Got (Eco) Boots? We Found Fall’s Best Bets!

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of ecostiletto.com

It may be sweltering in most places, but that doesn’t stop us from fixating on the fall fashions that inevitably hit magazines and catalogues this month. You know what that means, don’t you? Boots! Thigh high or ankle length, peep-toe or lace-up, cute boots are the hallmark of a fashionable new season.

But who has time for ecosystem-wreaking leather tanned with chrome? Not us! Our tastes run to the sustainable, and these new boots from Naya, which hit stores mid-month, do not disappoint.

Crafted from chrome-free, veggie-tanned leathers, natural, organic and sustainable fabrics, bamboo and biodegradable latex heels, natural cork and rubber footbeds, nickel-free metal buckles, and outsoles made from upcycled materials, Naya’s new fall boot collection is eco, absolutely.

And cute? Um, yeah. Don’t be surprised if you see us sporting Nayas daily—once the weather cooperates.

Get organized in all aspects of your life – starting with your workout! EcoStiletto.com offers great new advice to get organized for going green – in fashion! So next time you look in your closet, or think you need new workout gear, check out these great suggestions from the Buttoned Up Green Expert.

Green Workout Wear That Goes the Distance

By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of EcoStiletto.com

Yes, we work out to feel good. For some of us, it’s the bells and whistles of the gym. For others, it’s accessing the exuberance of dance. Swimmers meditate through movement; runners through the heart-racing rush of the sprint. And, of course, there’s always the deep calm of muscle melting yoga to get you to an all-day high.

But we also work out to look good and—let’s be honest—we want to look good while we’re doing it. Because there’s nothing worse than showing up for class in your grubby old leggings and realizing your regular instructor has been replaced with the sub who’s a dead ringer for Colin Farrell.

These clothes and accessories are all crafted from eco-friendly fabrics—some embracing fair trade, upcycling or other sustainable initiatives—with designs that perform as good as they look. Because the last thing you want is your gear distracting you from your practice.

Getting all hot and bothered by the sight of said yoga teacher in a side arm balance? That’s the kind of distraction we live for, plus $2,000+ in workout-ready giveaways!

EARTH CREATIONS

Here’s something you don’t learn every day: Though it tastes great on your pasta, the immense quantities of salt used in the commercial fabric-dyeing process can cause irreversible harm to our ecosystems. That’s why Earth Creations’ clay-dyeing process is so cool: All components used in the process are natural and biodegradable, and meet the strict guidelines of the Organic Trade Association Fiber standards. Roll up or fold down the waistband of their Dharma Pants and you can practice anywhere like, say, a deserted meadow surrounded with vibrant leaves and just a cameraman for company.

WEEK OF 11.29 TWO FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $77 PAIR OF EARTH CREATIONS DHARMA PANTS!

OMNITOM

Europe may be best known for couture, but with omnitom—available exclusively from online etailer Luxual.ca—we can add yoga wear to the mix. Ultra feminine—think delicate flower-printed tunics and tanks inspired by Chinese cheongsam dresses—the line is also super practical, fabricated from organic cotton with an inner support bra built into every top and an armpit shape designed for maximum freedom of movement. Che bella.

WEEK OF 11.29 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN A $100 SHOPPING SPREE OF OMNITOM YOGA WEAR AT LUXUALBOUTIQUE.COM!

KIGO

Beloved by “barefoot” runners and water sports enthusiasts who need their feet wet but still protected, kigos weigh less than five ounces and feature a flexible midsole, which allows the shoes to fold closed—a bonus for travelers. Featuring a high-density, non-slip grooved outsole made from recycled plastic and a recycled-nylon lining, and they’re packaged in biodegradable and compostable materials. Rope swing not included.

WEEK OF 11.15 TWO FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $70 PAIR OF KIGOS OF THEIR CHOICE!

SAMTOSA

There’s nothing worse than working out in a sucky sports bra. Too loose and you—forgive our crassness—flop all over the place; too tight and you bind up shoulder muscles you didn’t even know you had. But Samtosa’s Sports Bra is just plain perfect. Crafted in organic cotton, veggie-dyed in solid colors or our favorite tie-dye, with a sexy little ballerina-esque gather in the front, the construction is solid enough to keep you in place, and cute enough to show off even after shavasana.

