H&M Is Experimenting With Natural Coffee Dyes and “Leather” Made From Wine Waste

vogue.com
Emily Farra
Image may contain Clothing Apparel Evening Dress Gown Robe Fashion Human and Person
Photo: Courtesy of H&M

It was over 10 years ago that H&M debuted its first capsule collection made of organic cotton. What felt like a novelty at the time has become mainstream and almost expected; if you aren’t using organic cotton, then what are you even doing? It’s a pattern H&M is hoping to repeat with its latest eco-forward materials, which debut today in its new Conscious Collection.

Ranging from startlingly high-tech to almost-DIY, the collection follows last year’s push into bio-based materials and a move way from strictly-recycled fibers. The most surprising, potentially game-changing one is Vegea, a soft vegan leather alternative made from the byproducts of wine; H&M discovered it through its own Global Change Award in 2017. You’ll find the Vegea “leather” on chain-strap handbags and a few pairs of shoes. Also rooted in nature but ostensibly less complex is a new dye made from the coffee grounds in H&M’s offices in China.

“Going forward, we need to be using more bio-based materials and use more waste in our collections,” Pascal Brun, H&M’s sustainability manager, explains. He’s still excited about recycled materials, but is focused more on “fiber to fiber” recycling, like Renu’s recycled polyester, which comes from actual garments, not plastic water bottles. Similarly, a new material called Circulose is made from recovered cotton and viscose—making it 100% natural—and is making its worldwide launch with H&M. Brun hopes it will eventually become a permanent part of the collection, not just the Conscious Exclusive capsules. “These collections are here to help enable the scale of these new innovations, and make them more commercial [to us and to other brands].”

Still, buying a dress made from recycled viscose or polyester isn’t a shortcut to “being sustainable.” Brun and Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative advisor, agreed that the big challenge is still their garments’ end of life; recycled polyester sheds micro plastics in the wash and doesn’t biodegrade in a landfill. “In 2020 and beyond, we need to take the concept of circularity to another level,” Brun adds. “It’s the only way to think about our goals for natural resources [in the next decade]. It isn’t just about materials, though, it’s about how we can design clothes to last longer and to be eventually recycled, and how can we involve our customers to have more sustainable behavior? It’s a holistic approach.”

Johansson also name-checked H&M’s garment collection initiatives—you can take old clothes to any H&M store to be recycled or donated—and a few potential new business models in resale and rental. As far as design, she and her team are thinking about longevity and timelessness rather than trends, falling right in step with the luxury fashion conversation. “We’re talking about making clothes that are more durable and recyclable, but there has to be emotional durability, too,” she said. “If you fall in love with a garment, you take care of it and keep it for a long time. The price doesn’t matter—if you really love it, you’ll care for it, you’ll mend it, and when you don’t want it, maybe you can resell it. The emotional feeling is quite important.”

The one-shouldered recycled polyester blouse with an XXL ruffle Anna Ewers models in the lookbook certainly qualifies: It’s covetable and makes a statement, but isn’t so of-the-moment that it will feel dated. The same goes for the easy printed dresses and recycled glass jewelry. By 2030, those might not feel novel at all; H&M’s goal is that 100% of its materials will be recycled or sustainably-sourced by that time. Until then, mark your calendar for March 26th when you can get your hands on the capsule’s “wine leather” bags and recycled-poly gowns.

https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/hm-conscious-exclusive-collection-2020-recycled-bio-based-materials

50 shoe tips and tricks that you’ll wish you knew sooner

shareably.net
By Ashley Brewer Contributor at Shareably

Shoes are one of the things that you use the most, so it’s absolutely essential that they’re comfortable. Sometimes, you can add a little comfort yourself with a couple of neat tricks and shoe hacks. Your feet will definitely be thankful for reading these great shoe tips below.

1) Apply some sandpaper

New shoes, in particular, might lack a bit in grip, but there’s a quick fix that’ll allow you to get better traction and should help ease the tripping. Apply some sandpaper to the soles, and your shoes will get a lot grippier.

2) Fix creases with a steam iron

Make no mistake about it – preventing shoe creases is a dozen times better than fixing them, but if you want to give your creased basketball shoes a newer look, this tip might come in handy. Grab a wet cloth and put it on top of the creases of your sneaker, and gently rub over it with a steam iron. It won’t eliminate them completely, but it’ll make a huge difference nonetheless.

3) Prevent blisters with deodorant

Deodorant can really do wonders, and they’re pretty great at preventing blisters after a long night on the dance floor. Simply get a bit of clear gel deodorant, and rub the inner heel of your shoes.

4) How to get rid of squealing shoes

Squeaky shoes that you can hear from miles away, it’s not exactly the best thing there is. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for noisy and squeaky shoes. Grab a bit of baby powder and put some underneath your inner shoe sole. It’ll allow for better cohesion between both parts of the shoe, and less squealing as a result.

