Eco Weekend Round-up: Nov 6th, 2010
What to Wear:
Boot season is definitely here and we are onto a super cool eco brand out of the UK called Po-Zu. As our favorite fashionable male, Brian, wrote in a recent AskHim blog, Uggs are still all the rage and are the perfect pairing for a casual day around town. But, we are thinking of trading in those Uggs for Po-Zu Piper Tans which, not only are a lot more stylish than those standard brown suede boots, but are also organically tanned with vegetable extracts. Oh and did we also mention that they give 3% of each purchase to the charity of your choice?? If that doesn't get your feel good shopaholic hearts racing then we don't know what will 
Photo Courtesy of Po-Zu website: http://po-zu.com/eu/
What to Check Out:
Tired of paying $250 for a mediocre hair cut?? Yeah so were we - so we hopped on the 6 train to Union Square to check out the Carsten Aveda Institute. For $19 you get a wash, hair cut, blow dry, scalp massage and hand massage. Apart from all of this, they also use all Aveda products which are composed of naturally derived ingredients. Make your appt today at the 22 East 17th Street!
Photo credit: Christine's Blackberry
What to Eat:
Did you know how many amazing nutrients are in pumpkins? Better yet, did you know how tasty pumpkin seeds can be? Check out this awesome recipe from Emeril Lagasse for some delicious roasted pumpkin seeds with a spicy kick. We made them and now are a bit addicted to this yummy snack 
Kicking it up a notch with Emeril's spicy pumpkin seed recipe
News from C. Mar:
As you end this fabulous first week of November be sure to check out our design process post Monika's Story: The Journey of an Eco Friendly Dress, how to get your guy's attention with this week's AskHim and a Q&A with one of the new member's of our CMar Team, Krystal Williams. Last, but not least, don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour this Sunday as Daylight Savings Time comes to an end for 2010...and luckily gives all of us some extra time to catch up on those much needed Zzzzzs!
Keep it real & keep it eco chic
CMar xx
Monika’s Story: The Journey of an Eco Friendly Dress
If you really know me, you know that I loathe giving up some (note the word some) clothing items, no matter how ratty tat tatty they become. I kept an infamous pair of sweat pants that were such a pain to the eyes my friends wanted to kidnap them and burn them to ashes (because throwing them away just wouldn't be enough). I used to think "Man, if these tweety bird sweat pants could talk, they would yell at me for spilling bleach on them, cry about the hole I let stretch wide across their leg, and pout about the paint stain splashed all over their arse."
Now cyber friend, don't act like you don't have one clothing item in your closet that has seen some better years and should rest in peace. Think about that comfortable wardrobe piece that has never done you wrong time and time again, no matter how much you disrespected it with stains and wear and tear. If that item could tell you it's whole life story, what do you think it would say? As I have said before, clothes shouldn't talk unless they are in cartoons, but I have come today dear reader to shed light on those silent stories, to tell the untold tale of a c. marchuska dress, and why it's journey is starkly different from less eco friendly wares:
Introducing the C. Marchuska Monika Dress
distressed grey Monika dress, fuscia tie dyed hunter scarf and the bamboo fleece julie jacket photo credit: Erik Dong
Monika's journey first began as the brainchild of Christine Marchuska. Frustrated with the lack of clothing options available to wear both to work and outside of the professional office, she was motivated to design classic pieces that held a dual role. The Monika dress, inspired by Christine's ex-finance colleague, Monika Krauze Metzger, was one of those pieces. What set The Monika dress apart from other wares was Monika's entire life cycle from "birth" to finish was an eco-friendly roller coaster ride. I know we keep throwing the words eco friendly and eco fashion around, but let's break down exactly why The Monika Dress epitomizes what eco friendly clothing is all about:
It all began with a sketch..
Step 1: The materials matter
Fashion isn't just about the look and style, it's also about the feel. Remember those Hanes commercials, where whole families were frolicking through fields overly ecstatic over the touch and feel of their cotton undies? Those toothy-grinned- sound bites had some grains of truth in them! We are all want great feeling and functional fabric in our lives, but many of the common fabrics used in our clothes require massive amounts of resources, cause immense pollution, and are extremely hard to recycle. Let's take a comparison:
The Monika Dress materials>>
- Uses micro modal material, a fabric made from
reconstituted cellulose from Beech trees - PROS: 100% bio degradable (won't have to worry about micro modal clothes chilling in landfills for centuries on end), is 50% more water-absorbent than cotton, holds color fast, and is resistant to fading. It seemingly can do no wrong.
