Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

Today, we need ‘slow fashion’ more than any time.

The bleak economy has forced customers to rethink their buying strategies when it comes to fashion, more than any time before. Customers are looking for garments that communicate longevity and value, and more than ever the label’s sustainable mission.

While in New York City the other day, I learned how the importance of trans-seasonal fashion has reached the highest level in a brief period of time. When buying apparel, women are now making more and more educated choices, thinking about the longevity of the item, quality and company ‘s mission, rather than impulsiveness. They buy less, but they buy the best. There is a move toward a sense of quality, sustainable message and USA made.

Having been recognized as a company on a mission to promote quality, value and “seasonless” fashion, we are ready to present our already popular hemp and silk dresses- to keep in line with our “slow fashion” motto, there are only two basic styles- and offer the versatile designs with customizable options, therefore produce less, but only what you wish to have.

The dresses can have pockets, hem length and detail customizable options. In doing so, the items will be shipped in 4 to 7 days instead of 24 hours, but you can get your custom item the way you want it, at the same reasonable price. Dress it up with jewelry and stiletto or dress it down, pack it for a trip and not worry about the wrinkles, any of the new dresses is a winner!

Because we are also thinking about the brides that have sustainability in their minds and budgets, we are ready to offer customizable dresses in sustainable fabrics and at very competitive prices. Stay tuned to view our first sketches and pick your choice.

Please come back soon to browse, buy or contact for custom order.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

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Posted by Zoica on Friday, October 31, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

Since our mission is to promote “slow fashion” and sustainability through type of fabric usage and business practices, today I am going to discuss the fabric element, since it is the main component of all our designs.

Hemp is a strong, durable, absorbent, antimicrobial and mildew resistant cellulose fiber.It is an extremely fast growing crop making it a great renewable resource.Also, leaving rich nutrients in the top soil from fallen hemp leaves, the crop does not exhaust the soil. Hemp also retains color and dyes better than any other fabric.Hemp was once a more common material before the popularity of cotton eclipsed it.

Our fabrics are made from hemp that has been grown in the traditional manner, using no herbicides or pesticides. Caustic soda is used in the de-gumming process, but our suppliers use the lowest amounts of these chemicals possible and treat the resulting waste water in their water treatment facilities.

Extremely versatile in application, hemp can be combined with many different fabrics to add strength and durability, for example, to the smooth texture of silk or softness of organic cotton.

Organic Cotton, a cellulose fiber, is grown and processed without the use of toxic pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals. Organic cotton production systems not only replenish and maintain soil fertility, but also build biologically diverse agriculture.All organic cotton producers must have third party organizations verify their methods and materials meet certification standards.Conventional cotton methods use pesticides in an attempt to kill all invasive insects with chemicals; organic cotton methods create a diverse set of natural enemies which prey on insect pests, and also plant trap crops to lure away unwanted pests. After the organic cotton has been harvested, it goes through a process to remove the seeds called “ginning”. Next, the fiber is baled, ringspun into yarn and woven or knit into fabric.Our organic cotton is certified by Control Union and IMO.

Bamboo cultivation is one of the most sustainable crops in the world as it grows very quickly, and does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. The finished goods possess functions of excellent moisture absorption and permeability, anti-bacteria, deodorizing, great softness and comfort against skin.It's biodegradable as well

Bamboo is sometimes called bamboo rayon because of the many similarities in the way it is manufactured and similarities in its feel and hand. Concerns have been raised about the safety of the chemicals used to produce bamboo fibers, and the pollution that results from their use. We are committed to purchasing from suppliers that produce their products in an ecologically responsible manner. Our bamboo supplier uses an advanced Air Floating treatment system that filters and reclaims the chemicals from the wastewater. No discharge is released before this treatment. In addition, the factory executes strict controls on exhaust emission and all the data have met the government environmental protection standards as well as the Oeko-tex Standard 100.

