Posted by Jenny on Friday, June 26, 2009 to Spread the Word
Get ready, all Atlanta environmentalists! Friday, June 26 to Sunday, June 28th, the Go Green Expo will be rocking the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, Georgia.
Scheduled to attend the event are well-known faces like Mariel Hemingway, fullback for the Atlanta Falcons Ovie Mughelli, and Laura Turner Seydel. Mariel Hemingway will be discussing "How to Green Yourself" through living a healthy life style - eating well, slowing down, and her new book "Mariel Hemingway's Healthy Living from the Inside Out," which is a revolutionary individualized program that teaches us how looking and feeling great are just a few simple choices away.
Through EcoManor, (www.ecomanor.com), the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified residence in the Southeast, Laura Turner Seydel is able to demonstrate real-world applications and offer hands-on experiences to further support her eco-living message. Laura believes that the path to a sustainable future can be made possible through a collective effort and she aims to inspire families, youths, and individuals alike to do their part by educating them on the benefits and opportunities of earth-friendly living.
The Go Green Expo is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and free for kids under the age of 12. The Expo also offers a complimentary, business to business day on Friday, June 26 from 10 to 5, with free admission to anyone with a company business card.
For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit GoGreenExpo
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Posted by Zoica on Monday, June 08, 2009 to News
Our sustainable tunic “Anais” it’s been listed as ‘hot item’ in June issue of “Lucky” magazine Atlanta section, proving that Earth-conscious collections can be chic while timeless. When purchasing our organic linen, you vote for quality over quantity, and you decide to be a smart consumer and a concerned one.
To celebrate the spot, we are offering our customers 25% discount on all items. Please view the size info to pick your best fit. While Alba fits rather loose, Anais fits true to the size. Enjoy!
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Posted by Zoica on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 to Spread the Word
April 17-19 2009 is The Green Apple Festival, America's largest Earth Day celebration. It will be in full swing in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Austin, LA, San Francisco and Seattle.
If you live in one of the above cities, please volunteer for tree planting, energy efficiency retrofits, water protection, urban gardens, and forest restoration.
If you live in our town, Atlanta, you can view the local needs at Act Local, for Green Apple Festival. There are a lot of choices! See you there!
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Posted by Jenny on Monday, March 23, 2009 to Sustainable Fashion
VioceAmerica's Green Talk Radio Network features green strategies from fields such as Environmental Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Packaging, Design Education, Print Design, Interior Design, Landscape Design, Branding and Fashion.
Here is host Naomi Pearson of “Design Evolution” in a 20 minutes interview with Zoica Miesen, of Zoica Matei line, discussing the importance of sustainability in fashion, the beginning, future dreams and the significance of “slow fashion.”
Click the Play button above (20 min) or download the audiocast (12 mb) for offline listening.
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Posted by Zoica on Saturday, March 14, 2009 to News, Events
The annual EcoManor Trunk Show is held April 16, 2009 from 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. It is free, and open to public.
Location: 348 Manor Ridge Drive, Atlanta, GA 30305Visit and shop from sustainable brands ofhome fashions, apparel, jewelry, and beauty. Meet the host Laura Turner Seydel, and the designers!
Have a great time, while viewing beautiful, sustainable products.
Visit our stand for a special promotion! See you there!
For additional information please contact at:
info@zoicamatei.com
678-425-5280
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Posted by Zoica on Monday, March 02, 2009 to News, Events
We are one of the 15 companies showcasing the latest eco-friendly and sustainable jewelry, clothing, handbags, home décor, accessories and more! The Eco Trunk Show will be open from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM on April 2, 2009 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
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Posted by Jenny on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 to News
“Beehive Co-op” boutique is a place that nurtures local designers, promoting creativeness, while invigorating local communities with lovingly crafted, locally made designs.
With locations in Atlanta and New York,Beehive is a co-operative retail concept that is "local by design." Beehive offers its communities unique, modern, handmade items by emerging local and regional designers.
Most of us are familiar with the "food miles" term, as the number of miles our food travels to reach supermarket shelves. Do we ever wonder about "fashion miles"? “As consumers continue to embrace the notion of buying locally, Beehive represents a progressive model for how to shop that is also socially conscious. When you buy a handmade pendant or ceramic piece at Beehive, you learn about the artist and form a meaningful connection. You know that your dollars are supporting independent artists and watering the local economy's roots”.
Zoica Matei line is currently showcased at Beehive, where you can view the collection, and meet the designer. Check them out at: 1831A Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30309, call them at 404.351.1166 and visit the website:www.beehiveco-op.com
Here is a Valentine sample.
  
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Posted by Jenny on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 to News
Finally our dresses are available for 24 hours delivery!
Made out of a silk and hemp mix, their fabric hangs in beautiful folds due to the silk content, while the hemp gives them body and shape. That means almost no wrinkles when you wear them! We thought you would be happy to hear that. Offered in chocolate brown color, with detachable ties and subtle details, they are timeless designs that counter “disposable” fashion, since they will work next year, and five years from now.
The wedding dresses that we start offering in December have customizable options, from hem lengths and trains, to embellishment and fabric , so please call us with any questions you may have in regard to the ordering process.
If you live in Atlanta, or come to visit this beautiful city, please stop by Beehive Co-op in Buckhead, where our designs are featured starting January 15th! We would love to meet you.
We had joined getsatisfaction.com, so if you have any questions directed to the company we are there to answer them.
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Posted by Zoica on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 to Spread the Word
“Superheroes for Earth” was this year’s annual Christmas party held by Captain Planet Foundation, in Atlanta, Georgia. The event’s message, summarized by chairperson Laura Turner Seydel and Co-Chairs Rick Baker and Sacha Taylor, was “that each of us, in our own ways, can be Superheroes for Earth by protecting our very fragile environment and natural resources”.
From live entertainment and superhero chic outfits to live and silent auction, the event was a memorable one.
Based on a critically acclaimed cartoon series, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, the Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) was founded in 1991 by Ted Turner. The mission of this organization is to support hands-on, environmental projects for children and youths in grades K-12. With a history of over 2,000 projects in United States and around the world, CPF objective is to encourage innovative endeavors that empower today’s children to be environmental stewards.
Proceeds raised from this year’s event will support the environmental educational projects for youth around the globe that are funded year-round in the form of grants. In particular, donations this year will help launch CPF’s newest initiative, called “organic gardens as outdoors classrooms”. The objective is to create numerous outdoor classrooms in the Atlanta area, in which students will learn a variety of core subjects integrated with environmental education curriculum. The final goal is to help youth develop a stronger connection with nature and empower them to make healthy decisions.
Other beneficiaries from this year Christmas Party include the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, Our House and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
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Posted by Zoica on Monday, December 08, 2008 to News
Tamie Reed has always sought after causes which would have lifelong impact on our society. Her “Talking with Tami” show started from her interest in showing viewers slices about entrepreneurship and business ventures. Read Tamie's interview with Zoica, on December 1st.
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Posted by Zoica on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 to News
Today, we need ‘slow fashion’ more than any time.
The today’s fashion apparel consumers are rethinking their buying strategies more than any time before. The fashion regulars are now 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 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
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
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
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.
Soy
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.
Linen
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/Tencel
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
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
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.
Dyes
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.
Factory conditions & Fairtrade
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 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 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 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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