Alex & Ani
Alex and Ani's mission is to design products that adorn the body, enlighten the mind, and empower the spirit. Alex and Ani's collections reflect a design aesthetic that celebrates each wearer's unique essence. Owner and designer Carolyn Rafaelian believes it is her life's work to inspire her customers to relish what is unique and authentic about themselves. Alex and Ani's artistry lies in drawing out the
beauty that resides within.Alex and Ani is a company dedicated to creating products of unparalleled quality and beauty that promote consciousness and unity. Manufacturing in the United States and re-using and recycling materials is an integral part of Alex and Ani’s mission as a conscious and eco-friendly company. The signature expandable concept is the cornerstone of Alex and Ani. This concept replaces traditional clasps with a sliding mechanism, making each piece adjustable. This design allows everyone to have a piece of jewelry customized for a perfect fit. The expandable collection is timeless, classic, and collectible. The Alex and Ani aesthetic underscores the idea that what is pure and natural is most beautiful and creating jewelry from recycled materials enriches the beauty of each piece. Founder and creative designer, Carolyn Rafaelian embraces a philosophy that is based upon using eco-friendly, recycled materials made entirely in the United States. Carolyn believes that by creating designs that support the environment and encourage social consciousness, consumers can use their purchases to make a difference in protecting our planet and our future. Every design is created to reflect the inner beauty of all who wear an Alex and Ani piece. Alkemie
Forged from 100% reclaimed metals, husband-and-wife design team Ashley Lowengrub and Dara Gerson's striking, one-of-a-kind designs are equal parts art and accessory. Prior to starting Alkemie, each had successful jewelry lines working with traditional metals. After learning more about the harmful social and environmental effects of mining, they sought out local eco-friendly materials. All designs are manufactured by hand in downtown Los Angeles, California.Alkemie Jewelry has earned a devoted international following based not only on their original design appeal, but also due to their leadership as a socially and environmentally progressive company. Drawing inspiration and motivation from their daily lives, their love for culture and planet as well as their strong beliefs to do no harm, Dara Gerson and Ashley Lowengrub are true pioneers.
Alkemie is completely family-owned and operated- therefore the process of inspiration and design often comes from a mutual dialogue of teaching and learning from their daughters: “Recently we were at the beach exploring tide pools with our kids, and our older daughter picked up this huge starfish which we flipped for. The texture was amazing as was the gorgeous natural form, and seeing the contrast against her hand gave us the inspiration for a new design that we recently produced: the Starfish Cuff”.
Years of experience in the jewelry industry had made Dara and Ashley weary of the toxic working conditions and environmental impacts of the gem and fine metal industries- until one day they decided it was something they could no longer continue to support. It was then that Ashley and Dara, combining their shared knowledge of the industry collaborated to create Alkemie- a brand that would immediately pioneer and change the jewelry industry due to its social and environmentally responsible practices.
Alkemie promotes fair trade, local living wage and eco-sustainable business practices to combat the existing harmful effects and conditions of the metal and gemstone industry; including social issues such as children working in dangerous conditions to mine and mount stones, as well as environmental issues, like toxic chemicals from mines seeping into the surrounding land and severely damaging precious watersheds. Dara and Ashley knew they could continue to create beautiful jewelry within the framework of ethically and socially responsible standards, and working with 100% reclaimed metals, they have successfully merged eco with art. back to top
Ashley Watson
Vancouver based designer Ashley Watson and her staff handcraft her one-of-a-kind leather products using exclusively recycled material. She began designing handbags with recycled leather in early 2005, inspired by the original features of soft and gently worn jackets purchased from charity thrift stores. She ultimately incorporates these features, such as pockets and seams, into each unique bag or wallet design. With an extensive background in studio art, Ashley brings an innovative and environmentally sound approach to fashion design, creating products that are practical, sophisticated, and, above all, distinctive. back to top
Named after the designer's favorite oyster, the company's focus is on sustainability, fair trade and labor, as well as organic raw materials with the end goal of offering consumers environmentally healthy choices without sacrificing fashion.
When the founder of Beau Soleil, Anne Epstein, discovered she was pregnant in 2005, she and her husband morphed their "overly excessive" New York City lifestyle into one that is "Simple. Modern. Organic." They moved into a green building located in mid-town Manhattan, increased their trips to the green market, and made conscious everyday decisions to do their part in saving the planet. This new mindset, coupled with Epstein's career experience at Marc Jacobs and IISLI, opened her eyes to how the manufacturing process impacts the environment. It was imperative for her to be kind to the planet and laborers when bringing her design vision to fruition.