WEEK OF 12.13 TWO FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $58 SAMTOSA ORGANIC COTTON SPORTS BRA!

HORNY TOAD

Walk much? Serious trekkers look for the perfect pants: Not so short that they ride up and chafe; not so long that they flap around your ankles. With a perfect, calf-skinning length and wide, smooth waistband, Horny Toad’s Trudy Cropped Pants—made from high-performance, low-environmental-impact Tencel—might just be the answer.

WEEK OF 11.15 TWO FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $60 PAIR OF HORNY TOAD TRUDY CROPPED PANTS!

OCEAN MINDED

Since 1996, Ocean Minded has been organizing community beach clean-ups around the world—in 2009, they hosted 47 beach clean ups, collecting more than 20,000 pounds of trash. OM’s odor-resistant Meilani sandals—made from recycled plastic bottles, with water-based glue—are perfect for a walk on the beach or your stinky hot yoga class.

WEEK OF 11.22 FOUR FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $26 PAIR OF OCEAN MINDED MEILANI SANDALS!

HYDE

Hyde is the brainchild of Anne-Kerr Kennedy, a runner-turned-yogi who quit her corporate job to pursue a career in design. Her genius shows both in the clothes—au courant colors, organic cotton, no annoying seams or tags, and styles cute enough to wear off the mat—and the marketing, as evidenced by the photo above, which takes the practice of yoga to new heights.

WEEK OF 11.1 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN THIS $110 HYDE CHARCOAL TRIEGER TANK AND CLARET CAPRI PANT OUTFIT!

NAU

Early morning running is a funny thing. For the first fifteen minutes, everything from your ears to your fingertips is freezing, but once you warm up, all you want to do is strip down. That’s where the Lightbeam jacket comes in. Designed by legendary eco-clothier Nau—each and every piece of clothing they make is recyclable—the Lightbeam is a windshell with purpose. Crafted from water resistant, breathable, quick-dry recycled post-industrial polyester with a stashable hood and elastic cuffs long enough to tuck frigid fingers inside, the Lightbeam keeps out the cold when you need it, but is light enough to wrap around your waist when you don’t.

WEEK OF 11.8 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN A $175 NAU LIGHTBEAM JACKET!

ECOSTASY

It’s hard to work out with hair in your eyes—it’s also hard to look cute with a ratty old headband wrapped around your bangs. That’s where Ecostasy headbands come in. Fair trade made in a Brazilian Amazon nature preserve by the indigenous Kaxinawá tribe, they’re made from naturally dyed cotton, hand woven with patterns that symbolize qualities such as courage, power and wisdom. Excellent qualities to draw on when you’re standing on your head.

WEEK OF 12.6 FOUR FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $25 ECOSTASY HEADBAND!

REVENGE IS

No comment? Use your body as a billboard with a shirt from Revenge Is. Crafted from recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton, Revenge Is creates a full line of shirts that put your money where your mouth is. With alliances like the Help Haiti t-shirt—it donates 50% of each sale to the William J. Clinton Foundation Haiti Fund—there’s something for everyone. But our favorite is universal: Revenge Is Peace. Now that’s a message we can get behind.

WEEK OF 11.29 FOUR FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $32 REVENGE IS
T-SHIRT OF THEIR CHOICE!

I/O BIO MERINO

Think wool, and typically you’re thinking of sweaters and bundling up to stay warm. But the never-chemically-treated, renewable, biodegradable, recyclable wool I/O Bio Merino Contact Rib Tank does exactly the opposite—it’s super soft and lightweight, with flat seams and a next-to-skin ribbed fit, and it’s strangely temperature regulating: Cool when it’s hot outside, and warm when it’s cold. Miraculous.

WEEK OF 11.29 FIVE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $39.99 I/O BIO MERINO CONTACT RIB TANK!

