Relegated to L.L. Bean catalogs and beachwear, the tote bag was an accessory that was more about function than fashion. That is, until now. With the growing interest in environmentally sound products came the popularity of cotton, nylon and canvas bags used for toting groceries (instead of using the usual paper/plastic bags at the supermarket) and shopping. Soon, designers came on board with the trend, including Anya Hindmarch, whose seemingly everywhere “I am not a plastic bag” tote was a big hit, and Marc Jacobs who perennially turns out playful and inventive totes. Now, mass chain stores like Target, small boutiques and even J. Crew and the GAP are churning out the goods. The best part about these chic totes? Many are made from recycled materials and can be used as handbags as well, making them not only a fashionable purchase but an earth friendly one as well.

Here, my top picks for on trend totes that are also wonderfully kind to the earth… Who says you can’t be altruistic AND stylish?

From top to bottom: L.L. Bean, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs, J. Crew, Target and Target

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We all want to help the environment, but some of us don’t know how or don’t have the time to volunteer. With Smartly Green, helping is easy. The site acts as a kind of philanthropic search engine. You can look for any type of item, from cleaning supplies to clothes or a song from itunes, through the site and be linked to other sites that have what you’re looking for. Each time you search through Smartly Green, money is donated to an environmental cause, so it’s a win win situation. 50% of the commissions raised to go to an organization, Cool Earth, that aids in stopping rainforest destruction, a major cause of climate change. Best of all, when you shop through Smartly Green, the prices are exactly the same as they would be directly from a store’s own site. What’s not to love?

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Sheena Matheiken, an Indian-American, youngish, Brooklyn type has all the great fashion options in her adopted city of New York. Yet this altruistic young lady opted to forgo these trendy mainstays and wear the same little black dress (albeit, she had 7 identical copies of the dress for each day of the week) for 365 Days (from April of 2009-April 2010) in an effort to call attention to the plight of schoolchildren in her native India and make a host of points about our obsessions with material things, sustainability and creativity/fashion. Sheena accessorized and styled her way into 365 different outfits successfully and documented the whole thing, calling it The Uniform Project and and blogging about it.

Soon, the media caught onto her clever plan and Matheiken received tons of press about her true cause, the Akanksha Foundation , an organization that is revolutionizing Indian education. They provide funding for children’s school uniforms and other educational expenses. Matheiken recalls wearing a daily uniform during her own school days there and how every child would manage to style theirs a bit differently, hence the inspiration for the blog. The dress itself was designed especially for her needs in minds, being a basic, black seasonless piece in cotton, fit for any time of year or occassion. If you’d like to make a donation to the Akanksha Foundation or learn more about this cause (or if you just want to purchase the dress Matheiken wore everyday and get some sartorial inspiration), click here. So far, $103,389, or 287 Indian children, have attended school well-equipped as a result!

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By now, you’ve probably seen or heard about the transportation trend that’s been sweeping urban areas the world over for the past few years. That trend would, of course, be young hipsters biking their way through busy metropolitan areas on sleeker versions of old school bicycles. I fully support the biking phenomenon. Not only is it fashionable to be cruising the city streets (witness the photo spread below, taken from a Teen Vogue story on stylish cycling) on a pastel two wheeler, it’s also a cheap way of getting around that doesn’t rely on traffic conditions, subway crowding, etc. Additionally, it’s a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, get some sun and exercise, and maybe, well, pick up some guys… Apparently, chicks on cool bikes are a turn on for men, as seen by the numerous popular blogs devoted to, you guessed it, pretty girls on bikes.

So, where to go to snag your own groovy bicycle? No fear, I’ve got you covered. After doing some research, I’ve scouted out the coolest, most bang for your buck bike purchases out there. Bicycle shorts not included.

The first option is to go truly vintage when it comes to your wheels. Have an old bike lurking in your family member’s garage? Bust it out and restore it yourself, or take it to a specialist to be updated. You’ll instantly win cool points for your authenticity.

There are also numerous web sites catering towards those who love banana seat, older style bicycles but want a new, non-clunky and updated ride along with their style. Find it here. Just don’t be surprised to shell out more money, though I tried to pick out a more inexpensive site to recommend. This option can be pricey.

Lastly, head to Target for an affordable option. They actually have a pretty decent bike section and cute, old-fashioned styles occasionally. If you can’t find these in store, go to their site. Recently, the Liberty of London collaboration with them produced a really great, floral, vintage-looking bicycle that sold out in days online and in store (pictured here).