- CONS: can be more costly than alternative fabrics.
VS
A dress made from the most commonly used fabrics (like cotton, nylon, and polyester)>>
- PROS: Natural crops like cotton are breathable, wear resistant, and relatively cheap to make. Man made fibers like nylon and polyester are cheap and can resist the wear of many wash cycles, maintaining their color and resilience.
- CONS: cotton is the most pesticide intensive crop in the world, which is not only harmful due to the fumes let off from dousing the crops in chemicals, but pesticides can remain in the fabric and be released during the lifetime of the garments. Cotton crops also take up a lot of land (much of which is needed by locals to grow their food). Nylon and polyester are the evil step sisters of biodegradable fabrics, and will live in a landfill for many years past their wearable dates. They also use massive amounts of water to produce, and emit dangerous green house gases.
Don't let cheesy grins of popular commercials fool you, there are some other materials out there that are far better for the environment and your own health than those popularized in the retail industry. The Monika Dress is one example of great style with even better materials
Step 2: Production Practices
All the design sketches and clothing swatches in the world would only be ideas without the labor of stitching those ideas into reality. As I noted in previous posts (check out Sweatshop til you drop for a refresher;) The retail industry has some of the most controversial labor practices, as a majority of clothes are produced in exploitative sweat shop environments.
After Christine had her ideas sketched by a freelance designer, she sought out a local sewing contractor in NY's garment district, negotiating a feasible cost for each item crafted. The Monika Dress was made in this form, hand crafted by a skilled contracted worker. Although there are many debates about labor laws and what can be done with limited resources in an ever changing economy, knowing where your clothes come from is a step towards better quality overall. And aren't you tired of buying something that dissolves and tears after one sweat-it-out session during a night on the town? Yeah, I thought so!:D
Step 3: Dye it up
Dyeing clothes is no small feat, as it also has large environmental implications. Imagine knowing what color is in season this year by the color of your local river (crazy right? and you thought colored rivers were only willy wonka inspired fantasies). For some folks located near garment production centers, that is reality. I love bright vibrant colors in my wardrobe like anyone else, but at what cost will we pay to have those new hot-double-bubble-pink tights? To minimize the impacts of chemical and dyes, The Monika Dress is hand dyed. This labor of love conserves energy, limits waste, and also protects the integrity of that awesome micro modal fabric.
check some of the Monika hand dyed colors!
In a nutshell Monika is a stylish piece that has plenty environmentally friendly clout. The journey of this dress doesn't just end at a hand dipped dyeing session, pick up your own Monika Dress online asap http://store.marchuska.com/monikadress.aspx, because I know you want to get a little touchy feeling with some micro modal fabric!!
That's a wrap eco lovers!
Til we meet again, as always,
stay fly;)
-CBlack
Behind the c. marchuska Blog: Meet Krystal
For the past month, I've taken time out, each Wednesday, to introduce the c. marchuska community to some interesting folks in the eco world. We've heard from Aaron Goldfarb, an up-and-coming New York author whose first book is available on Kindle. And, I've also had time to feature Amy Ludwigson, the woman behind conscious-shopping sites Pure Habitat and Pure Citizen. Now, it's time to reel it all back and let you all in on a member of the c. marchuska blog team, Krystal.
Krystal's a 22-year-old, Jersey girl, whose self-proclaimed energy, humor and curiosity is taking her to new heights in the Big Apple. She and Christine have a Cornell connection that brought them together for c. marchuska (tongue twister, yes, I know). So pop a bag of (organic) popcorn, pull up a chair, and get cozy with... Krystal!
Angel: How did you become involved with c. marchuska?
Krystal: My roommate and fellow Cornellian, Christina, met her at a conference during undergrad. Christina asked if I was interested in helping out with the blog; and because I love writing and LOVE the idea of fashion, I came on board. I've been loving it ever since.
Angel: You said that living with Christina has helped you become a more eco-conscious person. What have you learned from living the "green" way?
