In light of fashion being responsible for nearly 20% of total global waste, industry players have become increasingly conscious of their resource consumption and overall environmental impact. This has also led to the rise of slow fashion, providing consumers with a more sustainable option for their apparel, footwear, and accessories. Embracing slow fashion also leads to multiple benefits beyond the consumer staying stylish while also saving storage space. These include less waste in landfills, reduced carbon emissions, and cleaner water. As more shoppers look to buy sunglasses that align with these values, eyewear brands are responding by focusing on durability, ethical sourcing, and environmentally responsible production.

For stylish eyewear that fits this slower, more responsible approach, check out www.neveneyewear.com. Their men’s polarized sunglasses are durable and are designed with a focus on both comfort and sustainability.

Among the segments in the broader fashion industry currently experiencing significant transformations toward sustainability and environmental commitment is eyewear. While eyewear is typically associated with single-use plastic waste from acetate frames and packaging, partnering with a responsible optical supplier and following the tips below can guide you through making more responsible and environmentally conscious choices for eyeglasses and sunglasses.

Among the segments in the broader fashion industry currently experiencing significant transformations toward sustainability and environmental commitment is eyewear. While eyewear is typically associated with single-use plastic waste from acetate frames and packaging, the following tips can guide you through making more responsible and environmentally conscious choices for eyeglasses and sunglasses.

Shop local

One of the most straightforward ways to reduce your carbon footprint when shopping for eyewear is to support local brands. Not only do you get the opportunity to uplift local craftsmanship and independent fashion designers, but you also ensure your eyewear is made of locally and responsibly sourced materials. For example, the Ottawa-based brand SKRP (pronounced “scrap”) prides itself on Canadian-made products, including skateboard sunglasses made of Canadian maple wood and recycled materials. These sunglasses are available in various stylish options, such as round, aviator, and Wayfarer style.

Look for recycled materials

Another way eyewear brands are committing to sustainable practices is by transforming their production processes and prioritizing recycled materials over traditional plastics like acetate. To illustrate, eyewear brand Jimmy Fairly has partnered with Reformation for a sustainable sunglasses collection that uses bio-acetate, a type of acetate made with plant-derived renewable materials like wood pulp. This capsule collection features a wide range of frame styles to suit varying tastes and preferences, from classic cat-eye Joan to statement-making Josephine with its oversized frames and contrast lenses. Meanwhile, eco-friendly brands are tapping into renewable materials like vegetal or oil-based resin for equally durable and sustainable eyewear lenses.

Consider packaging and delivery

Besides the frames themselves, packaging and distribution processes in the eyewear supply chain can also create a significant amount of carbon emissions. So, while e-commerce can help you gain access to more affordable and sustainable options you may not find in your local area, it’s important to research responsibly before you buy sunglasses online and ensure that packaging materials and delivery options minimize environmental impact. In this case, a viable option would be Eyebuydirect, among the leading retailers in Canada offering sustainable in-house collections of glasses online. Such eyewear collections are made of bio-nylon, bio-acetate, wood, and recycled plastic bottles, but you can further reduce your carbon footprint through its eco-friendly storage cases and packaging materials. Eyebuydirect also partners with logistics providers using sustainable solutions for green shipping.

Opt for timeless styles

Lastly, nothing says slow and sustainable like shopping for frames that you can use for many years since they will never go out of style. So, instead of basing your frame choice on every short trend cycle, prioritize brands like Dutil Eyewear, whose stylish frames have been seen on A-list celebrities like Meryl Streep. With its core brand values being cleanliness, timeliness, and simplicity, the Canadian company showcases a curated selection of classic frame styles, such as Big Ben Sun, which are oversized sunglasses with a tortoiseshell pattern that can match any type of wardrobe.

If you enjoyed reading this, check out the rest of the articles here at Green Prophet for more news and resources on sustainable living.

The post Embracing Slow and Sustainable Fashion through Your Eyewear Choices appeared first on Green Prophet.

The fashion industry is undergoing a transformative shift towards environmental responsibility and innovation. Here are ten pioneering companies leading this change:

Sheep Inc.