BE PRESENT

Think hemp’s rough and tumble? Think again. Be Present’s new Hemp line is ridiculously soft, sheer and sexy. The peek-a-boo Cross Back Tee is the perfect cover up for yoga—flip it around and you can even wear it to the beach. Plus, hemp is a naturally insect-resistant, anti-microbial crop that requires no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers to produce. If the 1.4 billion cotton t-shirts sold in American each year were replaced with hemp tees, the energy savings would equal 3.5 billion gigajoules and the water savings would equal 1.3 trillion gallons—enough water for half the U.S. population for an entire year. That’s a lottawatta.

WEEK OF 11.1 THREE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $49 BE PRESENT HEMP CROSS BACK TEE!

RESTORE CLOTHING

Pilates junkies will appreciate the muffin-top minimizing contoured waist of Restore Clothing’s best-selling Active pants, made with fabric sourced from recycled coconut shells that clings in all the right places—and none of the wrong. Restore takes their commitment to sustainability seriously: Their clothing is all made from recycled materials, packaging is compostable and they donate to 1% For The Planet.

WEEK OF 11.8 TWO FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $88 PAIR OF RESTORE CLOTHING ACTIVE PANTS!

CURAWEAR

Does Canada have the edge on eco-fashion? Designers are popping up everywhere from Vancouver to Toronto, but Cura is the first made-in-Canada, sustainable workout wear we’ve seen. We’re huge fans of the waist-worshipping gathered-side organic cotton top pictured here, which is available exclusively at Luxual, an online boutique—“where luxe meets casual”—that sells everything from work-worthy cardies to cute yoga gear like Cura.

WEEK OF 12.6 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN A $100 SHOPPING SPREE OF CURAWEAR ACTIVE WEAR AT LUXUAL BOUTIQUE!

PKD SPA

We love soymilk in our lattes, but on our bodies? Indeed. Designer Patricia King-Davies’ PKD Spa line captures protein from the discarded non-GMO soy “cakes” left once the oil is extracted from soybeans, then spins it into fiber for yarns without any toxic chemicals or bleach. The resulting fabric is so soft and supple, it begs for shavasana.

WEEK OF 12.13 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL WIN THIS $144 PKD SPA CHAKRA HALTER AND MEDITATION PANT SET!

Green Expert: Carbon Neutral Travel

One jaunt across the Atlantic can produce as much ozone-depleting pollution as the average driver does in a year. Think outside the (silver) box.

by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, www.EcoStiletto.com

Everyone knows that air travel is bad, bad, bad for the environment. But according to IATA, the International Air Travel Association, which downplays global warming under the header of “Scientific Uncertainties,” aviation is responsible for a mere two percent of global carbon emissions, and 12 percent of carbon emissions from transport—as opposed to 74% from cars and trucks on the road.

Seems reassuring, doesn’t it? Kinda makes you want to hop the next flight to anywhere, right? But think about this: The global warming issues associated with aviation are alarming not simply because of the carbon dioxide (and nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and water vapor) emissions, but because at the height that they are, um, emitted, they have twice the effect on global warming that they do at ground level. So one jaunt across the Atlantic can produce as much ozone-depleting pollution as the average driver does in a year. Compound that with the fact that the average number of people flying is expected to double over the next 15 years, and Houston, we’ve got a problem.

Obviously, air travel is a fact of life. Use EcoStiletto’s guide to think outside the (silver) box and plan a carbon-neutral vacation.

OFFSET

Online resources like Carbon Fund let you calculate the environmental impact of your life—including travel—and then buy offsets to counteract it. Where does the money go? To green energy projects like solar fields and wind farms. Bonus!

CHOOSE YOUR POISON

The air travel carbon footprint calculator from carbon-offsettor TerraPass takes into account specific airlines and routes, so you can figure out which airline offers the lowest carbon flight on any route before you book your travel, then determine how your choice of an economy, business or first-class seat affects the footprint of your flight. Plus, you can specify direct versus connecting flights, so the impact of additional take-offs and landings can be factored in.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

If you’re traveling from a car-heavy metropolis like Los Angeles, your first instinct might be to rent a car. But many cities are more easily navigated by foot, bike or public transportation than from behind the wheel. (As anyone who’s ever tried to park in San Francisco will tell you.) Confused? There’s an app for that: EveryTrail lets you plan a carbon-neutral trip and record your travels as you go so others can benefit from your experience. (But if you gotta getta car, look for a hybrid or a high-mileage vehicle—most major rental companies now offer these options.)