5) Switch up your shoelace patterns

There are dozens of different ways to tie up your shoes, and you can find plenty of great shoelace patterns that’ll give your footwear a distinctive look. Tired of seeing criss-cross patterns all the time? Just swap it out for another style!

6) Easily widen your boot shafts

Boots that have a firm grip on your leg are never comfortable, so it may be worth taking some time to widen those boot shafts. All you need is a couple of newspapers. Simply stuff the shafts with the papers, and pull them out when you want to use your boots. Simple as that!

7) Heel caps are true lifesavers

For someone who loves their shoes, the thought alone of a heel breaking is absolutely terrifying. It’s worth investing in a couple of heel caps that will quickly allow you to fix shoes with broken heels.

8) Create your own inner soles

If you often feel discomfort when wearing shoes, it may be worth it to create your own inner soles. Some soles are just way too uncomfortable, and you can make your feet a lot happier by getting some thick and grippy fabric, and cutting it to the size of the shoe. Here are the full instructions.

9) Soften your flip-flop straps

Some flip-flops have a really uncomfortable toe strap and it can just plain hurt – especially if you’ve been wearing them for a while. The trick? Cover the hard straps in soft fabric, and your feet will definitely be thankful.

10) Widen shoe toes in the freezer

There’s a great method to loosen up the tip of your shoe, which is often the one spot where footwear is too tight. Grab an airtight bag filled with a little bit of water, and stick it in the toe area. Let your shoes rest in the freezer overnight. Because water expands when it becomes ice, the shoe toes will be a little bit wider than before.

11) Stinky shoes? Tea bags to the rescue!

Smelly shoes with a noticeable odor – nobody likes them. There’s a quick solution to eliminate nasty smells. Put unused tea bags in your shoes, as they’re absolutely great at absorbing unpleasant scents.

12) Cushion tight shoe straps with moleskin

Similar to the pain some flip-flop straps can cause, regular shoe straps can also be the cause of serious discomfort in some cases. A quick and easy fix is just a little bit of moleskin, you’ll be amazed how much difference it can make!

13) Have more control over your shoes with heel grips

If you’re planning a long night wearing heels, you can already imagine the pain and discomfort you’re going to feel at the end. Ease some of that pain and increase your movement by inserting a handy heel grip.

14) Give your heal linings a new life with patches

There’s no denying that shoes eventually wear out, and heel linings are often one of the things that are broken down first. If they need repair, simply patch some material over it and nobody will be able to spot the difference. Denim, for example, is an absolutely great choice!

15) Get arch support inserts

If you’re particularly dealing with pain around the arches of your feet, special arch supports inserts can help you relieve some of that body stress fin a matter of seconds.

16) An easy way to get rid of water stains

After being exposed to water, some leather shoes have the tendency to develop water stains. They’re a pain to remove, but a vinegar and toothbrush duo is all you need to keep these ugly stains away.

17) DIY Waterproof Shoes

Did you know you can use something as simple as beeswax to make your shoes waterproof? It’s an instant method to make your kicks much more comfortable to use around water, and the beeswax won’t even leave stains or change the color of your shoes.

18) Buy shoes during evenings

Have you ever bought a pair of shoes, and realized that they were actually tighter than before? That’s simply because your feet have the tendency to swell throughout the day, especially when you’re sedentary for long periods. During evenings, you’re much more likely to get shoes that will be comfortable to wear at any time of the day.

19) Make new shoes comfortable by using a dryer

Getting new shoes is often double-sided. After all, you’re happy with your new footwear, but breaking in new shoes can’t exactly be described as fun. The best thing to do when starting to use new shoes is putting on thick socks and blowing any tight or uncomfortable spot dry. The heat will loosen up the material and will make your feet get used to their new surroundings much faster.

20) Use panty liners to absorb sweat

It may sound like a weird thought, but panty liners are great at absorbing sweat. Less sweat in your shoes equals less smelly odors, and it’ll naturally keep your shoes fresher longer. Simply put them in the soles, and you’re all done.

21) Make your heels shorter

High heels just aren’t for everyone, but the majority of shoes available have pretty significant heels. Getting your heels shortened is a great idea if you’re looking for shoes that are somewhat more subtle and more comfortable to wear. It’s also great for giving your old shoes a second life!

22) A great solution against chafing

Chafing feet in your running or sports shoes, it isn’t exactly the most pleasant feeling in the world. If you’re planning on using these type of shoes intensively, coat your heels with a layer of K-Y Jelly first to prevent chafing.

23) Fix scuffs with some vaseline

There are dozens of uses for vaseline or petroleum jelly, and restoring shoes is just one of them. Apply some petroleum jelly on a cotton swab, and rub gently until the scuff is gone. Works best on a patent leather shoe.