Epstein uses fabric made out of bamboo, a sustainable material, vegetable-dyed organic cottons and vintage, tencel, which is made from eucalyptus tress, as well as recycled leather trims.
Beth Springer
Beth Springer bags are carried by stylish woman everywhere: across the country and around the world. They have appeared on celebrities and on celebrity shows. They are sexy, sophisticated, and luxurious, with understated beauty. Functional purses with delectable interiors, great colors, and vegetable dyed leathers. They beckon to be taken out on the town (just like a woman).The founder's background in architecture gives her bags a structure different from all others. Beauty equals form following function. Beth Springer engineers the bags to be worn comfortably on the body. She makes everything in the USA, sweatshop free, and often in limited editions. After all, every woman is unique, shouldn't her bag be too? Beth Springer ethos: Do no harm. She is a big believer in environmental sustainability, so her bags are made with nature in mind. Because Beth wants to tread lightly on the earth, she employs the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle in every aspect of her business. The goal is to get as close to zero waste as possible. To that end, she designs using no extraneous hardware. Metal feet are absent on the bottom of Beth Springer bags because 1) those little metal feet use our precious natural resources, require a highly toxic process to coat, and do not biodegrade 2) feet are redundant on Beth Springer bags because the leather I use can sustain long years of use without wearing through. Beth Springer uses all remnants. You can find note cards, ribbon cuffs, and one of a kind purses at the Beth Springer studio in Venice, CA all made with waste materials. She also uses no filler- most leather bags today use a thinner leather to save money, and then back that leather with vinyl. It is a hidden environmental disaster. Most Beth Springer bags "stand on their own". 100% organic hemp or cotton linings are used in several styles. Leathers used are vegetable dyed, meaning they are colored with plant dyes and no chrome is used. Also, tags are made from recycled paper, attached with organic hemp cord and printed with soy ink.
Canopy Verde was born in Fall 2008 with seven styles ranging from clutches to weekenders, all made of organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric, chrome-free leather, OEKO-TEX 100 certified dyes, and chemical free embroidery. “In creating Canopy Verde, I wanted to be very thoughtful about any component that was put into the bag as well as the construction methods," Linda Wong, Founder, explains. “Special attention was paid to everything down to the lining and the dyeing process.”
Given Linda’s Chinese roots and her upbringing in Taiwan, it is personally meaningful for her to have the opportunity to encourage Chinese manufacturers to be more environmentally responsible. “Working with my current factory, I’ve found that the best way to improve environmental practices is by showing them the market opportunity of eco-friendly products,” she says. In addition, all of Canopy Verde’s materials are sourced locally, which helps to eliminate the transportation impact and also spurs demand of Chinese-made eco-friendly materials.
Credo Bags
Credo Bags Inc. is an eco-conscious company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Their goal is to inspire people to make small, simple changes in their everyday habits; changes that collectively and cumulatively help our environment. They believe that an easy first step is to adopt a “bag strategy”: routinely carry are usable bag or two with you, rather than use plastic or paper bags provided by retailers.
To promote this shift in habit, Credo Bags founder and president, Judy Lazar, tapped into her 20 years of apparel manufacturing experience to fulfill a vision that would embody her credo. She designed a stylish line of high-quality, reusable bags that conveniently stash in a purse, pocket , glove compartment or trunk until you need them. Credobags actively seeks out the latest sustainable materials – such as organic cotton, hemp and bamboo – so that they can continue to improve their bags, and keep improving them, until they leave the smallest possible “carbon footprint”.
Credo Bags is dedicated to being socially responsible in all aspects of their business. In conjunction with textile factories, they develop the fabrics with which their bags are made. This enables them to monitor labor conditions, the environmental impact of production, and the authenticity of raw materials. They do everything they can to ensure that the bags they sell meet the highest ethical and quality standards.
Dirty Librarian Chains
DLC Brooklyn was born out of designer Susan Domelsmith’s frustration with being unable to find jewelry that possessed an edgy, understated and yet slightly askew elegance that reflected her own personal style. Domelsmith initially designed a few necklaces for herself comprised of vintage chains that were deconstructed and reconfigured through draping, knotting and tangling into new designs that could be worn in both casual and more formal contexts, pieces that were meticulously composed, but still exuded an easy, streetwise wearability.