SHACK UP

Staying in a hotel? Look for a property that’s environmentally-conscious. Sustainable Travel International verifies eco-properties, and The Leading Hotels of the World organization offers an offset program, to boot. To make things easy, head for a Starwood Element, which is going for LEED certification with in-room recycling bins, EnergyStar appliances, a ban on paper and plastic, recycled décor and low-VOC paints. (Can we live there? With 20-to-50% off offers, we just might.)

For more resources, plus an eco-travel essential giveaway, please visit EcoStiletto’s Living section!

<>H4>Date Your Closet: Inspiration From The Rules
No more hook-ups and one-night-stands: Just say no to disposable fashion and create a long-term relationship with your closet.
By Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, www.EcoStiletto.com

The average American family throws out more than 6,000 pounds of trash every year. There’s a plastic bag cemetery the size of two Texases floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Obviously, reducing, reusing and recycling are on everyone’s minds. But what about our textile waste? According to the EPA, each one of us throws out 70 pounds of clothing and textiles every year—that’s four percent of the landfill. It’s time to learn to work what we’ve got—to save money, and the planet.

It’s time to date your closet.

No more hook-ups and one-night-stands: Just say no to disposable fashion and create a long-term relationship with your closet. Think about clothing purchases as things that you want to live with for a long, long time.

To expand on the date your close concept, we went to the experts: The Rules: Time-Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right, the wildly successful self-help-meets-dating book by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider.

Bear with us. Yes, it’s gotten heavy flak for being retro and anti-feminist and recommending a rather mercenary view of romance, but as this best-selling tome has everyone from Oprah to Beyonce on its bandwagon, we thought it might be fun to interpret its ideas here.

Relax, ecoista, it’s a metaphor.

Rule Number One: Be A Creature Unlike Any Other.

Rule Eight: Close The Deal-Rules Women Do Not Date Men For More Than Two Years.

But that doesn’t mean you have to toss your clothing-upcycle it! Let’s take that dress that’s hiding at the back. Don’t like the way it fits? Turn it into a skirt or a shirt. Jeans too long? Crop them into capris. When you rework something you already have, you give it new life. P.S. If you have to scrap clothing, sell or donate it to a thrift store; really trashed-but-soft pieces can go to animal shelters to cuddle lonely dogs.

For more of EcoStiletto’s “date your closet” rules, please visit our Fashion section at http://www.ecostiletto.com/index.php?/Fashion/Comments/.

Can I Recycle My Straw? Top 12 Recycling FAQs Answered Once And For All

Even the most seasoned ecoista can be stumped by a bottle cap or shampoo bottle. Which bin? Do I need to wash it out? And what about the straw?
by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, www.ecostiletto.com

We all know the drill: Reduce, reuse, recycle. But there may be a bit of confusion on that last part. Even the most seasoned ecoista can be stumped by a bottle cap or a straw. Does it go in the blue bin or the black? If I’m recycling, do I need to wash it first? We’ve got answers to the top 12 questions we get asked on a daily basis. Drumroll, please!

1. What do those arrows and numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles mean?

That’s the “chasing arrow” symbol, and the number in the middle indicates the type of plastic the container is made from. Typically, numbers one and two are the most widely recyclable plastics, but there are exceptions: For example, one through seven are recyclable in the City of Phoenix, but in Scottsdale (a suburb of Phoenix), they only take one (polyethylene terephthalate or PET, used for soda bottles) and two (high-density polyethylene or HDPE, used for milk and detergent bottles). Some recycling programs even take Styrofoam!

2. Why should I wash out my recycling?

First, to remove possible contaminants and second to keep your recycling bin from getting stinky. However, you won’t prevent a can from being recycled if you leave it dirty.