24) Keep your boots moisture-free

After a rainy day in your boots, the chances are rather high that there will be some moisture left. Grab a couple of old newspaper pages (or paper towels) to keep your boots nice and dry.

25) Add wool into your soles

This tip is particularly useful during the winter. If there’s one material type that you can associate with warmth and comfort, it’s wool. Just insert some wooly fabric whenever you might think your feet need some warming up.

26) Use sneaker protectors to prevent creases

Some sneakers look absolutely fabulous and are a pleasure to wear, but after a while of use, creases at the top are simply inevitable. Before you start wearing new shoes, consider getting sneaker protectors. After a while, you won’t even notice them anymore and they do a splendid job at keeping your sneakers crease-free. Works particularly well for Air Jordan Retro shoes.

27) Tape your toes when wearing heels

This may seem a bit odd and unnecessary, but there’s scientific reasoning behind it. Heels aren’t exactly comfortable by definition, and there’s a lot of strain placed on the nerve directly between your second and third toe. The best and easiest way to help relieve some of the tension, it to tape the toes together. Not too tight, otherwise you’ll cut off blood circulation.

28) Grab a pair of no-tie shoelaces

Tired of tripping over your laces or needing to redo them often? No-tie shoelaces, which have been hugely popular lately, are the perfect solutions. You can stretch them pretty far and just trim them afterward. No need to ever tie your shoelaces again.

29) Clean shoes with a magic eraser or toothpaste

The pristine condition of your brand-new shoes is something that doesn’t last very long, but you can keep your kicks looking new with magic erasers or simply by rubbing some white toothpaste all over it. They’ll do a great job of scrubbing off scuffs, and it’s cheap too!

30) Clean suede shoes with pieces of bread

Suede is a delicate material to handle, and cleaning with a regular cloth can sometimes make things even worse. Instead of cloth, just use some bread to get rid of stains.

31) Get a special blister-protective spray

If your feet are quite prone to blisters, you may want to consider purchasing a special type of feet spray that creates a protective barrier around your feet when dried. It works wonders to prevent blisters!

32) Give your old shoes a new look

We have plenty of accessories for ourselves, so why not let our shoes have the same? Grab a couple of blank shoe clips, attach them to your old shoes, and go creative with buttons, decorations, and patches to give your footwear a completely new and distinctive touch.

33) Use feet spray regularly

Sprays for your feet are seriously underrated. It’s not a bad idea to make a habit of spraying your feet before you go out, as they’ll help your feet feel refreshed, but will also give them a firmer grip to prevent slips.

34) Keep your balance on heels outdoors

Heels on the dancefloor or at a fancy event? No problem at all. But when you walk outside – with tons of small rocks, grass, and gravel, a heel suddenly doesn’t sound like a good idea anymore. Heel protectors help you spread your weight on less sturdy outdoor grounds.

35) Invest in shoe pegs

Your collection of shoes needs a place to shine, but what if you could make storing your shoes easier? This won’t work great with high heels, but for all other types of footwear, you can install shoe pegs and store your shoes efficiently, fast, and off the ground.

36) Add traction with a hot glue gun

Shoes don’t only have to look good, they have to provide you with enough comfort, grip, and traction as well. If your pair is lacking in that last department, you can try to use a hot glue gun and create your own grips. It may not be perfect, but it’s certainly better than nothing!

37) Get a little bit of extra stretch

Did you know that there are special devices that can give your shoes just that little bit of extra stretch? It doesn’t take long and you can get your footwear closer to the perfect size within mere minutes.

38) Easily repair a loose flip-flop

Flip-flops are fairly cheap, but you can’t exactly call them durable. One of the most frequent issues is a loose flip-flop strap which makes the whole thing just a pain to walk on. Instead of throwing a broken flip-flop in the trash, grab a bread tag or a flat washer for an easy and quick fix.

39) Fleece-lined slippers a pain to clean?

The soft fabric of fleece-lined slippers feels absolutely amazing to your feet, but they’re not exactly fun to wear when they’re all dirty. The solution is remarkably simple: just use a bit of dish soap, get rid of the stains and let it dry. As good as new!

40) Revitalize leather with a banana peel

Leather has the distinctive feature that it ages quite uniquely. Some people like this aged leather look and even purposely wear out their boots, but there are plenty of people who’d like to keep their leather footwear in pristine condition. If you’re one of those people, rub a banana peel over your leather footwear and you’ll instantly make them look like new.

41) Black tea helps with blisters

If it’s too late to make your shoes comfy and you’ve already found yourself with blisters, black tea can come to the rescue. Just soak your feet in warm black tea; it will soothe the pain and reduces chances of an infection.

42) Shine patent leather with glass cleaner

No need to buy special products or cleaners if you scuff up your patent leather shoes. Windex or any glass cleaner will do the trick. Just give it a spray, gently scrub, and the scuff should come off with ease.

