The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » fur free

Cool Vs. Cruel 2010

joshuakatcher — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:57:58 +0000

I was asked by the Humane Society of the United States to be a Judge for their annual fashion student competition, Cool Vs. Cruel. I swung by Showroom Seven yesterday to have a peek at the finalists' entires and pick my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, who all based their work on four inhumane designs by Zac Posen, Giorgio Armani, Burberry Prorsum, or Thakoon: Choosing the winners was difficult, because I could see all the effort and love that went into each garment. When talented students go out on a limb to both challenge industry ignorance and heartlessness as well as take an ethical stand, I want to award them all! The whole rack looked incredible, and it took me well over and hour of deliberation as I inspected the construction, aesthetic, functionality, and even made the lovely ladies at Showroom Seven put on some of the garments. Visit the Art Institute's competition page and view last year's winners, and join the Cool vs. Cruel Facebook page for the latest updates and happenings.

Veg Fighters, Zero Energy Homes, & Fur-Free NYC

TheDiscerningBrute — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:54:46 +0000

1. Jake Shields is not just one of three people to ever be awarded a Blackbelt in Gracie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and champ of Elite XC, he is also a life-long vegetarian. I will be posting an interview with him in the coming days, so stay tuned! I wonder how he would do against vegan MMA champ Mac Danzig?

2. Henri Bendel has gone fur-free. They've been around for almost 114 years, so look out Saks, Macy's, Nieman Marcus, & Nordstrom! Don't you know that Fur Is Dead?

“Henri Bendel’s fur-free policy offers proof that cruelty-free can certainly be synonymous with high fashion. We are thrilled to add Henri Bendel to our list of more than 100 fur-free companies, which already includes the other Limited Brands.” - ” Heidi Prescott, senior vice president, campaigns for The Humane Society of the United States

3. Zero Energy Prefab Homes are not science fiction! Check out the mkLotus by Michelle Kaufmann. This beautiful, healthy home is a peaceful oasis that collaborates with the land. This home offers the latest high-performance systems and sustainable materials and methods, which dramatically reduces its impact on the environment, as well as your energy bills! Solar, rain water catchment, gray water system, geothermal, and other efficient building systems can be added as well.

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:06:34 +0000

1. Mrs. Palin is not the only one going on a shopping spree. According to the Caucus (NYT Blog), in addition to Sarah Palin's $150,000 shopping spree, "Consider also the $4,902.45 charge at Atelier New York, a high-end men’s store, presumably for Ms. Palin’s husband, Todd, the famous First Dude." 2. Rickshaw ZERO This 'Zero Waste Messenger Bag' is manufactured to produce absolutely no waste. It's nylon design also makes it 100% recyclable. For a mere $50, if you need a good bag, this one's got your name on it. Mark Dwight, Rickshaw founder and CEO, explains "We took a three-pronged approach to this design – eliminate manufacturing waste, minimize the supply chain footprint, and make the bag from a single material." Dwight is a student of William McDonough's Cradle-To-Cradle sustainable manufacturing philosophy, and wanted to create a mono-polymer product – in this case a "pure-play in nylon". "This entire bag can go right into the shredder for recycling into carpet or some other nylon regrind product," explained Dwight. 3. Timberland's "Earthkeepers" Shoeline Still Stuck in the Leather-Trap. Is it possible to have 'eco-leather'? Not so much. It is possible for leather to be made with less toxic chemicals, but that does absolutely nothing to counter what the top United Nations climatologists have deemed the #1 cause of global warming: animal agriculture AKA meat & dairy production. Combine that with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity from raising cattle. With leather being "the most economically important byproduct" of the meatpacking industry, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, you can't have leather without the rest of the whole mess. Timberland's use of recycled materials, and organic canvass is a big boot-step in the right direction, but they've got to lose the leather! Check out their uber greenwashed site here: Earthkeepers. For more on leather check out THIS. 4. Vegan DHA Finally! A completely vegetarian softgel, fish-free source of DHA! DHA is an important brain nutrient and, with diet and exercise, has been found to support a healthy heart. Low levels of DHA result in reduction of brain serotonin levels and have been associated with ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, and depression, among other diseases, and there is mounting evidence that DHA supplementation may be effective in combating such diseases. Get it at your local health food store! 5. Suki Toner! There's no shame in a man getting that supple glow. Suki's concentrated balancing toner is made with white willow salicins, vitamin C, and polypeptides, and it's my new favorite product. It's great for after shaving, or for sensitive, dry, or acne-prone skin. 100% vegan, not tested on animals, and organic. . . 6. Juicy Couture Pledges to go Fur-Free! Click HERE to thank them.The company has pledged to PETA that they will no longer sell fur, starting in 2009. Also, get involved in Fur-Free-Friday this year! 7. Halloween Candy! Cosmos' Vegan Shoppe has a nice selection of vegan Halloween Candy including chocolates, gummies, almond and peanut butter cups, and candy drops. There' still time to order for the 31st, but hurry up! 8. Greener Printer I just had my new business cards printed at a wind-powered facility that uses vegetable-based inks and recycled paper. Why settle for anything less? Next time you have a print project, check out GREENER PRINTER.

9. EBAY Bans Ivory Sales

eBay has just announced that it will be instituting a global ban on the sale of elephant ivory products. eBay’s decision was announced just hours before the release of IFAW’s latest investigative report showing Internet trade in wildlife poses a significant and immediate threat to the survival of elephants and many other endangered species. Thank eBay for Banning All Trade in Ivory

10. Tomorrow starts 'Wold Go Vegan Days'.