fly:D
-Christina B
Weekly Eco-Fashion Update Aug 29th
Happy weekend everyone! Here's our weekly update:
Blogosphere: Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame (when is that new movie coming out?!) has partnered with the Fair Trade fashion brand, People Tree, to bring us the winter collection, now on sale! The 20 year-old was curious about how the eco-friendly clothing line is made, so she took a trip to the rural towns of Dhaka and Bajshahi in July to visit Swallows, the Fair Trade production firm. Watch this video to see what she experienced!
Also check out the collection via OK Magazine - it's pretty cute! 
Another celebrity getting involved with eco-fashion is Chrissie Hynde, who is the frontwoman of the band, The Pretenders. The company is called Fairground Luck and will contain no animal skins and all products will be made in an eco-friendly fashion. While the high-end is targeted towards musicians, almost anything could be worn by anyone since the collection includes stylish t-shirts, skinny jeans, faux leather jackets and cowboy boots. All in all, it should be a rocker-chic look! Read more about it here.
Want to make an impact easily? Wiloh, a green fashion line of hip t-shirts (each designed by an up-and-coming artist from around the world, dyed with water-based inks and made with bamboo fabric) has a philanthropic twist too. Like TOMS Shoes' One for One campaign, for every limited edition t-shirt sold, Wiloh will donate a t-shirt to a child in need through their charity, called "Tee for Tee" and a collaboration with Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) All men's and women's shirts retail for $38 and are available online at Wiloh.
"The Heist" by Tokyo Candies
"Melody D" by Puloverchito
Lastly, have you ever been curious about what the heck it means to be sustainable? Reuters (with content provided by Matter Network) recently published a pretty comprehensive article about the sustainable supply network, describing each and every step of the manufacturing process that can be made more sustainable. Go read it!
ok, have a great rest of the weekend
Weekly Eco-Fashion Wrap-Up – Aug 21st
Hi all! Happy weekend!
It's time for the weekly eco-fashion wrap-up!
c. marchuska: We've been featured! TreeHugger has listed c. marchuska as one of the top 5 green fashion designers favored by the 'Great American Apparel Diet' Founder hooray!
Also, we've been featured over on CasterineCouture! Go read it to find out about what it's like Inside the House of CMar.
Lastly - our favorite celeb blogger, Tia Walker, wore the monika dress to the Quintessentially and the Couture Council's annual Summer Party. Thanks Tia! you look awesome!
Blogosphere: There was a great article in the NYTimes this week about zero-waste design and how it's the new trend. Apparel industry professionals say that about 15-20 % of the fabric used to produce clothing winds up in the nation's landfills because it's cheaper to dump the scraps than to recycle them. But now there's a small but impassioned group of designers who are taking the scraps and creating garment patterns with gussets, pockets, collars and trim that fit together like a puzzle. It's not easy, but Parsons the New School for Design will offer the world's first fashion courses in zero waste. Pretty cool!
Great things are happening in NYC! This past monday, Mayor Bloomberg signed into law a new program that will try to reduce the amount of clothes dumped into landfills by posting clothing-recycling bins around the city in an effort to re-route the clothes from the trash to thrift stores. An initial 50 bins will be placed in public places, but the eventual goal is to have the majority of bins located in the basement and/or laundry rooms of apartment buildings. Personally, I've always wished that there was an easy way to recycle my clothes! I have been lugging bags of clothes up to Goodwill every year, but it sure would be awesome if I could just recycle it in my very own apartment building!
Fashion week is coming up in a couple of weeks! This means that we'll also be looking forward to the third season of the GreenShows! As the only premiere fashion event exclusively committed to eco-friendly, ethically sound, fair-trade fashion, this 3-day event will showcase some of our favorite designers, including Joann Berman and Samantha Pleet!
joann berman
joann berman
This week's reading also included an article about a great eco-fashion business supporting women of domestic violence. The Annie O. Boutique accessory collection was founded by Annie O. Waterman, who was inspired by vibrant Peruvian textiles and the desire to bring work to female cooperatives in South America. The boutique works with 80 women who are victims of domestic violence and/or living in impoverishment to help them attain financial independence by applying their skills in handcrafts to create beautiful hand-embroidered handbags, belts, scarves and more.
ok all - have a great rest of your weekend! make sure to go check out our c. marchuska store - we have some awesome stuff for the upcoming fall!
Weekly Eco-Fashion Update – Aug. 13th
Happy Friday the 13th everyone!
It's time to announce the winner of our c. marchuska giveaway!
Autum22 has won the Leslie dress! and we loved what she said about our SS2010 video: "Really loved the backgrounds and the sense of the girls being the only people there-It seemed like there should be traffic,noise and so much going on behind them but there wasn't. It allowed you to focus on the lovely outfits."
Thanks Autum22! Get in touch with us so we can ship your Leslie dress!
ok, now onto the weekly update
Events: Levi's is hosting the Care to Air competition - Levi's is asking consumers to let all their good green laundry ideas hang out! They're looking for green pioneers and inventors to submit original air-drying solutions with the chance of winning $10,000 in prizes. A panel of judges will pick the winning design on August 16th! Check out some of the finalist entries (how clever right??)
