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

Constructing the Suit: No-Bull Buttons

joshuakatcher — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:27:30 +0000

I've been in the development process for the exclusive Discerning Brute Suit Line (which will be available on BraveGentleMan.com soon!) and there are so many elements to making a good suit, and may of them are not at all animal-friendly. From bull-horn and buffalo buttons to wool fabric, from horse or goat or camel-hair interfacing and wool felt under-collar fabric, to silk thread, making a cruelty-free suit is no easy task. Many menswear factories are set up to provide stock-interfacing and thread - and bringing in your own alternatives sometimes poses problems. Things like buttons and interfacing are definitely more subtle elements of ethical fashion, but they are valid nonetheless. What visually and texturally distinguishes horn buttons from alternatives like tagua nut, wood, plastic, or coconut? The buttons in the image below are typical horn buttons, carved from the horns of animals like buffalo or bull. Definitely not cruelty-free, and definitely not sustainable considering the ecological impact of livestock production. Horn buttons come in light brown, dark brown, black, amber, and ivory. They usually have an organic texture (run your fingernail along the rim and it should have a tiny ridges, like a worn-down quarter, and often they appear to be marbleized. Upon close inspection, they have depth in the lighter areas, which are slightly translucent. Horn buttons are also typically semi-matte - unlike plastic buttons which are smooth and uniformly shiny, though many mimic the marble patter and colors. Tagua Nut Buttons are a gorgeous, organic alternative to animal horn and plastic. They are also called Corozo, mococha and vegetable ivory. Tagua has been used in since 1750 for toys, beads, and buttons. The Tagua nut comes in various colors, shades, and patterns, and are considered the "ivory of wood". Companies like Howies and Vaute Couture, who I've talked about on The Discerning Brute before, are now using Tagua Nut. The Tagua nut, it comes from a palm tree called Phytelephas Macrocarpa (a palm from South America). The nuts are gathered and dried out for 4-8 weeks, sorted and sliced. Their scientific name means "plant elephant" and the very hard white endosperm of their seeds (tagua nuts) resembles elephant ivory, does not break, and maintains the same properties as man-made buttons along with the texture and color patterning similar to horn. The Tagua Nut is sustainably harvested, often fairly traded, and does not require the cutting-down of trees (since it comes from the tree's nut). It also has such similar properties to Ivory that it has helped curb the poaching of elephants. What's not to like? Definitely look for Tagua Nut Buttons on my upcoming suit line!

Jackets, Clean Face & Stripes

joshuakatcher — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:05:04 +0000

• Get Your Stripes for fall in organic cotton from Howies. Long sleeve slim fit t-shirt in organic cotton with a crew neck and yarn dyed stripes. $63 I am also loving the Homerun Jacket in organic cotton for that classic, 1950s varsity look. $149, and the organic denim jean jacket from Nudie, $227 Simplify. Jack Black's range of organic, botanical grooming products includes this two-in-one face bar & shave soap. Also, don't miss their limited edition, 10th anniversary vegan Beard Lube. If you are growing a beard or mustache and ant to soften those scratchy bristles, rub some of this into your facial garden. Jack Black also offer three fragrances for men, all of which are vegan: Silver, Blue and Black.

• Once again (and as always) any legislation that protects animals, ecosystems, air, water, or health is under attack by big business. The Clean Air Act is under a multi-million dollar assault by oil and coal lobbyists. Watch the video below and spread the word.

Polos, Smoothies & Animals Rights in Washington

joshuakatcher — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:32:07 +0000

• A polo is great because it's somewhere in between a dress-shirt and a tee-shirt. The sophistication of a collar and buttons combined with the comfort and casualness of a short-sleeve tee is perfect for backyard barbecues, outdoor lunch meetings, and Sunday brunches. Thrift stores are chock-full of polos, and here are some ethical polos to ponder in organic cotton, hemp, recycled poly and more:

• You don't need a blender to make a shake. Vega's new shake & go smoothie is great because there's no cleanup. Only 100 calories per serving with 2500 mg Omega-3-6-9, 11 g complete protein, and 1 billion probiotics cultures. Just add two heaping tablespoons to ½-1 cup water, shake and go! Formulated by Brendan Brazier, vegan, professional Ironman triathlete and bestselling author on performance nutrition

• The National Journal wrote a thorough and objective article about the state of the Animal Rights movement. According to them, the sophisticated movement is gaining momentum, sharpening it's tools, and ushering in some huge political and cultural changes - but not without a backlash from animal farmers and animal-industry-funded groups like the Center for Consumer Freedom. • Tail docking cattle is among the most disturbing practices MFA's undercover investigator captured on film during a recent investigation of New York's largest dairy operation. A worker uses a bladed clamp to slice off the ends of calves' tails, severing nerves, skin and vertebrae - all without the use of anesthesia. The calves' legs buckle from the pain, as they stagger and stumble to the ground. The worker then applies a smoking cautery device to the amputations. Find out how you can help.

