Sustainable clothing has been increasing in popularity recently due to the negative impact fast fashion is having on the environment and the global concerns around manufacturing and fair trade. If you have been considering a more sustainable wardrobe, here are some essential tips to get you started.
Organize Your Closets
If you can see what is in your wardrobe, you know what you have. This may sound simple but how many times have you gone shopping only to return with an item that is similar to something you already own? This is a waste of both time and money, but it wouldn’t be as likely to happen if you had organized your wardrobe.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Most people have made mistakes when it comes to clothes purchases. The size is wrong, the color doesn’t suit you, or it is not a good length on you. Whatever it is, the chances are the item will stay in your wardrobe unworn until you recycle it. If you learn from your mistakes, you won’t make them again and your wardrobe will become more sustainable because you will likely wear everything in it.
Donate and Buy
Charity shops used to be the domain of impoverished students but that is changing rapidly as people become more aware of the downside of fast fashion and are moving towards a sustainable wardrobe. One of the best ways to reduce the damage to the environment is by recycling unwanted items and buying from this source too. This means that your new clothes won’t do any further damage to the world we live in, and you can purchase some fantastic clothes for a fraction of the price.
Borrow Clothes
If you know you are only going to wear an outfit once, there is no point in buying it new. Ask your friends if they have anything suitable that you can wear to an event, and swap clothes between you when you want to wear something new. That way, you always look like you are wearing something new without having to buy it.
Rent
A similar idea is to rent your clothes rather than buy them. This is especially popular with designer items that rent well because people want the latest fashions without having to break the bank. This is also a fantastic way to acquire one-off clothes like that designer cocktail dress for an important work function or even a wedding dress.
Check the Label
If you are going to buy new clothes you should be aware of the brands you are buying as some are more environmentally friendly than others. Ganni dresses are renowned for their environmental conscience and sustainable fashion from Ganni looks fantastic too.
For intimate items that really need to be purchased new, Faerie’s Dance has an amazing selection of organic cotton bras and organic lingerie.
Care for Your Clothes
It makes sense that if you care for your clothes they will last longer and not end up in landfill as quickly. Washing them less frequently and at a lower temperature can make an enormous difference to their longevity. You should also consider whether you need to buy dry-clean only clothes as the chemicals they use can be harmful to the environment, and your clothes.
Opting for a sustainable wardrobe does not have to be difficult. Use these essential tips to create the eco-friendly wardrobe of your dreams.
Around 12.8 tons of textiles end up in American landfills each year, according to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. Spread out across the population, that works out to around 80 pounds per person, per year. To turn this shocking statistic around, we need to “close the loop” on textiles by turning our focus to a model of recycling. Here is our four-step guide to textile recycling for a cleaner planet that can sustain us all.
1. Reduce
In the 1970s, the environmental movement coined the slogan “Reduce, reuse, recycle” to encourage a more conscious approach to consumption. The first of the Rs is reduce because honestly, we don’t really need a lot of the goods that catch our eye!
For textiles and clothing, there are several ways to reduce consumption and lighten your wardrobe’s environmental footprint:
Go for timeless classics rather than one-season styles.
Find some new hobbies (aside from shopping) to share with your friends — nature walks and volunteering are great!
2. Reuse
Once you have a well-planned, quality wardrobe, you should be able to make it last for years. For example, a solid pair of cotton jeans should last for at least two or three years of regular wear. Imagine how many tons of textiles could be saved if we reused the same pieces instead of purchasing more!
A strong, minimalist summer skirt can easily be reused for fall with leggings and boots and styled for winter with a nice pair of jeans. Some reversible designs are now coming out that give you two looks in one — a creative approach to reusing your clothes that doesn’t sacrifice variety.
3. Repair
For the more minimalist and conservative among us, the main challenge comes when a beloved piece becomes damaged, stained, torn, or hole-poked, and no longer has its original shine. In these situations, learning how to repair your clothes can give new life to a piece that might otherwise have been thrown in the trash.
A later addition to the original 3 Rs, repairing can significantly extend the life of our clothes — giving us several more years of enjoyment or making the piece usable by somebody else. Learn a few of these simple techniques to address the most common issues:
Take up and let down hems.
Mend holes and gaps in seams.
Apply appliqué and iron-on designs.
Use embroidery techniques to cover a hole.
Dye and tie-dye irreversibly stained clothes.
