Berlin is quite known for it's creative scene, and now the eco design thing is starting to hit the thin here as well. There's happening a lot, just also quite decentral. So time to unite! On the eco-fashion scene we're trying to get people know each other and form a network, and we're discovering new projects, designers and shops in Berlin every week. A lot of them are really local. I guess the coming year a lot of new initiatives and labels will see the light. We'll report on more cool founds the coming months.

One of our newfounds is the label Kenpanda, with fine collections of shirts, dresses, and hoodies creatively screenprinted with animal and street art inspired graphics and made from fair trade, organic cotton. Pretty original and playfull photoshootings. The label is run by Efka Weber and Kenan Polat who live on the Berlin Island Stralau. Enjoy!

(picture by Kenpanda) 

We all know about turning off our stereo or lamps when we don't use them, but still most people don't believe it when they hear that the internet is already producing more CO2 emissions than the worldwide airplane traffic . Trend: growing rapidly. If you're still believing the internet saves our planet by reducing emissions, think again!

To all people wanting to live a green lifestyle: if you have to decide between using the internet or travelling unlimited around the world, what would you choose? I would definately give up the internet for that ;) And anyway aim to travel emissionfree...

I'm already doing a computerfree sunday for my personal wellbeing, but what about organizing such a thing as a global action? Hey, Adbusters , are you reading?

By the way, are you already doing your green thing ? This month the green thing is to turn off your gadgets and reduce your emissions. There's a boom of sites helping you living greener with tips and tricks, but this one is fun and arty. Also check out their videosection, with a nice collection of green issue video's ...

A groovy quite from the Green Thing crew: 

"You see, we’ve slowly let machines take over – and not even big, scary machines like The Terminator or the Daleks. No, the ones that sit in the corner of our rooms looking all fun and innocent and labour-saving whilst secretly guzzling electricity like there’s no tomorrow."

There's a lot of stuff you can think of buying ethical, but what about jewelry? While most jewelry buyers might not think about the origins of their beauty gadgets, silver, gold and diamonds are often sourced in slave-like circumstances and couse a lot of civil wars and conflicts. Well, no one wants a wedding ring with such a story , right?

Conflict free diamonds are guaranteed to originate from ethical and environmentally responsible sources. They are free from violence and human rights abuses, and are produced with minimal environmental impact. Though conflict free diamonds origin from "save" countries like Canada, it's quite a step forward when people buy their jewelry conscious.

Though the circumstances around gold and diamonds are famous, I am quite sure other costly materials and gemstones are sourced under not all too comfortable circumstances. Hopefully fair trade can make a progress in this sector, too... So why not ask around before you buy your next jewel...?

The jewelry brand Brilliant Earth offers next to Canadian sourced Diamonds jewellery from recycled gold and "socially conscious saffires". Brilliant chic stuff, but how socially conscious can a saffire itself be? Will it run away from the rich and jump to the poor?

 Via: Feel Good Style

Just discovered the label Sub Urban Riot from California, using 100 percent organic cotton and low impact dying for their shirts. Their sustainability is not just a trend thing, they say: "We don’t do it because green is in. We do it so your kids aren’t born with three arms and a tail."

  Some great stuff, their asymetric V-neck shirts got a good boost of 80s retro and are just as cool as Pamoyo's asymetric v-neck tees...

Organic labels can be totally cool and sexy, sometimes they're a bit slow on trends. Some designers want to have their shirts produced just on the moment they order them, and get them by airplain the next day. Great for them, but maybe not for those sewing at nighttime under great pressure. Or for the environment, off course.

Can fashion become sustainable without changing it's deadly rush of short-term hypes and trends? Or are small labels and local production units able to catch up the fashion speed with a sustainable approach? At least sustainable labels like Sub Urban Riot show the way

Via: Chic by Nature