Eco-Sportswear Goes Mainstream with the help of - Sarah Palin?

A recent Sarah Palin Newsweek cover generated quite a stir in the political and media world, as well as the eco fashion industry.  The cover shot was a photo of Palin by Runner's World Magazine and the publication notes that Newsweek did not have permission to use the image.  Former governor Palin found the photo selection degrading, sexist, and irrelevant, according to her Facebook updates regarding the coverage.

Perhaps the most surprised by the cover picture is eco-friendly clothing company, Icebreaker - the manufacturer of the sleek zippered top Sarah is wearing.  New Zealand based Icebreaker announced in a press release that they have  "been campaigning for consumers to switch from synthetic running tops made from oil" - unlike Palin's 'Drill, baby, drill' stance.  

Nevertheless, the company thinks  "it’s great (that) Ms. Palin has discovered the benefits of running in natural, sustainable Icebreaker merino, which doesn’t hold odor like synthetic running tops (made from oil)."

About Icebreaker

Icebreaker offers an alternative to synthetic, petroleum-based sportswear, producing a full line of natural merino wool clothing for men, women, and children.  The wool is ethically harvested from sheep farmers in the New Zealand mountains and each garment is all-natural.  

Unlike typical wool, merino fiber is soft, luxurious, and ideal for extreme outdoor conditions.  It insulates in cold weather, breathes in heat, is lightweight, and has natural odor-blocking qualities - the perfect material for active wear.  

The Icebreaker line includes everything from underwear and socks to eco-chic tops, bottoms, and jackets - all available in a range of colors.  And with Icebreaker's unique BaaCode tracking, you can meet the sheep that produced your garment.  The Baacode system provides detailed information about the farm where your fiber was sourced, allowing a look at the living conditions of the animals as well as the methods used to farm the wool.  

How to Buy Icebreaker Clothing

Icebreaker retailers are located across the nation, internationally, and online.  You can also shop directly from the Icebreaker website.  

Sources: Newsweek; Mother Nature Network; Icebreaker

5 Tips to Keep You Looking Eco-Fabulous Before the Holidays

Black Friday was as busy as ever this year with people wanting to catch good deals while they lasted. For you, the green connoisseur, the luxurious but still very eco-conscious consumer, here are some tips to keep you fashion forward this winter, but without environmental blunder or busting your budget. 1) Don’t Forget Your Layers Layering items is the best way to stay warm and show off your fashion sensibilities in the winter months. Instead of wearing your biggest and warmest winter coat all through the winter, check the weather and see if you would fair better pairing your favorite sweater with a stylish vest and a lighter jacket over-top. Enough layers can keep things interesting and keep you warm. 2) What’s Old is New As you might be looking through your current wardrobe and wanting something new, think about your friends who might be having the same thought. Hosting a swap-party or else just inviting a friend over to raid your closet and then having them return the favor is a great way to recycle by bring new-to-you items into your wardrobe. Swapping clothes, shoes, and accessories with your friends is a great way to spice up your attire while helping out a friend and without spending a dime! 3) Just Sew It! Some items are too precious to ever let go, no matter what shape they’re in. Beloved sweaters with holes, ripped jeans, and purses with broken straps are a few of the thing that you might have around the house that could still be used in a fabulous way. A needle and thread can do wonders towards transforming an unusable item back to its original state. If it seems hard to find the time to sit down and sew, try doing it while watching your favorite television show. For ripped jeans, think about adding a patch with a flash of color to update the look. 4) Reclaim it In the course of life, things get broken or lost. Earrings with missing partners or broken jewelry or ceramics are a part of this system, but there are new creations to be made out of the remains. For single earrings, try using a necklace chain and fashioning the earring into a pendant. Broken jewelry can often be made into either charm bracelets or another useful jeweled item like a wine glass charm. Broken ceramics can be saved and used for pottery projects for you or an artistically inclined friend. 5) Remember the Internet For those items that don’t hold the same sentimentality, remember that there are many more way to sell them than to host a yard sale. Using websites such as Ebay and Craig’s List are an easy way to sell your unwanted items. The profits made from the sale could give you the chance to turn around and purchase new-to-you replacement items on the aforementioned site. So, while saving up to spoil your loved ones, use these tips to save money and the environment this winter while still remaining fashion forward. Image Credit: A Little Girl Talk, Flickr, Chica and Jo

Mission: Possible and Playful

Mission Playground is serious and fun clothing with a deep eco-conscious vibe, putting a message of revolutionary change on pockets, sleeves, heads, and feet in sustainably created clothing. The design elements, colors, and attention to detail make Mission Playground more than your ordinary fun t shirt company. Began in 2003 with a range of graphic t-shirts with environmental messages, Mark McMahon’s company evolved out of his San Diego garage and into a full fledged line of uniquely printed shirts, pants, bags, and jackets that are sold world wide. Its most famous shirt is a black t with the ubiquitous green car air freshener tree screened on to its front with the words, “Daddy, what does a real forest look like?” Other designs range from cheeky environmental slogans to simple evocations of natural spaces, animals, and plants. To find exactly what you want in your size, go directly to their website. Although the t shirt designs take 70s hip environmentalism into the 21st century, it’s the line of men’s clothing – shirts, jackets, and pants – that offer entire wardrobes of sustainable chic. In the women’s clothes, you can see the soft attention to design as well as linear printed beauty.  Just recently, Mission Playground has added new fabrics, including 100% recycled PET bird’s eye knit with technical attributes, 100% merino wool jersey, 100% organic cotton poplin, and, exclusive to Mission Playground, a MIPAN regen recycled nylon from pre and post consumer waste. While green concerns enter into the production, from source material to work environment to printed message, Mission Playground also gives back by contributing 1% of all sales to S.E.E.D. its own initiative for sustainable environment education and development.