4. Recycle
Eventually, there comes a time when you need to pass a garment on. It may be that it no longer suits (or fits) you or has become so threadbare that it’s no longer warm. In both of these cases, there are options for recycling your clothes that don’t involve throwing them away.
Clothes that Are Still in Good Condition
The first rule for giving away a piece of clothing is to ask yourself, “Would you give it to a friend?” If a garment is still nice and not stretched or discolored, here are some options for sharing the love:
Take it to a homeless shelter or other charity that could put it to good use.
Bring it to a clothing swap.
Offer it online through Freecycle or Marketplace.
Donate it to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
Clothes that Are Stretched or Worn Out
Old clothes that are no longer nice to wear can be recycled in a variety of ways. While you’ll probably want to keep underwear for rags (seriously, no one else wants your briefs!), worn-out socks, tops, pants, and shorts can be used as raw material for yarn or used as a filling for insulation, furniture, and more.
The top organizations in the United States that take textiles for recycling include:
While many of these programs take lightly used clothes as well as old ones, we recommend recycling newer clothes closer to home through clothes swaps, thrift stores, or reselling near-new clothes online, as leftover donations are usually exported to third-world economies where they compete with local textiles for sales.
Ultimately, buying used clothes near you is the most powerful way to close the loop and ensure that recycled clothes get recycled! And when you do buy new (those briefs, for example), make responsible, earth- and socially-friendly choices that you can be sure will enhance your wardrobe for years.
Modern eco-fabrics like soy and bamboo offer a wonderfully soft finish and convenient stretch properties that make them popular as alternatives to polyester and spandex (elastane). These sumptuous textiles are also popular for intimates like lingerie, flattering stretch tops, and flowing spring and summer skirts.
While the elasticity of soft eco-fabrics is a treat to the eyes as well as the skin, it can also give the garments a tendency to stretch. You’ll often see them marked as “delicate” or “hand wash only” — a difficult proposition in today’s fast-paced world. If you’re a fan of bamboo and soy apparel and want to help your garments last, here are some practical tips for keeping them in tip-top condition for as long as possible.
1. Wear More, Wash Less
The number one way to help your delicate fabrics last longer is simply to wash them less frequently. Of course, when we’re talking about underwear, you definitely need to wash the garments after every use! However, for things like skirts, cardigans, or even tops, it’s often enough simply to air out the piece and wear it again the next day.
2. Take Advantage of the Delicate Cycle
When the time comes to wash the clothes, delicate stretch fabrics require special care. Rather than simply throwing them in with everything else, wash these delicate items separately with cold water on the “wool” or “hand wash” cycle, which exposes the garments to far less friction. Some brands explicitly recommend not mixing these items with other fabrics, for the reason that the other fabrics could cause them to pill.
3. Use Wash Bag with Eco-Fabrics
Aside from using the gentle cycle, wash bags are your best friend when it comes to conserving the shape of your specialty clothes. We’ve probably all had the experience of opening the machine to find that our clothes (sleeves and pant legs, especially) have all become entangled. This is something you simply can’t afford when your delicate clothes could get pulled out of shape. Instead, turn the garments inside out, soap up any smelly bits by hand, and put each garment in an individual wash bag before placing them in the machine. This is also true for lacy garments as the lace often pulls or tears in the washing machine.
4. Dry Flat, Store Flat
Gravity is your worst enemy when it comes to delicate stretch garments. To prevent stretching as your garments dry, lay them out flat or at least folded in half to minimize the force of the water weight on the clothes. When putting the dry garments away, fold them and lay them flat rather than hanging them up — as well as preventing stretching vertically, you’ll avoid those unsightly “hanger shoulders!”
5. The Effort Is Well Worth the Reward
It might take a little additional work to give your eco-fabrics the TLC they need, but you’ll find that they hold their shape and maintain their soft texture much better over time. Thinking in economic and environmental terms, you’ll also save money on replacement pieces and reduce your contribution to landfills as well.
At Faerie’s Dance, we’re all about the delight that well-made, environmentally responsible clothing can bring. And sustainable stretch fabrics add so much to the range of fashions available to conscious shoppers today. Browse our collections of bamboo men’s underwear and sustainable women’s clothing to discover sumptuous soft stretch styles today.
Breastfeeding is a natural part of motherhood, where you and your baby will create a bonding journey together. It can both be stressful and exciting, especially for first-time moms. You may be confused about where to start and the possible problems you might encounter. At the same time, you are looking forward to that bonding experience you may have with your baby. You are not alone because almost all mothers go through these conflicting feelings.