Our soy is especially sustainable because of the way it is produced: it is made from the remains of cold-press extraction for soybean oil. The resulting protein cakes are then converted into fibers, and the chaff that is left over is used for animal feed. Soy does not require any toxic chemicals or bleach during processing. The soybeans used to make the fabric have not been genetically modified, and again no herbicides or pesticides are needed for this crop. Soy is very absorbent, is smooth and soft to the touch, has anti-bacterial properties, and protects against ultraviolet radiation. However, soy cannot withstand high temperatures.Our cotton/soy blends increase quick-drying and comfort as well as increase luster and draping.

Traditionally, linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is also made from cotton or hemp. We carry both flax linen and hemp linen. The traditional method of processing flax linen in Europe, where it originated, was to take the tough flax stalks and leave them in a pile in the cool moist autumn air to start to break down into strands, the process called dew retting, which could then be combed into fiber. Our organic flax linen is processed by putting the stems in a large cement pool, misting with water and covering it. The stems are rotated and misted every few days. This simulates the humid conditions of the traditional method, and facilitates the de-gumming process. Organic hemp is treated in the same manner.The soil, seeds, pest control management and other environmental aspects of our organic linen and hemp production are all inspected by the international certifying organization, Ecocert International.

Linen is a strong, highly absorbent, and an antibacterial cellulose fiber.Some desirable fabric characteristics are: its smooth hand with high durability, its static and lint resistance and its ability to get softer and finer the more is washed.

Lyocell, like rayon, is a fiber made from wood, a sustainable and renewable resource, but uses a solvent spun process in production rather than being ‘cooked’.Tencel is a brand name for the generic group of fibers called Lyocell. The Lyocell process involves dissolving wood pulp with a solvent, allowing water to evaporate to form cellulose solution and then spinning remaining solution into fibers.The water generated during evaporation is reused for the washing process and almost all solvent (more than 99.6%) is recovered to be used again.This nearly closed-loop process creates minimal emissions that are treated before disposal.Lyocell fibers are biodegradable, wrinkle resistant, soft, strong and absorbent.It lends breathability and sheen to our hemp/wool/Lyocell blends.

Silk is a natural, biodegradable and renewable fiber.Conventional silk fibers are produced through silk farming, also known as sericulture.Silk moth larvae are fed mulberry leaves until their next stage of metamorphosis is complete and they have created a silk cocoon.While soaking in hot water, the fibers are de-gummed to create the smooth hand of the raw protein fiber.The silk cocoons are then wound onto a reel and the resulting fibers provide a soft hand, insulation and breathability to any silk fabric/blend.

Wool, like silk, is a natural, renewable and biodegradable protein fiber.Our fibers are obtained from shorn sheep in Australia.Following shearing, wool fibers must be washed (scoured) to remove the grease (unrefined lanolin), vegetable matter, and any other impurities.Wool fabric is wrinkle resistant, durable, retains shape well, soil resistant and flame resistant.In addition, because wool is a natural insulator when it’s cool and naturally breathable when it’s warm, wool fabrics help regulate your temperature and are comfortable to wear in all seasons.

We use low impact Fiber Reactive, cold water dyes on our products. These are synthetic dyes which are non-toxic and require only soda ash and salt to fix the dye to the fabric. It bonds quickly to the fabric leaving low residue in the wastewater. Other benefits are the low dye to fabric ratio, low water consumption required, and vibrant color-fast hues. By contrast natural dyes require toxic heavy metal mordents, a large ratio of dyestuff to fabric, a larger quantity of water, and are less color-fast. Fabrics that have been semi bleached, the manufacturer uses hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorine bleach or optic brighteners.

Our garments are made here, in USA in state of the art facility in South Carolina.

Our goal is to keep the manufacturing here, helping the growth of our own communities.

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Posted by Zoica on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 to Spread The Word

The American Express “Members Project” motivated people around the country to submit inspiring ideas for projects that could make a positive impact in the world. After almost three months of running, and having hundreds of thousands of people involved, the project came to an end. Here are the top three project winners that will get founded by American Express:

The first prize went to Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.