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Lucky magazine online is a treasure trove of untapped resources. From their top eco web sites list to the women’s size 12+ one, I’ve made many visits to the site to find appropriate things for shoots, clients and my own home goods collection. Their coverage of eco companies and sites is espceially spectacular and is how I luckily found out about the eco-chic site, Green with Glamour.

The company was founded by two close friends, Deana Bracken and Kathleen Rowan, who are not only environmentally conscious but also completely stylin’. They decided to combine the two and create Green With Glamour. Deana overseens the GWG headquarters in Los Angeles while Kathleen manages from Chicago but both carefully curate a wonderful selection of sustainable lifestyle items for the site. Since 2007, it has been hosted by a carbon neutral webhost and has always operated paperless. The company also ships most of their goods in recycled packaging when possible. GWG has cultivated a global fanbase and is also a member of 1% Alliance For the Planet, a group of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual income to envirnonmental causes.

Actress Emily Deschanel has even signed on to promote the company, listing her top picks from the site, along with links to her fave charities. Got a burning eco question or inquiry about the site? Simply ask Deana and Kat online. You can also utilize their personal shopping service, read their informative blog or peruse their press section, which is pretty impressive. Also available are gift certificates, registries and sendable wish lists.

Green With Glamour is a sleek, minimal site with white and splashes of green (of course). The merchandise is divided into chic accessories and clothing, gift ideas and assorted home goods and they carry cool labels like PI Organic and Hemptress, which are a far cry from the Birkenstock wearing past that eco style is often associated with. They also carry men’s and children’s items, managing completely to live up to  their motto, “Go Green. Stay Stylish.”

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I know it probably seems like I’ve been shoving the vegan lifestyle down your throat, what with the post on BabyCakes last week and now, my post on Alicia Silverstone’s book, The Kind Diet (essentially, a vegan cookbook and diet plan). I may not have committed to this lifestyle, but I believe in helping the environment in any way possible, not to mention that living this way is great for your health and a way to spice up your diet. Vegans and vegetarians have less incidents of cancer and heart disease (two of our biggest modern day killers) than their meat-eating friends and generally, maintain a slimmer weight. Additionally, going meat and dairy-free gives you an excuse to explore different ethnic cuisines, fruits and veggies and recipes you may not have otherwise. However, you can make a difference even if you’re not a vegan by going meat and/or dairy-free for a day, week or month in an effort to lessen your “ecological footprint”. After all, meat consumption is directly linked to global warming, overexploited natural resources, deforestation, wasted land and polluted water and air.

Which leads us to the book. As an ardent activist, conservationist and, perhaps most famously, an actress, Silverstone is just the person to give her own insights as to why she lives la vida vegan. She details how she was experiencing stomach problems and overall poor health, even as a vegetarian, which prompted her switch to veganism. As a result, Silverstone started experiencing more energy, clearer skin, smoother digestion and simple weight loss. Not only does the book give excellent recipes for decadent vegan dishes, from delish appetizers to luscious desserts, it also addresses the nutritional problems many vegans face. The nice thing about the book too is that it doesn’t advocate going vegan all at once for everyone, or even totally, if that’s not your bag. You can “flirt” with veganism by eating this way some of the time and still make a difference to your body and the earth, go semi-permanent vegan or go full-force and reap all the benefits of the lifestyle.

I strongly recommend this book for carnivores and herbivores alike whether they’re looking to lose weight and increase energy, help the earth, speed up their metabolism and lessen digestion problems or prevent disease. It gives you all the tools needed to make an informed decision, without being too militant about it, and offers tasty treats that taste like the real thing. Be kind to your body and the earth and check out Alicia Silverstone’s web site, The Kind Life, purchase her book on Amazon and for more info regarding the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle go here.

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Like many people, I am nostalgic for the days of the mix tape. Long gone are the days spent mooning over what songs to put on a tape mix for your crush (of course, now we can always make a playlist for people, or a mix CD, but it just doesn’t carry the same weight for some reason). Though I might not be able to purchase a new cassette anymore, thanks to designer and conceptual artist Alyce Santoro, I can buy a good-looking tie made out of actual, recycled cassette tape, however!

Sonic fabric, Santoro’s invention, is a textile woven from recycled audio cassette tape. Not only is it adorable when fashioned into ties, bow ties, hats, and dresses, it is also audible. Sound collages can be coaxed from the fabric when you run a tape head over it, making it literally environmentally and sustainably sound. It is also durable and beautiful with a slight irridescence to it, with the feel and look of slightly shimmery canvas. The 50% cassette tape and 50% polyester fabric products, particularly the ties, are like wearable works of arts, which, according to the designer, are supposed to emit good vibes. Sonic fabric is made at a family-run mill in New England, stitched by hand in New York and is available in different colors by yardage or in tie form here.

