Pumping Iron & Spring Tees

• Some of my favorite organic cotton lines have unleashed their spring collections: Vuori, Loomstate, Bassike, and Howies.

Mens Wood Doesn't Grow on Trees Rain is OK

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.

BasinSENECA Chubut Short Team Rider

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.

Native, Naturally

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The incredible craftsmanship, color usage, and pattering of traditional Indian textile is going to be big this fall. The pairing of these styles with plaids, denim, canvas and moccasin-inspired shoes and boots is a great way to include it in your wardrobe. Because these textiles are traditionally made from wool and other animal hairs (like in the Pendelton for Opening Ceremony image up top), it is quite difficult to find animal-friendly and eco-friendly versions.

NavShirtThriftLuckily, thrift stores are chock full of this stuff, from silk-screened shirts to plaid pants and vests, to this western shirts I found, with a great black, silver and tan Chimayo pattern on it. I definitely recommend starting off at the second-hand stores, for both your wallet and the environment.

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Vuoris “Native” and “Tribe” organic tee-shirts  honor the men and women whose heroic efforts, so often unnoticed, propel us towards a more sustainable future. The “Eagle” tee from Loomstate and the “Endangered Wolf” tee from Loomstate for Barney’s celebrate two iconic animals that both need respect and protection. I’d wear this over a skull and crossbones, any day.

http://shop.vuoriclothing.com/images/vuori_native.jpgNatural http://shop.vuoriclothing.com/images/vuori_heritage.jpg EndngeredWolf

The Aztec Shirt from Sierra Trading Post, and Navajo Shirt from Orvis would look great underneath a solid sports coat or beneath a vest. Also try a Navajo vest over some organic plaid like Patagonia’s two shirts below.

Panhandle Slim Aztec Print Shirt - Western, Long Sleeve (For Men) Iron Mountain Navajo Print ShirtM's Fjord Flannel ShirtM's Buckshot Flannel Shirt

Try some burgundy organic denim from Monkee Genes or pick up some plaid pants from the thrift shop!

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These are some cruelty-free shoes and mocs that can pull the look together, or just function as the sole element:

A Fetching Friday

SoFaux tag

SOFAUX Fashion Factory makes awesome, hand-printed, hand-dyed,  organic cotton shirts. Made in Seattle. Get them at BlackBird for about $58

SoFaux shirtSoFaux shirtSoFaux shirtSoFaux shirt

Also check out more organic finds from our favorite lines:

Gilded Age is famous for well-made, classic garments using the oldest looms remaining, and centuries-tested methods of dying and construction. This “Sullivan” organic cotton chambray shirt &  “Clarke” organic cotton seersucker shirt are quite fetching.

We love these organic “RIP” and “Sir Edmund” tees from Vuori AW09. Founder, Joe Kdia and Chad Alasantro,  use waterbased inks, organic cotton, and well-designed homages to eco warriors. Check out the rest HERE.

RIP Sir Edmund

Wings & Horns & Lars Andersson organic tank tops are perfect for summer, and to show off some ink!

Wings + Horns Color Block Tank TopLars Andersson 6006 Knit Tank Top

Sameunerneath‘s organic cotton blazer is back! This is a rare item in the world of menswear.

Cover your head! Patagonia makes a nice organic cotton cadet cap in black, brown, and green. Also check out their 100% recycled poly rainshell!

Cadet Cap

M\'s Eco Rain Shell Jacket

Designer Highlights: Thieves, Vuori & RHLS

Ruffeo Hearts Lil’ Snotty has some amazing new products, and a snazzy new website to boot. If you don’t remember, these Brooklyn-based designers turn deadstock, and reclaimed fabrics into geometric fashion wetdreams. From the ‘Rainbows Shooting From a Mystical Pot of Gold’ underwear/bathing suit, to the ‘Big Black Double Barrel” hoodie – RHLS continues to mystify – creatively and ecologically.Image of Rainbows Shooting From a Mystical Pot of GoldImage of Big Black Double Barrel

picture-1Vuori makes organic garments that celebrate activists. Their range of menswear is graphic tee-shirts made from 100% organic cotton. What’s so great about organic cotton? The fact that it’s not conventional cotton!

“Vuori honors the men and women whose heroic efforts, so often unnoticed, propel us towards a more sustainable future. Using fashion as a medium, Vuori recognizes the environmentalists, activists, and humanitarians whose visions inspire us to live with more awareness. On the inside of each garment, we pay tribute to these individuals and their respective heroic endeavors”

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picture-7Thieves is made by Canadian designer Sonja den Elzen. This is a really sophisticated line – something that big designers who haven’t caught on to the fact that we live on a finite planet should be afraid of – because artists like Sonja will be taking their jobs in the next few years! My favorite is the organic cotton twill trench! drool…

The line does use wool, silk, and found antler buttons on certain garments- but it’s mostly animal friendly. The images below are totally vegan and 100% organic cotton.

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