Every breastfeeding experience is unique, but an efficient way to handle your worries is to be prepared. We compiled some of the best breastfeeding hacks to help you get through your breastfeeding experience.
1. Choose a breast pump based on your needs.
Choose a breast pump that best fits your needs and lifestyle. Read on customer reviews, brand reputation, and warranty. You can also check if parts and accessories are BPA-free. Toxic chemicals, such as BPA are associated with possible health effects. BPA has been linked to reproductive, neurological, and immunity problems, especially in infants and children.
Consider if the pump is easy to use, portable and adjustable. You can look into brands like Ameda Mya, Medela, and more.
You may also want to consider the Haakaa manual breast pump that uses natural suction to catch your milk. It doesn’t need batteries, and you don’t need to plug it in. Simply attach it to your breast, and it catches the milk into its container. It’s perfect for when you’re nursing your baby on one breast, and you’re leaking on the other.
2. Prepare a breastfeeding area or a breastfeeding kit.
Instead of running around looking for things while your baby is hungry or crying, it’s best to have a space where you already have all your breastfeeding essentials. You can also choose to have a box or a basket with all your essentials ready to go. Here are a few things you can prepare in your breastfeeding station or kit:
Washable cloth baby wipes
Reusable nursing pads
Burp cloth
Water bottles
Snacks
Ice pack
Nipple cream
Nipple shields
Breast pump
Breastfeeding pillow
3. Get an ethically-made organic nursing bra.
You don’t just want to look at style and comfort in choosing a nursing bra. You also have to consider the material used to help determine its sustainability and durability. As you consider your options, look for non-toxic fabrics made under sustainable and ethical conditions. An ethically made, organic cotton bra is a good example.
4. Keep hydrated and well-nourished.
As you give your baby nourishment, you need to be healthy too. What you eat and drink will affect your breastmilk supply, your energy, and your baby’s health. It is recommended you drink 16 cups of water per day. Load up on superfoods perfect for lactating moms, such as organic brown rice, spinach, salmon, sardines, legumes, beans, oats, and more.
5. Ask for support or take a breastfeeding course.
Sometimes a part of motherhood is the feeling of being supported and encouraged. Reaching out for help is okay and even necessary at times. Instead of trying to learn everything on your own, ask for guidance or look into a breastfeeding course. It can help you address your situation better. Reaching out to a lactation consultant may also be a good idea, especially on health-related concerns such as mastitis and thrush.
As you go through your breastfeeding journey, keep in mind that it’s a learning process. It may take a lot of trial and error until you figure out what works for you and your baby.
We’ve all seen the myriad Valentine’s post for lovers. Heck, we’ve done one ourselves on sexy lingerie for Valentine’s Day. But for many people, being single on Valentine’s Day can lead to melancholy or loneliness. Don’t despair! Not only are there literally millions of other folks who don’t have a “Valentine,” but there are also some fun and creative ways to celebrate while caring for yourself. Here are our top 5 tips to make this your best Valentine’s Day yet.
Start with a Spa Day
Spas run all sorts of specials and deals for Valentine’s Day. You can get the same discount on those gift certificates if buy them for yourself and have a day-spa treat! What’s better, most gift certificates are given as gifts on Valentine’s Day, so they’re often not actually used until after Valentine’s Day. That means you can get it on some low-cost, self-love with easy-to-get appointments in early February.
If you can’t get to the spa, arrange for some wonderful at-home relaxation with the help of a portable sauna blanket from the Heliotherapy Institute.
Feed Your Ex to a Tiger!
Support charity while letting go of a bad breakup or just having a really good, healing belly-laugh by feeding your ex’s name to a tiger. Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary is hosting a My Bloody Valentine fundraiser for their big cats. According to their website “… for a mere $35, we’ll feed that cold, cold heart (in the form of a bloody jello mold) to a wildcat and send you a compilation video. For $75, we’ll make it personal, feed it to a wildcat and send you your own custom video.” They’ve even got some pretty dramatic videos of the tigers having a go at the molds. But really, it’s all in good fun and no one gets harmed. In fact, it helps them continue their mission to provide a safe, natural, lifetime home for captive-born wildcats in need.