43) Clean white sneakers with nail polish remover

Keep those white tennis shoes looking bright by giving them a quick wipe down with nail polish remover. It will instantly remove any stains and keep the rubber parts as white as the day you bought them.

44) Buff out stains on suede with a nail file

Earlier, we mentioned bread as a useful tool for cleaning up your suede shoes, but a nail file works even better when it comes to tough dirt stains. Use the side of the nail file that has finer abrasion and give your suede a quick buff.

45) Prevent tall boots from falling

Keep your knee-high or tall boots in their proper form with a little help from pool noodles. Cut the pool noodles into an appropriate length and stuff them inside your boots when you’re not wearing them. This will hold their shape and keep them from creasing.

46) Keep feet sweat-free with dry shampoo

If you like to wear flats without any socks, this little trick will be a godsend. Keep your feet sweat and moisture free by spraying a little bit of dry shampoo into your shoes before you put them on. It will help absorb any moisture inside.

47) Use a pencil eraser to remove scuffs

Scuffs on your tennis shoe’s rubber is super easy to remove with the eraser of a pencil. Simply use the eraser as you would to remove a pencil mark and the scuff is gone!

48) Make your own no-tie laces

If you don’t want to buy a pair of no-tie laces, you can make your own for a fraction of the cost. Just replace your old shoelaces with a piece of elastic cord that you can sew to the tongue. Head over to Make It Love It for the instructions.

49) DIY shoe deodorizing spray

Keep your shoes smelling fresh and also free of fungus and bacteria by making your own shoe deodorizing spray. All you need to do is mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar with a few drops of tea tree oil.

50) Lace your shoes for function and fit

Switching up the way you lace your shoes isn’t just a fashion statement–it can actually help people with certain shapes of feet or foot problems. Refer to the chart below to see which lacing pattern would be the best fit for you. Here are the tutorials.
Source: He And She Eat Clean

Shoes are incredibly important because they’re one of the items we use every single day. In other words, getting your walking and running experience just right is essential!

https://shareably.net/50-nifty-shoe-tips-tricks/?utm_source=twitter_ads&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=3e17fdc7-5bcc-83be-d6b7-b99e4fe813df

 

Victoria Beckham’s Fashion Line Ditches Exotic Animal Skins | Care2 Causes

Victoria Beckham has become the latest major fashion designer to ban the use of exotic animal skins in her collections.

As of Fall 2019, all Victoria Beckham clothes are guaranteed to be free of alligator, snake and lizard skins. As the brand explores more ethically sourced products, its designers are proud to play a part in creating cruelty-free fashion.

A spokesperson for the Victoria Beckham brand explained:

We are happy to confirm that we will cease using exotic skins in all future collections as of our main Fall 2019 ready-to-wear presentation. This decision reflects the wishes of not only the brand, but also that of our customers.

Animal rights groups are applauding the Victoria Beckham brand for its new policy. PETA director Elisa Allen stated:

Victoria Beckham’s decision to ban exotic skins will spare countless remarkable animals immense suffering, and PETA calls on other luxury brands to follow her kind example.

So why is exotic skin use in fashion such a contentious issue? Well, the animals whose skins are used in our bags, belts and shoes are often poached — and their deaths are barbaric.

In 2017 PETA shocked the world with an exposé on crocodile skin farming in Vietnam. No animal should have to suffer to give us beautiful products. This is why it’s so encouraging to see some of the biggest names in fashion beginning to listen to their consumers who want cruelty-free products.

Victoria Beckham joins the likes of Chanel, which also went exotic-skin-free in December 2018. When announcing its new stance on exotic skin use, the brand also reaffirmed its commitment to fur-free fashion:

The Victoria Beckham brand has never used fur in its clothing or accessories collections and confirmed last year that the brand will remain fur free.

The fashion industry has seen some huge developments in recent years to turn the tide on animal cruelty. Burberry, Gucci, Versace and Coach are just some of the biggest brands who have completely banned the use of fur. In September 2018, the London Fashion Week became the first of its kind to not show any fur on its catwalk. Even Rihanna’s Fenty is a cruelty-free brand with an increasing range of vegan products.

What better way to inspire us all to be conscious of our fashion and beauty choices than to lead by example?

Fashion brands like Victoria Beckham pave the way for high street fashion; by promoting cruelty-free fashion, they encourage other brands to make more responsible choices. In turn, we as consumers can make careful, informed decisions about the clothes we choose to buy.

Here’s to a future when all our fashion and beauty products are cruelty-free!

https://www.care2.com/causes/victoria-beckhams-fashion-line-ditches-exotic-animal-skins.html

Photo Credit: Getty Images

YES! Burberry Announced They’re Dropping Fur, Just in Time for Fashion Week

onegreenplanet.org

By Estelle Rayburn

As the animal cruelty fueled by the fur industry has become widely publicized, an ever-increasing number of consumers have begun demanding that brands abandon the use of real animal fur in their clothing and accessories. In response to this mounting pressure, many major fashion houses have chosen to completely do away with the controversial practice of making garments from the skins of dead animals.

