I'm noticing that my attention is looking autumn-ward at the moment. Seemingly perpetual 90 degree temperatures can have that effect. A few of the things that have been catching my eye lately:

• this autumn-leaf hued potholder is on my list for a little seasonal color
• these little stools would be great for extra guests at the table or as a table next to the couch
• comfy shoes are the only ones that get me through the day, so I'm thinking of revisiting Danskos (though I'd much prefer the No 6 version)
• love the fit + big pockets on these darker jeans 
• a secondhand babaa cardigan in this autumnal cocoa color is on its way toward my closet + I'm looking forward to wearing the heck out of it
• this little chest of drawers really appeals to my sense of humble simplicity 
• considering adding a fun scrunchie to my top knot again sometimes

The shapes + colors of J. Marin clothing reminds me of living in Los Angeles in the 90s. We loved driving to Manhattan Beach for the sand + up the coast to Santa Monica for an always inspiring walk through Shabby Chic's flagship on Montana Avenue. Across the street was another favorite shop of mine, Subtle Tones, filled with the softest cotton + lightweight linen clothing in soft pastels. 

J. Marin takes me right back. These sweet pieces are made with carefully sourced fabrics like 100% organic cotton fleece milled in the USA. Each piece is designed, sewn + dyed in Los Angeles. I'd very happily wear any + every piece from this collection with thoughts of golden sunshine + warm sand.

The other day, someone mentioned she was in the process moving toward a plastic-free wardrobe. Of course, this was pretty thrilling to me.  :) I kept my cool, because there wasn't a lot of time for conversation...but it got me thinking.

​It's always interesting to see where different people decide to engage with movement toward a more ethical or sustainable wardrobe, and I thought it might be a good idea to create some resources for some different on-ramps or focus points here. So, you'd like to move toward having a plastic-free wardrobe? Yay!  :)

Motivation is key, and there is plenty of motivation for pursuing a plastic-free wardrobe:

• it feels good to not be encased in plastic (polyester, nylon, lycra, etc.)
• plastic fiber production keeps us bound to oil production + consumption 
• the plastic we wear will never decompose fully 
• plastic fibers produce microfibers with every wash + wear that are in our drinking water, brains + placentas

Moving toward a plastic-free wardrobe involves learning to recognize what different fibers look + feel like. Looking at the labels on our own clothing is a good place to start. When looking for secondhand or new clothing, we'll want to check the label before falling in love. It's easier to recognize the names of natural fibers (cotton, linen, hemp, flax, wool, alpaca) than synthetics (polyester goes by many names). It’s kind of like reading a processed food label. Look for the recognizable words. It's not incredibly difficult to find 100% natural fiber tops, pants and dresses, but it may be easier in some shops than others. Check out our ethical brands page for lots of options.

When it comes to natural fiber, there are some choices to be made. We can prioritize organic cotton over conventional cotton grown with the aid of pesticides. We can focus on what I'm going to call whole fibers (like linen + cotton) rather than processed fibers (like rayon + cupro) which are made with naturally derived through chemical processing.

Going truly plastic-free involves saying no to lycra + spandex as well as polyester + nylon. This particularly narrows the choices in a few categories of clothing, and yet there are some incredible people putting the effort into offering functional, plastic-free pieces. We'll dive a little deeper into a few of those resources here.

One further note, before we get to the resources: Here at Fairdare, we like to prioritize farmers (so we prioritize organic cotton + other fibers that can grow well without pesticides like linen + hemp), garment workers (so we look for fair-trade certifications + domestic labor that can be monitored closely + is governed my labor laws) + the planet (so we care about how many miles a garment travels from seed to closet, the toxicity of dyes, and that materials biodegrade). These values are reflected to various degrees here.

:: Intimates :: A few brands have taken on the challenge of creating 100% natural fiber intimates. Since lycra + spandex are normally used to enhance performance, expectations will need to be adjusted in regards to recovery + support when choosing these items. 