3. Can I recycle small pieces of paper-like facial tissues?

Facial tissue can’t be recycled. The fibers are too weak to be turned into usable paper. And tissue is often contaminated with oils that make them unable to be recycled-the same problem is inherent in trying to recycle paper towels.

4. What about plastic bags?

Plastic bags can be recycled. However, unlike plastic bottles, many curbside programs will not accept plastic bags. Because they’re so light, these bags can get stuck inside machinery during the recycling process. The good news is that many major grocery chains now accept plastic bags and plastic wrap at their stores. Look for special bins outside. Or, better yet, decline the bag and carry a reusable one!

5. Can I recycle small pieces of plastic? What about bottle caps?

Yes, you can recycle small pieces of plastic like bottle tops. Bottle caps are metal, but they’re typically lined with plastic-items made from mixed materials can’t be recycled because the materials can’t be separated. Same thing goes for juice boxes and coated cardboard drink containers-although there are new versions specially marked for recycling or composting, which are indicated on the label.

6. I’m buying a soda. Bottle or can?

Can, definitely. Most cans contain 50% or more recycled aluminum. And a used aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf as a new can in as little as 60 days.

But wait, there’s more! Find out what you can recycle in your bathroom, closet and office at EcoStiletto.com.

Are You Allergic to Your Bathing Suit?

by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, of EcoStiletto.com

With summer round the corner, we sussed out latex-free, sustainably made suits for all shapes and sizes + $900 in sun-worthy giveaways!

Ever spent the weekend at the beach? After a few days in a bathing suit, chances are you experienced that not-so-fresh feeling. But despite what your mother told you, the discomfort may not be caused by a damp suit, but rather the fabric itself.

Say, what? Bear with us. Because of over-exposure, latex allergies are nearing epidemic levels: According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, between one and six percent of the population is allergic to the stuff, which can cause skin irritations, rashes, and more.

So what does this have to do with your bikini? Most swimsuits are made out of potentially allergy-inducing latex—along with petrochemical-based nylon, the production of which creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide. But we digress.

With summer round the corner, we sussed out latex-free, sustainably made suits for all shapes and sizes. Some do include a small percentage of man-made spandex, which keeps the fabric on your body rather than at the bottom of your next wave. (That percentage stands between you and banishment to the pervy nude beach your parents always warned you about.) But back to the latex: It’s not like you’re going to go into anaphalactic shock from wearing a run ‘o the mill swimsuit, but with eco-swimwear this sexy, why take the risk?

BIKINIS

Looking for something itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie? Deux FM’s got you—just barely—covered, with the Panther style, a traditional string bikini crafted from soy and organic cotton, available at Nimli.com.

WEEK OF 6.28 ONE ECOSTILETTO MEMBER WILL WIN A $79 DEUX FM PANTHER BIKINI FROM NIMLI.COM!
Gold stars to Loyale for the sexy-yet-flattering tie-front top and ruffled edges of their organic cotton Hermosa Bikini (pictured above), which takes the virginal-yet-sexy look just one sustainable step further. Wear the top with your Daisy Dukes and see who gets to ride shotgun in General Lee.

NEED A COVER UP? WEEK OF 7.5 ONE ECOSTILETTO MEMBER WILL WIN LOYALE’S $164 ORGANIC COTTON KITALE DRESS!

ONE PIECE

Lina Rennell has cornered the market on what looks to be summer’s hottest trend. Surprisingly sexy, these long-legged, halter-necked, organic cotton one-piece suits—hand printed and sewn in Northern California and available at Beklina.com—are as at home on the beach as they are in a yoga studio. Wear it with one of Lina’s organic cotton headscarves for a full-on ‘70s vibe.

WEEK OF 7.19 TWO ECOSTILETTO MEMBERS WILL EACH WIN A $40 ORGANIC COTTON LINA RENNELL SCARF FROM BEKLINA.COM!

With its Farrah-worthy center ring and removable tie, Kelly B’s Amanda one-piece has been a bestseller since we first wrote about it in 2007. Available at eco-retailer Nimli.com, now Kelly’s sexy suits are made of faster-drying organic cotton and bamboo, and the new styles come in colors, too!

