{eco lifestyle} junkyard planet: accessible + robust resources

“The paradox of life lies exactly in this: its resources are finite, but it itself is endless. Such a contradictory state of affairs is feasible only because the resources accessible to life can be used over and over again.”

— I.I. Gitelson

textiles are a robust resource meant to be used again + again {gently used bedding + towels can be donated, and pre-loved clothes can be sold, traded or donated}. 

in the u.s. consumers recycle or donate only 15% of their unwanted clothing to charities {with the rest ending up in landfills}. the average american tosses 80 pounds {36 kilograms} of textile waste each year. every year.  that's 13 million tons of clothing. 

over the years, i've learned of inventive + thoughtful ways textiles {including shoes} can be transformed: 

paint it black:

following the assassination of president kennedy in 1963, jacqueline kennedy sent bill cunningham, fashion writer, photographer + milliner, her red balenciaga suit which she had previously purchased at chez ninon to dye black. she wore this suit to the funeral. 

art imitates life:

american graffiti artist jean-michel basquiat used his then-girlfriend's newly thrifted gold lame jacket as canvas. she recounts the story of waking up the following day to find her new coat painted over. all is fair in love and art.

a changed man:

a co-worker's grandfather took out his grandmother on their first date, and at the time he only owned one pair of shoes, so he dyed his shoes a different color each time they had a new date, rotating the colors to change the look + style of his outfits. the rest is history. 

eight is enough:

a friend who is one of eight siblings comes from a modest background; her mother recycled her satin, ivory wedding dress by cutting + sewing the white fabric into petite frocks for each of her brothers + sisters to wear in church at their christenings.

hidden treasures:

both in america + europe there are lots of wonderful thrift shops + consignment shops to buy pre-loved clothes + accessories and to sell/donate clothes that are no longer wanted or needed. crossroads + buffalo exchange are good places to start if you're stateside. chine machine + chercheminippes are great places in paris. craiglist is the place to sell household textiles in the usa, and boincoin is the place to do it in france. this is a great way to give pre-loved items a new life.

caring for your clothes extends their life. both new and vintage items sometimes need a little tlc: if you don't sew, find a local tailor {or take a class if you're truly inspired!}. i love to sew, and i enjoy the relationship i have with my clothes which involves simple fixes + mending {cutting loose threads + snipping off pills is also part of keeping clothes in good condition}. simple fixes might also include:

1/ securing + replacing buttons

2/ mending loose hems

3/ sewing small tears + pinholes

4/ replacing stretched-out elastic + bringing in over-sized pieces {i save these tasks for tailors}

before donating apparel, author + slow fashion activist elizabeth cline shares useful tips on how to properly donate clothes. 

the less we purchase, the less to discard + the fewer textiles we need to organize into piles to donate. before you make your next purchase, here's a great video from erin at my green closet, sharing 5 simple factors to consider to reduce consumption + to help you decide whether you truly need to make that purchase.

{don't forget the tip} each and every one of the pieces pictured here today - all are vintage + secondhand piece - have been cared for via alterations + mending. my capsule wardrobe takes summer pieces into the winter months: transition warm-weather apparel to fall + winter by layering! on warm weather days i'll pop summer dresses + skirts on with sandals + a jean jacket, and as autumn settles upon us, i'll layer the same pieces under a jean jacket or faux leather moto jacket {sometimes both} + add black stockings/tights and my animal-friendly kicks including wedges. sneakers and booties.

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{header image by a. demt}

{eco travels} sustainable belgium: brussels eco fashion landscape

when an airline recently lost all my luggage {somewhere in the beautiful country of iceland they surmised}, i knew i wasn't going to purchase any new items. first of all, the optimist in me hoped they would find my belongings {after all, i don't own a lot, and the suitcases contained, well, nearly all the clothes i own}; secondly, as an ethical consumer + minimalist, i understand our constant demand for new goods has implications.

“80 billion pieces of clothing are produced annually for the international fashion market, with u.s. consumers purchasing an average of 62 garments and seven pairs of shoes a year.”

my action plan involved making a list of the things i really needed: my list added up to two items: a jacket and sneakers. and so i headed straight to my fave secondhand shops in paris where i purchased a vintage jean jacket. i stumbled upon a flea market and bought a pair of baskets for one euro to keep my feet warm and cozy on rainy days. i did have some summer items at home that i decided to pack for an upcoming trip to belgium. layering is an important part of being an eco fashionista. need warm clothes? layer up and voila! 