• Pansy :: 100% USA grown + milled organic cotton, designed + sewn within 20 miles in California, biodegradable rubber/cotton elastic, men's + women's styles available
• Oddobody :: 100% organic cotton from Peru, sewn in WRAP (world responsible accredited production) certified factories in Peru, designed in New York :: cut out the elastic to compost
• Kent :: 100% GOTS organic cotton, sewn in a fair-trade certified factory in India, guaranteed free from plastics, biodegradable, men's + women's
• Industry of Nations :: 100% organic cotton, sewn where the cotton is grown in India, recycled elastic, undyed + natural dyes, fair wages, men's + women's
• Q for Quinn :: a few plastic free options :: 100% GOTS (global organic textiles standard) organic cotton from India, sewn in India, biodegradable rubber/cotton elastic​
• Ozma :: it's possible some may be able to wear a rigid fabric bra like this one made from regeneratively farmed silk or this one made from 100% organic cotton, designed + made in California, cut out elastic before composting

:: Athletic Wear :: Designers turn to ribbed fabric for stretch + recovery in the absence of lycra or spandex, but we can't expect 100% cotton ribbed leggings to recover in the same way as our stretch leggings. If we want to go plastic-free in this category, it will probably be helpful to think differently about what we wear to exercise. ​

• Industry of Nations :: 100% organic cotton rib fabric, natural dyes, sewn where the cotton is grown in India, fair wages, men's + women's tees, tanks, shorts and soft pants
• Pansy :: 100% USA grown + milled organic cotton, designed + sewn within 20 miles in California, biodegradable rubber/cotton elastic, tees + shorts, ribbed fabric leggings + shorts
• Sokoi :: 100% linen pants + shorts :: linen/cotton blend tees :: designed + made in Los Angeles, these pieces are made for yoga + movement, but are also great for everyday life :: versatility is a great ethical quality! when we need less, less resources are required - less waste results too (I love my Laurel linen pants for yoga, stretching + everyday life!)
• Oddobody :: 100% organic cotton from Peru, sewn in WRAP (world responsible accredited production) certified factories in Peru, designed in New York :: cut out the elastic to compost :: biker shorts, tanks, tees, soft pants
• Jungmaven :: some 100% hemp + 100% hemp/organic cotton shorts, tanks + tees, designed + made in California, cut out elastic before composting

In my opinion, choosing ethical + sustainable clothing often involves a bit of prioritization + compromise. We may need to pay a little more for organic fibers, purchase a necessary new piece when we can't find a secondhand version, or accept that a secondhand piece has to travel from a distance. When choosing plastic-free athletic wear, we might choose looser basketball type shorts rather than bike shorts that will stretch out + sag.

:: Footwear :: Leather (for non-vegans), canvas + natural rubber would be the obvious go-to materials here. It is tough to get away from glues + non-natural rubber which are usually made with synthetics. However, plastics only came onto the scene in 1855, and people have been wearing shoes for centuries. Therefore, even in this tough category, options exist without the need for complicated synthetic processing. Think handcrafted, traditional footwear.

• Cydwoq :: leather, water-based, biodegradable glues, handmade in Burbank, California
• Christy Dawn :: leather, nailed soles, made in Spain

​​I'm not sure if it's helpful or not to mention my own experience here, but I don't want to give the impression that anything other than a perfectly plastic-free wardrobe is failure. I don't have any issues prioritizing 100% natural fiber tees, jeans, shirts + sweaters. I did, however, quit wearing unsupportive, organic cotton bras after I saw a picture of myself wearing one. I keep (+ use) my lightweight rain jacket. I wear a cotton bodysuit as a swimsuit, but it does contain a touch of spandex.

Rather than demanding perfection, this list is made to offer possibility + hope. Progress is positive.  :)

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane

We've scraped ice off of windshields, dragged comforters to the basement for tornado warnings + ridden bikes in tank tops all in the span of a week. Yup, spring is here! Dressing in the mornings isn't quite so automatic lately, and it all has me thinking about how I'll be dressing in the weeks to come. 

Button-ups are often the right answer to crisp mornings that turn into sunbaked afternoons. I'm liking them oversized + slouchy...sleeves rolled to the wrist or shoved up past the elbow...buttoned up to the top or not...undone at the bottom...tied around the waist...collared or not...crisp, comfortable + versatile.