The current collection of DLC Brooklyn continues to incorporate reworked vintage costume jewelry that is hand picked from dead-stock as well as second-hand sources. The materials and components of each design constantly change based on what is available, making each piece one of a kind as well as creating a unique history that arises from the interaction of individual vintage components. DLC Brooklyn continues to receive extensive press coverage in publications like Nylon, Jalouse, Jane and Vogue China, as well as being featured on the cover of Teen Vogue (June/July 2006). Kate Hudson, Debbie Harry, Jessica Szohr, KT Tunstall, Jessica Alba, Ellen Allien, Holly Williams, Peaches and members of bands like Yacht, Vivian Girls, Ladytron, and Rilo Kiley have been seen wearing pieces from the line. Hovey Lee
Hovey Lee is dedicated to promoting fair trade, human dignity and environmental sustainability before profits. Thier designs are sourced from the gemstone suppliers that adhere to Fair Trade sourcing standards. These standards ensure that these gifts from nature are brought to the customer in a safe, socially and environmentally responsible way that cares not only for the materials but the people who are involved in the process. Fair Trade gem standards uphold labor conditions and workers’ rights, environmental protection, product integrity and supply chain transparency from gemstone mining, cutting, to processing. Besides sourcing new gemstones, Hovey Lee's Los Angeles studio continues to use components extracted from vintage jewelries and recreate new designs with reclaimed and recycled findings and gemstones.
Wherever possible, Hovey Lee uses metals from renewed sources derived from recycled jewelry or reclaimed metal companies. By using renewed metals, their goal is to reduce the need for additional mining of precious metals that could be very harmful to our environment. Hovey Lee is striving to make sure that their suppliers comply with the principles outlined. By supporting the No Dirty Gold campaign's Golden Rules, they hope to reflect the values of their customers around the country who have a deep commitment to human rights and the environment.
As artisan jewelry maker, Hovey Lee use both classic and modern wiring, beading, and metalsmithing techniques to create jewelry that features the beauty of the materials used. A wide variety of textures, patinas and finishing techniques are used to bring the pieces to life. Semi-precious stones, natural and sometimes man-made materials accent and compliment the designs.
back to topI'm Tired of...What if we could build a community of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of people, each contributing a small amount? What if we could create very inexpensive, but cool fashionable products that people could buy, and in doing so, they would be making donations to a multitude of causes that are important to them? If it snowballed, we could raise millions of dollars to fight for the world's most important causes. The "I'm Tired of..." bracelet concept was sparked by the success of Lance Armstrong’s effort to raise money for cancer with a simple silicone bracelet. When this company set their criteria, they decided that, like Armstrong’s, first and foremost, it had to be inexpensive so everyone could afford it. And, equally important, they had to be able to make a donation to charity from each one.
Next, they decided their products had to be both eco firneldy and fashionable if they wanted lots and lots of people to wear them. The designers, Dan Hoffman and Carrie Pollare, spent the last nine years in the fashion business, and the last three in eco fashion. Both of them have practiced a green lifestyle for many years, not in a treehugger kind of way, but always keeping their planet in mind. So, they designed and created the bracelets out of recycled tires and metal. Last, but not least, the bracelets are completely made in the USA.
This brother & sister design team has also launched a leading online newsletter and website, WhiteApricot.com, which covers news, tips, and trends in eco fashion beauty and lifestyle. Carrie, whose prior background was in journalism and publicity is the editor of White Apricot. Carrie hopes that by reporting on products & designs that help the planet, more people will become educated and involved.
Dan feels that living a modern sustainable lifestyle and always looking for ways to give back by engaging in worthy causes have always been a priority for him. "The opportunity to create a simple, inexpensive, and cool eco friendly product, that shows support for great causes was irresistible." Indigenous
Fashion trends come and go, but for Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds, the founder's of Indigenous, the vision to style the world in organic fair trade fashion was founded over 13 years ago. Back in 1993 on a trip to South America, Scott encountered the priceless beauty of the local artisans. The richness of the culture and amazing knitting techniques prompted him to bring back more than a souvenir to his Northern California home. He returned with a vision to pioneer a new business model that would invite each of us to wear our commitment to the people and environment.
Together, Scotty and Matt have helped form a scalable artisan network through the Indigenous clothing line that reflects a commitment to sustainability and socially responsible actions. This global collaboration weaves together the employees of Indigenous, the artisans from around the world, their customers.
Indigenous is committed to supporting and preserving fair trade wages and artisan cooperatives, investing in natural and organic fibers and environmentally-friendly dyes, and spreading the beauty of handmade eco-fashion.