This knitwear brand produces garments with a naturally negative carbon footprint. They source ZQ-certified Merino wool from regenerative farms, ensuring ethical animal treatment and sustainable land management. Utilizing 3D Wholegarment® knitting technology powered by solar energy, they create zero-waste products. Each sweater includes a unique tag allowing customers to trace its origins and environmental impact, fostering transparency and connection to the product’s lifecycle. Visit their website

Sampla:

Specializing in vegan footwear, Sampla crafts shoes from innovative materials like AppleSkin™, derived from repurposed apple waste from the juice industry. This approach reduces reliance on animal products and utilizes agricultural by-products, minimizing waste. Their designs combine sustainability with contemporary aesthetics, offering eco-friendly alternatives without compromising style. Visit their website

Vivobarefoot:

Focused on minimalist footwear that promotes natural movement, Vivobarefoot uses sustainable materials such as recycled plastics and bio-based alternatives. Committed to regenerative practices, they collaborate with communities to restore natural ecosystems and incorporate circular economy principles by offering repair services and recycling programs for their products. Visit their website

Babaà:

A Spanish brand offering timeless knitwear made from 100% natural materials like cotton and wool. Babaà ensures local production in Spain, reducing transportation emissions and supporting local artisans. By focusing on creating durable, high-quality pieces, they encourage consumers to invest in long-lasting clothing, countering the fast-fashion mentality. Visit their website

Patagonia:

Renowned for its environmental activism, Patagonia integrates sustainability into every aspect of its business. They utilize recycled materials, such as turning discarded fishing nets into gear, and promote organic cotton through their Regenerative Organic Certified Cotton program. Patagonia also donates 1% of sales to environmental causes and encourages customers to repair and reuse products through their Worn Wear program, fostering a circular economy. Visit their website

Reformation:

Prioritizing sustainable fabrics and ethical manufacturing processes, Reformation uses materials like TENCEL™, deadstock, and vintage fabrics, reducing the demand for new resources. Their RefScale tool allows customers to track the environmental impact of their purchases, promoting transparency. Reformation’s factory in Los Angeles operates with sustainable practices and fair wages, ensuring social responsibility alongside environmental consciousness. Visit their website

Allbirds:

Known for comfortable shoes made from natural materials like merino wool and eucalyptus fibers, Allbirds has achieved carbon neutrality by focusing on renewable materials, responsible energy use, and carbon offset programs. Each product includes a carbon footprint label, educating consumers on its environmental impact and encouraging informed purchasing decisions. Visit their website

Stella McCartney:

A pioneer in sustainable luxury fashion, Stella McCartney avoids the use of leather and fur, opting for innovative materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton. The brand emphasizes transparency in its supply chain and collaborates with organizations promoting environmental awareness. By proving that luxury and sustainability can coexist, Stella McCartney sets a high standard for the fashion industry. Visit their website

Eileen Fisher:

Emphasizing simplicity and sustainability, Eileen Fisher uses organic and recycled materials in their designs. Their take-back program encourages customers to return old pieces, which are then upcycled into new creations, promoting a circular fashion model. The brand also prioritizes fair labor practices and supply chain transparency, ensuring ethical production alongside environmental responsibility. Visit their website

Girlfriend Collective:

Offering activewear made from recycled materials like water bottles and fishing nets, Girlfriend Collective uses eco-friendly dyes and ensures ethical manufacturing with fair wages and safe working conditions. Their ReGirlfriend program encourages customers to recycle old products, which are then transformed into new items, closing the loop and reducing textile waste. Visit their website

These companies exemplify how the fashion industry can innovate towards more sustainable and future-forward practices, setting benchmarks for others to follow.

The post Top 10 Future-Forward and Sustainable Fashion Companies appeared first on Green Prophet.

Libyan sculptor Ali Al-Wakwak has transformed the charred remnants of war into inspiring creations

Around a week ago, Libyans celebrated the first anniversary of the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi. It’s certainly been a turbulent year for Libyans and although the future isn’t as certain as some would hope, thousands took to the streets to celebrate the new start they fought so hard for. Indeed, this chance for more open and democratic Libya is already leading to creative projects. Using bullets, tanks and burnt-out cars collected from abandoned military bases, Libyan sculptor Ali Al-Wakwak is recreating life from the weapons of death.

