I've been an avid, compulsive reader since elementary school, which is usually a great thing. But the downside, environmentally speaking, is that I have a weakness for buying books and magazines. The book thing I've been channeling by visiting my public library every week (also helps with the hunter-gatherer shopping urge), and now I've found a way to avoid killing trees to get my periodical fix. Coverleaf is a site that offers print subscribers to magazines an online alternative, and even lets you clip and save pages for future reference. Give it a look!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Ethical Fashion round-up, 9/22
I must apologize for my odd absence over the last few weeks. As many of you know, I am writing a book (on gender and children's clothing, due out in 2010 I hope) and my attention and energies are aimed there. I will try to make up for my neglect with a few random views from my window.
Good news! Word is getting out about rayon from bamboo, as evidenced by the increasing numbers of news items I am getting on my Google news alerts for that phrase, AND a nice caveat emptor piece in yesterday's Washington Post. (It's not 100% accurate about Oeko-Tex standards and misses the labeling issue entirely, but it's a huge step in the right direction.)
The new front: regenerated protein fibers and other obscure materials are being labeled and promoted in the same misleading ways as bamboo. Soy fiber, milk fiber, jadeite -- where does it end? The claims are astonishing (Wearing milk fiber is just like an all-day milk bath for your skin!!!) and probably as unsupported as the "bamboo rayon is antimicrobial because unprocessed bamboo is antimicrobial" claim. I am trying to ferret out the truth -- it's just on the back burner for now. (If you have info, please share!)
Also in the WaPo, the well-heeled discovered Goodwill at a charity fashion show. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, who needs more hunters on the limited second-hand territory? On the other hand, I feel vindicated -- about ten months ago, I advised a NY Times reporter that the second-hand clothing market might be worth watching and she laughed at me.
On the personal front: I completed the Wardrobe Refashion challenge nearly a month ago and still have not bought any new clothes. It was like quitting smoking; six weeks to a new habit. (I DID score an amazing J. Jill cardigan for $3.50 at Goodwill two weeks ago; yay me.)
Good news! Word is getting out about rayon from bamboo, as evidenced by the increasing numbers of news items I am getting on my Google news alerts for that phrase, AND a nice caveat emptor piece in yesterday's Washington Post. (It's not 100% accurate about Oeko-Tex standards and misses the labeling issue entirely, but it's a huge step in the right direction.)
The new front: regenerated protein fibers and other obscure materials are being labeled and promoted in the same misleading ways as bamboo. Soy fiber, milk fiber, jadeite -- where does it end? The claims are astonishing (Wearing milk fiber is just like an all-day milk bath for your skin!!!) and probably as unsupported as the "bamboo rayon is antimicrobial because unprocessed bamboo is antimicrobial" claim. I am trying to ferret out the truth -- it's just on the back burner for now. (If you have info, please share!)
Also in the WaPo, the well-heeled discovered Goodwill at a charity fashion show. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, who needs more hunters on the limited second-hand territory? On the other hand, I feel vindicated -- about ten months ago, I advised a NY Times reporter that the second-hand clothing market might be worth watching and she laughed at me.
On the personal front: I completed the Wardrobe Refashion challenge nearly a month ago and still have not bought any new clothes. It was like quitting smoking; six weeks to a new habit. (I DID score an amazing J. Jill cardigan for $3.50 at Goodwill two weeks ago; yay me.)
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