Kellan Lutz and Olga Kurylenko wear eco-couture at Oscars 2014

Actors Kellan Lutz and Olga Kurylenko donned eco-couture at the 2014 Oscars as a part of showcasing up-and-coming designers' winning works for a contest created by Red Carpet Green Dress.

Image: dailymail.co.uk.

Quantum of Solace star Kurylenko wore a coral gown with a ruffled shoulder. The sustainable gown was designed by contest winner Alice Elia, a student at ESMOD fashion school in Paris, France who specializes in women's couture.

Image: people.com.

Beyond Skin, a U.K.-based vegan footwear company, provided Kurylenko's shoes, which were comprised of Dinamica, a faux suede made entirely of recycled polyester from plastic bottles and polyurethane fibers. Beyond Skin partnered with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to start selling the metallic-trimmed evening shoe on March 3.

Twilight star Kellan Lutz wore a textured black eco-tux with cerulean accents by New Zealand-based H Brothers designer Jomnarn Dul. H Brothers created a limited edition line of eco-tuxes each made of up to 25 recycled plastic bottles from an eco-fabric known as Repreve. It's a part of a partnership with EKOCYCLE, a joint venture from musician/eco-tech enthusiast will.i.am and the Coca-Cola Company to help brands make sustainable products from post-consumer recycled materials.

Image: people.com.

Red Carpet Green Dress is an organization founded by actress and philanthropist Suzy Amis Cameron, wife of famed director James Cameron. For the past five years, the organization has held a worldwide contest for fashion designers to create formal attire with eco-fabrics for the Academy Awards. 

Thursday night, Red Carpet Green Dress celebrated its fifth anniversary with a few celebs like Lutz and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom actress Naomie Harris, who wore the winning gown at last year's Oscars.

Oscars nominee Lupita Nyong'o talks natural beauty

This year's Oscar it girl Lupita Nyong'o talked about discovering her natural beauty at a recent Essence video shoot.

The 31-year-old actress is nominated for her supporting role as Patsey in 12 Years A Slave. Born in Mexico and raised in Kenya, Nyong'o earned her award-winning role a few weeks shy of graduating from the Yale School of Drama.

On her natural hair:

"At the age of 19, I just got really fed up of always going to the salon, and it taking so much effort to look presentable before you leave the house," she said. "I just one day decided to cut it off. And I cut it all off."

On her skin:

"I don't wear makeup when I'm not working on the red carpet," she said, "except for a night out here and there."

Global Green USA holds annual pre-Oscars party

Eco-conscious celebrities gathered on the green carpet at the 11th annual Global Green USA party at the Avalon in Hollywood Wednesday night as one of the major events leading up to the 2014 Academy Awards this weekend. The party raised $20,000 for the nonprofit's ongoing programs.

Hollywood environmentalists Orlando Bloom, Ed Begley Jr., and Dylan McDermott helped host the zero-waste party, where guests feasted on a gourmet plant-based dinner by Akasha, a Culver City-based restaurant known for using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. Event sponsor Cadillac also brought its newest plug-in ELR electric hybrid coupe to the event.

Vegan musician Moby and electronica duo The Crystal Method performed at the party while eco-friendly singer Michelle Branch modeled a conflict-free, lab-grown diamond ring by eco-jewelry company Gemesis, which sold at the event for $12,000.

The best fashions of the night included sleek gowns and midi-dresses, along with the color emerald fitting the theme of being green.

President and CEO Caren Brooks of the Brooks Family Foundation dazzles in a violet gown.

Actress Tehmina Sunny from FOX's The Following wore an Adrianna Papell Grecian-inspired silver gown.
 

Actress and eco-living expert Rainbeau Mars, also on the hosting committee, modeled a loose-fitting sparkly emerald pantsuit.

DJ Shy, who performed at the event, also decided on emerald with a chic party dress by Sue Wong.

Actress Malin Akerman, currently starring on ABC's Trophy Wife, wore a Wes Gordon light lemon midi-dress.

Actress Maggie Grace of Taken fame wore a vintage 1920s silk nightgown with a vintage beaded clutch and pendant necklace, according to Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Vintage fashion equals eco-fashion with the recycling or repurposing of old clothes and accessories.

From Global Green USA's Twitter timeline, there was more eco-fashion at the event.

Love this dress on the right made from bamboo! #ecofashion #domoregreen #GreenPreOscar pic.twitter.com/dGd3bPM0Qe
— Global Green USA (@globalgreen) February 27, 2014

 All images from Global Green USA's Flickr photostream. 

Supermodels Jourdan Dunn, Chanel Iman & Joan Smalls make vegan Thai chili

After starring in the "Yoncé" music video from Beyoncé's recent eponymous album, three supermodels gathered in the kitchen to prepare a vegan dish.

