Fritz: You Are That Dude!

Everyone loves flip flops - even old guys

This G Spotter would like to thank her friend Fritz who is a colleague from UNC, a dear soul and light unto the world, and a product of her hometown Asheville for his support of GSpotting.net, and biofoam surfer sandals.

These are NOT Fritz's feet

Apparently homeboy Fritz, a documentary film maker and cheese connoisseur (no? maybe?) read GSpotting yesterday and immediately went online to HavassyArt.com and purchased a pair of flip flops. Not only did his money go to a boss pair of summer mandals (flip flops are a completely acceptable man-sandal, PS) but founder Robb Havassy sent him a post-purchase thank you email. DOPE!!

Thanks Fritz. Keep up the good work, cousin!

My Couture Is Biodegradable. Yours?

"Oh this old thing... it's just a rag I found in my closet," takes on new meaning when one thinks about compostable clothing. At Heriot-Watt University School of Textile and Design in Galashiels, Scotland, students have done just that.

You should have trashed that stuff sooner, sistah!

Using biodegradable materials like potatoes, nettle, and hemp students were asked to make both an evening outfit and a gardening frock. The catch was that all the garments had to be trashable after wearing.

The students' designs are being displayed at the annual Gardening Scotland Festival this weekend. Good stuff Scottish youth! We applaud you trashy clothes.

Havassy Eco Surf Flip Flops

Havassy "Pipe" eco flip flops

Surf designer Robb Havassy, who has partnered with surfing standards like Op, O'neill, Hurley, Surftech, Globe, and Freestyle Watches recently released a line of flip flops with sweet paintings on each foot bed.

Havassy "Sunset" eco flip flops

These flip flops are made from organic based biofoam and are available at HavassyArt.com for about $16-$18 a pop. With each purchase, a donation is made to ocean organizations like the Surfrider Foundation.

Surfer Bro Gabe

This G Spotter will be copping a pair for her younger bro, Gabe, who is perhaps the most devout inland surfer... ever. Poor kid, he lives in the mountains of NC and with his long board in tow, only makes it to the beach for a *few weeks a year. But with these Havassy flip flops, he can by the ocean (in his mind) all year long!

*See you next week in the Outer Banks, Gabe!

New Eco-Fashion Label Alert: BODKIN from Brooklyn

3 Bodkin looks

Seems like Brooklyn produces hip hop legends (Biggie, Jay Z), revolutionary baseballers (Jackie Robinson), and Eco-Fashion. The latest green label out of Brooklyn (which is also the name of one of David Beckham's children) is Bodkin.

3 more Bodkin looks

Bodkin is created by designer Samantha Pleet and writer Eviana Hartman. The staple pieces include collar-waisted skirts, funnel-neck mini-dresses, and structured bustier and are made from organic and reclaimed materials.

G Spotting On Devidoll, Hot British Eco Retailer

Mociun tie dress available at DeviDoll

A few months back, owner of DeviDoll eco boutique and badass Brit Sindhu Venkatanarayanan asked us some questions about eco-fashion for the DeviDoll blog. Here is the sweet article.

Satya toddler set available at DeviDoll

For the article, Sindhu fused our G Spotting answers with those of Starre Vartan of Eco-Chick and Jocelyn Whipple of Element 23, and agency representing ethical fashion labels in the UK.

Green Jeans, Not Blue Jeans! (yessir)

KohZu cannabis (hemp) jeans

This is an unexpected and cool blog entry on eco-denim at KitMeOut.com. Us G Spotters had never checked this site out, but it's a fashion weblog focused on mostly sophisticated street wear and urban lifestyle gear. Think Kanye West type clothing.

Sugar Cane jeans made from, you guessed it, sugar cane

The article talks about some bad mama-jama men's jeans companies like Sugar Cane where some of the jeans are made from sugar cane, some are just re-woven vintage denim, woven using an ancient Japanese weaving technique. KohZo Denim is made with hibiscus, bamboo, pineapple, cannabis, and more. KOhZO dyes consist of pure indigo, vegetable, natural mud, fruit, and charcoal the fabrics are semi-hand woven on traditional shuttle looms. The article also mentions NOHARM clothing whose denim is in this same urban style.