Al-Wakwak began work on his numerous sculptures during the revolution. From birds, small animals to a huge dinosaur (which is meant to represent the Gaddafi regime), he wanted to remember the ugly side of history. He explains that we must accept what has been broken, the ugly but that we must integrate it into something new too. Indeed, Al-Wakwak’s work is about transformation without forgetting – you can see a beautiful bird but also that it is made out of charred metals, bullets and wire. It’s also a highly collaborative project, with sometimes as many as ten people working to bring the sculpture together.

Speaking to Mashalla News, Al-Wakwak also talks openly about the impact the Gaddafi regime had on him and the seven years he spent in prison for refusing to go to war in Chad. “They put me in the military prison Abu Slim because I refused to go to war and kill people. I was lucky not to be tortured, but I spent years in a small cell together with seven or eight other people, without books, without anything.”

Al-Wakwak continues, “My son was also in jail. He is 27 now, when they caught him seven years ago he was so young. He hadn’t done anything wrong, the only thing he did was praying a lot. But he’s not an Islamist, only a devoted believer. Gaddafi was afraid of those. He was tortured in prison of course, they all were. For four years, I didn’t see him. After that I could visit him once every three months. It was only now after the revolution that he came out of prison.”

The largest sculpture that he has worked on is ‘The Dinosaur’ which is 35 metres in height. Al-Wakwak explains that it represents the Gaddafi regime in so much as it’s old, heavy and also now extinct. He adds that hopefully the Arab Spring and the revolution in Libya will inspire others to fight and overcome their very own ‘dinosaurs.’

::Mashalla News

Images via Ali Al-Wakwak’s facebook page.

For more green news from Libya see:
Iraq and Libya For Eco-Seeking Bravehearts
Gaddafi Could Use Water As Weapon of War
Subsidies Jeopardize Renewable Energy Projects In Middle East

The post Libyan Artist Turns Weapons of War Into Amazing Sculptures appeared first on Green Prophet.

We’ve heard of pixelated screens and buildings, but pixel hotels are a new phenomenon that started as an art project in Linz, Austria. Now these tiny hotels established in unusual, typically abandoned urban settings – whether in a garage or an art gallery – are coming to Israel.

The Atlas hotel chain and Tel Aviv municipality recently unveiled plans to upcycle spacious lifeguard shacks on Bograshov Beach overlooking the Mediterranean Sea into unique boutique hotels that thrust visitors directly into the city action, rather than sheltering them in a large chain hotel setting.

Local designers Lilach Chitayat, Anat Safran, and Alan Chitayat have purchased the rights to initiate the Pixel Hotel project in Israel. In addition to the lifeguard shacks, this creative team hopes to establish similar projects in Jaffa Port, Neve Tzedek, and at water towers throughout the country. Tel Aviv already boasts a hot design scene, but this latest project is one of the revolutionary we’ve seen in a while.

:: Haaretz

More on Design and Tourism in Israel:
Ramot Polin: Crazy Israeli Architecture Gone Terribly Wrong
“Green It” Shop Brings Green Urban Living to Tel Aviv
Google Maps to Bring Virtual Eco-Tourists to Israel

The post Tel Aviv Lifeguard Shacks To Become Tiny Pixel Hotels appeared first on Green Prophet.

Finally, some eco-friendly shoes for the fashionable green men out there.

We’ve seen an abundance of eco-friendly shoes here on Green Prophet of late – from Sharon Golan’s mix-and-match Shell 256 shoes to Daniela Bekerman’s “ze o ze” shoes that let you change the heels to fit your mood.  But what’s an eco-friendly man to do?  Go barefoot?

Thanks to a small-scale production leatherwork co-op in Tel Aviv, he doesn’t have to any more.  Introducing 100% natural, vegetable tanned leather sandals with a recycled rubber sole. (And they’re stylish too.)

This four-person co-op does all of the production and administration involved with creating the sandals, and this allows them to have full control over what goes into the shoes.  Only natural Italian leather is used, and no dyes or artificial substances.

The leather is also vegetable-tanned, which means that it avoids the usage of environmentally damaging chemical tanners.

The sandals are sold via Apolis, a company that believes that the “most valuable practice in creating lasting change is by investing in people.  It is people who are the innovators, the advocates, and the revolutionaries.  Apolis is a platform for a network of global citizens who are empowering people through opportunity.”