The second place was given to DonorsChoose.org, and their project of helping 100,000 children across USA thrive in their classrooms. This organization was pioneered in 2000 by teachers at Bronx NY public schools, and today their organization “ is dedicated to addressing the scarcity and inequitable distribution of learning materials and experiences in our public schools”.

The third place award went to our familiar Kiva.org, a 3 year old micro-lending platform that has empowered 350K people from 157 countries. Their”Loans that Change Lives” project was awarded the $300,000 that would directly impact Kenya. “With $25, a credit card, and an internet connection, anybody in the world can invest in the life of a deserving entrepreneur. The site allows for lenders to sort pre-screened businesses by region, culture, or business category, and see a photo / profile of the person they are supporting (...) With over a billion people living on under $2 a day, this project aims to fight global poverty.” You can read about their awarded project here, or you can learn more going to Kiva Microfunds.

Spread the word about all these companies’ great missions!

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Posted by Zoica on Saturday, October 11, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

Dear customer,

Yesterday and today, we have been featured by www.DailyCandy.com, Atlanta section, a dear -to -our- hearts site for keeping us informed about great news and events (from shows, to restaurants and boutiques) in our beloved town.

It turned out that most of you could not complete the checkout process, and we apologize for that.

We are working on fixing it, and we will post it here, when is ready. Please remember that the coupon from DailyCandy is valid until October31st.

Thank you for your interest in trans-seasonal fashion!

As always, we welcome any comments or suggestions.

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Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 to Sustainable Fashion

Whooooah! Slow down! Rein in the galloping madness! No - it's not the economy or financial woes, although Intidex, the parent company of Zara did announce last week a fall in profits in the second quarter, slowing down its apparently unstoppable rise.

It is just time, after seven wild years, to say Basta! to fast fashion.

As a phenomenon, speedy style has given a shake up to the industry and brought the look of the moment to main street, with the collaboration of leading designers. It has proved that fashion does not have to be elitist and that big names are as capable of creating cheap chic as haute couture.

But, as with all things fashionable, from kitten-heel mules to girly frills, there is a moment when it is over. And for fast fashion, that is now - or perhaps in November, when Comme des Garçons and the cerebral Rei Kawakubo embrace H&M.

It all started with Karl Lagerfeld at H&M four years ago, kicking off a media phenomenon, marking a seismic cultural shift and creating lines of eager shoppers in capital cities across the globe.

Since then we have had the unpronounceable Proenza Schouler suddenly hitting billboards throughout America with their Target collaboration. H&M has ratcheted up a roster of designers, from Roberto Cavalli to Viktor & Rolf. Topshop of London has increased its long-term designer collaborations (Celia Birtwell, Zandra Rhodes, etc.) by presenting the super-cool model Kate Moss as design star. And just this month, the products that the Parisian boutique Colette produced with Gap sold like hot croissants in New York.

The concept of high fashion coming down to affordable levels is potentially good. That was the idea when couture houses first produced ready-to-wear back in the 1960s and when Giorgio Armani led the fashion world by starting a second, Emporio Armani line in 1984.

But as prices of designer clothes have crept ever upwards, fast fashion has plunged prices dramatically downward. Taking the cappuccino - arguably Italy's most successful global export - and France's croissant as benchmarks, fast fashion starts at that level. If you look at the price of a dress at Primark, in London's Oxford Street - and then cross the road to a Selfridges café - you pay the same £6.50, or $11.90, for breakfast and for the frock.

That leaves a feeling of unease at how the ultra-cheap clothes can be manufactured. As Michael Fink, president of women's fashion at Saks Fifth Avenue, puts it: "How cheap can you make it? If it is about being less expensive - who can make these clothes in a responsible manner?'

Adrian Joffe, who heads Comme des Garçons, says he has been surprised by the manufacturing supervision at H&M, who made the CDG collection in China and in Romania and the fragrance in France. Joffe says that, with the leather wallets he is making for them, "their control of my factory was unbelievable."