Nice work, urban fashion sneaker head mavens. This is some next next fashion.

Kids Like Eco Fashion, Too! Alright?! Now Where's My Juice?

Halabaloo yellow eyelet coat

These fantastic photos are currently in a slideshow in the Pulse section of the NY Times called What's a Girl to Wear? Two thumbs enthusiastically up for the photos themselves and the actual garments the little models are wearing. But, what's the point in dropping loot like that on sassy children's clothes when it isn't organic? Little bodies have little immune delicate systems that shouldn't have to deal with the nasty toxins that are used in growing traditional fibers and can be embedded in the fabric, too.

Kule cotton dress

Just a thought, but why don't all three designers featured in these pics use organic materials? For kids and babies, organic fabrication seems like a no brainer.

Kid by Phillip Lim cotton dress

For healthier clothing options that are equally hot-to-trot, check out organic kids clothiers Kiwi Industries or Speesees. Your kids will thank you.

Alicia Keys Shows Sustainable High Schools Love

Alicia Keys and students

Alicia Keys was in New Orleans yesterday, to honor students' environmental achievement at the Frederick A. Douglass High School.

Project Green House

When talking about sustainable urban renewal and New Orleans, I personally think of The Green Project. The Green Project operates a warehouse store that resells high-quality, salvaged building materials at low cost to the community. The store is dedicated to helping the environment by reducing the amount of usable materials placed in landfills or disposed of improperly.

Kudos to Alicia, the Green Project, and Zydeco music.

Perez Hilton Loves The Green, TOO!

Perez Hilton

Only because I check it like 3 times a day, I must shout out the self procalimed "biggest bitch in media" Perez Hilton for his article about confronting the climate challenge.

WeCanSolveIt.org is a network of over a million people pledging to work to find viable energy and climate change solutions.

Muy bien hecho, Perez.

Bette Midler, Teresa Heinz, And Sigourney Weaver Dig The Earth Mother

From left, Prez of Audubon Society John Flicker, Teresa Heinz, Bette Midler (loved you in Beaches, sistah), Sigourney Weaver, and Former Head of the EPA Carole Browner.

"New York has no personal pride. It's the Courtney Love of cities. But it's changing and needs more gardens and urban green spaces." These are the words of the Rachel Carson Award winning Bette Midler for her work with New York Restoration Project. An equally amazing woman, Teresa Heinz, won an award too, and the whole shebang was hosted by Sigourney Weaver.

Jurlique CEO Eli Halliwell (Jurlique was an event sponsor and gave out FANTASTIC rose hand cream) and Sigourney Weaver

Peep the article we G Spotted for Ecorazzi.com about the star-studded Audubon Women in Conservation Luncheon to honor the Rachel Carson Award winners this Tuesday, May 20th at the Plaza Hotel. Power-house women, if there ever were any.

Slight Correction To A Previous Spotting

So this is just to correct an entry we G Spotted a few weeks ago about the Banana Republic Green Capsule Collection. As it turns out, some of the "organic" pieces have as little as 5% organic cotton in them. I mean, dayumn Banana, if ya'll are gonna do it, do it right! Sure every little bit helps, but 5%?! What's up with that.

When folks talk about "green washing", they are referring to companies that make a product or service that seems more eco-friendly than it is, either because they don't know any better or because they think it will help public perception.

Dear Mr and Mrs Republic,
Please be advised that your son, Banana, might be infected with a green wash bug that is going around school and is being sent home immediately.
Best, Nurse G.

A Tribute To Adrian Grenier

Adrian with his Alter Eco crew Angela Lindvall, Boise Thomas and Darren Moore

It's official, I'm completely enamored by Adrian Grenier. Not just his sensitive love-me eyes, or moppy 'I could careless' hair, or even his perma-calm that both Entourage character Vincent Chase, and he himself sassily exude; although all those things are great.