On the co-op that makes the sandals, Shea Parton, co-founder of Apolis, says that “they understand the importance of carefully sourcing their materials, an approach which continues to be a central part of their business, enabling them to truly appreciate what goes in to each pair of handcrafted sandals.  We hope you wear them well.”

Read more about other eco-friendly shoe designs::
Piece-Meal High Heels Let Wearers Design Their Own Shoes
Skins Footware is Skinny on the Resources
Change Your Shoes With the Click of a Heel
Grow a Flower in Your Worn Out OAT Shoes

The post Finally, Eco Friendly Shoes for Men appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the medina of Marrakesh at Jemâa el Fna, minutes away from the Jewish spice market, and the snake charmers, who Tafline finds aren’t so charming for animal and snake rights, we found a small eco-stall. A couple of old men are making jugs, waste bins and containers from recycled tire rubber. If you rub one of these jars would an eco-genie emerge?

I saw these jars being used as bathroom waste bins while staying in the High Atlas mountains at the Kasbah du Toubkal. Then was pleasantly surprised to see them as a local offering at the world-famous bazaar in Marrakesh. I took these pics in the morning. Venturing out in the 45 degree C summer heat at noon time is hazardous to one’s health.

Just before taking these pics I saw some westerners negotiating with the two men, hand-making their wares on site, like much of the crafts in Morocco. Destined for a Pier 1 Imports near you?

More pics after the jump.

Read more environment news from Morocco:
Rocking the Eco-Kasbah
Chasing Berbers to Morocco’s Mount Toubkal
10 Trips for Traveling with a Baby in Morocco

The post An Eco-Genie Out of Recycled Tire Jugs? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Yiuco may be the Middle East’s greener Etsy.

Etsy, the global online store, has enjoyed great success due to the fact that it enables individuals to buy handmade, unique items from other individuals around the world with the click of a mouse.  It has even spurred what some people are calling the “Handmade Revolution” by encouraging people to buy handmade (as opposed to energy-guzzling machine-made) products.  Taking the site’s green message even further, eco-friendly vendors have emerged on Etsy and they sell upcycled, recycled, or otherwise resource-lite items.

While these trends have emerged on Etsy, they are not the online shop platform’s focus.  A new online marketplace – Yiuco – has popped up in Greece, though, and it strictly peddles the upcycled, recycled, and reused.

Yiuco, the self-proclaimed “upcycling hype”, is named after the Greek word for “piled-up clothes”.  The purpose of the website is simple:

To reconsider waste.

To create, design and think of new longer-life products that will be more easily recycled and be used again instead of ending up as waste.

Don’t throw it… Yiuco it!

Visitors may use the site to buy, sell, and exchange products that meet Yiuco’s objectives, as well as promote the concept of upcycling, recycling, and reuse.

Above are a few images of products currently sold on Yiuco: at the top of the post is a brooch made from plastic bottles by REforma, also above is a purse made from vintage magazines by το κορίτσι που δε φοβάται.

: Yiuco

Read more about online eco-stores::
9 Israeli Etsy Shops that Make Online Shopping Greener (and Funner)
Dubai’s Ekotribe to Open Online Mideast Ecostore
MADEO Consolidates Stylish and Eco-Friendly Design Products

The post Yiuco Marketplace for Handmade Upcycled, Recycled, or Reused Products appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the absence of all the trees burnt during the recent Carmel fire in Israel, a Christmas tree made from 5,480 plastic bottles stands tall in Haifa.

The city of Haifa, in northern Israel, has Jewish, Christian, Baha’i and Muslim residents, and so many religious holidays are celebrated there.  In honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday, the Haifa Municipality approached local artist Hadas Itzcovitch about creating a Christmas tree for the city.  Unfortunately (and perhaps symbolically) the tree went up the day the catastrophic Carmel fires began in the region.  And so as 5000 hectares of natural trees were burning in the area, Itzcovitch’s tree made of recycled plastic bottles stood tall – reminding onlookers to think a little bit more about their environmental impact.