"But it has got to change - it has to step back," says Joffe. "Zara and H&M have their design teams. And they are making 10,000 pieces, where we make 10 to 50. But Primark is ridiculously cheap. It's got to be a little more expensive."

Significantly, although Joffe says the timing is coincidental, Comme's current much-heralded collaboration is with Louis Vuitton in Japan, proving that if you want to make a fashion splash now, it might be smarter to aim high, rather than low.

"I never thought fast fashion would have legs - it was a fun idea of the moment," says Fink of Saks, pointing out that while ultra-cheap fashion is booming, a Chanel jacket at $7,000 has remained the store's perennial best seller.

"Fast fashion is a totally different customer, fashion savvy, who knows and understand the unique opportunity - or someone trying to make a quick buck by selling it on eBay," says Fink, adding that for a designer whose name is plastered over ads for Gap or Target, it can mean higher recognition in the United States, where only 10 percent of the population are hyper aware of designers.

Specialist retailers who themselves collaborate with designers and fast fashion producers, are enthusiastic about its appeal and its lasting power.

"I don't think it will stop - I think it is part of fashion - after all, at the end of six months we throw out a collection," says Colette's Sarah Lerfel. She insists that the Paris store generates all its collaborations and, although she was amazed at the success of Colette products for Gap in New York, she already had seen the power of Target to put Proenza Schouler on the fashion map and to make the label accessible in price and available to a European customer.

Carla Sozzani, whose 10 Corso Como store sets the fashion pace in Milan, also is enthusiastic about the fast fashion collaborations - when they are under her own retail control.

"Of course it will last, I think it can be great," Sozzani says.

But Tiziana Cardini, creative director of the La Rinascente department stores in Italy, believes that from a designer's perspective, any collaboration on fast fashion is mostly about the visibility - making waves, rather than making money.

"I don't think fast fashion is over, especially in this economic situation," says Cardini. "People have less money to spend and they are considering fashion in a different way. For designers, it is a very strong communications lesson, and if it is weak in terms of quality, this is a celebrity-driven moment."

"When Roberto Cavalli does H&M, it makes him more accessible and even more popular. The customer of fast fashion is not high end and for the designer, it boosts the image," she said.

Significantly, La Rinascenti in Milan, a streamlined, luxurious store since its recent makeover, does not sell top designer lines, but rather that particularly Italian invention: the second line, like Just Cavalli, Moschino's Cheap and Chic or Philosophy by Albert Ferretti.

Gabriella Forte, who has spent much of her fashion life with Italian designers, and now works with Dolce & Gabbana, remembers the debut in the 1980s of Emporio Armani, inspired by the designer and his partner Sergio Galeotti.

She can still recall the excitement as "very young 19-year-olds arrived on their bikes at Via Durini." She herself worked on A/X Armani Exchange, with the idea of bringing the Armani name to yet another group of customers, younger, hipper and looking for the right price.

Since Dolce & Gabbana already has world-wide recognition and important sales with the D&G second line, the designers would not have any immediate interest in embracing fast fashion, says Forte, who recalls that Lagerfeld's H&M venture came at the moment when he was focused on promoting his own name label with Tommy Hilfiger in America. (That partnership was ultimately as short-lived as a fast-fashion hit.)

Designers themselves are often skeptical about fast fashion - particularly if they are already household names.

"I think designer fast fashion it is over," says Donatella Versace. "It didn't bring anything back. It is great for them - but not for the designer. There should be more quality."

The basic Italian consumer is probably unique in expecting a higher quality than in other countries, particularly in Northern Europe.

Cardini says that the culture in Italy means that "if you go on the subway, the majority of people are well dressed."

"The difference between fast fashion companies in Italy is there is always a certain quality," Cardini says. "Prices are low. But not that low."

And according to Raffaello Napoleone, chief executive of the Pitti group of fashion fairs in Florence, the concept of fast fashion is not even new to Italy.

"We call it 'pronta moda' and it's an old story," Napoleone says. "Other countries may have to pick from Zara or Banana Republic but we have 35,000 small retailers in Italy."

