Believe it or not, Sustainable Fashion are two words that go hand in hand these days, and surprisingly this new breed of sustainable modern chic is well within the grasps of the general public .  Giant retailers like Target are teaming together with well-known eco-friendly fashion designers, making sure that everyone can afford to be green from their head to their toes without sacrificing their sense of style of pocketbooks.  This past April, in coordination with Earth Day, Target released their fashion line by Regan Gregory, a designer known for his work with sustainable fabrics.  For those interested in sourcing out their own sustainable wears we offer up some guidelines to follow and as suspected organic textiles top off our list.

Buy Organic – No, this doesn’t mean you’re stuck with hemp.  As with food, organic simply means natural fibers that have been grown without any pesticides and other toxic materials and includes many different types of fabrics from cotton to silk.  One of the latest crazes of sustainable fashion designers is bamboo, which is as soft as it is renewable.

Natural Dyes – Make sure that what’s coloring your clothes is as natural as what they are made of and harbor no toxic filled chemicals.

Keep Animal Free – Pleather may not be the new leather, but being green means keeping animals out of the wardrobe.  For the leather obsessed, there’s a new “vegetal leather” making its way into the fashion world, which is a form of an Amazonian rubber.

Fair Trade and Community Based – There are plenty of products out there that are benefiting small communities or promoting social equity while ensuring fair working conditions for the producers.  Try to source locally if at all possible, and if not, make sure the clothing you purchase is contributing to the lively hood of those hard at work to make sure you look good.

Recycle, Reuse, and Don’t Forget! Vintage is Cool – The best way to revamp your current closet maybe by shopping in your best friends.  Or consider how you might tailor an old jacket to get new use out of it.  If you’re really aching for some new articles of clothing, consider consignment or the new breed of second hand stores that will take in your old clothes for credit towards something that will be new to you.