Adrian Grenier is just so fire

No, I love Adrian Grenier because he loves his Mother Earth. And just in case I didn't love her enough before, his love makes me want to love that much harder. To show his love and cute face for adoring fans like me all across the US, Adrian and three friends are working on a show for Discovery Green called Alter Eco where they peruse LA doing all things green.

Even in spandex for Halloween, the boy's got it

Two of my favorite hip hop emcees, Murs and Slug from Atmosphere, came together a few years ago to create an album entitled, "A Tribute To Christina Ricci." And in that vein, I would like to announce that when and if my first record drops, it will be entitled, "A Tribute To Adrian Grenier."

Trippy McTrippy Fashion Video : Fin Eco-Luxury

Check out Norwegian eco designer Fin's website. The fall/winter '08 preview features models wearing beautifully made sustainable clothing, slow-mo jumping on a big trampoline. It is a bit odd at first, but then you realize that with the jumping motion in mega slow motion, you can really see how the fabric moves!

Ahh, Europeans, always so damn innovative and on-point.

McCain Eco Friendly Items

Republican prez candidate John McCain has an "eco-friendly line" of campaign paraphernalia. Although McCain has failed to demonstrate incredible vision regarding alternative energy policies, he does have sweet gear for sale.

The collared polos and t-shirts with his insignia on the chest are made from 70% bamboo and 30% traditional cotton. The site has reusable tote bags (not organic cotton, though) cool organic canvas hats and visors, and recycled paper notebooks all with his logo.
But, the hands down coolest item on the site would have to be the organic cotton onesie for the littlest McCain supporters. I recommend sending it to your most left-wing new mommy friend and implore her that it is organic after all... and her baby deserves the best.

Eco Shoes: Smack My A** And Call Me Melissa

I used to be teased back in middle school as one of the only white girls to rock these jelly material sneakers called Melissa Shoes, with bright socks underneath. Yeah, that was my M.O. I was just that girl.

Turns out (insert own back-patting here) Melissa shoes were sustainable the whole time, made from Melflex or recycled plastic. This exceptional Brazilian shoe company has sold over $50 million pairs since its inception in 1971, yet manages to recycle 99.9% of factory water and waste.

But unlike those middle school days, Melissa has gotten high fashion collaborating with shizzam-alicious designers like Alexandre Hercovitch, Karim Rashid, and coming soon Vivienne Westwood and even superstar architect Zaha Hadid (Go Girl!)

So in conclusion, besides ordering a few pairs online as soon as the sabbath is over, I would like say to all my middle school frenemies who tried to pigeon hole me into a white-girl shoebox: MELISSA SHOES ARE STILL THE BOMB!

China Glaze (Hello Sweet Nail Polish) Has An ECOLLECTION!

One of our favorite nail polish companies, China Glaze, has just come up with a super stellar Ecollection. This is hella cool because they are a staple brand in the intricate and important mani/pedi world. So now, when even the biggest nail heads (Gspotter included) want a chemical free product packaged in 100% post-consumer fiber and soy ink, it will be there for us!

Also, peep the color names! Nail laquer shades include Shower Together, Unplugged, and Hybrid.

Eco Rapper AND Politician

Harvey Ruvin =

Eco Emcee?

Check out this sweet YouTube video made by self-proclaimed eco candidate and incumbent for Miami-Dade Clerk of Court, Harvey Ruvin. He not only is the greenest candidate, but your boy has rhymin' skillz too. And really and truly, whoever made the beat for the track is ALL OVER IT. (Miami's finest, DJ Khaled perhaps?)

GSpotting on Sprig

Luella Bartely and Christian Lacroix tees

Check out our latest Sprig fashion article about Luella Bartley and Christian Lacroix getting right with the green.

NY Times Auto Section Is Seeing Green

Today's Auto section of the NY Times has more green cars than Leonardo DiCaprio's driveway.

Smart Fortwo car

First there is an article about the Smart Fortwo car. Basically, the writer who test drove the car, admires the little beast's pickup and price ($14,000) , as well as precious-ness, but is disappointed with the actual gas mileage (30 mpg in LA proper and 34 on the highway).

Nissan Hybrid Electric prototype
Then this article about Nissan's 2010 hybrid release.

