Green Your Wardrobe With Eco-Friendly Designers

Meiling Chen does not use patterns to make her eco-friendly fashions.

Unless our two cats choose to drape themselves on us, we don’t believe in wearing fur. (The fur choice is an ethical and environmental concern; some estimates put animal agriculture at a 40 percent greater contribution to global warming than transportation.) We decided to take further steps to green our wardrobe this year, seeking more natural fabrics and garments made by people paid fair wages and by companies that try to lessen their carbon impact. Below are a few of our selections for fellow socially conscious fashionistas.

Vaute Couture
Every winter, model Leanne Hilgart unsuccessfully searched for a stylish winter coat that matched her vegan values and was warm enough for her hometown of Chicago. Until the fall of 2009, when she debuted Vaute Couture, her own line of vegan coats produced by workers paid fair wages. No leather, wool, silk, fur or down are used — instead, coats are made with Polartec Wind Pro or Thermal Pro Fabrics. We love the chic silhouettes — from the adorable pea coats (from $298) to the flattering El coats (from $500). Also check out Vaute Couture’s jewelry and T-shirts; we love the In My Heart Sheep Necklace ($32.50). Net proceeds from all Vaute-style coats (from $506) go to Farm Sanctuary, which works to stop cruelty to farm animals. And in case you’re wondering, Hilgart does not model fur.

Meiling Chen/Fearlessdreamer
New York City-based designer Meiling Chen grew up in Taiwan watching her father work as a tailor. With a background in fine arts, graphic design and fashion design, she launched her ready-to-wear and eco-couture line in 2008. “I strive to do what I do the best and, at the same time, help the world to be a little better and greener — eco fashion is my contribution.” Chen uses certified organic, hand-dyed fabrics, such as cotton, hemp and wool — as well as silk, soy and bamboo — for her carefully draped, playfully feminine pieces (ranging from about $200 to $600). The clothing is available at several boutiques worldwide and can be ordered from Chen directly. Ekovaruhuset in New York City will feature Chen’s work when its online shopping site is complete; the boutique specializes in eco-friendly designers.

Stella McCartney
“Everything in my store and every single garment and accessory that you see is cruelty free, in the sense that no animal has died to make anything in here,” says lifelong vegetarian Stella McCartney. McCartney’s sought-after fashions, such as a cotton lace and silk slub Sura dress ($2,895) paired with a faux-suede platform scalloped Ryden sandal ($1,075) shows that cruelty-free is lovely. McCartney also has a luxury organic skincare line called CARE. Check out her website for green tips, such as advice on recycling glass and newspapers and donating old clothes to charity instead of adding to landfills.

Stewart+Brown
This creative team (and couple) of Karen Stewart and Howard Brown launched their organic, sustainable brand in 2002, ahead of the eco curve. Their collection includes basics, such as tees and sweaters to feminine blouses and elegantly simple dresses, such as the Lydia cocktail dress ($278). Stewart+Brown uses fabrics such as hemp silk charmeuse, Mongolian cashmere and organic cotton, grown from seeds that aren’t genetically modified in pesticide- and herbicide-free soil. A minimum of one percent of sales is donated to nonprofit and social welfare organizations.

For more eco-friendly fashions, check out Green With Glamour, a shopping site that we told you about last spring. Would you adopt any of these green aspects to your wardrobe?

Tags: Animal rights movement, Brown, Chicago, Clothing, Culture, designer, Environment, Farm Sanctuary, Fashion, Karen Stewart, Leanne Hilgart, Meiling Chen, model, New York City, online shopping site, Paul McCartney, Silk, Stella McCartney, Sustainable fashion, Taiwan, transportation, USD, Wool