This spring is going to be a colorful one. One of the big trends is to use bold, bright colors with abandon. Turk + Taylor’s “Bioko” recycled hot-air-balloon windbreaker is now available online for $172. Made in San Francisco with nylon rip-stop (Each piece is unique and will vary drastically in color blocking.) Also don’t forget to check the organic cotton board shorts or the colorful western shirt in “65% organic cotton, 35% recycled polyester.
100% OMG“.
What do you get when you combine a recycled hot air balloon, vintage linen, organic cotton, recycled poly, dead-stock fabric, hemp, and aesthetic genius? You get Turk + Taylor’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection! I love how the cold hasn’t even hit us yet and we’re already talking about next spring! It’s like the winter won’t even happen.
I chatted with Turk + Taylor at a trade show this week and got to see this collection up close and personal. The details are meticulous, the materials are sustainable, and the colors are bold and bright. The Bohol Jacket (made from the defunct 1980s hot air balloon) was my favorite, made from blue, orange and yellow silky-soft ripstop. Enjoy these gorgeous photos from their SS11 look-book:
by Joshua Katcher
featured on HintMag.com
Tevas with socks. Cargo Pants. Slogan tees. Let’s face it, people who care about ecosystems, animals, and worker’s rights aren’t typically celebrated for their sartorial poise. Likewise, most designers who care about form, function, and aesthetics aren’t typically known for their environmental wisdom or empathy; Fur coats, leather everything, toxic cotton, sweatshops.
There is new breed of designer, though, not so easily written off, who can turn old televisions into jaw-dropping shoes, who foster relationships with organic cotton farmers in developing countries, who invest in research and development of warm, biodegradable, recycled, cruelty-free textiles, whose aesthetic vision is not hampered by the challenges of navigating ethical dilemmas, and who – armed with tencel, lenpur, hemp, recycled fabrics, faux-fur, soda-bottle ultrasuede, and organics – aren’t afraid of challenging the tragic credo set by heritage brands. In a culture where the iconography of the rebel is tied up in so many embarrassingly common and mainstream social, environmental and ethical muddles, these true iconoclasts are redefining cool, and reinvigorating the lost meaning of dressing like a dissident.
1. Vaute Couture. Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart is the prefect example of a designer who dreamed big. Her line went from a fantasy (gorgeous, eco, vegan winter coats that can handle Chicago in February) to reality. The line looks as amazing as it is warm and ethical; 100% Cruelty-free, sustainable, and fair-labor. Vaute Couture took over 8 months of fabric research and development and launched just last year, but has already garnered a host of celeb fanatics from Emily Deschanel, to Alicia Silverstone, and Ginnifer Goodwin. The men’s line launches August 2010. vautecouture.com
• Just in time for spring and summer, get organic cotton tees from Turk + Taylor for only $5 or $10! Wowee!
• Get to know Rich Roll: ultraman, vegan, endurance athlete. Named one of Men’s Fitness Magazine’s “25 Fittest Guys in the World” for 2009, Rich Roll is an ultra-distance endurance runner, swimmer, and cyclist—and gets his nutrients from plants. Take that you Paleo-fad-diet-people.
Ultraman Athlete Rich Roll: Vegan Endurance Athlete
Hang this in your office where other dudes (and the ladies) can see it:
• Thousands of independent groups will be holding vegan bake sales in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, the WVBS raised over $25,000 for a variety of worthy causes, and won VegNews Magazine’s “Veg Event of the Year” award. Read the whole article at GirlieGirlArmy.com
After writing so critically yesterday about the heritage luxury brands (Gucci, et al) finally hearing the death-rattle and attempting to figure out how to become sustainable (or at least greenwash their marketing enough to convince people that leather and cashmere could be sustainable), it’s important to point out clothing lines that are using organic cotton, fair labor, and moving towards having a substantial vegan product base. Lines like Vaute Couture, Matt & Nat that are entirely vegan and utilize organic and recycled textiles and ensure fair labor are taking their rightful place in the limelight.