Yet most fashion people see a difference between cheap and cheerful clothes banged out by the garment trade and the current fast fashion chains that have pretensions to being design emporia: Hence the desire to bandy about established designer names.

"I don't want to do a collaboration, but I think it is good because it raises the value of designers, rather than just copying," says Diane Von Furstenberg of the current trend. "But then I think we have reached a time of excess - of all kinds. And fast fashion is excessive. I believe in authenticity."

When even Sir Philip Green, chief executive of Topshop, the mother and father of designer collaborations, seems ambivalent, something is in the air. After returning from New York last week, where logistical reasons led him to delay the opening of the Topshop flagship until spring, Green ruminated on the business in which he has spent his working life.

"Fast fashion is changing - it is going to have to be better," says Green, who introduced the Kate Moss line to upgrade style (and prices) in the post-Primark period.

"Getting it wrong is not going to be a good option, when everybody at any level is pulling in their horns a bit," says Green. "For fast fashion, you have got to think that there should now be a pause for breath."

Suzy Menkes is fashion editor at the International Herald Tribune.

This article was first published in [International Herald Tribune]

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Posted by Zoica on Friday, October 03, 2008 to Sustainable Fashion

Manufacturers And Retailers Join Forces For The Environment

Americans’ increasing sensitivity to the environment is putting sustainable fabric and apparel manufacturing into sharp focus. It’s not just a fashionable trend, either, but a vital change in how business’ role in preserving the environment is viewed.

As a consumer, Lyss Stern, mother of two small boys and founder of Divalysscious Moms, an event planning company, insists she has become increasingly eco-sensitive. “As a business owner, I am pleased to see apparel firms also care. We’re partners in this effort to preserve the earth we share.”

 Sarah Severn, a corporate responsibility executive at Nike, adds, “With an increasing population, we’ve got to be really careful about how we treat the environment and how we relate to society.”

As Dr. Sam Winchester, Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University’s College of Textiles, says, “This is not a fad and not something that will go away. It is here with us and has great, great impact on the future of the planet.”

For any apparel firm seeking to achieve sustainability, regardless of its size, three things must be done. “Sustainability means that you do something good for the environment. It also means you do something good for the people affected by your activities. And you should make a profit at the same time. If one of the three is not there, it’s not sustainable.” Novozymes is a Danish manufacturer of bio-industrial products that replace less ecofriendly chemicals in fabric finishing.

That consumers are clearly paying attention to the products and services they buy can be seen in a Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ survey from the beginning of 2008, which revealed that 50 percent of respondents cited environmental friendliness as an important factor in their apparel shopping decisions, up from 45 percent making the same claim a year earlier.

[ This first appeared on CottonInc ]

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Posted by Zoica on Thursday, September 18, 2008 to Eco Living Contest

We are happy to announce the two winners of our green contest!

I would like to point out that the winners were selected in a draw, and something very remarkable happened: we got two “Jennifer” as winners!

First place: Jennifer Nordin and second place: Jennifer.

Please contact us in the next few days with your complete name and information, so you can receive your free or half a price garment in the style and size that you are selecting.

A big 'thank you' to all participants!

As always, we welcome your comments and feedback on this blog, or directly to us.

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Posted by Zoica on Friday, September 12, 2008 to Green Closet Tips

In the last post I mentioned the term ‘Slow Fashion’, and you are probably wondering what on Earth does it mean? If we call our traditional fashion a ‘fast fashion’, because of its fast-delivery cycle trend, its ever-accelerating pressure of delivering ahead of time, passed on the designers, manufacturers and consumers, the ‘slow fashion’ is the reverse, and with more connotations.

Slow Fashion involves promoting trans-seasonal clothing, with items that sustain the challenge of seasons and time, and allows companies, designers and ultimate consumers to make the right decision in regard to their apparel choices. For a company that promotes sustainable, earth friendly clothing, that would mean finding the right fabric, manufacturing process, keep the fashion’s necessary magic, while the customer ( the ultimate beneficiary) would not be rushed into making choices, but purchasing meaningful and lasting items. Ultimatelly, the consumer would buy less, and help our global sustainability process.