Jourdan Dunn has a cooking show on her YouTube channel called "Well Dunn with Jourdan Dunn." On the set of the music video last year, she learned about Beyoncé and Jay Z's 22-day vegan challenge.

She was inspired to take the challenge and invite fellow supermodels Chanel Iman and Joan Smalls into her kitchen and teach them how to create vegan Thai chili.

CHIC-Finder app quickens online shopping

Need a red cocktail dress? Imagine a collection of red cocktail dresses pop up on your phone where it's easy to choose one and buy it in a matter of seconds.

Now it's a reality with the CHIC-Finder app. The online shopper can search for a specific item with the results coming with the price tag and a button that goes straight to the webpage. Also, search terms like "organic cotton" and "tencel" can lead to items made with those eco-fabrics.

If the shopper finds something at the store, she can snap a photo of the item while the app finds a visually similar version and allows her to compare alternatives by style and price.

The app creates a profile through Facebook and Twitter, where users can follow other chic finders and brands like Burberry and Calvin Klein, along with some eco-friendly ones like ASOS and Vivienne Westwood. 

Buffalo Exchange runs fur drive to keep animals warm

Resale retailer Buffalo Exchange has partnered with Coats for Cubs to accept donated fur attire and repurpose it as blankets to protect animals from wintry cold temperatures.

Shoppers can drop off their real fur coats, scarves, hats, and other accessories at any Buffalo Exchange store. The fur will be shipped out to animal rehab centers and disassembled to create bedding for orphaned and injured animals.

In 2011, Buffalo Exchange, along with the Humane Society of the United States, Gucci, Macy's, Charlotte Ronson, and other major retailers, endorsed the Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2010, which stopped manufacturers from mislabeling real fur priced under $150 as faux fur.   

Only real furs will be accepted starting this week till Earth Day on April 22. Information is available at: http://coatsforcubs.com.

iMerchandise app simplifies fashion buying process

If you need to bring a top look to the masses, there's an app for that.

With the iMerchandise app, buyers can get the job done while never leaving their front row seats at a fashion show. As the model sashays down the runway, the buyer snaps a shot of the ensemble and can post it to Instagram or Twitter, make an order, and start a pre-sale, all minus the tedious paperwork.

The iPhone/iPad app comes with a built-in database with a few eco-fashion designers like Envirosax and Blue Pacific Fashion, and it can be tweaked to add and remove designers.

To file away photos, there's a section to organize the photos from each event and categorize the type of clothing/accessory as a jacket or handbag. 

Though perfect for buyers and boutique owners, frequent fashion show attendees can also benefit from having all their fabulous runway photos in one place and sharing them with the social mediasphere.

Eva Mendes debuts fashion line inspired by thrift shop finds

Actress Eva Mendes added another title to her résumé: fashion designer. Today, she did a media blitz for her new line The Eva Mendes Collection with New York & Company.

On today's Good Morning America, she said her line was inspired by her own thrift shop finds like vintage dresses that would cost $6.

"I love a bargain, so I'm always shopping at thrift shops," she said. "I'll buy a six-dollar dress, then I'll go get a coffee and there'll be women like, 'Where can I get your dress?' And I'll be like, 'Oh, thrift shop.'"

The line will sell exclusively at select New York & Company stores and online.

Riviera Fit & Flare Dress
Vintage Rose in Grey Dusk,
$79.95,  nyandcompany.com.

Bow Blouse Eva Dot in Amber
Glow, $49.95, nyandcompany.com.

Soft Pant City Leopard in Amber
 Glow, $64.95, nyandcompany.com.

Celebs wear vintage designer duds at VMAs

The 2013 MTV Music Video Awards show was so outrageous that we're still talking about it days later. But what stood out on the red carpet were the few celebs who chose to wear vintage outfits circa 1990s.

 Miley Cyrus in vintage Dolce & Gabbana. Image: people.com.

 Naya Rivera in vintage Paco Rabanne. Image: people.com.

 2 Chainz in vintage Versace. Image: huffingtonpost.com.

H+M finally opens e-commerce in US

H+M, one of the leading clothing businesses engaged in eco-fashion, has allowed U.S. customers to shop online.

The Conscious Collection is dry right now online, but hopefully it will be replenished soon for the fall.

Model Lily Cole introduces jewelry line with sustainable rubber

Today, British model/actress Lily Cole introduced her jewelry collection with Sky Rainforest Rescue and Stylistpick made from sustainably sourced rubber from the Amazon rainforest.

The Sky Rainforest Rescue approached Cole on producing jewelry with sustainable rubber from Acre, Brazil, an area my organization works with on reducing carbon emissions from deforestation. Since rainforest-derived rubber will always be in high demand, the Sky Rainforest Rescue wanted to promote a way to extract rubber without harming the tree.

Rubber tapping in
Brazil. Image:
rainforestalliance.org.