Just to name a few iconic brands that have stopped contributing to the senseless killing of innocent creatures for their fur, there’s Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, Gucci, and Vivienne Westwood. And now, British fashion giant Burberry has joined the list of animal-friendly brands!

Starting with the Riccardo Tisci debut collection, which Burberry is set to release later this month, the company has pledged to stop using real fur in its clothing and accessories and to “phase out existing real fur products.” Desiring to become an all-around more ethical and environmentally-conscious brand, Burberry has also promised that it will no longer burn surplus clothing as it has done in the past.

The luxury fashion icon’s decision to amp up its efforts to protect animals and the Earth comes at quite a convenient time — right as the 2018 New York Fashion Week begins. While the timing may not have been intentional, Burberry’s recent announcement will surely send a clear message to any designers involved in the show who are still perpetuating the inhumane fur industry.

Humane Society International (HSI) UK, the organization at the forefront of the #FurFreeBritain campaign working towards a ban on UK fur imports, has unsurprisingly applauded Burberry’s decision to ditch fur.

As the organization’s Director of International Media Wendy Higgins stated in a press release, “HSI first met with Burberry almost a decade ago to urge the brand to drop fur, so we are delighted that this iconic British fashion giant is finally going fur-free. Most British consumers don’t want anything to do with the cruelty of fur and so this is absolutely the right decision by this quintessentially British brand.”

She went on, “Countless investigations have revealed appalling welfare issues on fur farms including obesity, deformed feet, diseased eyes and even missing limbs. Burberry is very wise to be ending its association with fur and it joins the ranks of an ever increasing number of top designers like Gucci, Michael Kors, DKNY and Versace, who have also realized that real fur has no future in fashion.”

We couldn’t agree more that it’s time to shut down this cruel industry for good and make the use of real animal fur for “fashion” a thing of the past! If you’re on the same side of this issue, please sign this Care2 petition urging Dolce & Gabanna to be the next luxury brand to say goodbye to fur!

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/burberry-announced-theyre-dropping-fur/?utm_source=Green+Monster+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=4ab3498482-NEWSLETTER_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbf62ddf34-4ab3498482-106049477

Image Source: Seregraff/Shutterstock

Breaking! Ralph Lauren Marks The Latest Major Global Brand To Ban Use Of Mohair In Their Products – World Animal News

By WAN –
July 30, 2018

Ralph Lauren is the latest fashion retailer to join a long list of companies that will no longer use mohair from angora goats in their products.
The New York–based retail giant joined the more than 270 brands worldwide that have pledged not to sell the cruelly obtained material. The ban applies to all Ralph Lauren brands, including Ralph Lauren Home, Polo Ralph Lauren, Chaps, Club Monaco, and American Living.
Like many others, the move by Ralph Lauren follows PETA‘s video expose of the extremely cruel mohair industry in South Africa, which is the source of more than 50 percent of the world’s mohair.
As previously reported by WAN, the brutal industry includes many travesties including careless shearers who are paid by volume, not by the hour, animals left with gaping wounds that are then roughly stitched up without any pain relief, and goats deemed to be no longer useful, heartlessly killed in agonizing ways.
“PETA’s exposé pulled back the curtain on the violent mohair industry, and Ralph Lauren responded by banning the cruelly produced material,” PETA Director of Corporate Affairs Anne Brainard said in a statement. “Ralph Lauren has joined the growing list of fashion brands that recognize that today’s shoppers don’t support cruelty to animals in the fashion industry.”
PETA has requested that law-enforcement agencies in South Africa investigate and file charges, as appropriate, for potential violations of that country’s Animals Protection Act, 1962.
In banning mohair, Ralph Lauren joins a growing number of brands including Diane von Furstenberg, Brooks Brothers, Gap, Banana Republic, H&M, Topshop, UNIQLO, Overstock.com, and Zara, among hundreds of others of other designers and retailers, that have also decided to become more cruelty-free.
Fortunately, fashion brands are not only banning mohair but are also eliminating or considering the elimination of other inhumanely sourced materials such as fur, leather, and wool.
#MakeCompassionTheFashion

https://worldanimalnews.com/breaking-ralph-lauren-marks-the-latest-major-global-brand-to-ban-use-of-mohair-in-their-products/

© Copyright 2018 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Levi’s: Leave Cows Alone! | Save Animals | peta2

