Mankato, MN-Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing grass. Ironically, the only thing you can?t do with it is cut it with your lawn mower. You can write on it; cover your floor with it; recline in it-even ride a bicycle made from it. You can also wear it. Just ask April Femrite, the Mankato-based eco-entrepreneur who recently opened Naturally Bamboo, an online clothing store featuring eco-friendly clothing and accessories made from bamboo fiber.

After reading an article about the natural benefits of bamboo fiber - biodegradable, sustainable, hypo-allergenic, odor-resistant, pesticide-free and to top it all off - extremely soft, the idea for Naturally Bamboo was born. Everyone has to wear clothes. Why not wear something that looks good, feels good and is good for the planet??

A nature lover and mother of two young boys, Femrite was attracted to the sustainable aspects of bamboo. She runs Naturally Bamboo based on the principles of a triple bottom line-people, planet, profit; The company sources fabric processed without toxic chemcials and contracts manufacturers who abide by fair labor standards. Products bear names like Tettegouche Tee, Palisade Polo, and St. Croix Capri,  which showcase Minnesota and reflect April?s love for hiking local trails with her family.

We can all make a positive impact on our environment by purchasing clothing made without chemicals and pesticides, such as bamboo, soy, hemp and organic cotton.  I wanted to start a company that was not only concerned about profits, but had a responsibility to our environment and for the people that work for our company.?

Textile designers are betting that the performance, aesthetics and eco-friendly attributes of bamboo clothing will strike a harmonious chord with consumers. If so, the environmental payoffs could be big. According to a recent report released by trade group, shop.org, last year consumers bought a staggering $18.3 billion dollars worth of clothes and shoes online-a number projected to grow.

Businesses and non-profits are finding Naturally Bamboo clothing an effective marketing tool. Minneapolis-based Aveda recently bought a large number of units, and had them imprinted with the company?s logo as a way to promote the company?s commitment to sustainability. Logos on Femrite?s tees will also be promoting the Northland Bioneer Conference in Minneapolis this weekend.

The environment isn’t the only cause benefiting from Femrite’s line. Naturally Bamboo recently partnered with the Minneapolis-based, Think Pink Collection  (www.thinkpinkcollection.com) to develop an exclusive line of bamboo clothing designed to help fight breast cancer, with 30% of the proceeds supporting breast cancer research. Barb?s Pink Ribbon Collection was created in honor of Femrite?s mother-in-law, who passed away from breast cancer in 1997.

Naturally Bamboo clothing is available for wholesale and retail purchase at www.naturallybambooclothing.com and through select independent retailers. For more information contact April Femrite at (800) 987-3309 or email her at info@naturallybambooclothing.com

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Austin, Texas, September 28, 2007 – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Los Angeles is coveting the eco-trend this season, partnering with companies such as The CarbonNeutral Company and Whole Foods Market.  This year, with eco being a hot issue, designers such as Debra Lindquist and Ecoganik will surely grab greater attention.  And this year, many will be in for some eye candy with the Fashion Week debut of Rene Geneva Design.

Rene´ Geneva has been steadily gaining popular industry attention with recent features in California Apparel News, Yogi Times, Austin Monthly, and more.  Her conscientious work with indigenous tribes, small villages, and fair trade labor in developing countries in addition to the dedication to the “greening” of her business in many aspects shows audacity, if not leave the reader with the wonder of when she finds time to sleep.  

“While eco friendly clothing has become a popular fashion trend, it is still very hard to find sophisticated designs that are truly eco-friendly and target an ever-growing fashion forward audience.” says Geneva. Presently, fashion has a fast-growing market of eco-aware women who have limited options for apparel and even fewer options for sustainable wedding gowns. “Our goal is to fill the void for this modern, aware, and design-savvy customer base within the fashion community.” 

With the recent release of their ready to wear fashion line at WWDMagic, August 2007, Ms. Geneva has successfully entered a market eager to receive eco chic apparel. Their designs encompass exotic corsets (under the Faernyn’s Grove brand name), women’s contemporary apparel, eveningwear, and bridal made exclusively from organic and eco friendly materials and are offered to an international customer base. Each garment is either made in the USA or with Fair Trade Labor. Textiles this season include Sustainable Biodegradable Product™ rated hemp blends, Tencel, “peace” silk, SKAL certified organic cotton, and bamboo. More exclusive designs use rare fabrics made from tree bark, and hand woven silk. Most designs from this season carry a “carbon neutral” certification that offsets the carbon necessary to bring a garment to life through their “Fashionably Neutral Carbon Program™”, which is the first of its kind in the luxury apparel industry.  Company efforts help higher causes, including the “Scraps for Schools” program, which recycles fabric scraps for children’s art projects, and the “Sun Power Project,” which will implement the installation of solar electricity into a needy community in Central America.  

Fashion Week is just another adventure for Ms. Geneva as she sits as comfortably in the designer chair as she does in the jungle.  Her line, Rene´Geneva Design, will be shown in The Gallery fashion show at Smashbox Studios, October 17th, 2007 at 6pm.

Rene´ Geneva Design focuses on the exotic, luxury, and future of fashion with an eco-friendly conscience.

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via TreeHugger on Jan 30, 2007

What’s the Big Deal?

Cleaning products are everywhere in our homes and offices: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows, and floating through the air. In our war on dirt and germs we may often actually be making things worse. Most of the conventional cleaning products we all grew up with are petroleum-based and have dubious health and environmental implications. Instead of opting for cleaning products that annihilate everything in their path, there are plenty of natural products and methods that keep a house clean and fresh-smelling without the toxic side effects.

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