Side note: I’m a vegan, but tigers are NOT. These big cats need their meat to stay strong and healthy. Getting little treats of different foods and meals presented in different ways is great enrichment for the tigers!
Make it Cozy
Ok, so you’re relaxed from the spa, you’ve gotten a good laugh at your ex’s expense, it’s time to get cozy in some ultra-soft, organic loungewear. From fair trade pajama sets to snuggly fleece loungewear pieces, picking something from Faerie’s Dance’s sleepwear selection will make being single on Valentine’s Day seem outright joyous.
Indulge in Chocolate, but Skip the Heart-Shaped Box
Ethical, vegan chocolate company Lagusta’s Luscious is featuring a Valentine’s Day “Love is Dead” chocolate skull. From their website, “Just in time for Valentine’s cheer to be interrupting us at every corner, (grocery store aisles! television ads! public displays of affection!) we have made you a pretty sizeable chocolate skull, filled with our favorite assortment of seasonal bonbons. Share it with a lover, a friend, a family member, or smash it open yourself. No matter what your intentions, it’s the sweetest form of February self-care.”
Once you crack open this skull, it even contains an anatomically shaped heart along with other treats inside. It’s an activity as well as a dessert. Half the fun is smashing the skull. How will you do it?
Wear Inspiration
Being single on Valentine’s Day is really not a big deal. Each of us needs to find joy and pleasure in commonplace things. Celebrate the everyday inspirations in your life with one of these thoughtful jewelry pieces by The Artist Jay. Each comes with a card to help you remember to be mindful in some way. They’re handcrafted in the USA using recycled aluminum, and an ideal gift to yourself for Valentine’s or really, any time at all.
2020 is finally over, and here’s hoping that 2021 will be a better year overall! At Faerie’s Dance, we love to start the year with a clean, fresh home so we feel relaxed and refreshed after a hard day’s work selling organic clothing. Of course, since we’re focused on green living, the harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances of commercial cleaners definitely aren’t our thing.
Natural Citric Acid to the Rescue
It’s not just the composition of commercial cleaners that poses a health or environmental problem. According to current recycling data, we’ve dumped more and more plastic waste into the environment over the years. This is quite a dire situation considering that plastic waste materials are non-biodegradable, dangerous to wildlife, cause waterways to clog, and are just an eyesore. Plastics can come from anywhere, and that includes containers for our household cleaners.
But what if we told you there’s actually a way to reduce or even eliminate using commercially sold household cleaners? That means there are fewer containers that will go to the waste disposal facility, at least from your household. But then, imagine if all homes follow suit. Now that’s doing the environment a favor! Not to mention the money that you’ll be saving.
Making your own safe, eco-friendly, and affordable household cleaner is easy. You only need to use citric acid. Now, before running to the drugstore or some laboratory supply store, you might check your cupboard, fruit basket, or refrigerator first. That’s because you can find citric acid in fruits like lemons, oranges, and limes. It’s what gives these fruits their tart, sour taste.
How to Create and Use Your Very Own Homemade Cleaner
Get rid of your commercially bought cleaner—which contains harsh chemicals—and create your own citrus-scented all-purpose cleaner. Here’s how:
In a 1-quart measuring jar, mix a quart of leftover peels from citrus fruits. Rinds from lemons, oranges, grapefruit, or lime are perfect. Fill the jar with white vinegar.
Close tightly and place in a sunny place. Leave the jar for around two weeks to complete the infusion process.
Strain the liquid into a clean, sealed jar. Don’t throw the peels; you can use them as compost.
To use, pour half a cup of this infused vinegar to a spray bottle. Add 2 cups of clean tepid water, 20 drops of lemon essential oil, and a generous squeeze of citrus fruit. Close and shake well.
Here’s another recipe in making an all-purpose homemade citric acid cleaner
Combine vinegar, baking soda, and hot water in a bucket.
Add the juice of half a lemon, orange, or any citrus fruit. You can also drip the rinds in.
Stir well until everything is well mixed and the baking soda is dissolved. Allow to cool.
Transfer your homemade cleaner to a spray bottle or squeeze bottle.
Use your effective, nice-smelling, eco-friendly cleaner the way you use your commercial cleaner. Spray onto the surface to be cleaned and wipe with a clean damp cloth. The citric acid eats away stubborn dirt and stains while leaving a citrusy scent.
Your homemade cleaner may also smell like vinegar, especially if the brand of vinegar you used is quite strong. Don’t worry though because the vinegar scent rapidly dissipates. What remains is a fresh citrus scent.