WEEK OF 7.12 TWO ECOSTILETTO MEMBERS EACH WIN A $50 SHOPPING SPREE AT NIMLI.COM!

SUNSCREEN

Don’t make us say it again: Chemical sunscreens like PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) and oxybenzone are absorbed into the bloodstream, break down in the sun and offer far less protection than their labels declare, according to the Environmental Working Group. We like products that eschew these and other nasties—like parabens, articiial colors and fragrances—and utilize zinc and titanium dioxide to provide a physical barrier that no longer leaves you with big white splotches on your nose.

Eco-famous in Europe and now available at Target, Lavera’s new Anti-Aging Sun Screen SPF 15 is an ultra light moisturizer and makeup primer that also happens to include a zinc and titanium based SPF. Bonus!

WEEK OF 7.5 10 ECOSTILETTO MEMBERS WILL EACH WIN A $25 LAVERA ANTI-AGING SUN SCREEN SPF 15 FROM TARGET!

Don’t you hate that feeling of chemical sunscreen in your eyes? Available, at Nimli.com, AZUR Face & Body SPF 40 is natural, chemical-free solar protection that’s safe to use all over—even around the peepers.

WEEK OF 7.12 FIVE ECOSTILETTO MEMBERS WILL EACH WIN A $23 BOTTLE OF AZUR FACE & BODY SPF 40 FROM NIMLI.COM!
Finally, for you surf divas, Kiss My Face’s new Sports Spray SPF 50 utilizes zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, cooling aloe and cucumber to create a sweat-resistant spray with maximum protection, but our old stand-by is Kiss My Face Kids Sun Stick SPF 30, which goes on clear or blue, so you can see where you need more.

We have no vanity, but we sure can shred.

WEEK OF 7.19 KISS MY FACE SIX ECOSTILETTO MEMBERS WILL EACH WIN A $15.99 BOTTLE OF KISS MY FACE SPORTS SPRAY SPF 50!

To learn more about going green, visit EcoStiletto.com!

Livia Firth: Stop Bitching and Start a Revolution

Yes, she’s married to one of the “50 Most Beautiful People,” but Livia Firth is a committed ecoista who walks the talk both on and off the red carpet.
by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, www.EcoStiletto.com

Yes, she’s married to one of the “50 Most Beautiful People.” Yes, she spent the awards season traipsing over red carpets from Venice, Italy to Venice, CA. But as the co-owner of Eco Age, a sustainable fashion and lifestyle boutique in London, and co-founder of the “12 Degrees of Ethical Fashion” project, Livia Firth is a committed ecoista who walks the talk—and rolls with the punches.

When accused of being—in her words—the “wife of a famous actor who decided to do the eco thing,” Livia upped the ante with the “Green Carpet Challenge,” in which she wore only sustainable fashion designers on the red carpet of awards shows from the BAFTAs to the Oscars.

Livia’s motto? “Stop bitching and start a revolution,” a mantra she gleaned from a sticker she bought in Venice—Beach, not Italy. Next, she plans to open an ethical boutique in Los Angeles. And she won’t stop promoting sustainable fashion until she’s got the ear of Anna Wintour herself.

So let’s get down to it: When did you start getting involved in eco-consciousness?
It started three years ago when my brother Nicola had the idea to open Eco Age. We’ve always been eco-conscious without ever using the word “eco.” My mom bought the first energy-saving light bulbs when I was 12—not because she was “eco,” but to save money. As Italians, the way we grew up was just that way—we cooked only fresh, locally produced food. It just came naturally.

Now do you buy locally and grow your own food?
We have three veggie beds in the garden, which we started last year as an experiment. I try as much as I can to buy organic products. When I buy my veggies and fruit I try to make sure they don’t come from far away. I’m careful with what I buy. I try to be thoughtful about what I do.

I recently read an interview with upcycled From Somewhere line] and director of Esthetica, the ethical fashion branch of London Fashion Week, and me.