New,fashionable ways to live an eco-life

Now that trendy eco-designers have arrived, environmental design doesn't only mean wearing hemp shirts and keeping big recycle bins in the kitchen.

By Carolyn Firestone
The Green Gazette

A clean green design can be appealing to the eye, as seen here on the Swedish design company Eco Tapeter's Web site. Photo: www.eco.se
Deborah Lindquist, a Los Angeles eco-fashion designer, shows off her latest styles and green techniques. Video: USC Annenberg School

Nowadays, there are far more options for those hoping to decrease their destructive impact on the planet by what they put on in the morning and come home to at night.

The world of high fashion is meeting the world of low-energy use. Fashion designers are creating all kinds of clothing using vintage prints, recycled fabrics and crafty techniques.

At this year’s New York Fashion Week, both Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg showed green clothing lines. Even Bono and his wife are developing their own fashion lines, according to a March Newsweek article.

More affordable clothing producers like American Apparel and H&M are also looking to practice eco-friendly design techniques. American Apparel has even launched a line that uses organic fabrics.

Designers are now saying that with all the new options arising everyday, you can make your home green without looking like you live in a log cabin or something out of the Jetsons. Solar rooftops and antique dining tables are considered eco-friendly and companies who provide these goods say they can look as good as they can be for the environment.

A recent Popular Mechanics article published LivingHomes' list of the “Top 5 Environmentally Friendly Innovations for the Modern Home,” which included swapping simple materials in flooring, walls, heating, refrigeration, and lighting for more sustainable replacements.

For those more concerned with the appearance of their bedding and furniture than their refrigerators countless products are available including bamboo chairs, organic beds, and beeswax candles.