WARNING: avoid using this citric acid cleaner on tiles, countertops, and other surfaces made of natural stone. The citric acid can dissolve the calcium carbonate in the substrate. Frequently using this cleaner on natural stone surfaces may cause pitting and holes.
Other Home Uses of Natural Citric Acid
Your homemade citric acid all-purpose cleaner is just one of the hundreds of ways you can use citrus fruits for household purposes. Here are a few more ideas:
Cutting boards are havens for parasites found in meat, fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuff. Fortunately, you can easily sanitize and deodorize smelly cutting boards the eco-friendly way. Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the cutting board, squeezing as you go. The juice cleans and disinfects the board naturally, and you don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals contaminating your board.
Cutting boards are havens for parasites found in meat, fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuff. Fortunately, you can easily sanitize and deodorize smelly cutting boards the eco-friendly way. Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the cutting board, squeezing as you go. The juice cleans and disinfects the board naturally, and you don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals contaminating your board.
Cutting boards are havens for parasites found in meat, fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuff. Fortunately, you can easily sanitize and deodorize smelly cutting boards the eco-friendly way. Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the cutting board, squeezing as you go. The juice cleans and disinfects the board naturally, and you don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals contaminating your board.
Cutting boards are havens for parasites found in meat, fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuff. Fortunately, you can easily sanitize and deodorize smelly cutting boards the eco-friendly way. Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the cutting board, squeezing as you go. The juice cleans and disinfects the board naturally, and you don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals contaminating your board.
Slice a couple of lemons, limes, and oranges. Put them in a small bowl filled with water. Add in a teaspoon or two of white vinegar. Put the bowl in your microwave and cook for five minutes. Open the microwave, let it sit for a minute, and wipe any spills. Now your microwave smells fresh and clean!
Removing stains and soap scum from your bathroom is easy. Simply sprinkle some salt on the area. Rub the salt using half a lemon, squeezing as you scrub the salt. For tougher stains, use a bathroom scrub after squeezing lemon juice on the stain. Let dry and wash away with plain water.
The tarnish from your heirloom copper pots, cups, and ornaments can easily be removed. Squeeze the juice of a single lemon into a bowl. Add a teaspoon of lemon and stir until the salt is dissolved. Dip a piece of cloth and rub the tarnish off the copper. Use gentle pressure to avoid scratching the copper.
Conclusion
Using natural citric acid is an awesome way to recycle or repurpose your extra citrus fruits. They are all-natural and biodegradable. Clean, sanitize, disinfect, and freshen up your home the safe and eco-friendly way.
Faerie’s Dance published this article with assistance from Lillian Connors, Senior Content Developer at ACT-ENVIRO. Here’s a little about her.
Throughout Lillian’s career, she always looked for ways to contribute to the environment in recycling efforts, while providing valuable information with her written articles. She’s deeply into green practices, cherishing the notion that sustainability not only makes us far less dependent on others regarding how we live and do business but also contributes to our planet being a better place to live on. When she is not trying to improve the things around her (and herself, for that matter), she likes to lose herself in a good book and sip on an occasional appletini.
Halloween is my favorite holiday. Confession. It’s not just for the trick-or-treating, October 31st also happens to be my birthday. So my childhood was filled with costumes and candy AND cake and presents. Seriously, it was better than Christmas. Like most things, though, Halloween has a dark side (pun intended). With the majority of cocoa harvested by children and single-use costumes ending up in landfills, it’s time to Green your Halloween. We can all still experience the unbridled excitement of my childhood Halloween while making just a few changes towards a much more sustainable holiday.
1. Buy Fair Trade Candy
Sjaaks Halloween Bites
Avoid the child labor and sweatshop conditions and buy Fair Trade candy. Yes, it will cost more. Honestly, that’s the point. The candy we’re buying from companies like Nestle and Hershey is cheap specifically because the producers are not provided a living wage. A luxury like chocolate shouldn’t be the driving cause of poverty in remote African villages. By paying a little more for your chocolate, you can ensure that the cocoa growers earn a living wage and have the opportunity to send their children to school. Here are some great companies making fair trade chocolates and candies.
Sjaak’s Chocolates – Not only does Sjaak’s make fair trade, organic chocolate bars, but they also have Halloween tubs and chocolate bars inexpensive enough to give to trick-or-treaters. They also happen to be vegan and seriously delicious.