Rubber tapping works with a tapper, who cuts the latex vessels of a rubber tree to allow the latex to flow from the tree. With rubber tapping, the tree is not cut down, and if the process is done carefully, the tree can be fine and latex can be extracted through tapping for up to five years. It also provides jobs to the indigenous groups living in the area.

Over the years, rubber tappers learned to not make deep incisions that would harm the tree. There are about 25,000 rubber tappers in the state of Acre, according to the Inter-American Development Bank, which funds the Acre Sustainable Development Program.

In the marketplace, Amazonian wild rubber is still overshadowed by cheap synthetic rubber and unsustainable rubber from plantations created post-deforestation.

“One of the reasons I was excited to join this campaign was to explore the rubber industry as a vehicle for green economics, which, if scaled, I see as offering real hope to the rainforest," Cole said. "However, if in the future the value of wild rubber can exceed what can be made from products that cause deforestation, then there is the real potential for a sustainable green economy.”

The limited edition line already sold out on the first day. The total 100% of profits will support Sky Rainforest Rescue and World Wildlife Fund’s work to help save one billion trees and provide opportunities to the local communities.

Eugenia-Khaki, stylistpick.com.

Rollinia-Nude Bracelet, stylistpick.com.

Inga-Ochre Necklace, stylistpick.com.

The eco-fashion designer of NBC's Fashion Star

Last week, NBC's Fashion Star crowned designer Hunter Bell the season's winner of the reality series. But towards the end, I began cheering for the underdog, Daniel Silverstein of 100% NY.

A few episodes back, I noticed in the corner of the screen celeb judge Nicole Richie mention Daniel's Twitter handle: @ZeroWasteDaniel. For those who are eco-conscious, "zero waste" is a giveaway phrase, and that's when I saw he creates "contemporary designer sportswear for the eco-conscious woman."

Zero-waste fashion designers use all materials, including sustainable fabrics, so they cut textile waste out of the equation, and, in turn, reduce their carbon footprint. We generated 14 million tons of textile waste in 2010 with only 15% of it being saved for recycling purposes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

During the show's season finale, the remaining contestants created pieces for Express, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's. Below are some highlights of Daniel's zero-waste fashions:

With factory collapse in Bangladesh, should we care about where our clothes come from?

Ethical fashion grabbed the spotlight this week with the news of a garment factory collapse in Bangladesh killing over 400 workers. The sweatshop conditions are a problem throughout the world, and as we pick up clothes from our favorite stores, should we care about where they were made?

Currently, 98% of clothing sold in the U.S. is made in other countries, according to NPR. From looking at the tags in my closet, China, India, and Indonesia are top producers.

Though I support eco-fashion, it doesn't necessarily include ethical fashion. With eco-fashion, we think sustainable fabrics, dyes extracted from organic sources, or reductions in water and energy usage. We see "fair trade"  a lot but "sweatshop-free" hasn't been as visible. My pajama pants, for example, are 100% organic cotton but made in India. The major company could assure consumers the factory in India has met its requirements, but we would never really know.

This case made the news because scores of people lost their lives, but there has to be similar cases elsewhere. Companies should be more upfront to consumers about where they produce their clothes and make an effort to pay fair wages, set fair hours, and provide stable facilities for garment workers.

With the digital age, companies can even use social media, video production, and other skills to start campaigns on showing the work done inside these factories to show the consumer ethical fashion is a priority. Most companies won't, but now the companies willing to make this effort will stand out.

Where to find eco-friendly prom dresses

It's prom season, and since eco-fashion mostly centers on athletic wear, it can be hard to find that perfect eco-friendly formal dress. But some outlets have these dresses. 

Tulle Dress in Light Green (recycled polyester), $199, hm.com.

Long Dress with Bare Back in Antique Rose (recycled polyester), $59.95, hm.com.

Vintage 1950s Floral Prom Dress, $175, etsy.com.

ECO-FRIENDLY SHOPS

Asos Marketplace

Etsy

H&M Conscious Collection

ModCloth

REVOLVEclothing

Yoox

COMMON ECO-FABRICS

tencel or lyocell

organic or recycled cotton

recycled or upcycled polyester

peace (ahimsa) silk 

Also see more eco-fashion prom secrets on this post. If interested in donating a gently used prom dress, look for local donation drives or head to donatemydress.org.

Beyoncé models H&M swimsuit line for WaterAid

Beyoncé is at it again flaunting her curves in swimwear but this time it's for a good cause.

Image: H&M.

Eco-fashion retailer H&M's latest environmental campaign will support WaterAid. With the Water collection, complete with swimsuits and other summer must-haves for the beach, H&M plans to donate 25 percent of those sales to the international nonprofit.

Beyoncé, who embarks on her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour today, will appear in commercials for the campaign and debut new song, "Standing on the Sun," in May. 