Mar Y Sol
Mar y Sol is a socially & environmentally responsible company that markets handmade handbags from Madagascar & Kenya. Their colorful accessories blend the traditional and contemporary design ideas of their international artisan partners who incorporate renewable raw materials to create original clutches, totes and shoulder bags. The sale of Mar Y Sol products enable families to gain economic independence and promote environmental conservation. Laurel Brandstetter launched Mar y Sol, formerly Mad Imports, in 2003 as an outgrowth of a Madagascar-based development project started by her relative, James Sellers. With a background in community development, urban planning and volunteer public health work she realized an opportunity to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in Malagasy and Kenyan communities through the sale of handmade accessories. Since 2003, Mar y Sol products have appeared in major fashion publications including O, Domino, Lucky, Glamour, Cottage Living and on TV spots including E! News, the Today Show and CNN Headline News. Mar y Sol invests in several development efforts. They work with youngsters and staff at the Akany Avoko orphanage to provide supplies, training and funding for the center’s craft workshop. They provide market readiness training workshops to artisan groups and small businesses in Madagascar and Kenya. And, They have facilitated the construction of several clean water wells in rural Kenya with the generous support of private funders. Mar Y Sol continues to work closely with their artisan partners to support sustainable economic development projects, provide a venue for artistic expression and to stimulate cross-cultural exchange. They accomplish this through their ongoing product design and development process to ensure that their artisan partners will see sustainable growth from the sale of Mar Y Sol products. Moonrise Jewelry creates high-quality jewelry designs handmade in Virginia while adhering to values that contribute to a stronger & healthier global community. Since 2002, they've been creating a social enterprise focused on community development, ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. A women-owned and operated company, Moonrise Jewelry has recently been featured on the Today Show, Lucky Magazine, Ideal Bite, and other national press. Signature designs include Eco-Stylish Jewelry made with recycled, renewable, and fair trade components. Each Moonrise Jewelry design is made by hand in our studio on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. By keeping their production local they're able to maintain their high quality standards, while contributing to their rural economy. Moonrise Jewelry is committed to sourcing their raw materials (gemstone beads and other components) from Fair Trade and ethical vendors whenever possible. Their suppliers around the world are making a difference in their communities by providing fair labor conditions and fair wages, protecting workers' rights and health, and working with eco-friendly materials. Moonrise Jewelry is especially proud to introduce Fair Trade Semi-precious Gems-- natural, untreated stones that are closely tracked from the mine to our studio to ensure they are handled according to strict environmental and social protocols. These gemstones are carefully mined by hand, with attention to minimizing the impact on the natural environment, protecting watersheds, and restoring the land after mining is completed. The company's Fair Trade Gemstones are processed at a model cutting factory with fair labor standards, healthy working conditions, and fair wages. This ethical approach to every detail of their business is what distinguishes Moonrise Jewelry as a leading designer of handcrafted jewelry for environmentally and fashion-conscious women of all ages. back to top Novella Royale
Novella Royale was inspired by the concept of designing luxury handbags without creating and seaming. In addition to using only recycled leather,each bag is lined with organic fabric and handmade in Los Angeles. reduce re-use recycle.
Novella Royale handbags have been seen on stars such as Taylor Momsen and Kristin Cavallari.
Passchal
The idea was born when one of the designers purchased a backpack made from inner tubes. Inspired to create their own collection the designers decided to take on the creative challenge of using discarded tractor tire inner tubes and converting them into high-end, luxury accessories. Deciding to make a "green" impact on the accessories market was logical, because both designers are committed to recycling, and are passionate about creating products that were functional as well as unique and classic in design. Neither had any formal design background, but soon the couple was experimenting with hand sewn designs.
Passchal incorporates leather trim and sides to their rubber bags, keeping them lightweight and enabling the introduction of new colors and textures. In keeping with their eco-friendly beliefs, all leathers used are by-products, vegetable dyed and chrome free, and all bags are handcrafted using the highest quality hardware and materials available. The inner tubes are collected in VA, Ohio and GA, and undergo a rigorous but environmentally friendly, multi-day cleaning process. To date, Passchal has recycled approximately 32 tons of inner tubes! The line instantly caught the attention of both media and celebrities. Passchal bags have been featured on The Today Show, and in Entrepreneur and Rolling Stone magazines, to name a few. They have also been featured at Olympus Fashion Week and Back Stage at the Tony Awards.