Krystal: It's important for people, especially young people, to become aware of how we are affecting our environment and how we can change basic habits to leave less of a harmful impact on the earth!
Angel: Why do you think eco fashion is important?
Krystal: People will always need clothes, so fashion is always going to be around. It's important for an industry that affects everyone in the world to be environmentally friendly. The fashion industry uses alot of inorganic materials and is extremely wasteful. If we could find methods that reduce that waste and reduce the amount of harmful chemicals and materials, we would be able to greatly decrease the harmful effects we leave on the earth. It's just one step in the process to living more eco friendly, but it is a huge step.
Angel: Besides blogging 
, what can we find you doing in your free time?
Krystal: I love attending culture-focused events such as music shows and poetry slams around the city. I love discovering new places in the city... on any given Saturday you can catch me walking down Madison Avenue, or gallery hoping in Chelsea, or catching a crosstown bus, just to explore!
Angel: Well, it's great you have down time to get out and have fun. Now that you're a working girl in the city, and have two internships on top of working with c. marchuska, what's next?
Krystal: My dream job would be to work at a magazine, or with a news station as a news anchor. I want a communications-based career that will allow me to use my writing and interpersonal skills to make a difference in the world.
Angel: Well, let's give you some room to start making that difference, right now. As always, I like to end my interviews by asking a short, simple question... any last words?
Krystal: Be more courageous than you thought you can and don't worry about the things you can't change.
Keep an eye out for Krystal's Weekly Eco-Fashion Roundup and catch her on twitter @_MissWilliams. See you next week... don't miss me too much
-Angel
Eco-Pita: Eco-Fashion All Wrapped Up Oct 29th, 2010
This Halloween season don't let bagloads of processed sweets, one-time-use costumes made from non-Earth friendly material, and make-up with ingredients likely to be found in the BP oil spill scare you out of enjoying the festivities. Despite the over consumption that runs rampant during Halloween we eco-friendly fashion lovers can stay true to our roots. This week's weekly wrap up has a frightful focus on keeping your Halloween sustainably SPOOOOKY!
What to Use:
What econista wouldn't want to use make up from a company whose mantra is "You shouldn't have to sacrifice your glamorous side to be safe, natural and healthy!" This natural mineral company is the one-stop shop for long lasting, blendable, earth-friendly makeup with high intensity color. Find out more at: Terra Firma's website. Photo courtesy of terrafirmacosmetics.com.
What to Wear:
Make this Halloween a DIY holiday. Let's face it: The best Halloween costumes as far as sustainability and creativity go are the ones concocted from materials we already have! For ideas about how to create the best homemade costumes head over to treehugger.com Not much of a DIY-er? Doesn't mean you can't show the environment some good lovin' this holiday! Check out Oeuf's line of environmentally friendly mask and tail sets created out of 100% alpaca wool.
Photo Courtesy of oeufnyc.com
What to Eat:
Stumped about how to keep it healthy and green this Halloween? Don't be. Yummy Earth, an organic candy line created by two fathers, features treats that are good for you and your environment. With treats whose ingredients lists are free of glutens, casein, GMOs, Nuts, Soy, Dairy and artificial dyes Yummy Treats is sure to take the fright out of your Halloween.
For more info on these healthy treats check out yummyearth.com
News from C. Mar:
As you end this week with a spooktacularly earth friendly Halloween celebration be sure to check out some of our blogs recent posts Ask Him: Office Attire-Naked Fridays and our lovely Q&A with Amy Ludwigson of Pure Citizen!
xx
KW
Weekly Eco Fashion Roundup Oct 23rd, 2010
Happy Saturday from London town! CMar reporting from the fashionably chic other side of the pond while catching up on some Entourage episodes
What to Wear:
Adrian Grenier Image Courtesy of GQ
Entourage is not only one of the hottest shows on HBO, but it also has one of our fav socially conscious actors, Adrian Grenier. Check out Grenier's ode to the environment with his limited edition tees for Nautica and The Gentlemen’s Fund of which 100% of the purchase price benefits Oceana. Feel good and look eco sexy - pick one up here!