WaterAid improves access to clean water and sanitation for communities in need across the globe. The organization works on the ground to implement sustainable projects and on the policy floor to support water protection.

Over the past ten years, H&M’s initiative with WaterAid has raised $3.9 million. The collection will be available in stores and online in May.

Oscars 2013: the eco-fashion highlights

Eco-fashionable celebs made a splash on the red carpet at the 2013 Oscars.

Veteran actress Helen Hunt, nominated for Best Supporting Actress in her role in The Sessions, surprised everyone when she announced on the red carpet she was wearing a sapphire gown from H+M for Global Green USA.

Image: people.com.

Skyfall Bond girl Naomie Harris wore a golden gown from the Red Carpet Green Challenge, a contest designed by Suzy Amis Cameron, wife of famed director James Cameron and eco-couture advocate.

Up-and-coming designers turn in the best award-worthy gowns made from sustainable materials to judges like Vivienne Westwood. This year, 20-year-old Ghanaian designer Michael Badger won the honor to have his gown debut at the Oscars. 

Image: people.com.

The sustainable gown is made from organic silk dyed with chamomile and goldenrod embroidered with vintage beads and recycled chocolate wrappers, according to Naomie's Twitter and Facebook.

Relive the eco-glamour of Oscars 2012.

Esperanza Spalding shines in eco-fashion at Grammys

Musician Esperanza Spalding, a longtime eco-fashion supporter, didn't disappoint Sunday night at the 2013 Grammys when she wore a Eden Diodati gown and Natalie Frigo and Red Earth Trading Company jewelry.

Eden Diodati, dedicated to using sustainable fabrics and practicing fair trade, adorned Spalding in a golden multi-colored gown with sleeves. Natalie Frigo uses recycled metals, conflict-free diamonds, and sustainably sourced gemstones in the rings like Spalding wore. The Red Earth Trading Company hires rural artisans in underdeveloped countries to create 100% handmade jewelry while Maiyet, the company responsible for her heels, practices the same economic philosophy with shoes.

Image: nydailynews.com.

Spalding, who famously beat Justin Bieber in the Best New Artist category in 2011, took home two more Grammys. She wasn't the only one wearing a designer with eco-fashion ties. Kat Dennings of 2 Broke Girls donned a Vivienne Westwood dress. Last year, the designer lent her skills to making organic cotton tees to raise funds for climate refugees.

Image: nydailynews.com.

Lauren Conrad teams up with Blue Avocado for XO(eco) line

In my March issue of Lucky magazine, I read cover girl and fashion designer Lauren Conrad of The Hills fame collaborated with the eco-conscious Blue Avocado to launch the XO(eco) line.

The line consists of lunch bags, overnight bags, and makeup bags with reusable items like cups and towels. Depending on the product, it could be made from a post-consumer recycled plastic bottle fabric called Repreve or organic cotton with eco-friendly dyes.

They all lack everyday product toxins like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), bisphenol-A (BPA), and lead. And 1% of profits goes to ocean research and conservation. It may sound small, but it'll add up.

Lunch Kit in Tuxedo Stripe (PVC, lead, BPA-free), $29.99, blueavocado.com.

Oversized travel bag in Tuxedo Stripe (recycled bottle fabric), $69.99, blueavocado.com.

Reusable Hand Towels in Umbrellas + Mini Dot (organic cotton), $9.99, blueavocado.com.

'Thrift Shop' song takes #1 spot

With an infectious tune backed by lyrics bragging about only having $20 to get a fly look, Seattle hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis hit the #1 spot on the Hot Singles list with an ode to thrift shopping.

After hearing 'Thrift Shop' a few months ago, I think it's pretty awesome a song about searching for recycled and vintage fashions overtook the charts.

This Entertainment Weekly article profiles the group and its love for thrift shops: Macklemore interview: Seattle rapper talks pizza parties, social change, new video for 'Thrift Shop'

Wrangler introduces moisturizing jeans

Image: vogue.co.uk.

Want smooth legs? At war with cellulite? Denim company Wrangler has found the solution with the first pair of jeans to hydrate the skin and prevent issues like cellulite.

The moisturizing jeans, known as the Denim Spa line, will come in three different assortments like Aloe Vera, Olive Extract, and Smooth Legs, the cellulite fighter.

Also with a dose of eco-beauty, the products absorbed in the skinny jeans contain natural oils and butters like passion fruit oil and shea butter.

Enjoy the moisturizing properties for up to two weeks. A replenishing spray for the jeans, which will be sold separately, adds longevity to the oils and butters for another 67 to 95 wears.

Currently, the Denim Spa Jeans in Olive Extract are available on eco-fashion friendly retailer asos.com with a price tag of $150. By the end of January, the other jeans will be added to the online inventory.