80 billion pieces of clothing are produced annually for the international fashion market, with u.s. consumers purchasing an average of 62 garments and seven pairs of shoes a year. that's each and every year. with this comes a tremendous environmental impact + human rights violations that garment workers are exposed to daily in the name of cheap fashion as fast fashion companies pressure apparel factories to keep up with this demand.

i know i don't need a lot, and what i do need, i can find in secondhand/thrift shops + vintage boutiques. as i traveled through brussels, i had the opportunity to explore the eco fashion landscape of pre-loved apparel. eco brussels has a lot to offer!

the solution to fast fashion? it actually costs nothing, my friends. slow down: only shop when you really need an item. and if you do need to add a piece to your wardrobe, consider buying vintage + gently used apparel instead. here's how to do it in brussels:

1/ melting pot kilo: vintage clothing by the kilo. great selection with a clean milieu, chill music + cool vibes, oh and super prices. pick an item, pop it in the basket to be weighed at check-out + voila, weight will determine the price of your piece! fab textiles for home sewing also sold here. / 54 rue haute, brussels 1000 / +32 2 511 88 94

2/ les petits riens: celebrating 80 years of working with the homeless. proceeds from sales benefit those working to overcome social + economic obstacles. tidy space with vintage treasures interspersed. do not miss that box in the front + center of the shop with vintage finds, including beautiful 60's dresses, offbeat designs + colorful graphic textiles, for only one euro. 188 rue haute, brussels 1000 / +32 2 537 30 26

3/ spullenhulp: if you've decided to move to belgium, this is the place to shop for everything you might need in your new abode. a division of les petits riens, proceeds from sales benefit those working to overcome social + economic obstacles. clothes, furniture, decor + home goods sold. 101 rue americaine, ixelles 1050 / +32 2 537 30 26

4/ oxfam tweedehand: oxfam opened its first charity shop in 1948, and ever since then, they've been selling both new + used goods in an effort to fight poverty + transform lives. books, toys, clothes, they've got it. vintage + gently used items sold here. proceeds fund oxfam's programs + action projects including empowering survivors of violence + creating access to clean water in rural communities. did you know that oxfam has on online vintage shop? if you're in town, visit their brick + mortar shop at 243 rue haute, brussels 1000 / +32 2 502 39 5

5/ foxhole: while you can find a variety of shops big + small on rue haute, this one is off the beaten path. rare vintage pieces + rue des riches-claires 4, brussels / +32 476 95 88 72

oh, and this post does have a happy ending; my luggage was eventually found + i was reunited with my vegan + vintage attire! which means my zero apparel purchases in belgium were well worth it. that means i can use all that money i saved for more travels in the future!

until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{simple pleasures} rébellions quotidiennes: everyday rebellions

“In fact, everything we do counts.”

— Gloria Steinem

in fact, it does count: journalist, political activist + feminist organizer gloria steinem said, "the problem is the feeling that we're divided from politics, that our vote doesn't count or what we do doesn't count. in fact, everything we do counts." 

this summer, boys + girls, remember to pack a reusable water bottle because plastic is not the ocean's friend, and we like the ocean; if you have to purchase a disposable water bottle, be sure to recycle your empties. if you'r adding new summer apparel to your wardrobe, definitely shop off the beaten track + pop into a thrift shop or vintage boutique to get some of that pre-loved style that is kind to the environment since it'll end up as a part of one of your fine ensembles, and not in a landfill. ready for a thrifting adventure? paris thrifting starts here, chicago thrifting starts here.

little deeds + big deeds alike count, if you're interested in learning more about the american government, don't feel overwhelmed, click on over here for more info; want to learn more about current bills in congress in the u.s.a. and the simple actions you can take to become involved? dive in to issues big + issues that don't have vast media coverage here. for those that have the opportunity to have their voices heard by legislatures, there's a way to find information + become an engaged citizen. 

{eco apparel: wearing an entire ensemble pieced together from vintage + pre-loved items, all for less than $10; all thrifted pieces, all vegan ensemble. mint green halter dress circa 1960's, $4; woven straw clutch, $3; stacked resin tortoise shell bangles, $1; all from st. vincent depaul thrift in chicago + an oversized wooden ring found at a paris flea market, $2.}

{simple pleasures} le recyclerie: guerrilla gardening in paris

“I think that the way animals live in the tropics, stepping outside in the morning and evening to see if there is something to eat, and taking a long nap in the afternoon, must be a wonderful life. For human beings, a life of such simplicity would be possible if one worked to produce directly his daily necessities. in such a life, work is not work as people generally think of it, but simply doing what needs to be done.”

— Masanobu Fukuoka

the art of farming: another happy discovery in paris. a dusty train station turned dynamic cafe, bar + organic farm. this new venue {from the makers of comptoir general cafe} is full of sunlight + good food; upcycled decor + passionate gardeners. this is where ingredients are picked fresh from an onsite garden/farm + the service can't be beat. vegan pizza on the menu.

craving more veg goodness? here's a list of 14 plant-powered cafes in paris read more about japanese farmer + philosopher, masanobu fukuoka, author of one-straw revolution, a spiritual memoir + natural farming manifesto. his journey towards a life dedicated to farming that used no agricultural chemicals or prepared fertilizers is clear-sighted + galvanizing. this is how a green revolution gets started.

from fukuoka, the father of guerilla gardening: 

"the ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."

{eco reads} nouveaux mondes: paris bookshops part II

vintage, dusty books do a happy girl make. last year, i put together this list of some of my favorite paris bookshops, but since then, this self-proclaimed bibliophile has happened upon a number of new venues that you'll want to visit.

coming soon, a second list: paris bookshops, part II. and if you're in the u.s.a, don't forget to recycle those tattered books you have lying around; someone else is surely waiting for an adventure through the pages of your pre-loved books. you can sell your fine works of literature here or here. in the meantime, if you're looking for an engrossing book, this expose by english environmentalist + journalist lucy siegle is a must read.

until next time, stay green, dear hearts!