that GREEN blog

For you last minute shoppers… A “Handcrafted” section was recently added that showcases items made with love from sustainable or organic materials by American and Canadian artists.

Take a peek at Hip eLiving Where eco meets style!

Bath and beauty products do more than just keep us clean, they make us look and feel our best. And in a 24/7 society where busy is the norm, a simple bath or great skin treatment can be a relaxing personal moment in an otherwise hectic day. Now more than ever, people are using bath products that are made organically through green processes because it’s not only good for them, but also good for the environment.

“Going green is more than just an environmental concept, it’s something that can have a dramatic impact on personal health…” says Justin Gomolka at Best Bath Store, a company that makes 100 percent natural bath and body, skin care and hair care products. “We’re seeing more interest in natural products that respect human life, animal life, and the environment we live in — something our entire line supports. We do not test on animals or use harmful synthetic preservatives or additives such as sodium laurel sulfate or parabens. One must be on the lookout for greenwashing, where companies claim to be natural and /or safe for the environment, but use harmful synthetic ingredients.”

These are the top bath and beauty trends of 2008:

Trend 1) Organic Soaps

When you’re washing your skin, are you using something that contains harsh chemicals? Don’t forget, your skin is your body’s largest organ and the first line of defense against disease and infections. If you look at the ingredients of your common everyday soap, you might find it difficult to pronounce the list. Animal fats and synthetic ingredients help make soaps cheap for large companies, but wreak havoc on your skin and overall health! For this reason, organic soap made from all-natural ingredients is a top beauty trend. For example, handmade soap from (www.soapalchemy.com) uses luxurious quality ingredients that include organic extracts, essential oils, and cleansing particles harvested from the earth. Because of the use of organic ingredients, this soap is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types.

Trend 2) Safe Cosmetics / Cruelty Free / Environmentally Friendly

Traditional cosmetics and bath products can contain unhealthy ingredients. Exposure to one of these chemicals is unlikely to cause health problems, but repeated exposure can be linked to serious health issues like cancer and birth defects. More people are seeking safe cosmetics that they know won’t be causing them, their families, or any animals harm. You can do three things to help buy healthier products. First, look for products that do not test on animals or companies that are PETA business friends. Second, visit www.SafeCostmetics.org to find a list of companies that have pledged to keep their products safe from unhealthy compounds. Lastly, find out how a company packages their products and ships them. Do they use Styrofoam or corn starch peanuts?

Trend 3) Aromatherapy

Different scents have the power to trigger sensations in the brain such as relaxation, calmness, alertness and more. Lavender is a popular ingredient used in bath products that is believed to have the power to promote relaxation and relieve stress, important for today’s constantly hectic lifestyle. Lavender has been used as a natural medicine to help relieve headaches, migraines and insomnia for centuries. Other scents and herbs have properties that help keep the body balanced and healthy. More people are now looking for these ingredients in their favorite soaps and lotions.

Trend 4) Real Results from Natural Products
People want a luxurious, natural product, but they also want results from their beauty regimen. From wrinkles to acne, natural ingredients just might be the cure you’ve been seeking. For example, acne medicines made from all natural ingredients treat problem skin gently, great for sensitive skin types. Additionally, some natural ingredients may work better because the body isn’t able to build up a tolerance to its effectiveness like it often does with chemical treatment options. Natural, green ingredients also can make a difference for other beauty concerns such as wrinkles and skin tone.

Trend 5) Not Just for Ladies
Bath and beauty isn’t just for females any more. Products are being made specifically for the needs of children and men too. Fun, natural products make bath time enjoyable for kids of all ages, helping them stay clean and healthy. And men are realizing that looking their best today and in the future requires more effort than a simple daily shower. An increasing number of men are seeking out all-natural soaps, shampoos and shaving creams because these products give them better results and are better for their body.
Shop and learn at Best Bath Store, a company that makes 100 percent natural bath and body, skin care and hair care products.

Healthy Skin Care

Raising your baby in a green environment has multiple rewards. First, green products tend to have fewer dangerous chemicals associated with them. Second, by taking care of your baby’s world today, you are ensuring that there will be trees, flowers and bees for her to enjoy in the future.

There are many reasons for adopting a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle, not the least of which is that it is usually healthier for you and your family because most products that are considered “green” contain less chemicals and hormones. On a larger scale, going green can have a significant impact on the health of our World. The world population continues to grow at an alarming rate: 1 billion people in 1800; 2 billion by 1922; and by 2000 an estimate 6 billion are estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050.

That means that if we evenly distributed the Earth’s natural resources (which we don’t), the population in 2050 – when your children’s children are growing up – will have only 25% of the resources per capita that we had in 1950. With limited resources available on Earth, we need to watch our consumption. We must become more ecologically-minded and preserve precious resources in order to leave the world in a state that can sustain our grandchildren.

Becoming environmentally-friendly doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, one of the best ways to do it is in small stages – one or two steps at a time. The deeper you get into green living the more you will see that there are infinite things that we can do, both big and small, to improve our environment. It is easy to become overwhelmed, but don’t worry – just do as much as you can, and remember that every little bit helps!

Here are three small steps that you can take today to raise a green baby:

1. Organic Foods: Thanks to the growing popularity of organic foods, it is increasingly easy to find organic options for your baby. In many supermarkets you can find organic fruits and vegetables, organic cereals, and other baby staples.

2. Household Cleaners: Having a baby makes you realize how many chemicals there are in the home. Chemical-laded cleaners can easily be replaced by environmentally-friendly cleaners that are better for the world and your baby’s skin.

3. Diapers: There are two green options in diapers: cloth and organic/unbleached. Diaper services can take much of the headache out of using cloth diapers, but some people simply don’t like them. Luckily, you can now get affordable organic diapers that require fewer chemicals to produce, thus reducing overall stress on the Earth.

4. Milk: If you can, then breast feed your baby. If you are looking at it from a strictly environmental and economic point of view, this is the way to go. Of course, if you cannot breast feed for any reason, then you can still purchase organic baby formula, which will cut down on the chemicals and hormones in your baby’s milk while reducing the impact on the environment.

5. Recycle Gift Packaging: Babies bring with them a lot of gifts! Every gift that you receive probably comes wrapped in cardboard, paper and plastic materials that can all be recycled. You can save nice gift bags and ribbons to wrap future presents, and recycle everything else.

As more people adopt a greener lifestyle, we are seeing more and more organic and environmentally-sound products in local supermarkets and even stores like Target and Wal-Mart. Keep your eyes open, and you’ll realize that raising a green baby doesn’t have to be a struggle.

As a mother, writer and entrepreneur, Virginia Ginsburg is constantly working to minimize her ecological impact. Please visit http://www.greenbabygiftsonline.com

More on Buying Organic

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

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.