Trans-seasonal means garments that can be worn every season, always fashionable, dressed up with high heels or dressed down with casual flats. They are clothes that would allow you to make a statement with your jewelry choice, a scarf or belt. Our trans-seasonal clothing is reaching a step further: simple form creations that combine subtle femininity while inspiring, because of their green, organic, quality fabrics and craftsmanship, and local production.

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Posted by Zoica on Thursday, September 11, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

As a well-known and trusted brand, PayPal makes most customers more comfortable with their online shopping. Being web customers ourselves at one point or another, we share the common need for a secure, fast and easy shopping experience.

Therefore, we have listened to our customers and are happy to announce that we have added “Paypal Express” to our shopping cart!

Here are some of the reasons people trust Paypal:

• Information is shared with Paypal only. While customers are increasingly reluctant to use their credit card due to security issues, Pay pal offers the opportunity to pay comfortably, since they only share their information with Paypal.
• No need to have Paypal account. Customers do not need to have a PayPal account in other to pay with Paypal. Ad-hoc purchases can be made without signing up with Paypal.
• Time saver. Because transactions do not need to be checked every time, since Paypal has Instant Payment Notification, all orders will be marked as approved automatically as soon as the money is cleared, even in delayed transactions.
• Simplicity of the process. Many customers prefer to use Paypal to pay online, because it's simpler, Paypal already has their data, and they trust them.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

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Posted by Zoica on Thursday, September 04, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

As we promised, we added more items to our “slow fashion” sustainable line of women tunics.

Because we haven’t had a good experience with the blend of hemp and organic cotton fabric, not passing the wearing test, we went to another woven fabric, organic linen, a material that combines durability-since linen acquire a more beautiful “hand” with washing and sustainability- because it is organic and bleached using hydrogen peroxide.

Sourcing for woven sustainable fabrics can be challenging at times and represents one of our small company’s pursuits. We are always looking for better sustainable sourcing solutions, manufacturing ideas and ways of keeping the production here, at home.

As always, we welcome your comments and feedback on the new and older products, through this blog.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Posted by Zoica on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 to Green Living

The San Francisco based Outlaw Consulting that researches Gen Y culture, recently surveyed its trendsetter base on its favorite green brands. Generation Y wants to buy with their values, supporting companies that are green either by the way they run their business or by the products they sell. The top 12 favored by them are:

1.Whole Foods Market, a 28 year old company that has 270 stores and has a list of 80 ingredients that refuses to sell in store for ethical and health reasons.

2.Trader Joe’s with their green initiatives which include an in-house label that contains no artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, no MSG or added trans fats. They also feature vegan and gluten- free products.

3.Toyota, listed their Prius fuel-efficient model as their third-best selling auto.

4.Honda ranked second, with their Honda Civic Hybrid and more current and future greener business practices.

5.Google with their 2007 announcement to become carbon neutral, adopted a lot of green practices at their headquarters and has the largest corporate solar panel installation in the US.

6.Aveda. The 30 year old company has a lot of green initiatives, from cutting on plastic waste to recycling it and using green ingredients.

7.Zipcar, a newcomer that provides rental cars. The company claims that it has helped to remove 25,000 cars from the road, increased use of public transportation with 47 percent, and helped customers sell their cars.

8.American Apparel made it to the top 10 because of their relevancy to this age group. They recycle 30,000 pounds of cutting and fiber scrap a week and have the ultimate goal not to use conventional cotton at all.

9.Ikea. The Swedish furniture and accessories retailer has a lot of green practices, from renewable energy sources, greenhouse emissions and its plan to reduce its plastic bag usage by 50 percent by charging 5 cents for every “throwaway” plastic bag used.

10.Seventh Generation, founded in 1988 sells 100 percent recycled paper towels, tissues and napkins, offers natural cleaning products and sells garbage bags made with roughly 50 percent recycled plastic.