It’s easy for some activists and critics to brush off the entire fashion industry (including the sustainable and vegan brands) as “frivolous” or have a “down with it all” attitude and concentrate on what they see as more pressing issues – but the fashion industry impacts the environment, people, and animals in such huge ways that it deserves much more detailed attention. For example, conventional cotton is responsible for 25% of all insecticide use worldwide, and leather and wool products are an incredibly profitable aspect of the hugest cause of global warming (livestock production). It’s a classic harm-reduction vs abstinence scenario. Clean needles or denial that people are doing drugs? Condoms or denial that teens have sex is happening. Sustainable fashion, or denial that people are buying into these images and ideas?
That being said, we are so excited to see that Turk + Taylor has many vegan items in the new winter collection (which is something that is always hard to come by). Typically, when we think of winter clothing, it is almost invariably wool or other animal products. Below are some images from the new menswear look-book, and our favorite vegan model, Jayce, is featured in them.
Featuring western-style “Panhandle” organic cotton button-downs, “Glen Canyon Grandad” pea coat-style, french-terry, shawl-neck sweaters with organic cotton fleece, and military-inspired “Washington Square” jackets in waxed organic cotton and upcycled sailcloth – the vegan highlights from this and other growing collections and brands are something that the old-school luxury brands who, like the polar bears, are on thin ice, need to carefully learn from and look up to.
• Major Etsy find! A 3 piece suit made from bamboo rayon? No way! Custom tailored to you! $675
• KEEP Shoes is having a great sale on Gilt Groupe. These funky cotton kicks are great for spring, and super affordable at 32$! As usual, you need an invite to join Gilt Groupe.
• Remember the movie Project X from the 80′s where Matthew Broderick tries to save some chimps from being radiated in cruel experiments? Well, now that NASA has decided to start radiating squirrel monkeys, we may need take Matthew’s lead and tell NASA to stop! Can you believe that nasty experiments like this are still being conducted?
Project X, 1987 CBS/FOX
The studies conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York will expose squirrel monkeys to
repeated doses of radiation. Radiation experiments involving nonhuman primates commonly involve restraint and other cruel procedures. Monkeys, like other primates, are highly intelligent, have strong family bonds, demonstrate empathy, and, most importantly, suffer.
Genetic, physiological, and anatomical differences between humans and monkeys dramatically limit the conclusions that can be drawn from the planned studies. Ongoing studies, including those funded by NASA, already use nonanimal methods to determine the effects of low-dose radiation on human tissues. – PCRM
• Turk + Taylor, AW2010. One of our favorite organic lines, Turk + Taylor, showed their AW 2010 collection at the NOW showcase in New York. Here’s some images from their upcoming look-book. Stay tuned! More to come. (And check their rad vegan model, Jayce!)
• Rock it Out: A Night to Benefit New York’s Farm Animal Sanctuaries
Reidy Hall @ All Souls Church
New York, NY
Saturday, March 06, 2010 - 7:00 PM
www.allsoulsnyc.org
Come out to support and celebrate two of New York’s Farm Animal Sanctuaries – The Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock, NY (www.woodstockfas.org) and Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY (www.farmsanctuary.org)!
Live performances by: Jay Stolar of Julius C, Cristin Milioti, Kaylin Lee Clinton, Whitney Wolf , Melissa Lusk and Matt Roi Berger, Grace McLean, Shaina Taub, Lindsay Wolf and Neimah Djourabchi
With special guest Jenny Brown, co-founder of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary!
Also enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, a chance to win one of our many raffle prizes, as well as homemade baked goods from our in-house bake sale!
$10 pre-sale
$15 at the door (cash only)
Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at: https://www.mycommunitytickets.com/event_info.asp?eventid=26496
• Check this Paul Smith organic cotton hoody in gray or purple!
• Need a kickstart? Get Ready to Kickstart Your Health on March 1!
Based on research by Neal Barnard, M.D., one of America’s leading health advocates, this program is designed for anyone who wants to explore and experience the health benefits of a vegan diet. Low-fat vegan—plant-based—diets are the easiest way to trim excess weight, prevent diabetes, cut cholesterol, lower blood pressure, prevent and reverse heart disease, and reduce cancer risk. They even trim our carbon footprint.
One of our fav organic lines is having a crazy sale. Everything is 50% off online, and only 3$ flat rate for domestic shipping! ENTER DISCOUNT CODE TURKCRAZY50 AT CHECKOUT!
