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

ULTIMATE Father’s Day Guide for the Ethically Handsome Dad

joshuakatcher — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:36:56 +0000

Every Father's Day, we get dear-old-dad the same old stuff, but being a dad is cooler and braver than ever! Most fathers want what's best for the family- and now he can also help protect animals and the planet too. The best part is, when getting these ethically handsome gifts for pop, you don't have to sacrifice style, taste, or pleasure. Nor do you have to compromise on what dad likes! These cool gifts are a spin on traditional Father's Day presents, from geeked-out gadgets and tools to socks and ties to sports gear and suits. I've even got recommendations for dads who have it all, from electric sports cars and motorcycles to Armani Bamboo Sports coats! Your father will be proud to be a personal hero to you and a superhero to the planet. Let's not underestimate what it means to be protector this Father's Day!

GIFTS:

• No one in the office will know! Organic Cotton Dress Shirts from Culturata, Velour, and Nordstrom. Organic cotton blows conventional cotton out of the water – growing conventional cotton requires the use of enormous amounts of pesticides, which has a huge environmental impact and presents health risks for those working around it. 25% of the world’s insecticide use and more than 10 percent of the world’s pesticide goes to cotton crops. In 2003, that amounted to about 55 million pounds of pesticides being sprayed on 12.8 million acres of cotton, according to the Organic Trade Association. • Organic cotton, bamboo, and banana fiber underwear & socks from Aussiebum & Nordstrom. Supporting sustainable and ethical fashion is more than just an outer layer. Keeping pesticides away from sensitive areas is something any man will get behind. . . • Sports gear: Carpenter Trade, professional baseball glove $280 In addition to superior performance, most people don't realize that the #1 cause of greenhouse gas emissions is from raising livestock for food and leather. Avoiding leather is one of the most powerful things to do for the environment. So have a custom made, professional-grade glove made with your dad's name on it. • Mens organic, cruelty-free grooming products and scents. The last thing you should give pop is a guilty conscience with products that have been tested on animals. Most razors and many mainstream grooming products are still tested on animals and are not made from recycled plastics, but these items are totally cruelty-free and sustainable. (Preserve, Jack Black, Herban Cowboy, the Body Shop) • Get your dad back into health with cookbooks, health guides, and diet books for dudes! The fireman's Engine 2 Diet, the Triathlete's THRIVE book series, Skinny Bastard, Meat is for Pussies, Vegan Bodybuilding and Tal Ronnen's amazing cookbook, the Conscious Chef. • Stock the Pantry with delicious, gourmet food! Who says eating healthy means eating sprouts? What dad doesn't love dark chocolate, smores, gourmet sausage, jerky, dips, and healthy, meaty meal-starters? • Cruelty-free Accessories from NOHARM, Novacas, Bourgeois Boheme, Matt & Nat, Truth, and The Vegan Collection. Also check out the solar-charged briefcase from Voltaic, or a recycled canvas and vegetable-based faux-leather handbag. All sustainably leather-free.

• Buy your dad a gift or experience on Charity Buzz and support your favorite charities. Hang with celebs, get backstage, go on trips, amazing experiences, sports tickets, memorabilia, delicious meals, and more!

• Satin Ties & Ties diverted from Landfills. With Jaanj's high-end, luxury, non-silk ties, you'll never miss the worms that get boiled alive. For cotton ties, the Hill-Side makes ties and pocket-squares from selvedge fabrics, diverting them from landfills and making really cool, classic square-end ties, pocket squares, and handkerchiefs. • For the Handy-Dad: Gadgets and tools or a Gift Certificate to GREEN DEPOT, an environmental living & building store. From recycled cotton insulation and a home composter to soy based paints and finishes, any dad into home improvement will love these gifts. • Lawn Order with Greenworks tools. From mowers, blowers, and log-splitters, to hedge-trimmers and cultivators, these greener lawn tools don't use fossil fuels and make self-sufficiency easy and green! • Vintage Sunglasses / Frames. The greenest gifts of all require no new resource extraction or manufacturing. Vintage is always an amazing option. Classic sunglasses are big right now, from aviators, wayfarers, and John-Lennon frames to the 50's Halo frames. • Enthralling DVDs of Oscar winner's and award nominees "The Cove", "Food Inc", and "End of the Line".