For more mix tape madness and reminiscence, I suggest checking out Thurston Moore’s book, “Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture”, and Rob Sheffield’s memoir, “Love is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time”, both excellent books, both available at Amazon.

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I heard about B. Witching Bath Co. from a friend and it is exactly the kind of company I like to support. Not only are their products formulated from mostly natural ingredients, they are truly a quality line of bath and beauty products. They use the finest fruits, herbs, natural ingredients, fragrances and minimal preservatives and their products are unique and creative, with fragrances that are refreshing and relaxing. They are also made batch by batch in limited quantities, ensuring that each finished product is up to snuff. At their three northern New Jersey corporate stores, as well as with  their thriving online and wholesale business, they are renowned for their friendly customer service. B. Witching Bath Co. additionally never tests on animals and donates a portion of their proceeds to the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT, making the company a socially conscious and natural addition to your bath and beauty product lineup.

With a celebrity fan base as diverse as screen legend Goldie Hawn and rapper LL Cool J, you’ll be sure to find a product and scent (I like the Sea Glass and Chamomile ones)  that matches your mood and personality. My personal favorite items from B. Witching are their Exfoliating Sugar Scrubs, which contain naturally exfoliating sugar, rich emollient oils, and delicate fragrance and are extremely gentle, and the hand and body lotion, which is made from shea butter, aloe vera, goat’s milk, natural herbs, floral extracts, and essential oils to smooth and soothe your skin. Check out their web site for more info!

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I couldn’t continue doing the Eco-Chic section of this blog without a shout out to Stella McCartney (pictured below right), perhaps the most mainstream and chic, as well as respected, sustainable fashion designer. She is, after all, a famous champion of animal and eco-friendly clothing and accessories (she doesn’t use leather or fur in any of her designs).

What does all this mean? She supports the eco/social cause through her work by using mostly natural fabrics (McCartney usually uses fabrics that are a blend of synthetic and organic, unless it is a collection separate from the rest of her work that is designated as totally sustainable) and makes sure that the production of the garments is socially responsible (no taking advantage of underpaid, overworked employees). McCartney has also mentioned in the press that she thinks sustainable style is where fashion is headed. I couldn’t agree more.

It’s no surprise that she operates on these principles considering she was raised by hippie, vegetarian parents, Beatle Paul McCartney and photographer wife Linda. McCartney remains a vegetarian and is now an ardent supporter of PETA as well, bringing another famous face to the cause.

Aside from the environmentally friendly side of her work, Stella McCartney is an excellent designer from a design standpoint and celeb fans like Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna seem to agree. The best thing about McCartney’s designs seem to be that you would never have known that they were crafted with organic and nearly no animal-derived materials.

Although she managed to turn the crunchy, granola stereotype of sustainable fashion on its head, McCartney is also known for her feminine styles, suiting, vegan accessories, and even sportier looks (McCartney’s Adidas collaboration, below, was both hip and accessible). I have posted some of her more recent looks here but definitely check out her web site for more viewing. Although her stuff is clearly on the more expensive side, her collaborations with the GAP, H&M, Le Sportsac and Adidas have proved she is no snob and were worth the expense. Leave me comments and let me know what you think of Stella McCartney or sustainable fashion in general!

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It used to be that nail polish remover was the pariah of green beauty products due to it’s essentially non-earth friendly properties. Karma Organic, based out of Ridgewood, New Jersey, is changing all that with their soy-based nail polish remover, featured in the April 2010 issue of Women’s Health magazine. Not only is the remover 100% biodegradable, it’s Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils (it also comes in unscented) will leave your hands smelling deliciously fresh. Unlike others of it’s kind, this nail polish remover actually works and is nourishing for your hands and nails as well as being non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. The product is derived from crops from American farms and is packaged in recycled glass bottles.

I am always on the lookout for green products that perform and smell great and Karma Organic delivers on all fronts. They also sell from their store/spa and web site, non-toxic nail polish (over 90 trendy and classic colors available), and organic lotions, scrubs and essential oils among other items. Opened in 2007, the spa itself was constructed using such materials as carbonized bamboo flooring and non-toxic paint, making your visit a truly eco-chic experience.

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