Turk + Taylor creatively use organic and sustainable materials and processes to design gorgeous garments for both 
men and women. Their mastery of reinventing classics and capturing nostalgia makes them one of our favorite lines. All goods are manufactured locally in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Turk+Taylor Pop-Up Shop is located at 1529 Fillmore Street in San Francisco. Their phone number is 415-336-5364. They’re open Thursday through Sunday, Noon – 7pm through the end of August.
Their Online store is: http://tnt.bigcartel.com/
ONLY 1 DAY LEFT TO ENTER TO WIN THESE BOURGEOIS BOHEME BROGUES! It’s so easy, don’t kick yourself later for not even trying!
Turk + Taylor, creator of handsome, organic garments, has opened a pop-up store in San Francisco! If you’re on the west coast, you must check out their tailored goods for both men and women. And of course they’re offering up a batch of striking tees!
The Turk+Taylor Pop-Up Shop is located at 1529 Fillmore Street in San Francisco. Their phone number is 415-336-5364. They’re open Thursday through Sunday, Noon – 7pm through the end of August.
Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside a “CMU”
In a Democracy Now exclusive interview, Andrew Stepanian, an animal rights activist who was jailed at a secretive prison known as a Communication Management Unit, or CMU, speaks to Democracy Now. Watch the FULL VIDEO.
Jim James of the lionized My Morning Jacket has announced that a portion of the proceeds of an upcoming, limited-edition EP will go to some of our favorite peeps at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary!
LEARN TO SHRED! Raw chef Judita (who also happens to star as “Judy Nails” in Guitar Hero) is teaching some raw un-cooking classes in NYC. If you want to learn Raw Foods 101 from a rockstar chef, you must take the class!
The Cruelest Show On Earth! Ringling Bros has fastened itself onto Coney Island like a parasite for the summer. Find out what happens during typical behind-the-scenes training for circus elephants:
Instead of supporting horrible activities like this, go to Cirque Du Soleil or Fuerza Bruta!
Fact! There are 700,000 homeless people in the U.S., and 18 million vacant houses and apartments…
Source
1. Turk + Taylor, Spring 09 is looking good! T+T is one of our favorite designers, who we’ve been following for a few seasons now. The collection is almost 100% organic cotton. Check them out! Also check out their new organic tees.
2. These shoes are golden! Cool, Vegan, fair-trade, and eco-friendly, does it get any better than that ? Jinga was started 3 years ago by two gals who give back at least 5% of sales to a social project in a Rio de Janeiro favela (shantytown) which provides activities and education to children to keep them away from gangs! (Thanks to reader Michael B. for this info!)
3. Undercover Animal Lover. This guy is an ethical vegan who risks his safety killing animals all day and shooting undercover footage so we can get a glimpse into the heavily-shrouded meat and dairy industries. Can you imagine? Read this rare interview with TIME magazine, and check his HBO documentary Death on a Factory Farm airing March 16.
4. This Sunday, March 15th, eat good vegan food and help farm animals!
Farm Sanctuary’s Dinner Night Broadway East
171 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Reservations for your party are available between 7:30 and 10 p.m.
Reserve your table online at www.opentable.com or by calling Laurie at 212-228-3100.
Be sure to mention Farm Sanctuary when making your reservation.
5. One of our favorite organic companies, Loomstate, is having a party at one of our favorite eco-boutiques, Kaight, on Friday March 20th. Get a free Loomstate organic tee with any purchase of Loomstate S/S ’09!
6. Person to know: Historian and Activist GEORGE DRAFFAN
” ‘Development’ is a euphemism, much like the word ‘efficiency.’ Efficiency within the current system is really about how fast you can turn forests and mountains into wastepaper and soda pop cans. Is that good? If the purpose of life is to consume and destroy, then international trade and industrial civilization are definitely proven ways to speed that up .”
7. Chloé Jo and the GGA weigh in on the myth that leather can be ‘eco-friendly‘ , on the best Vegan Cheeses, and on the controversy surrounding veganizing your companion animal. Watch out for those crazy cat people! They get their claws out!
8. You might need a french terrycloth motorcycle jacket. I’m just saying….
9. From the folks who brought you EcoRazzi, Veg Daily is Born!
10. Veteran vegan rockers Propagandhi talk to VegNews about their forthcoming album, Supporting Caste.