The tree itself is made of 5,480 recycled plastic bottles collected by the Municipality and energy-efficient LED lights.  Itzcovitch created it together with her father, artist Ernest Itzcovitch, with the objective of raising awareness for environmental issues.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hswd9wT190&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]Standing at around 10 meters tall, the Christmas tree stands in the remnants of Haifa’s German Colony and has the terraced Baha’i Gardens as a backdrop.

Maybe Haifa’s tree will inspire other cities to be more eco-conscious in their holiday celebrations.

Read more about recycled design::

Amir Zinaburg’s Recycled Designs Can-Can

Bagir’s Recycled Plastic Bottle Suit Gives New Meaning to Euro-Trash

Krooom Makes Recycled and Recyclable Cardboard Furniture for Kids of all Ages

The post Haifa Christmas Tree Made From Over 5,000 Recycled Plastic Bottles appeared first on Green Prophet.

Right now, Muslims are performing Hajj, a pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. To mark the completion of this spiritual journey, Muslims will celebrate the second of their Eids (festivals): Eid-ul-Adha on the 16th-17th of November, by giving charity, sacrificing an animal, and giving presents or Eid cards.

And I have carried forward an annual tradition of upcycling my own Eid-ul-Adha cards. Check out how I made mine and begin upcycling your own environmental art!

Don’t throw away patterned wedding cards and party invitations – cut out square apertures from them, dab segments with coloured inks or markers and glue onto 5″x5″ folded cards for a whole new creation.

Method: Here I took apart old starry gift tags and layered them onto gold printed wrapping paper from last year’s Eid presents. Use a metallic marker for a hand written message. Mine reads ‘Blessed Eid Celebrations’ in Arabic (عيد مبارك).

Find yourself with left over buttons and beads from dresses and your man’s unused construction wire?

Method: Thread loops of wire with sequins and beads, snip them with wire cutters and hoop through tag-shaped cards. This technique produces jangly “ear-rings” that are easy to shape and resize. Love them.

Method: Take a sheet of silver foil paper – anything silver will do – scrunch it up and carefully open up flat again. Run a blue ink pad lightly over these creases to highlight them with colour. Once this is dry, cut out a rectangle to fit the front of your card and rip the edges!

Drag the coloured ink pad over these new rips and glue on the left-hand side. Find any tags, motif shapes or as I’ve done, a star from a brochure (copied and printed onto plain card), and attach to the front. In my sample I wrapped wire with blue beads around the star.

Henna or ‘mehndi’ temporary tattoos are a norm in Muslim celebrations. We like to decorate everything to match our fashion and personality – even our skin. So I bought an Indian-Arabic inspired henna pattern book and have collected samples and downloads over the years to develop this drawing skill.

Step 1) Choose a chunk of henna patterns from your collection (or use mine) to work as a transfer.

Step 2) Using old misprinted card sheets, cut out a tag shape and dab with ink. Colour the edges in too to really make it pop. Next is the fun part.

Step 3) Take a look at your henna pattern and practise drawing it out with a fine-liner. Once you’re happy, completely fill in the coloured tag with swirls, paisleys and spirals. See mine below.

Step 4) Use a craft knife to make a small incision at the top of the tag – a slit, no more than 3-4mm. Take a length of construction wire, hoop on a row of beads and secure one end through the top incision, finally taping it to the back of the tag.

Step 5) To complete the Indian-Arabic look, hook a piece of unwanted jewellery to the end of the beaded wire and twist the end over (this is a health and safety risk). I’ve had that silver vintage ear-ring for years and finally put it to aesthetic pleasure. Be sure to sterilise ear-rings and rings first! Here’s one I made earlier:

Vintage jewellery fuses beautifully with ethnic henna patterns for Eid

Above: You can upcycle any old jewellery, ear-rings, brooches, hijab pins or necklaces and chains. In this green card I combined wire-works, wallpaper scraps, beads and a butterfly ear-ring for an abstract-ethnic feel. To get the right look, all you have to follow is colour and pattern. Green works pretty well, I think.

There you have it, my upcycled collection of Eid cards for 2010. I will be sending the last batches out to friends, family and pilgrims coming home. Maybe next year, I’ll send you one too.

What’s that mean?
Eid-ul-Adha: the ‘Celebration of the sacrifice’, commemorating Prophet Abaham’s sacrifice of his son, Ishmael.
Upcycling: a green process of recycling old unwanted materials into new products of greater environmental value.