11.Apple with their sleek, minimalist design approach helped eliminate more than 2 pounds of lead, reduced the energy consumption to 80 percent in sleep mode, and helped recycle more than 21 million pounds of equipment since 1994.

12.The Body Shop has a no animal testing on its products, and committed to become a carbon-neutral company by 2010.

Here you have it! The list is a short one I think, in regard to green companies and practices, and reveals only the Gen Y point of view. Please add to it, comment, or post Gen X opinions about green values and supported companies.

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Posted by Jenny on Friday, August 15, 2008 to Eco Living Contest

First prize: One garment of your choice, your size, absolutely free, at shipping cost only.

Second prize: One garment of your choice, your size, at 60% off the original price and shipping cost.

Here’s how it works…

Tell us how eco-conscious you are. What are you and your family doing to help the global movement of restoring this beautiful planet of ours to health? Have you altered your traveling habits, your 3R’s habits, or your eating habits? Are you working on all of the above, and more? Make a list, and you will be surprised to find out that yes, you are part of the green movement.

Send your list as a comment to this blog post, with pictures if you wish and anxiously wait to see if you are the lucky winner.

The contest will run for a month, from August 16th to September 16th, and the winner will be posted on this site.

Please make sure you leave your email address and your name for future contact.

You’ll be surprised to see how much you have done. Share it with us! Good luck!

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Posted by Jenny on Friday, August 15, 2008 to Green Closet Tips

When was the last time you took a close look at your closet? Do you have everything arranged by season, color, or just “it’s in here somewhere” rule?

Today is the happy day! You will march in there with your favorite organic brew in your hand, your preferred music blasting from your iPod, while caring not to spill anything, or forgetting the cup you left on the shelf for 3 days. You will take a good look at your closet, and you will be surprised to find out that indeed you do have something to wear at this week’s girlfriends - out night, and you do not need to get in the car, use more gas, add to the pollution, waste precious time, while becoming a “slow fashion” promoter on the spot.

Therefore you’ll feel good about it. At least twice.

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Posted by Zoica on Monday, August 11, 2008 to Sustainable Fashion

As the Copenhagen’s Nordic fashion week closed on August 10, we are learning about the Nordic Fashion Association, and its goal to expand Scandinavia’s global reputation for healthy living and sustainable energy to its fashion industries.

“The ambition is to become front-runners in this area” said Danish Fashion Institute, Eva Kruse.

As we know this initiative is common in many countries in the world, but at an individual level. What is laudable about this Association, is the “aim to implement a code of conduct for the Nordic countries’ estimated 3,000 -plus fashion and textile players, plus draw up a 10- year plan to meet a host of environmental and social targets, dubbed the Nordic Initiative Clean and Ethical project, or NICE” said Ellen Groves of WWD.

The code of conduct will be agreed upon, and then signed at a fashion summit that will be held next year, which will coincide with the United Nations’ Global Climate Change Summit. It will be first time when fashion industry will address the global issues along with world biggest companies and politicians.

The potential of existing international labeling systems, such as fair trade certification will be also discussed.

I personally see this step as a major one, with significant, positive outcome in the fashion industry’s DNA in regard to ethics, equality, sustainability and quality.

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Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 to Green Living

The beauty of having a blog is not just for sharing information, or stating a position on a certain topic, but sometimes sharing emotions. Today, I am not going to write about Premiere Vision in NY, about Diane von Furstenberg’s extended role as president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America,or Betsey Johnson’s 30 year anniversary as a designer power house.I will let you glance at any of these pages at your leisure…

Today I am going to put aside all the eagerness of sharing information, while trying to bring something positive in your day and make you forget for a moment your stressful day at work, or the horrendous traffic, or the pain for missing somebody who is far away.

Here is a photo I took at the beginning of this month at Lake Macatawa, in Holland Michigan. I invite you to take a moment to look at this sunset, and see if you feel slightly more peaceful, and your day has gotten a little better. We cannot always go there, but we always have the pictures...