Oily Truth Cartoon from Financial Times' article

The electric/gas powered engine will help alleviate driver's heavy gas burden, as was eloquently discussed in the Financial Time's Op-Ed today by stellar columnist, Gideon Rachman.

Jessica Alba and her Prius in the movie Good Luck Chuck

Finally, an article in the Times Auto section about Hybrid cars in Hollywood. It says that movies tend to have crappy box office success rates if the main characters drive Toyota Priuses. (That sucks, 'cause we GSpotters think conspicuous green like the Toyota Prius, is bold/sexy).

Efficient cars are freaking cool, right?! I mean, with oil at $126 a barrel (it was $26 a barrel in 2003 right before the Iraq war) gas guzzling cars are just so last century.

Green Your...Everything

greenyour.com

This website is pretty awesome. It's just like it says, you figure out what in your life you'd like to make greener (clothes, auto, school supplies, dog food, etc) fill in the blank provided, and they do the rest.

Expensive But Excellent Eco Jeans

Unlike our favorite Organic Cotton Levis, our newest eco denim fetish Sharkah Chakra is unfortunately both out of our price range and unpronounceable. But, if we had an extra £195.00, which is like $380.3865, we would totally cop their bad*ss white jeans because they are beyond snazzy and made without bleach. Instead, they are 100% organic cotton sunbaked naturally in the foothills of India.

Girl, Are Those Cork Shoes On Your Feet?

Christian Louboutin peep toe cork pump

Has the red-sole king himself, Lord Christian Louboutin finally hit the green wall, too? We hope so! At least he chiggity checked himself enough to create these fire-liciously hot cork shoes.

Martin Margiela cork boot

These Martin Margiela cork boots, on the other hand, are a bit OD (over dose/over done/ oh, demented).

Cork is natural product which comes from the outer bark of a cork oak tree. While the bark is harvested about every 9 years, the tree remains intact. Many architects use cork as a flooring material, started way back in 1937 by the architect king, Frank Lloyd Wright, because it is soft and warm underfoot, and comes in many different colors.

Remember a few years ago when folks couldn't get enough of the raffia espadrille - Puleez, that is so '04. Cork is so the new raffia*!


*Hmm, wonder if raffia is eco-friendly?

Give Me Two Pairs: So I Can Get To Stomping In My Eco Air Force Ones

Kanye West Graduation Air Force Ones

Air Force One Matrix

Freshy Fresh White Air Force Ones With Carolina Blue

Hopefully we all remember the delightfully stupid Nelly song from about 4 years ago, "Give me two pair (said perr), I need two pair; So I can get to stomping in my Air Force Ones" all about Nike Air Force Ones. Well now we all have a reason to cop one or two pairs!

Climate Counts is an organization that ranks companies on their level of commitment to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The companies are scored based on 22 criteria regarding their transparency on climate policies, if they measure their carbon footprint, if they supported global warming legislation, and what efforts they've taken to reduce their climate impact.

Out of a score of 100, Nike got 82 points placing them at number 1 on the list. For all the companies and their rankings, check out the complete list.

Don't Tell Mom ... Greening Mother's Day

Organic Mom's Day Cookies

Organic Blue Iris (is Irisses the plural of Iris)

Organic Asiatic Lilies

Don't tell our GSpotting mom way down in in North Cackalacka (Tarheel home-state, Holla Back), that we have no present for mother's day. S**t, Mother's Day is on Sunday and it takes at least 3-5 business days to ship. No worries because just as every mom wants to feel special on her day, there are some great green options at the aptly titled website, SomeoneSpoilMe.com.
But truth be told, we already know what GSpotting mom Laurie really wants: flowers. Perhaps she'd even prefer them delivered to her office so that her co-workers could enviously look on and only dream of having kids as thoughtful as hers. But we digress... Organic Bouquet has fabulous flower arrangements that are both beautiful and Veriflora Certified. This certification means that all of the plants and flowers have been grown in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible way. Some of the organic bouquets even have USDA certified organic chocolates thrown in the arrangement, which momma L will go wild for!