Pumping Iron & Spring Tees

joshuakatcher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:21:04 +0000

• Some of my favorite organic cotton lines have unleashed their spring collections: Vuori, Loomstate, Bassike, and Howies. Loomstate also offers some great organic denim. I like the more fitted styles like "Manifest" and "Prophecy". Howies has some perfect organic cotton shorts in gray, and recycled poly bathing trunks in bright, poppy red. Spring Jackets are important if you're in an area that has a cool or rainy spring, like we do in New York. Livity has a rad hemp-fur lined, recycled poly, water repellent bomber jacket! If a Mr. Rogers is more your speed, their recycled hemp, organic cotton five-button cardigan will be your neighbor. • Speaking of spring fashion, who wants twiggy arms coming out of their tee shirts? If you've ever thought about getting diesel, the guys over at VeganBodyBuilding.com have some great resources. They cover everything from nutrition and strength training, to endurance and workout techniques. They're even working on a documentary following three vegan bodybuilders as they prepare for 12 weeks to compete in a natural bodybuilding competition in Phoenix, AZ.

Wax Weather

TheDiscerningBrute — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:00:11 +0000

Waxed canvas could be my favorite new fabric. It's waterproof, wind resistant, supple, and shares many characteristics with leather (minus the whole killing-of-animals part). Autumn is known for crisp air, rain, and chilly breezes. My advice for fall is waxed cotton all the way from boots to hats. Stay dry, warm, and light! The good thing about these jackets is that they'll last you forever, and since they're classics, they never go out of style.

Barbour

Barbour makes several styles of really nice waxed jackets and hats. I recently got to view four different jackets, and I was told that all their labor is done in Europe (no sweatshops) and their waxes are totally animal-friendly. The Flyer, below, is my favorite for this fall. It's lightweight, insulated, and has nice detailing. The jacket has a 100% cotton Barbour tartan lining with 30 gauge wadding for extra warmth. Two way front zip under a studded front, cord inner collar with buckle front tap, knitted rib hem and cuffs. Retail $375

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If you are looking for a more edgy jacket, the International Trials Short Jacket, below, is a slimmer, shorter length version of Barbour's iconic motorcycle design. I suggest wearing this style over a slender suit, open with the belt buckled. This jacket is in Barbour's medium-weight 6 oz. Sylkoil wax with a 100% cotton Barbour tartan lining. Two-way front zip under a studded storm fly front with set-in sleeves and ventilation eyelets. PU Coated polyamide inner drip strip for extra weather protection, corduroy collar and cuffs, and multiple pockets. Retail $379 Goes Great with:

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Finally, if you're looking for a longer coat, the Cowen Commando is one of Barbour's most famous styles. this modern wax jacket was designed from a historic British army pattern, with a Union Jack badge to prove it. Barbour's heavyweight 8 oz. Weathered wax with tartan lining. The jacket also features reinforced shoulder panels, a drawcord waist with adjustable toggles and multiple pockets. Retail $419.Goes Great with:

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Belstaff

Belstaff's waxed cotton is more expensive than Barbour (averaging around $530). They are gorgeous and leather-free, but they do incorporate Teflon in their canvass, which is toxic, and made by DuPont, a known vivisector and environmental polluter. Therefore I cannot recommend these jackets, and I suggest writing a kind letter to DuPont expressing your disdain for outdated and cruel animal testing, and CC Belstaff! ___________________

David Morgan

For a more affordable autumn jacket, David Morgan offers a oil-finish, waxed cotton jacket called the Shelter Cloth Jacket (retail $160). It has a marbleized color, utility pocket, and moleskin collar (don't worry, moleskin is actually cotton). David Morgan also offers a pretty bad-ass trench coat called The Duster (retail $285).Goes Great with:

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Goes Great with:

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Wax It Yourself

Do you own a pair of canvas boots or sneaks, a jean jacket, or even a cotton hat? If you want to waterproof it, and give it a chic, slick appearance, you can buy wax and DIY!

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:23:02 +0000

1. CROW Clothing New Menswear from CROW Clothing is made from organic cotton, bamboo, and soy. But that's not the best thing - they have a sliding scale for prices, so you pay what you can afford! 2. The numbers are in! Forest Ethics released a report this week citing that "emissions generated by junk mail is equivalent to the emissions of more than 9 million cars, or if you prefer, 2.5 million cars idling 24 hours a day for 7 days a week."

2. Howies Organic Denim This Howies organic cotton jacket is perfect for fall. And their organic skinny jeans with natural indigo are half off! 3. Monkey Thanker Friend of DB, Karen Dawn (author: Thanking the Monkey) was recently featured in a news segment connecting going green with compassion for farm animals. Check out the video here. 4. HSUS Back to School Fur Free guide: Printable guide to telling real fur from fake fur: http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/fur/field-guide-on-real-vs-fake-fur-final.pdf Printable fur labeling case report: http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/fur/fur-labeling-case-report-final.pdf Printable list of fur-free companies: http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/fur/fur-free-list-pocket-guide-final.pdf 5. It seems unbelievable... ...but the Bush Administration is quietly trying to redefine "abortion" to include birth control. The Houston Chronicle says this could wipe out dozens of state laws that protect women's reproductive freedom and protect rape victims. This "rule change" doesn't need congressional approval. Can you sign an emergency message to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, whose department is considering this rule change right now?