Equal Exchange – Try their minis for giving out to trick-or-treaters and be sure to stock some full-sized bars for yourself.
Lärabar– For a sweet treat that’s a little healthier, but still well-priced, try Lärabar’s bites or kids versions. All versions are fair-trade.
Alter-Eco – A bit pricier, but well worth it. They sell only full-sized bars rather than minis. You can buy these organic, fair trade bars by the 12-pack to save a few bucks, and they’re having an autumn special. Use code Autumn20 for 20% off with free shipping on orders over $65.
Ocho Candy – If you want more traditional “candy bars” rather than straight chocolate bars, Ocho makes fair trade, organic “fakes” of your favorite brands. They also have Halloween bulk minis for the trick-or-treaters.
Go Max Go Jokerz Bar
Go Max Go – Another fair trade, non-GMO “candy bar” company. They don’t do minis, but bonus, all of their “fakes” are vegan (and delicious – I’ve tried them all!). You can purchase 12-bar boxes for 10% off.
Madécasse – If you really want to take the next step in sustainable chocolates, Madécasse is the way to go. They don’t just source their cocoa from Africa under fair trade conditions, they make the entire chocolate there. It creates jobs and provides better living for whole communities. At $4.50 per bar, you may not want to give them to the trick-or-treaters, but definitely treat yourself.
Lagusta’s Luscious – If money isn’t a worry, check out this luxury chocolate brand. Yes, their prices are high, but it’s oh so worth it for a little indulgence. They use locally sourced ingredients from small businesses and only fair trade certified chocolate. Unique truffle combinations really make this brand stand out.
Lagusta’s Luscious Autumn Truffle Box
Organic Fruit Snacks – Don’t want to give chocolate at all? Give the kiddies organic fruit snacks. There are numerous varieties that have no palm oil or high-fructose corn syrup out there. Many companies also offer multi-pack sizes like Annie’s or Yum Earth.
2. Find a Creative Re-Use For Your Costume
You’ve probably read time and again that it is more sustainable to buy a used costume from Goodwill or ebay. Both have huge Halloween sections, and that will also save you some money. While that’s a great tip, I would also suggest that you consider ways to re-wear your custom after Halloween. Turn your one-time outfit into something you can wear over and over again.
The Wedding Dress – The year after I got married, I couldn’t figure out what one is supposed to do with this expensive wedding dress, so I wore mine for Halloween! (I won the award for “most authentic”.) If you’re divorced or your wedding dress no longer fits properly and you’re not saving it for a child, cut out bits to make it fit, cut out some strips along the arms and bottom, dirty it up a bit and go as the Corpse Bride!
While this might be too extreme for most women (and maybe it’s better to donate it, anyway), how about trying one of these other tips?
Pirate Costume – Go as a pirate and make plans to visit your local pirate festival in spring or summer. Pirate festivals invade both coasts every year.
My friend, Grisel and I reuse our Faery Halloween Costumes for the Southern California Renaissance Faire, circa 2001. She creatively re-purposed a bridesmaids dress.
Renaissance Costume – There are a surprising number of times a Renaissance costume comes in handy. Get a good one and dazzle everyone at your local Renaissance Faire. They happen all over the country. (I was once invited to a Renaissance-themed wedding.) Go as a wench, and you can wear the costume earlier in the month for Octoberfest, or get a traditional Irish Renaissance dress and wear it to your local Irish Festival.
Faery Costume – You and your children can dress up as matching Faeries and save the costumes for your local Faery Festival. Faeries have also been spotted at Pirate and Renaissance Festivals as well as at the Oregon Country Fair.
Disney-inspired Costume – Be a Princess on your next trip to Disneyland. If you’re a runner, join in on any of Disney’s character-themed runs where costumes are encouraged.
Comic Characters – My nephew got an anime costume for Halloween, and then wore it to his local Comic Con. Yes, the San Diego one is the biggest, but they happen all over the country. This is a great idea for super hero costumes as well.
Cross-over Holiday Costumes – Dress up as Santa or the Easter Bunny and then play that character for the kids on the holiday. If you’re family likes a twist, dress up as the Christmas version of Jack Skellington.
Dressing up for Fairs and Festivals really enhances the enjoyment, and if you’re re-using an otherwise single-wear costume, all the better.
Of course, once you are done with a costume, be sure to donate it, sell it or trade it at a future Halloween Costume Swap.