Levi’s claims to be big on sustainability. Sooo we’re not sure where it gets off using cows skin for patches on it’s jeans, it knows that animal leather has at least three times the negative impact on the environment of most vegan leather. Levi’s also claims that one of its core values is empathy. Well aside from the fact that taking someone’s skin isn’t empathetic by any stretch of the definition, animal leather often comes from cows who are branded, mutilated, confined, and deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them. Levi’s must recognize that if it’s actually committed to sustainable and progressive practices, it needs to replace its leather jean patches with vegan leather immediately.

https://action.peta2.com/page/5108/action/1?utm_source=peta2::E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert&utm_campaign=0418::skn::peta2::E-Mail::P2%20Levis%20Leather%20Patch%20EA::::aa%20em&ea.url.id=69083

Petition: New York Magazine, Don’t Glamorize Fur!

by: Care2 Team
target: New York Magazine

22,174 SUPPORTERS

25,000 GOAL

In recent years, the fashion industry has grown colder to the use of fur in clothing, with many designers embracing cruelty-free fashion. Georgio Armani, Gucci, Michael Kors, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, and Versace have all agreed to stop using fur — and now even fashion magazines are hopping onboard.

InStyle magazine just announced that it is officially fur-free and will not feature photographs of fur in its editorials or advertisements. Now, we’re calling on New York Magazine to make the same commitment. Sign now and tell New York Magazine fur is out!

The fur industry is riddled with animal cruelty and suffering. Every coat, bag, or shoe that uses fur comes at an extreme cost to the animal it belonged to before.

According to PETA, animals on fur farms are contained in tiny, cramped wire cages until they are skinned alive. To minimize damage to the fur, animals are anally and genitally electrocuted, a gruesome and painful process. Some animals are trapped in the wild using steel-jaw traps, where the animals are left suffering with injured limbs until they eventually die, sometimes days later. If there’s a cruelty-free way to obtain fur for clothing, we haven’t found it.

Cruelty is out, fur-free fashion is in. Please sign and share this petition demanding that New York Magazine commit to keeping fur out of its editorials and advertisements.
Sign Petition

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/937/301/329/new-york-magazine-commit-to-going-fur-free/?TAP=1732

22,174 supporters

 

 

 

Another Fashion Giant Chooses To Make Compassion The Fashion; Donna Karan & DKNY Go Fur-Free! – World Animal News

BREAKING NEWS
Another Fashion Giant Chooses To Make Compassion The Fashion; Donna Karan & DKNY Go Fur-Free!
BymKatie Cleary –
March 22, 2018

WAN is thrilled to announce that another fashion giant Donna Karan and DKNY have decided to make compassion the fashion and Go Fur-free starting next year.
Per The Humane Society International,
Morris Goldfarb, CEO of G-III, Donna Karan and DKNY’s parent company, revealed the decision on Thursday in a Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2018 Earnings Conference. The company came to its decision due to its relationship with the Humane Society of the United States.
“HSI is delighted that since Gucci declared fur to be ‘out-dated’ designers have been racing to prove their relevance by dropping the archaic material,” Wendy Higgins, HSI’s Director of International Media, said in a statement. “In the latest designer declaration, this mornings brands DKNY and Donna Karan pledged to ban fur cruelty from their collections.”
Donna Karan and DKNY Joins Gucci, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace and Michael Kors just to name a few of the high-fashion giants that have made the important decision that animal fur is cruel and not fashion.
Please take a moment to thank these progressive designers for their ground-breaking move towards a more compassionate world of fashion! We hope that many other designers around the world follow suit! @DonnaKaran @DKNY @Gucci @GiorgioArmani @TommyHilfiger @ThomasJHilfiger @MichaelKors

http://worldanimalnews.com/another-fashion-giant-chooses-compassion-fashion-donna-karan-dkny-go-fur-free/

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Making Compassion The Style

Petition: Burberry: Stop selling real fur just for fashion and profit! Pledge to Boycott Burberry until they stop selling fur for fashion!

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/146/335/362/

Petition · H&M: H&M MUST stop selling “Dogfight in the alley” hoodies!! · Change.org

https://www.change.org/p/h-m-h-m-must-stop-selling-dogfight-in-the-alley-hoodies?source_location=petition_footer&algorithm=promoted&grid_position=6&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAFXRwQAAAAAAWgN4wY0NjFw3Y2Y0NjkwYw%3D%3D

Meet the New Real Leather That’s the Future of Fashion

PETA gets a look at Modern Meadow, the biofabrication company that refuses to accept the notion that real cowskin must be grown on cows.

Source: Meet the New Real Leather That’s the Future of Fashion

Birkenstock Unveils Vegan Leather Versions of Classic Sandals

 

Vegan Birkenstock sandals are here to take your shoe game to the next level. The company has released vegan versions of its classic sandals in the U.S.

Source: Birkenstock Unveils Vegan Leather Versions of Classic Sandals

Save Animals Stylishly With These Perfect Vegan Stilettos

 

These stunning vegan stilettos prove that compassion is chic and that saving animals is always in style. Which will you choose?