For the Dad with it All:

• Tesla Electric Sportscar. 0-60 in 3.9 secs, 288 hp, 236 miles per charge. Starts at $101,500 • Electric Motorcycle from Zero $9,995, or Brammo at $7,995

Etsy is for Dudes, Sundance Fur Fest & Futher Spillage

joshuakatcher — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:12:22 +0000

• We have green souls, right? Rachel Comey is back with more Vegan Spillers. This time, the cap-toe oxfords are in a beige canvas upper with a green sole. $208 at Steve Alan

• Planet Green weighs in on, the horror!!! - living without your Blackberry. "I was like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, devoted to fondling My Precioussssss." • SUNDANCE FUR FESTIVAL : Heartless or Stupid? We know it's hard for celebs to express how rich they are, but you'd think the creators of the The Green would have an anti-fur policy at their festival. Sundance has become known for it's unhealthy association with fur-drenched celebs strutting around like idiots, literally. I mean you either have to not know how it's made, or not have a heart. Usually the ladies are taking heat for wearing fur, but check out these images of some less-than-men I'd like to sic Mac Danzig on: Ashton Kutcher, Wesley Snipes, Nick Cannon, and Nick Hogan, all from the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. Find out what you can to help end this archaic industry.

• Six Reasons for Dudes to Hit on Etsy

1. Shoot dirt dead with gun soap scented with black tea! Practice your best Dirty Harry while scrubbing your hairy-dirty areas. vegan glycerin soap base and scented with black tea. $8.50 2. Yes, it's OK to embrace the murse. But call it a portfolio and you'll sound so much manlier. UNI-LAP portfolio case, vinyl $125 3. Find great one-of-a-kind vintage like this Vintage Tan Faux-Suede Jacket $40 4. Don't Hurt the Bean Curd! Clever and/or offensive Organic cotton items like Tofu Never Screams and Small Hanging Wang Underwear! Also Skeletons and wings always make gentlemen happy. 5. Find rebellious ties and bow-ties from Toybreaker. Silk-like microfiber and nontoxic water-based inks, $10- $40 6. Stinky Bomb Lip Balm! Place some explosive kisses on your lover: candelilla wax, coconut oil and sweet almond oil, 5$

Eco Tuxedo

TheDiscerningBrute — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:26:20 +0000

I recently received a letter from reader Beau:

Hey DB,

I'm definitely in need of some help here in California! Here's what's up: I really wasn't planning on going to my prom this year... that is until one of my good friends came out of nowhere and asked if I'd go with her as pals. Anyway, now I'm sort of freaking out about what the hell to wear in terms of a non-wool tux. I think I can handle the bow-tie (thanks for that post) and non-leather shoes. So maybe you could help me out in finding a fashionable, sustainable, vegan tux, or a good company that makes them?

Thank you for all that you do- you're such an inspiration and The Discerning Brute is such a valuable resource.

Beau Broughton

Hey Beau,

Finding a non-wool, cruelty-free tuxedo or suit for a prom or a wedding is definitely a challenge. And finding an eco-friendly and cruelty free tux is next to impossible. If you've got money, I'd suggest having a tux custom tailored from organic cotton, or any other eco-friendly fabric. There are a few expensive designer options. The first Versace jacket below isn't a tux, per se, but you can dress it up with a bow tie: Eco-Vegan Bamboo Sportcoat from Versace. $895 at Nordstrom: This tuxdo is another really pricey option, but it's green and cruelty free. Eco Vegan Bamboo/Cotton Velvet Tux from Peak Lapel. $1,661.95 at Sierra Trading Post (includes bamboo/cotton pants): A more affordable option is Rawganique's organic, hemp, fair-trade 'Wedding Jacket' with matching slacks. $437 at Rawganique.com There are even more affordable options from After Six, with a 100% poly (not as eco-friendly, but cruelty-free) Tux in white, bone, ivory, and black. FOR RENT! Men's Warehouse offers some poly options for rent, including a tailcoat: Hope this helps, and have fun at prom! Don't forget to check out Jannj for the best silk-free ties, ascots, and bowties! DB