My favorite spots to look for button-ups (other than my own closet) are in my partner's closet or the men's section of thrift stores. The tightly woven cotton shirtings used in these shirts are often washed down to soft, yet crisp, perfection. I sometimes like to remove oversized collars + always roll too long sleeves. (I'm still wearing that one most mornings!)

While the fairest button-ups are already in our closets, it's not hard to find fresh, fairly made button-ups. A few of my current favorites are from Imogene + Willie, Ozma + Waltz.

Happy Spring!

Photos via links that I could find. 

Love,
Jane

I love finding collections that feel like a readymade wardrobe. It's not that I want to replace my own collection of clothing. It's just inspiring. Every piece in the current Waltz collection earns its place. Different looks + feels are achievable with a few well-chosen pieces: a perfectly fitting button-up, jeans that can accommodate monthly fluctuations + the comfiest skirt. 

I love monochrome dressing, so the dark jeans + navy button-up call to me. Likewise, the cream button-up + pants feel just right. Mix + match for variety. Throw a button-up on with the skirt...or switch it out for a fitted sweatshirt or oversized sweater + comfort easily looks pulled together. 

Waltz is based in San Francisco (+ made in California) + is "built on the belief that fashion should elevate the everyday experience without frills or excess." Expert tailoring + quality materials come together in seasonless pieces that will just work year after year.
​
All lovely photos via Waltz.

Wies Made is clothing that is farmed, milled + sewn in the USA. Nice. It's an American uniform for men + women (jeans, tees, sweatshirts + jean jackets) cut + sewn in small batches in Wies Made's own family run shop in Los Angeles. 

All photos via Wies Made.

Not only is each element of LWN designed + made with intention, the styles have a timeless quality. The colors are playful, and the fabrics look to be the sort that you reach for again + again.

LWN garments are made with local dead-stock, repurposed + upcycled materials. Labels + trims are made with the fabric leftover after pattern cutting. Mixed fiber fabrics are avoided to maximize the ability to recycle them after they are no longer useful as garments. Even zippers are avoided to minimize waste.

Small batches are designed + sewn in Los Angeles where factories can be visited daily. Fair, living wages + good working conditions are prioritized.

All lovely photos via LWN. Find this + other ethical brands here, when you need them.

This one has me more excited than I have been about a new brand in a while. The fabrics look to be quality + the shapes are a bit unique (that seersucker set!). These pieces look comfy + wearable...minimal yet interesting. I'm still loving sets that can be worn together or as separates. I just really feel like they give us so many different looks out of not many pieces. The color palette feels made for me...down to the brown bandana. Any of these pieces would mix into my wardrobe seamlessly.

Neranese is designed + made in Los Angeles in small batches from locally sourced, natural fabrics.

All lovely photos via Neranese. Find this + so many other ethical brands on our ethical brands page, when you need them.

These pieces from So Elly seem to have a handmade quality (in the best of ways). Each piece in this small, Brooklyn-based collection is sewn in a woman owned + operated sewing studio in Manhattan. The pieces feature both classic shapes + interesting details like a slightly longer hem on the back of a dress or squared off, deep slit sides on an oversized button up.

My favorite piece is that vest that could be worn so many ways over many seasons. These small batch, natural fiber beauties would surely earn their place in many a well-curated, ethical wardrobe.

All beautiful photos via So Elly.

Using natural fibers that get better with wear, Ashli designs key pieces for Mamene that will be in style for many seasons + through all stages of life. In her words, "that is the true test of sustainability."
​
This is an approach to ethical clothing that seems to get less attention. Many of us talk about wearing pieces forever, but when actually faced with wearing what we have year after year...it's harder than it sounds. We are programmed to enjoy newness. 

As I get older, this is no less true. What is also true, however, is that I've seen the same styles come + go a time or two now. I know that some just aren't for me + my body type. I know what stands the test of time. I know that there are ways to wear certain pieces across time in different ways. These Mamene pieces are those pieces, I think.
​
All lovely photos via Mamene.