ReFind Originals
ReFind Originals' creator Anita Hopper had the idea that by repurposing outdated leather apparel and upholstery, she could combine her love of sewing with her interest in recycling to make handbags which would not only be beautiful, but also environmentally friendly. She fashions one-of-a-kind, buttery-soft handbags and backpacks out of discarded leather and other fabrics, giving new life to old garments. Some of the bags are adorned with wooden buckles, handmade from recycled wood scraps. Others are decorated with vintage buttons or buckles. All are guaranteed to be embellished with the marks of their history. Owning a ReFind Originals bag is not only a fun and unique way to carry your essentials, but it's a refined way to demonstrate that greener choices in our everyday lives can be beautiful!
ReFind Originals is committed to using recycled materials in the creation of every handbag that bears their name. They're concerned about the disposable mentality that has destroyed so much of the environment and see their work as a small way to make a difference in the world by reducing waste, reusing beautiful materials that would otherwise be discarded, and recycling them into refined and unique purses and handbags. ReFind Originals also celebrates beauty and enjoys creating fun, one-of-a-kind works of art that women can carry—our eco-friendly and socially conscious recycled handbags are designed to be stylish accessories for today's women.
Smart Glass
Coming Soon!
Recycling…It’s a smart way to look good. And there’s no smarter
combination than Smart Glass jewelry and a recycled bottle. Each piece
of handmade jewelry features recycled glass, and sterling silver, or gold
fill. The colorful glass used in this recycled line is
individually selected and cut from empty bottles, ensuring that each Smart Glass piece is an original work of art.
Kathleen Plate, the talented designer behind Smart Glass jewelry, has
always loved to create beautiful things. Her creative passion was
inspired in part by a childhood spent working on projects with her
mother who taught her how to solder and work with stained glass. Kathleen
started selling to small boutiques in the 1990’s and then hit it big
when Aveda placed an enormous order after seeing a necklace made from
one of their product bottles. In June of 2006, Coca-Cola commissioned
her to create a line of jewelry using their signature bottles. Despite
her commercial success, she remains dedicated to her craft and still
loves each day of “work” in her Atlanta studio.
Kathleen was born and raised in Cathlamet, a small town in Washington.
While she has called Atlanta home for more than 20 years, her
small-town roots are evident in her unique design philosophy, “keep it
simple.” Her design aesthetic and
commitment to quality have helped Smart Glass grow out of its modest
beginnings in her kitchen, into an urban-organic business and an
exciting collaboration with one of the largest corporations in the
world. Smart Glass jewelry is unique, handcrafted and earth friendly. Kathleen uses recycled glass from beer, wine, Aveda, Skyy Vodka, Perrier and Pellegrino bottles to create wearable art with a social conscience. The earthy simplicity fo Kathleen's vision makes her pieces appropriate for all ages and occasions.
Smart Glass has been seen on celebrities such as Jennifer Anniston, Katherine Heigl, Amy Smart, Sienna MIller, and Christina Applegate. This line has also been featured on the Sundance Channel, Delta-Sky Magazine, Bon Appetit, CosmoGirl, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Women's Day, and Washington Post Express.
Via Nativa
Via Nativa Imports, Inc. works directly with independent artisans, community based collectives and non-profit organizations, enabling crafts people responsible for production to earn a sustainable living while preserving their traditional lifestyle. Along with artisans they create fine design and sustainable wood jewelry straight from Nicaragua.
Via Nativa Imports works along with the principles of fair trade. They create opportunities for the economically disadvantaged artisans in Nicaragua. They promote transparent business practices between the artisan and themselves and other markets/businesses the artisans work with. Via Nativa encourages the artisan's independence to work with other markets and also offers business and marketing advice. Fair pay is of top priority. There is always a dialogue between both parties. The amount of an order is agreed to and 50% is paid in advance. Via Nativa respects local laws and social norms and the rights of a child. Artisans work in safe conditions and wear a mask working with wood. Via Nativa distributes donations collected in New York to rural and urban areas of Nicaragua. Twice a year the company gathers clothing, medicine and any other donations to distribute to people in need all over Nicaragua.
Most of Via Nativa's jewelry is made from reclaimed wood. This wood comes from a FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified furniture manufacturer. They also offer spalted wood jewelry which is not logged. All jewelry and accessories are finished by hand with the highest of quality. Their labels use recycled paper, some handmade in Nicaragua from Plantain leaves other labels use soy inks. Via Nativa Imports is a Proud Member of the Fair Trade Federation, the NYC Fair Trade Coalition, and Green America.
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