This is my positive message about the world today. I hope you enjoyed it.

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Posted by Zoica on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

We are very happy to announce that we have added new features on our shop page!

All your questions in regard to details of the garments are answered now, with the new provided images. You can view cuffs details, the opened sides, necklines, and buttons placement.

Please come back to preview more products in the near future. We are introducing a new belted tunic made out of organic linen in natural color. The fabric is very soft, breathable, and with a more positive life cycle than traditional fabrics.

To complement our natural color designs, we are also introducing colorful scarves that would be a great addition to any of your shirt or tunic purchases.

Thank you for being our customer. Enjoy!

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Posted by Zoica on Saturday, June 07, 2008 to Sustainable Fashion

Yves Saint Laurent just died, and with him a legacy. Something that he once said and it can be considered his mantra: “Fashion fades. Style is eternal”, has a powerful significance in the today fashion and apparel world, making us pause, and think of possibilities.

We should all think of making classic fashion, so the customers would wear it until wears out, not out of fashion. We can do that with great designs, while keeping focused on the product lifecycle, indirect cost, and environmental impact of facilities.

After finding out that 37 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions came from transporting product by air, versus 17 percent for materials used in production, and 16 percent for energy used in workshops, Vuitton favors today shipments by rail and sea.

"What is your carbon footprint?"Very few companies can answer to that question, but the ones that they do, makes us better customers, because a better informed customer makes better decisions.

The 35 year old Patagonia launched last fall a program called “Footprint Chronicles”. Their initiative studies the impact of a few products, from tops and jackets to bottom and shoes, as they move through the supply chain, proving that the supply chain is the majority of the impact.It is a fascinating lesson that pressure us pause to think.The CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission and energy usage numbers are daunting.

Going back to the drawing board we should all ask ourselves: “Is our company polluting?” “What is our carbon footprint?” “What are the sociological costs to what we are placing into the market?” It is an intricate road, but knowing that we are not alone in that quest, makes it more accessible.

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Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 to Sustainable Fashion

Our first designs are launched in natural colors, because of our intent to reduce the energy and water usage that is linked to dyed fabrics. The garments are made out of linen, an elegant and durable fabric. Linen, which comes from flax- the strongest of vegetable fibers, having 2-3 times the strength of cotton- is smooth, lint free, and gets softer and finer the more is washed.
Linen does wrinkle, but also presses easily when damp. Wear it pressed or not for a casual or more elegant look.

Not opting for prints in designing our garments, awards our customers with multiple accessorizing choices: colored belts, scarves and necklaces.

If our customer asks herself: “How do I contribute to the sustainable goal”? The answer is:”By keeping the garment in the closet as a well-loved piece, and by wearing it often, while staying all stress free in regard to fashion trends”.

Wear in often and enjoy!

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Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 to Green Living

Is the fashion sustainability a consumer driven movement?

If we ask industry leaders, the answer is mixed. While pioneer of organic fashion Marci Zaroff of underthecanopy.com would argue that sustainable fashion is a consumer driven trend, having people ask “why shouldn’t I?” instead of “why should I?”, some others note that people do not transfer the food concept to apparel yet. Fashion, fit and price still top the reasons why people buy apparel.

We can name some of the steps which we think are necessary to take in order to reduce the length of the path for reaching the pinnacle of sustainability in fashion:

• Apparel companies that promote and assert their products as organic, green, sustainable, need to be transparent and educate consumers, therefore eliminate speculations and build trust.
• Companies need to emphasize the importance that customers have in taking positive steps, by recognizing that every little thing counts. All the little things add up, and make the best thing of the choice.
• When buying an apparel product, one should always ask”How was it made?” and “Where was it made?”and the answer should be “ethically” and as “as locally as possible”.
• Companies need to build connections with consumers, because sustainability is a process, and because consumers would favor to be the part of the solution and not the problem.

While organic food is good for body and also earth, sustainable fashion gives us the option of giving back, of aiming to leave the world better than we found it.

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