Source: Save Animals Stylishly With These Perfect Vegan Stilettos

Sia Asks Kanye West To Go Fur Free

The vegan musician goes on  Twitter to ask Kanye to drop  animal cruelty from his new fashion line
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=9066&catId=1

Urge Department Store Bon-Ton to End Fur Sales

Department store Bon-Ton is complicit in the torture of fur-bearing animals. Urge it to stop selling fur immediately.

Source: Urge Department Store Bon-Ton to End Fur Sales

Petition: Ugg: Stop Using Sheep to Make Your Boots!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/151/068/639/

Trump Must Stop Selling Fur from Suffering Rabbits

Donald Trump’s daughter and close advisor, Ivanka, sells rabbit fur in her clothing collections despite a recent investigation reportedly showing rabbits tortured and skinned alive on fur farms. Urge the Trump family to stop animal abuse.

Source: Trump Must Stop Selling Fur from Suffering Rabbits

Take the Deforestation Free Shopping Pledge – Rainforest Action Network

See List of Stores To Boycott…

http://www.ran.org/deforestation_free

Here’s how to keep your sweaters lasting longer | Grist

By Ask Umbra® on Oct 6, 2016 5:14 am

Q. Dear Umbra,

Disposable clothes are driving me nuts. In particular, as we come into fall, I’m thinking about sweaters. These days, when I buy a new sweater, it starts to pill on the first wear and ends up looking terrible after just a few outings. If I want a sweater that lasts for decades instead of days, what materials should I be looking for? Wool? Cotton? Cashmere? Should I make sure it has no synthetic material at all? I do buy from thrift stores when I can, but I can’t always find good used options.

Ginger A.
St. Louis, Missouri

A. Dearest Ginger,

Sensible cardigans. Sophisticated turtlenecks. Fuzzy pullovers. Whatever form a sweater may take, I’m a fan. In fact, I like fall for its sweater weather even more than its proliferation of pumpkin spice treats, and that’s saying something. (I’m not the only one.) So you’re absolutely right that a shoddily made sweater — or a shoddily made anything, really — is a buzzkill indeed.

We’re living in the era of fast fashion. With so many brands churning out uber-stylish pieces more quickly and cheaply than ever, quality tends to become an afterthought. Some might argue, “Who cares if your $17 sweater falls apart after a couple of wears? Just buy another one!” But of course you care, Ginger, and so should we all. The fashion industry has an enormous environmental footprint, from the water and chemicals required to process textiles to the shipping impacts of a global supply chain. That alone is a great reason not to go buck-wild on shopping sprees for items we don’t need, but then there’s also the issue of disposal.

Americans toss 13 million tons of clothing every year into the trash. Part of the problem is that we’re not recycling nearly enough of our castaways (the recycling rate for textiles is a dismal 9 percent). But we’re also buying more and more — millennials reportedly snap up five times more clothing than older generations, which translates to lots more waste when these on-trend, off-quality duds expire.

I love the way you’re rejecting this use-‘em-and-lose-‘em pattern, Ginger. But shopping carefully is just the start — how you wear and take care of your clothes matters a lot, too. Here’s your complete guide to making your sweaters (and all other clothing) last.

Buying

As you suspect, not all sweater materials are created equal. Wool, from both sheep (merino) and goats (cashmere), is among the most durable options, with merino usually taking the honors for strongest fiber. Synthetics — your nylons, polyesters, and rayons — often wear down more easily. Cotton falls somewhere in the middle. Good-quality materials will probably cost you more up front, but like so many things in life, you get what you pay for.
A word about fashion choices: If you’re playing the long game with your clothing, then it pays to make like Taylor Swift and her on-again, off-again flame and choose classic clothes that never go out of style.

Wearing & repairing

I’m all for limiting the total volume of your closet (I mean, how many sweaters does one really need for fall 2016?). But that said, wearing the same thing every day will wear it out more quickly. Collect enough pieces to rotate evenly, and everything will last a lot longer.
The dreaded pilling effect (when the fibers break or come loose) doesn’t mean the end for your sweaters. You can buy inexpensive gadgets to shave the pills off without damaging the rest of the fabric. You can also condition wool sweaters with lanolin once a year for pill prevention.
Mend it, don’t send it … to the landfill. It’s common sense, but far too many of us have lost the art of sewing up minor tears and holes (somewhere, a single tear rolls down your 6th-grade home-ec teacher’s cheek). Study up on basic fabric repairs, or pay someone else to do it — just don’t ditch a perfectly good item for a fixable flaw.