Nothing is What it Seems by Caleb Hill
Vogue and Fiat have launched an "eco-fashion" competition to design a bike helmet for the Fiat 500 folding bike to coincide with Fashion's Night Out in Milan, Italy. The winner with the best graphic design will win a €3,000-prize pot!
This is kind of fun (if you can find pictures of this online - send it my way!) At London Fashion Week, the Conscious Designers Collective staged a renegade roving ethical catwalk in the street. This featured a half-dressed man courtesy of Pants to Poverty and female models in ethical labels such as Elena Garcia and Tammam.
Blogosphere: I just recently found out about two inspirational up-cycle businesses!
The Clothing Bank, a non-profit organization that helps low-income and unemployed women prepare to enter the workplace, was founded in Capetown by Tracey Gilmore and Tracey Chambers when they recognized the potential of using excess clothing from retailers to drive enterprise development. Go read about them here!
RecycleMyDress.com is Nicole Kulp's business that takes your old bridesmaid dresses (with all the puffy shoulders and unflattering bulges) and transforms them into new creations sold for anywhere between $20-$200. Check out her etsy store and read the article about her business!
Another fabulous eco-friendly mission! Edun has worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to create the Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI) to improve the livelihoods of communities in Africa by investing in sustainably harvested "conservation cotton." Starting this week, Nowness.com is preventing a preview of a documentary that will air in October highlighting the efforts of the CCI to encourage African farmers to employ organic production efforts. Go watch the preview! Also - can I just say that Edun's fall line is pretty awesome?
have a great weekend! =)
Can eco-fashion be considered sexy?
As we get one step closer to the weekend which will encompass scantily dressed females on hot summer nights, especially here in Manhattan, I have a question to pose to our fabulous readers and community: Can eco-fashion be considered sexy??
When we think of the connotations that come to mind when hearing eco, most people would say it is anything, but sexy. Most people think about an organic lifestyle, farming, compost piles, hemp fabrics, etc. Not to say these things can't be sexy....I mean a 5'10" blonde model in overalls farming probably would equal sexy to most of the male population. However, I think this is a common stigma that many eco-fashion designers battle with everyday. If you are a young, talented, but strapped for cash designer, you are limited by what fabrics you can use in the eco space. You need to make careful decisions on a cost basis, but still have a competitive edge with fit and style.
So not only are we overcoming stigmas attached to eco-friendly lifestyles and the green space, but we also are working with limited capital and options. Well, my personal opinion is you have to step outside the box and really get creative, especially when it comes to your marketing. Last year I had the pleasure of working with the ever talented Danny Brothers. Danny and I believed in several of the same mantras of life....we also subscribed to intriguing marketing and beautiful talented clothing and people. The result is the following 3-part short film/web spot series featuring c. marchuska clothing and two hot young things coming home after a long night out on the town.
CMar & Danny Brothers striking a sexy pose
After you watch one, two or all three videos....let us know what you think....can eco-fashion be considered sexy?
Happy Thursday,
xoxo
CMar
Interview with tomate d’epingles
Happy Monday everyone! It's the start of a new week...and Mondays are usually the worst day of the week...but today, we have an awesome interview with Guylaine and Isabelle of eco-friendly jewelry line, tomate d'epingles!
CMar: When did you first begin your company?
Tomate: Over 4 years ago! It's been a very fun ride so far!
CMar: What is your background in fashion?
Tomate: We actually don't have any...unless countless hours of shopping and reading fashion magazines counts
CMar: What inspires you to design?
Tomate: Fashion, of course. We just love it. We like haute couture as much as street styles We are also inspired by our raw materials a lot...we try to make them as beautiful as possible, without having to transform them a lot. We like for our jewelry to be aesthetically beautiful, but at the same time, people need to obviously see that it's made out of recycled materials.
CMar: What are your views on eco-fashion?
Tomate: We love the fact that eco is a buzz word right now because if people are aware and try to make changes in their spending habits, it's all good. We are also very happy to see that eco-fashion can be and IS high-fashion, glamorous, or everyday wear fabulous. We like that it's respected and loved by all. Plus, there are so many designers who do absolutely awesome work - it's very exciting and inspiring!
CMar: What are your views on sustainability?
Tomate: It is of the upmost importance to us. We do not want to produce recycled objects that will be mass consumed - it would defeat our purpose. We try to make all of our jewelry as versatile as possible - it can be worn with jeans, t-shirts, or a cute dress, and that reduces the need to buy lots. Also, all of our collections can be mixed and matched; they will endure the test of time and can be adapted to any look.
CMar: Who are some other designers you admire?
Tomate: There are so many locally! We love iheartnorwegianwood and Denis Gagnon. An eco-designer we really love is Charlotte Hosten.
CMar: What are your future design goals?
Tomate: We are currently working on our fall/winter 2010 collections and also our spring/summer 2011. We would like to broaden our horizons by adding new materials, and we would also like to eventually add accessories, like purses or scarves...one day!
CMar: What is special about your products?
Tomate: It's made with love
CMar: Where can customers buy your products?
Tomate: We have an online shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/tomatedepingles. We are also available across North America in almost 20 stores.
Thanks Guylaine and Isabelle! We love your products - you are so creative!