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.

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.

Oscars 2012: the eco-fashion/eco-beauty highlights

The 84th annual Academy Awards took place tonight, and some celebs decided to take the eco-fashion/eco-beauty route this year.

1. Actress Missi Pyle, who stars in the Best Motion Picture winner, The Artist, wore a pastel aqua gown made from peace silk where cruelty-free silkworms finish their life cycles before producing silk. Recycled zippers, recycled polyester, and natural mineral dyes also made an appearance in the gown, which was created by rising fashion designer and Green Carpet Challenge winner, Valentina Delfino.

Image: people.com.

2. One of the people behind GCC, Eco-Age creative director Livia Firth wore a cherry red Valentino gown made from silk and recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic deriving from plastic soft drink bottles.

Image: people.com. 

3. Three-time Oscar winner, Meryl Streep, who won Best Actress for her role in The Iron Lady, wore a glittery gold gown, the first Lanvin gown made from fabrics considered to be eco-friendly by GCC.

Image: people.com.

4. Actress Viola Davis, nominated for Best Actress in The Help, wore her natural hair minus the chemical relaxer or straightening treatment, both, when overdone, can be damaging to the hair. Davis also wore an eco-friendly pink Valentino gown at the BAFTA awards earlier this month.

Image: people.com.

Summer clearance sale @ Annie Greenabelle

Mulberry Strapless
Paneled Dress, $27.90
(originally $85.24),
anniegreenabelle.com.

Eco-fashion online boutique Annie Greenabelle is holding a summer clearance sale with up to 70% off some clothing items. 

The U.K.-based company uses fair trade, recycled, and organic cotton as the fabric of choice for most of its collection. Check the sale items here. 

Vivienne Westwood reveals sustainable line

Laptop Case Bag (100%
recycled materials), $118,
yoox.com.

Earlier this week, British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood debuted her new collection of green bags and accessories on the popular fashion site, YOOX. 

She joined forces with the International Trade Center for its Ethical Fashion Africa Project that benefits local artisans and eco-friendly fashion.

Traveling to Nairobi, Kenya, Westwood trained women to use local sustainable resources and recycled materials to create the pieces. 

Check out the collection.

Recycled prom dresses

Earlier this week, I was excited to get the chance to write an article and produce a video for an eco-fashion story. 

Since prom season is here, local organizations are giving away recycled formal dresses to help teenagers enjoy their prom without the financial strain. 

Check out my story and video here.  

Black girl organic tees

In the era of having design tees with an authentic message about your personality, I thought I could get a black girl tee. 

Just Act Natural, $25.99, skreened.com.

When I was younger, these were practically nonexistent. Like I made the idea up in my head that I could have a tee with a message about being a cute black girl in suburbia. It was one of those times I assumed I had to become a fashion designer to get what I want because my visions were too extreme.

Don't Tell Me To Relax! Tee, $25.99, skreened.com.

But those days are thankfully gone now since there are these adorable tees that come with the organic cotton or recycled cotton choice on the eco-friendly tee website, Skreened. The site acts as a megastore for different tee designers, so it's easy to find something you'd like.

Black Girls Rock 2, $25.99, skreened.com.

Popular companies launch eco-fashion initiative

Wal-Mart, Target, H+M, Gap Inc., and countless other companies and environmental organizations like the EPA announced today the launch of Sustainable Apparel Coalition to address the environmental and social challenges in the clothing and footwear industry.

Minimizing energy and waste and reducing the use of chemicals and hazardous materials are some of the goals the coalition plans to conquer in the near future. 

The extensive partnership may lead to more eco-fashion pieces available at everyday stores at reasonable prices.

Eco-fashion turns heads @ NYFW

New York Fashion Week revealed the new looks for the Fall/Winter 2011 lines, and eco-fashion designers held their own ground during the weeklong festivities. 


Though we're practically in spring mode, it's reassuring to know thick knit cable sweaters and professional trench coats will have an updated dose of eco-friendliness with organic fabrics and recycled materials alongside the satisfaction that less waste was generated by the whole process. 

Check out the websites of the following designers where the Spring 2011 lines promise a stylish season ahead.

Square Project
Recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp are just a few of the eco-fabrics Tara St. James uses to create vintage-inspired pieces. Bold stripes may be a common trend, but with the addition of crisscross straps and pierced triangles make all the difference. 

Image: Ecouterre.

Bodkin
Design meets environment is a connection Bodkin wants to maintain for their consumers. Bodkin, named for any sharp object that can tear holes through clothes, produces sustainable clothing whether organic wool is available or not, the alternative is responsibly dyed wool that uses less chemicals during the process.  

Image: Ecouterre

Edun
Ethical fashion that promotes a local economy is always a positive thing. While making ecofashion, the proceeds go to communities in Tanzania, Tunisia, and Kenya where the clothes are made. The lookbook shows fashionable pieces from wrap jackets to chiffon tanks with an eco-flair. 

Image: Ecouterre.

Organic by John Patrick
One of the eco-fashion brands celebs like Leighton Meester wears for a day of work. The signature simplicity of white, black, and beige pieces made from organic cotton come in handy to complete any outfit. There's also foreign communities producing the clothes and benefiting from the profits: a plus in the eco-fashion world. 

Image: Ecouterre.

This season's eco-fashion pieces @ H+M

As the spring/summer fashion season approaches us, H+M revealed their advertisements for its eco-fashion line.

From organic cotton sweaters to recycled fabric dresses, H+M prides itself in being one of the only major apparel corporations to offer eco-fashion choices to the masses. 

The sustainable clothing line below will be offered at all stores worldwide.