Washing

Every trip through the laundry takes a little bit off your clothes’ lives, so put off washing as long as you can. (Bonus: Less laundry!) Most clothes don’t need to be washed after every wear, especially not sweaters you pair with an underlayer.
When laundry day does roll around, hand-wash those sweaters. (What about dry cleaning, you ask? I don’t advise it.) DON’T wring them out, as that stretches and damages the fibers. DO lay them flat to dry. In fact, air-drying all the items in your wardrobe can extend their lifespans.
Wash clothing by type, not color. Keep items with buttons and zippers separate from delicates and T-shirts, as that hardware can accelerate your other clothing’s eventual demise.

There you have it — follow these guidelines, and you’ll be celebrating a happy sweater season for years to come.

Everlastingly,
Umbra

Vegan EMPERIA Handbag Review | The Friendly Fig

http://thefriendlyfig.com/2016/08/24/vegan-style-summer-bag/#more-5872

Lady-Color Now Approved for Lady-Hunters, Thank God | Grist

One small step for big-game sport, one big step for feminism: Hunters can now wear pink!
New York has joined Wisconsin and Colorado in adding hot pink as a designated hunting gear color, alongside the standard “blaze orange,” to attract more women to the sport.

Assemblywoman Eileen Gunther noted to The New York Times that by making hunting gear the color that all women biologically — and that’s a fact — prefer, they will attract “the next generation into the great outdoors.”

Sure? Many hunters are outspoken conservationists, because you can’t skin a deer if the deer have succumbed to the death knell of warmer climes and deforestation. But of all the ways to get young women interested in the great outdoors, hunting is one of the more niche. After all, there are myriad woman-friendly nature appreciation activities that don’t require disemboweling a large mammal — like serenading bluebirds in a sunlit field, for example.

Why might women be — statistically speaking — less inclined toward hunting than men? Could it be because we are too gentle a sex to handle the death of an animal, or because of our innate hatred for sensible shoes? No — it is because things like this happen!

Petition · Melissa Dale: Make the Hall of Fame Fashion Show Fur-Free · Change.org

https://www.change.org/p/melissa-dale-make-the-hall-of-fame-fashion-show-fur-free/sign?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=628772&alert_id=tUTnPGgPsM_Fz39pBoGW121HUXmf%2B99r%2FlbzeTuL%2FedtIwysTWgt%2Fs%3D

Your next leather accessory might be made from mushrooms | Grist

That leather jacket might make you look sexy, but it comes at a steep price — and we aren’t just talking about dollars. Leather is skin, after all, so something’s gotta die for that look. Plus, the livestock industry is notoriously bad for the environment, contributing to both water pollution and climate change. Nothing sexy about that.

Now, one company is trying solve our leather problem — with mushrooms.

MycoWorks uses mycelium — the fleshy, fibrous part that makes up the base of the mushroom — to create new products like furniture, building materials, and, now, something that looks and feels a whole lot like leather. While it takes three years to raise a cow before its skin suit can be harvested, mycelium “leather” can be grown in just a few weeks. And while one pair of leather shoes might result in 33 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, as FastCompany points out, mycelium produces none at all. It’s also biodegradable, and MycoWorks says it will be cost-competitive with the real stuff. The company plans to open a production facility in the Bay Area next year.

This is just one of many creative new products that harness the power of mushrooms. The miracle fungi is being used in everything from biodegradable packaging to home insulation to human-body composting. Even when mushrooms aren’t magic, they’re still pretty damn magic.

Beauty Often Blinds People to Cruelty | PETA Asia

Every year in the exotic-skins industry, millions of snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and other animals are grotesquely abused and cruelly killed in Thailand.

Source: Beauty Often Blinds People to Cruelty | PETA Asia

Exposed: Despite ‘Responsible Down Standards,’ Farms Still Live-Plucking Geese

 

 

‘Humane’ down suppliers to Eddie Bauer, Lands’ End, and Hollander Sleep Products are linked to live plucking of geese.

Source: Exposed: Despite ‘Responsible Down Standards,’ Farms Still Live-Plucking Geese

Stop Killing Ostriches for Fashion Bags

Prada uses ostrich leather from cruel slaughter farms in its luxury “goosebump” handbags. Sign this petition to demand that the fashion house ends its support of this unethical practice and stops using ostrich leather in its products.

Source: Stop Killing Ostriches for Fashion Bags

Exposed: Juvenile Ostriches Butchered for Hermès ‘Luxury’ Bags

 

Soon after exposing the slaughter of alligators and crocodiles for Hermès Birkin bags, eyewitnesses capture video of an Hermès supplier butchering young ostriches.

 

Source: Exposed: Juvenile Ostriches Butchered for Hermès ‘Luxury’ Bags

Petition · VINCE stop using REAL FUR! · Change.org

https://www.change.org/p/vince-stop-using-real-fur

Petition · Sandton City Centre management: FUR IS OFFENSIVE NOT LUXURIOUS · Change.org

                https://www.change.org/p/sandton-city-centre-management-fur-is-offensive-not-luxurious