More upcycling stuff:
Going For the Green in Gold Jewelry
Interview with Egyptian Eco-Fashion Designer Nadia Nour
Ten Sustainable Israeli Designers who Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

The post How To: Upcycle Eid Greeting Cards appeared first on Green Prophet.

English banking family scion David de Rothschild and his crew are already 8 days out to sea in the much heralded Plastiki sail boat made almost entirely out of recycled plastic material, including 1,200 gas filled plastic bottles. And David is sending followers Twitter updates from @DRexplore daily.

The specially designed catamaran was featured last week in a special half hour program on CNN,  in which De Rothschild and his crew sailed out of San Francisco Harbor following a very moving send-off that included environmental group representatives, local municipal authorities, reporters from various news media groups; and even a delegation of Pacific islanders in native costumes who blew on conch shells and recited special prayers to the sea gods to insure a safe voyage. The vessel plans to arrive in Sydney Australia in late April.

The six member Plastiki crew, which is led by David himself, includes Jo Royle (skipper), the only female crew member and the boat’s skipper.  Another crew member is none other than Olav Heyerdahl, grandson of Thor Heyerdahl who achieved fame in 1947 when he sailed his Konkiki balsa wood raft from Peru to French Polynesia.

Olav Heyerdhal and grandfather Thor

Olav Heyerdhal (pictured right) is an accomplished scuba diver and hopes to help the Plastiki crew relive the experiences that his grandfather Thor experienced more than 60 years ago.

Compared to the Kontiki, the Plaskiti has all the modern electronic gadgetry needed to document their voyage, as well as be in communication with the outside world. The electrical power needed for this equipment as well as for lighting and other needs, will come from batteries that are recharged by solar energy.

Fresh water is being supplied by a small desalination device on board.

But taking all the media hype aside, the real mission of the Plastiki is to reach and study a huge “plastic island” of accumulated plastic trash and other flotsam which is floating in the mid Pacific and is estimated to be the size of the American State of Texas.

This was mentioned in a previous  Green Prophet article when the craft was supposed to set sail, but was delayed for several months due to weather and other logistical considerations. The voyage is meant to bring world attention to the problem of pollution and other environmental problems brought on by a world  population that is now only beginning to realize that the resulting global warming and climate change is being partially caused by over-use of fossil fuels and by a “throw away society” whose cast-offs of plastic bags, bottles, and other waste materials have created these “islands” of flotsam in all the world’s oceans; which not only are an eyesore, but are very dangerous to marine life.

Another crew member American Vern Moen is in charge of making the film of the voyage, The Plastiki Film, which will try to bring to light the condition of the Pacific Ocean, due to all the discarded plastic and other waste material now present in it. Another crew member, Max Jourdan, of mixed French and British linage, is involved in making a film of the voyage, on behalf of National Geographic.

The world’s seas and oceans, including the Mediterranean in particular, have become increasing polluted by oil spills, industrial and human wastes, and simply by garbage dumped into them by us, the world’s human inhabitants. This increasing problem was also brought to light during the search operation for the missing Air France Flight 447 in June, 2009.

De Rothschild conceived the idea of undertaking such a voyage back in 2006 when he became increasingly concerned about the plight of the world’s natural wonders, especially the oceans. His thoughts regarding the need to have better environmental use of plastic materials can be summed in his own words:

“We need to re-think our use of plastics so that it can contribute to solutions rather then compounding the problems. Together, this is the only way we can more forward and create the necessary solutions for our planet”

We wish the Plastiki and its brave crew success in the remainder of their voyage; which should help to make people realize everywhere that we all share a part in shaping this planet’s environment and ultimate destiny.

In the meantime, enjoy a video with David de Rothschild and Jo Royle who speak about the problem of plastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brY1Z2m8IMo[/youtube

::CNN

Read more on Middle Eastern marine environmental issues:
Jordan and Israeli Scientists Cooperate to Study and Protect Gulf of Aqaba
Coastal Erosion Threatens Evolutionary Hot Spots in Gulf Region
Garbage Trucks Dump Straight into the Sea in Lebanon

The post David De Rothschild Sails Plastiki With Environmental Lessons to be Learned appeared first on Green Prophet.