Archive for August, 2010

Luxury and sustainability come together

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Reco Jeans make us dance!

There are a huge number of voices in the blogosphere talking about topics right up our alley. One of my favorite postings that I came across this week comes to us from Changing Clothing, the eco blog of Reco Jeans, an up-and-coming eco-fashion company that has introduced “a green line of denim that minimizes the use of fresh cotton and reduces the amount of excess fabric that would end up in a landfill.” (Sound familiar?)

These guys are making terrific looking jeans and contributing to a healthier, cleaner and more dignified earth. We love that!

Check out what they have to say about luxury and sustainability. As we have come to believe, they are not as diametrically opposed as one might think.  Investing in quality is not exclusively a status-related choice, but can be one that prevents the necessity of replacement. Can we start shopping with long-term intentions?

The fashion world would never be the same.

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Chill with us at the Ft. Collins Sustainable Living Fair

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Learn how to let Earth chill.

We are going to be hitting the road and heading north to Ft. Collins next month to participate in the Sustainable Living Fair.

The Sept. 18-19 shindig is going to bring some of the best and brightest of the sustainable industry together in one spot.  With four inspiring speakers, two days of fun workshops and 250 exhibitors providing goods and services that can “move people toward powerful choices that have a real impact in their daily lives and our shared future,” this is a perfect opportunity to learn how to make some positive changes in your life that will benefit the world at the same time.

We hope that if you are in the area you’ll come check it out—and come to meet us. Tickets are available at the gate for $8 a day and kids under 12 are admitted free.

Directions and alternative transportation suggestions (leave your car at home!) can be found here.

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English Retreads book club

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Heather and I  got turned on to a terrific book and now we are both reading it. A couple of weeks ago the Goop newsletter (Gweneth Paltrow’s tips, recipes and eco-friendly ideas ) arrived in my inbox with a book review that captured my attention.

Power Trip by Amanda Little is a terrific read. It chronicles her trip around the country exploring America’s “hunger for oil” in all its forms.

I keep finding surprises as I turn the pages. I considered my organic, no-car lifestyle to be petroleum free, but “even though we rarely think about it, energy is as much a part of our modern survival as air, food and water. It does more than power our iPhones and laptops—it grows our crops, fights our wars, makes our plastics and medicines, warms our homes, moves our products, airplanes and vehicles, and animates our cities.”

We at English Retreads are doing what we can to minimize the petroleum footprint. We reclaim petroleum-based rubber inner tubes and, using a carbon negative production process (offset by wind energy) turn what would be waste into stylish handbags and accessories that last a lifetime and come with a guarantee to ensure our products remain as useful as they are chic.

Check your local library, or if your reading pile teeters as high as mine does, you can probably wait for the paperback version that will be available mid-September. We hope you enjoy the read as much as we do.

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Q & A with English Retreads’ founder

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

An online reporter just sent a couple of questions our way for an article she’s writing about doing business the Eco way. I wanted to share with you my favorite question and Heather’s response.

Q: English Retreads is conscious all across the board—cruelty-free materials, recycling and membership in the Green America Business Network. Why is it important that the company commits fully, not just partially to these standards? It seems like many other businesses out there are just halfway with programs like this, so it’s nice to see a full commitment.

A: Thanks! It is important for us to commit fully to being a socially and environmentally responsible company because we simply feel there is no other way to do it. There are companies out there wanting to jump on the green bandwagon solely to profit from it, but they’re just greenwashing. This lack of forward thinking seems to be the mentality that got us into the environmental and social predicament we’re in now. We want to make sure we are providing a completely beneficial product so consumers can feel good about their purchases.

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