What To Eat:
While checking out some of the latest fashions in Soho London (including Sherry's which carries the latest and greatest c. marchuska designs - yes I know, shameless plug ) stop over to VitaO previously known as Vitaorganic. VitaO is known for their organic and nutritious eats and for their famous clientele such as The Beastie Boys and socially conscious designer, Stella McCartney. We cannot wait to stop out this Vegan hotspot after some serious shopping!
Some yummy eats at VitaO (photo courtesy of http://chocolateandzucchini.com)
What To Do:
Photo Courtesy of http://www.affordableartfair.co.uk
Check out some of the most amazing works of contemporary art at The Affordable Art Fair There are over 120 galleries to check out and we cannot wait for The Recent Graduates' Exhibition which showcases work produced in British art schools. The fair goes on from today until 6pm tomorrow at Battersea Park London. Don't miss it!
News from c. marchuska:
This past week we had the pleasure of filming a web series for WEtv's Bounce Back which will complement their new tv series, Downsized. Stay tuned for dates on when it will go live! In the meantime, check out this week's fabulous posts: Sweatshop til you drop, These Boots were made for walkin', Our feature interview with NYC writer, Aaron Goldfarb and Eco Beauty Brands for the Modern Fashionista.
Stay eco chic and see you next week back in the concrete jungle
xoxo
CMar
Why Being a #FAIL can be Cool
He's an Oklahoma City native, who ventured to upstate New York for film school at Syracuse... and now this Kindle enthusiast and author wants the world to join him on a journey that's sure to be a #fail. And I mean that in the best way possible.
Aaron Goldfarb is a Midtown Manhattan-based novelist whose first book, "How to Fail: The Self-Hurt Guide," is available in stores and on Amazon (click here to buy). He's just a few weeks shy of his national book tour and will be collaborating with C. Marchuska for some big - and I do mean BIG - projects next year.
I (@angELLEnise) had the chance to sit down with Aaron (@aarongoldfarb), and our own lovely blogger Christina (@cblacken), over coffee. And, I must say, I'm surprised that he's just a writer... he had us laughing the entire time.
So, heeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Aaron!
Angel: Why do you think the world needs a self-hurt book? What's the premise?
Aaron: The thing is, I'm not sure the world does need a self-hurt book. But I KNOW the world doesn't need any more self-help books. George Carlin once said, "If you're reading it in a book, folks, it ain't self-help. It's help." Well, I'd say, if you're reading a self-help book it's neither help, nor is it interesting. My book is a funny, satirical take on success in modern America. The world's FIRST self-hurt guide!
Angel: Now, you're an avid Kindle reader. Was that the reason you took an eco-route and made sure ''How to Fail'' was available as an e-book?
Aaron: It's funny, I'm about as eco-friendly as a writer can be, but I'll admit it's kinda through pure happenstance. I live in the tiny world of Manhattan where you can't have a lot of "stuff" which has caused me to thusly abhor "stuff." I live a very spartan lifestyle and there's nothing more simplified than whittling down an entire collection of books into one lightweight device. I love carrying countless "books" with me at all times, I love being able to buy a new book at any given time, I love how much easier it is to hold and read off a Kindle than it was to lug a huge hardback around. I'm such a Kindle evangelist, people assume I work for them!
Angel: On Nov. 9, you'll be starting your book tour with a release party here in Manhattan. From there you're headed to Brooklyn Bowl and some stops in Jersey to promote "How to Fail." That's not the typical book promo roadmap. Why'd you choose the ''30 Bars in 30 Days'' approach?
Aaron: Quite frankly, most book events are boring. I mean boooooooring. A fumbling author standing behind a lectern nervously reading an uninteresting passage to a funeral home type crowd of old farts just there for some free entertainment before bed time.
Angel: Whew, that's a mouthful, LOL.
Aaron: Thus, I decided to take my events out of the book store and to a place innately associated with fun: the bar.
Angel: Aside from your bar-book tour, you'll be teaming up with C. Marchuska for cross-promotional ventures. What plans do you have for working with C. Marchuska in the future?
Aaron: Yeah, I love doing cross promotional stuff with the kinds of people that might seem atypical collaborators at first. I'm not a "fashion type." Most of my friends and the target audience for the book probably aren't either. Likewise, most of C. Marchuska's core audience probably isn't into the kinda dark, vulgar comedy that "How to Fail" is. At least they've never thought they were. But I can tell you they are! C. Marchuska and I have discussed outfitting me for my tour as well as a few other fashion/book party type events that have never been done before (I'll just leave it ambiguously at that!)
