Fashion revolution: Who made your clothes?

April 24, 2015 by Jean of all Trades

Today is one of those days where I think I should combine my fashion blog and my vegan blog. The topic on both is the same. See, it’s Fashion Revolution Day today. This day marks the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed over eleven hundred people and injured thousands more. Spotting vegan clothing is easy. No animal products? Check. But look behind the scenes and the human and environmental ramifications are big too.

I’m joining others as we ask, “Who made my clothes?” Check out Instagram hashtags for #fashrev, #whomademyclothes, #fashionrevolutionday, and #whomadeyourclothes for lots of inspiring photos. You might see photos of people wearing their clothes inside out to show the labels–transparency in fashion!

I know who made my clothes!

Lois Eastlund made my dress. It looks fantastic (even inside out) because it’s handmade and she paid a lot of attention to detail. She’s a NY-based vegan fashion designer and one of the founders of La Fashionista Compassionista–an awesome (and free) online magazine that you should get your hands on!

Moses made my boots. They’re handmade in a factory in LA. The all-vegan company, Nicora Johns, is helping to keep the US shoemaking industry alive. When I bought my boots, I got a photo of Moses in the shop where he made these. No animals or humans harmed!

Crystalyn Kae made my purse. It’s glazed fabric. Another great leather alternative. I met Crystalyn when she was located in Seattle. She’s based in NYC now, but you can find her amazing bags in stores nationwide and on her website.

Roque from Get Hell Bent made my cuff. It’s made from recycled bicycle tires. I have three of her cuffs. They’re so edgy and tough!

I made my earrings! It’s fun to create. My simple drop-chain earrings were easy to make and have become my go-to pair. They match everything!

I don’t know who made my tights. So it’s not a perfect outfit. But thinking about where my clothing comes from has opened my eyes. I heard 1 in 6 people is employed in fashion. But who are they? What are their working conditions like? How environmentally friendly is the factory? Animal skins require so many chemicals to turn them into leather and not decompose. And leather is an inherently cruel industry.

Fashion isn’t perfect, but I love knowing where my clothes came from and who made them. My goal is to buy exclusively from sustainable, ethical companies. Sometimes that means things cost more. But do I really need thirty $8 tank tops? What if I had eight $30 tanks? They’d last longer, and I’d be putting my dollars where my values are.

Let’s start a revolution!

The Seed NYC

August 10, 2014 by Jean of all Trades

Today my parents and I visited The Seed NYC, a plant-based event featuring vegan food and wares, speakers, cooking demos, and more! Even before I arrived, I knew I was almost there. Mercer Street turned into Vegan Street.

The Cinnamon Snail was out front–what a great place to grab a bite. I’d heard excellent things about this award-winning food truck and never had the chance to try their dishes (until today).

I made a grand entrance:

Then, I looked at fantastic companies–from artichoke water (very refreshing) to chocolate truffles (deliciously decadent). I saw Upton’s Naturals–makers of my favorite vegan bacon–and Taft Foodmasters, a new-to-me company that makes great seitan for gyros.

The Regal Vegan, a company that makes great dips and spreads, had a booth too. Their Faux Gras is fantastic!

I jumped on the chance to buy a Gunas handbag for a fraction of the original price. I liked all their bags, especially this little cross-body bag. My mom liked a neat white purse with a combo-lock closure. I ended up with the yellow and cream number on the rack.

I said hi to Lois Eastlund, a fantastic NYC-based designer (and of course I bought one of her dresses–that makes four!). I saw Miakoda clothing too (I’ve been following them on Instagram for a while now). Michelle Leon Vegan had fantastic vegan belts made of recycled plastifc bottles. They were soft as suede and included a cool buckle. She carries a line of vegan jewelry too. Gorgeous!

There was message gear too, from a number of organizations. Animal advocacy groups I know well were there too: Sea Sheppard, Mercy for Animals, Evolve for Animals, Farm Sanctuary, Catskill Animal Sanctuary, Woodstock Animal Sanctuary. Others, like Darwin Animal Doctors, I didn’t know before today, and I was glad to learn about the great work they do.

I got to hear Jenny Brown, cofounder of Woodstock Animal Sanctuary, speak about farmed animals and why veganism is the compassionate answer to the cruelty in our food system. Earlier this year, I reviewed her book, The Lucky Ones, on this blog, and it was an honor to meet her.

I even got to meet Tha Vegan Dread, who happened to be visiting NYC for his birthday. He said I was cute <blush>. Of course, I asked for a photo with him and his vegan bodybuilder friend.

I always love meeting other vegans and learning about new products, sanctuaries, and organizations. If you’re in NYC this time next year, check out The Seed. For more about the experience, check out my mom’s account on her blog.

Vegan treats in Chelsea

September 12, 2013 by Jean of all Trades

I visited New York City with my parents a few weeks ago. We had a blast! Between walking the neighborhoods, eating in amazing vegan restaurants, and exercising our wallets, we made full advantage of the city that never sleeps.

Chelsea was no exception. In fact, we found it to be very vegan friendly.

We spent one morning in the Chelsea Market, a multi-story building that used to be occupied by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) commercial bakery. When production methods changes required a single-floor layout, the bakery moved out. It’s here, where the Oreo (an accidentally vegan treat) was first created.

Inside the market, we found One Lucky Duck. They offer all-vegan, raw organic juices and take-away, and happen to have amazing desserts. It’s part of the Pure Food and Wine establishment so you know you’re going to be wowed.

Next door, Beyond Sushi truly satisfied. This all plant-based sushi establishment incorporated flavor, color and presentation like no other sushi place I’ve seen. Their rolls were scrumptious and fueled us as well.

I was thrilled to stumble into a popup shop in the market, where several vendors had set up their wares. One of them was designer Lois Eastlund.

While I was trying on a dress, my mom and Lois struck up a conversation and they discovered they’re both vegan! Lois even shared some of her home-baked vegan cookies with us! (And yes, I bought that amazing blue and black zigzag dress.)

There’s more to Chelsea than just the market. One evening we met my friend Shannon, a recent New York transplant, at Blossom vegan restaurant. We ate delicious food and even had authentic (and dairy-free) New York Cheesecake!

Another Chelsea gem is the popular High Line, an elevated former rail line that was transformed into a greenway. The rail line used to bring animals into the city for slaughter. I prefer its use as a park!