3. Avoid the “Fast Fashion” Trap
Witchy Night Shirt
Every year big box retailers break out the holiday-themed version of Fast Fashion. Rows of Halloween-themed apparel line store shelves. I admit that in my younger days, I had to have a new Halloween-themed shirt every year. Of course, now, I’m much more environmentally aware and I avoid those types of cheap and unsustainable garments. That’s why this year, I was so thrilled to find cute fashions that were wearable any time of year, but had just enough of a Halloween tie-in that I could get my holiday fashion fix on.
Faerie’s Dance has a new brand that makes 100% certified organic cotton womens printed tops and tunics along with matching accessories from recycled cotton scraps, all knit, cut and sewn in the USA. The screen printing uses only water-based inks, and the fabric dyes are low-impact. We’ve already placed multiple orders, but for right now, check out our Cat Moon series (below) along with the Witchy Night Top (left).
The handwarmers and scarves make equally fun gifts at Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah or any Fall or Winter birthday, especially for cat lovers, full moon romantics, or astronomers. 😉 We have more designs and colors coming in November, too.
This iconic Cat & Moon Design can be worn any time of year, but is particularly fun for Halloween.
4. Donate Your Pumpkins and Compost Your Jack-o-Lanterns
Whole pumpkins and carved jack-o-lanterns shouldn’t wind up in landfill! Jack-o-Lanterns can easily be composted or cut up and added to your yard waste bin. Cut them up before they start “melting” on your porch.
If you like to decorate with whole pumpkins around the house and yard, consider donating them right after Halloween while they’re still in good condition. Who wants whole pumpkins? Why, big cats of course! Check out this big guy having some fun with his first pumpkin.
In Oregon, Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary takes pumpkin donations. Call them at (503) 625-0812 to set up a donation.
In Florida, visit Big Cat Rescue or call them at 813.920.4130.
I’m sure there are many others around the country. Do a local search to find out if there is a wild cat sanctuary near you that would love a post-Halloween treat.
There are so many ways to green Halloween and all your holidays. Just take a moment to evaluate each purchase or decision. Buy decorations from charity shops and reuse as much as possible year over year. We can all still have fun while doing just a little better. Wishing you all a glorious, frightfully fun Halloween.
Ocean Blue an Oregon ocean nonprofit, is concerned about the impact of the textile industry on our natural water resources, specifically the clothes we all wear and wash everyday. They contacted Faerie’s Dance to discuss whether eco-fashion represents an improvement over conventional clothing. Adrienne Catone, Faerie’s Dance’s founder and CEO was happy to discuss what makes their threads the best option for the planet’s waterways.
Founder of Ocean Blue Project, Richard Arterbury, is concerned with the presence of chemicals and unnatural clothing fibers in our waterways. He explained how our clothing impacts our waterways, both the manufacturing and the maintenance that happens after we start wearing them.
When two environmentally friendly organization leaders join forces, or even just get together to chat about sustainability and clothing, the conversation can be quite revealing.
Richard: We really like that you offer people sustainable clothing that has the health of workers in mind as well as being environmentally friendly. Can you tell me a little bit about what makes your clothing environmentally friendly?
Adrienne: Well, there are four important pieces that we factor in when determining whether or not a piece of clothing is eco-friendly:
1. We source fabrics with no or minimal pesticide usage and minimal or closed-loop processing. For example, organically grown cotton instead of conventional cotton – which is the highest pesticide/insecticide sprayed crop on the planet.
2. We source clothing that has been at least low-impact dyed. Some items are undyed or clay-dyed, but we avoid items that have been conventionally dyed with harsh chemicals such as azo dyes. You can read about dyes in this post.
3. All of our clothing has no chemical finishing agents. Most conventional clothing is finished with a chemical soup to make them wrinkle less, stand up better to the dryer, resist fire, etc. While these chemicals do have some benefits for the clothing, we don’t believe the benefits are worth the environmental degradation or the potential health risks to both the wearer and the factory workers.
4. Finally, we are meticulous in our verification that no sweatshop or child labor is ever used in any of the items we carry. Most of them are Fair Trade Certified, though we do carry some brands that work with smaller factories that cannot afford the certifications. In those cases, the manufacturers physically go to the factories on a regular basis and verify the working conditions personally. While we buy most of our clothing from manufacturers that wholesale, we do also manufacture our own line of underwear. All of our underwear are designed, cut and sewn in Oregon from Global Organic Textile Certified (GOTS) fabric imported from a family-owned shop in India.