Angel: That sounds interesting! But, I'm going to give you a head start with the the C. Marchuska lovers out there. Give me a tweet... In 140 characters or less... Why do people need to learn ''How to Fail?''
Aaron: Every one's trying so damn hard to succeed that they aren't having any fun. "Fail" a little and you might find yourself laughing a whole lot more.
Angel: You were almost there... 147 characters (with spaces). Do you have any last words??
Aaron: When you got something to sell, the last words can only be: BUY MY BOOK.
You can join Aaron's Facebook fan page here or visit his website at www.aarongoldfarb.com. He's open to all types of (fan)mail, so drop him a line at aaron@aarongoldfarb.com. Keep an eye out for his 30 Bars in 30 Days book promo, as well as his Nov. 9 release party at Amity Hall, right here in NYC.
That's all for now.
Signing off with hugs & kisses, and decked in plenty of goGREEN,
-Angel
Weekly Eco Fashion Wrap Up October 16th, 2010
Happy Saturday from the Big Apple's Upper East Side....CMar here giving you the latest and greatest in eco-fashion So let's get to it!
What to Read:
ECO Fashion by Sass Brown
Awesome new book from FIT professor, Sass Brown. Brown examines eco-fashion trends around the globe in this fabulous new read. Check it out today at your local book store or online. We can't wait to get our hands on a copy
What To Eat:
Photo Courtesy of http://girliegirlarmy.com
We are HUGE fans of The Girlie Girl Army weekly blogs with awesome recipes for the healthy chick! Check out this great and yummy recipe for Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake by Raw Food Star Ani Phyo.
What To Do:
Photo Courtesy of Refinery 29 Blog
We aren't going to lie....Halloween is one of our favorite days of the year! Make it eco fab by picking up some cool finds at your local thrift store and then letting creative juices flow.... Once you have the perf outfit then rush over to a cool haunted house in your city to really get in the Halloween spirit! If you are in NYC be sure to check out the recommended Haunted Houses by one of our favorite daily blogs, Refinery 29! We are thinking Blood Manor tomorrow....anyone want to join??? Hehehe
News from c. marchuska:
Lots of awesome new posts for our amazing friends and fans to check out including new features like: AskHim and new posts: Introducing Christina Blacken: Six Questions in Six Minutes and How's My White Tee Bad: Demystifying Eco Fashion
Oh and some new projects in the works....let's just say CBS News stopped by....and a new web series has contacted our fav eco-fashionista.....SHHHHHH! Can't give more deets at this time, but stay tuned
Alright stay eco-chic my darlings and enjoy this amazing weekend!
xoxo
CMar
Introducing Christina Blacken: Six Questions in Six Minutes
Hello eco-fashionistas! It's been seven, whole days since I was introduced to the C. Marchuska world. Now, it's my pleasure to return the favor and give you all the scoop on another member of the team, Christina Blacken. She's an Ogden, Utah native and Cornell alumna. Christina balances dual roles as a paralegal in midtown Manhattan and a blogger for C. Marchuska's sustainable web presence. So, you green guys and gals, without further ado... meet Christina.
Angel: So which came first, your work in fashion or your introduction to eco-conscious living?
CBlack: Eco-concious living crept up on me. I started wanting to know the when's, what's, and why's of the things I consumed and how they affected both myself and the world around me. And thrift shopping came from the fun of the find, and the necessity of needing to be fashionable on a student's budget (lol). Those two passions melded into me taking a course on eco-clothing at Cornell, and it went from there.
Angel: How did you partner up with C. Marchuska?
CBlack: I met Christine through a Woman's Entrepenuership Course at Cornell. She was giving a speech about transitioning from one career field to another (which she had done by juggling a finance job and starting the C. Marchuska line). I really loved what she had to say, so being the gung-ho person I am, I stayed after class to chat with her. She complimented me on my outfit and mentioned having some opportunies that she would love to have me help with. And now, I'm happily blogging away for the C.Marchuska site!
