Mindful Metropolis October 2009 : Page 25
Below: el coat 100% vegan recyclable shell fully lined in Windproof 100% recycled closed Loop Zero Waste satin ripstop with tagua nut Buttons. constructed locally. available in Blue, Black, ivory, and Gray. Photo By: Jeff stella Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart aBoVe: awe couture coat. 55% organic cotton 45% Bamboo Fair trade velvet. Gun- metal. custom made locally. Photo By: Billy Bradford Leanne mai-ly Hilgart is an activist first, entrepreneur second and artist always. she approaches fashion de- sign as an inventor, focusing heavily on fabric research to create innova- tive functional and chic alternatives to traditionally animal derived ap- parel. the line is also eco-conscious, artist inspired, and made in chicago on a living wage. spelled like “haute couture” (high fashion) with a v for vegan, vaute couture exists to be a voice for the animals in the industry and push towards more compas- sionate options and standards. it is spoken “vote,” as each purchase made is a very tangible ballot for the processes and structures behind it. vautecouture.com Eco-Friendly Fashion Terms Eco-friendly fashion clothing is comprised of sustainable fabrics such as organic raw materi- als, natural fibers, recycled or reused textiles, or regenerated fibers that have little negative im- pact on the environment, but what do all these (and more) eco-buzzwords actually mean? — Margaret Mincks Biodegradable: the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly by biological means into raw materials, which can then be absorbed into the ecosystem. Bamboo is biodegradable; polyes- ter is not. color Grown cotton: cotton that naturally develops shades such as honey, red, purple and mocha dur- ing its growth process; contains no dyes. closed-Loop production: an environmentally conscious system used to process raw natural material into fabric; utilized in the manufacturing of regenerated fabrics. a “closed loop” circuit recovers, purifies, and reuses sol- vent up to 99.5 percent, yielding very little byproduct. Fair-trade: indicates that workers who manufacture the items are paid a fair price and have decent, acceptable working conditions. mindfulmetropolis.com 25
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