Richard: It sounds like you have really done your research which makes me glad that you have dedicated your work to sharing this knowledge with the world. Which fabrics do you think leave the lightest footprint on our waterways?
Adrienne: Anything grown without pesticides that also has minimal processing waste would end up being the best option all around. We’ve done an assessment of eco-friendly fabrics, and essentially, the higher on the list you purchase, the better it will be for our waterways.
Richard: Pesticides wash into waterways that make their way to the ocean and that’s not good for wildlife or people that get our drinking water from those waterways. It is good to know how fabrics are being processed so we can make better choices for people and wildlife.
A solution from our perspective is most of our waterways have been impeded so greatly that native plants and native trees are no longer protecting our rivers. Today the world is making better choices, but pollutants are now present in sediments that got put there from many years ago. I would like to know more about other ways clothing is processed. How does closed-loop processing help the world’s ocean?
Photo by UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR
Adrienne: Most fabric production does have some waste products. A closed-loop processing system captures the production waste and recycles it for reuse in the next round of fabric production. Companies like Lenzing, who make both Tencel® and Modal® have achieved near 100% waste recycling. So there’s no waste or runoff at all into waterways or oceans. Closed-loop production is really the future of fashion.
Richard: Those are the kind of solutions we like to hear about. Clothing dyes also impact waterways and the ocean. So, can you tell me more about what you have found about those impacts?
Adrienne: As I mentioned before, conventional dyes can have really harsh, and in some cases, carcinogenic chemicals. Unfortunately, the dyeing process creates a lot of waste. The single biggest improvement of low-impact dyes over conventional dyes is the enormous reduction in waste output.
Richard: It is deeply concerning that fibers from plastic based clothing come off in the wash and end up making their way through water treatment plants, eventually flowing into waterways to the world’s ocean. These plastic fibers are also found in our drinking water. Would you say it’s better to have plastics go to a landfill than to be made into products that will end up in the ocean?
Synthetic Polymer Contamination
Adrienne: Actually, a huge portion of non-recycled plastic do end up in our oceans. So RePET fibers keep a lot of plastic out of the ocean rather than just out of landfill. So I guess the question would be is it better to have a lot of plastic in the ocean (a lot being defined as an entire garments worth) or a little plastic in our waterways (a little being defined as the small amount of the garment that leeches away during the wash)?
Richard: What’s worse? Is it a large piece that gets churned over time, or the piece that’s microscopic that we can’t see? The answers to these questions may be filled in over time by researchers, but until then we can keep cleaning it up and your company can keep making our footprint as light as possible like you have been doing. One thing that I really love about Faeries Dance is that you are offering solutions for a One World Ocean.
Debris Found on Oregon Beaches
To learn more about the Ocean Blue Project, checkout their Mission Page.
Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard of wrapping your gifts with newspaper. But who wants all that ink on your fingers while you unwrap, and really, who still gets newspapers anyway? Save the newspapers to make paper bows. Eco-gift wrapping can be much more fun and creative than that.
Have some old road maps in the car? Use those to wrap gifts for the traveler in the family.
Wrap smaller gifts with magazine pages. They’re glossy, full-color and you can be creative about what images you show.
Is your fridge overrun with toddler art? Wrap grandparents gifts in art projects from the kid’s school. The wrapping itself will give them a little extra joy.
Wrap gifts with gifts. Are you giving someone tea towels or pillow cases? Use towels to wrap up other gifts, so both the wrapping and the wrapped item are gifts to themselves.
Giving someone a t-shirt with a print? Wrap another gift with the t-shirt print showing outward. Again, you’ve got a double-gift.
Buying online a lot this season? Take the paper filler from online purchases and use rolling stamps or large background stamps to make your own festive wrapping paper.
Instead of buying gift bags, pick up festive reusable shopping bags at the grocery or department store. Most stores have bright colored ones, and they can be used year-round saving plastic bags every time your recipient goes shopping.
Make your own gift basket by cutting up old magazines or even the colorful grocery fliers that come in the mail and using them as liner in the bottom of a basket, watering can, flower pot or large coffee mug. Put your gifts on top and add a festive bow. Just remember to skip the cellophane.
Wrap gifts with gifts. Are you giving someone tea towels or pillow cases? Use 