Angel: Besides eco-fashion, what other green alternatives, projects or organizations do you support?
CBlack: Well, I am a semi vegetarian so that counts for something right? I also volunteer at Housing Works (http://www.housingworks.org), a social enterprise that provides rehabilitation and housing shelters for the homeless and individuals suffering from AIDS through the monies generated by their profitable businesses (a thrift shop being one of them). I am still on the hunt to find a great cause or org to join, so if anyone has any suggestions, I am open to them!
Angel: Do you have any advice for people who are interested about breaking into the eco-fashion industry?
CBlack: Read-Learn-Step Out. That's my three-step program to breaking into any passion or interest you love. Read up on an industry, learn the ins and outs, and places to be, and people you may be interested to meet. Then go out to groups, events, shows, and clubs that are apart of that interest.
Angel: Besides C. Marchuska, what other projects are you involved in?
CBlack: I am a singer and am on the hunt for great musical groups to be apart of (any suggestions NYCers??). I am still transitioning into the city, so I'm just taking everything in. Hopefully I'll be apart of some other great causes and activities very soon.
Angel: Any last words??
CBlack: Don't talk about it, be about it! So run and tell dat (what's a post without my favorite quote? lol)
Well, that's all for now, folks. Tune in next Wednesday for my sit-down with C. Marchuska blogger, Krystal. Until then, sit tight, take care... and go green.
-Angel
Ask Him: What To Wear on a First NYC Date?
Hi everyone!
Hope you are enjoying our new weekly line-up of fresh and fashionable posts However, we thought no week could be complete without some sort of advice column targeted towards the fashion forward community we know and love. So every Tuesday we are going to bring you advice from one of our new and fabulous male contributors, Brian Campbell. Brian will be taking your questions and answering them every Tuesday for your reading pleasure. You can email him your questions at askhim@cmarchuska.com.
So who is this Brian Campbell you ask? Well, first off he is a born and raised LA surfer/entrepreneur who recently spent 4 years in NYC following after a model and successful fashionista who captured his heart. Now he spends his weeks jetsetting back and forth between Manhattan and Malibu with the occasional trip to London or the South of France. We met Brian at our first eco-fashion green show during Earth week 2009 (video coverage below). Ever since we have kept in touch and are completely ecstatic about his offer to be a contributing blogger for our weekly postings. Alright Brian - show us whatcha got
CMar Reader: Hi Brian - I recently moved from LA to NYC for a job. I still haven't had a chance to update my wardrobe for the fall weather here on the east coast, but already have a first date this Thursday. What is appropriate to wear on a first date in NYC without giving the guy the wrong impression? Thanks so much - Anne
Brian: Hi Anne, and welcome to NYC. As you can probably already can tell, the city is a bit different to that of LA, especially the weather. Being a girl, and new to town can be a daunting prospect seeing as NYC is seen as an open playing field for single men. In order to make sure you're not giving a guy the wrong impression on a first date (I assume you mean you don't want him to think you want to sleep with him) from a wardrobe perspective entails not giving the guy the opportunity to lust over you. You want to keep him interested in you as a person, not a target. This obviously does depend on the guy also, whether he is there for a genuine 'get to know you better' purpose or whether it's one thing that he has on his mind. That, I'm afraid, is a very difficult thing to be able to determine from just a first date, so it's more of a case of you being the one who controls the situation. This is where your attire can possibly make a difference. Class, elegance yet slightly conservative without showing too much skin, would be the way to go from my perspective. You don't want to cover up completely, yet you don't want to reveal too much which can allow your guy's imagination to run wild. Short and simple here are some rules to follow:
Rule # 1: Cleavage is a definite no-no on a first date. Keep the guy's eyes off your chest, and on your eyes. Some girls fail to realize the power that eyes can have over a guy.
Date Night Look on Jules Kirby (Monika Dress by c. marchuska) Photo Credit: Erik Dong
Rule #2: Keep skirt length to slightly above the knee, no shorter. Guys are looking for smart sophisticated women. Less is not more in this situation.
Ultimately, this should lead to a successful first date, and if you like him, who knows, it could lead to many many more. Good luck with the date on Thursday Anne, and I hope that what I have said helps you a little more to prepare. Thank you for writing in and let us know how the date goes!
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