Women's Hemp and Tencel Clothing by Sympatico

When it comes to sustainability, it's important to consider every aspect of a product. Besides offering beautiful designs, that's where Sympatico Clothing really stands out, in line with their motto "good for life."


Sympatico tops, pants, and skirts are wardrobe staples intended to flatter many different figures. These versatile pieces are designed to stand up to work and play, but they can also be dressed up for a wide variety of occasions. With proper care, they should last for years and maintain their classic appeal.


Sympatico clothing is made from a comfortable, durable and very green blend of hemp and Tencel fibers. The fabric is dyed with low-impact colors, and the clothing is hand crafted in the United States. If you'd like more information on Sympatico's sustainable practices and unique fiber blend, you can find it here.

The Greenest Tee on the Planet

What's better than relaxing in your favorite comfy tee-shirt?

Relaxing in your favorite sustainable comfy tee, of course!  

Deep in the heart of the humid south - Atlanta, to be exact - Clint Zeagler is serving up the hottest pecan pie you'll ever get your hands on.  Pecan Pie Couture isn't about dessert, however - it's the latest, not to mention trendiest, sustainable clothing line that combines "southern charm with high fashion flavor."

At Pecan Pie Couture, creating original clothing that looks and feels great is a priority - making these awesome tee shirts with the least possible impact on the planet is even more important.  It starts with organic cotton grown locally near their Atlanta shop.  Pecan Pie Couture designs their own cut and knits are prepared by the veteran crew of 14 at nearby Villa Rica Knitters.  

Each organic cotton tee is hand-stitched and hand-embroidered; natural dyes (turmeric, indigo, coffee, tea) are used during a traditional hand-dying process.  Some Pecan Pie Couture tees even feature authentic Native American beadwork - produced on the nearby Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina.

Pecan Pie Couture tee shirts are one-of-a-kind creations - classic, 

sustainable clothing with just the right combination of chic style and southern sass.  Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to get your own slice of Pecan Pie Couture online - at least not yet.  The organic clothing line is available in a quickly-growing selection of department stores and fashion boutiques, currently including several stores in Georgia, as well as Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Ohio.  

Check out Pecan Pie Couture for the latest information on styles, upcoming events, and availability in your area.  

Photos via PecanPieCouture.com - top image featuring Aveda Natural Beauty Care at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta; middle image by Brent Walker at the Revival fashion show; bottom image Pecan Pie Couture's 2008 launch at Bloomingdales, Atlanta. 

Something for Everyone's Stocking: Tom's Shoes

As we get down to the wire with holiday shopping (Channukah in less than a week! Christmas and Kwanzaa a few days later), there's a great way to take care of the ones you love while doing some good in the process. Tom's Shoes is a company that makes beautiful, sustainable footwear but also has a mission. For every pair of shoes you purchase from Tom's Shoes, they will send a pair to a person who needs them. By outfitting the world in footwear, Tom's Shoes is attempting to combat podoconiosis, a disease of the lymphatic system that's caused by walking barefoot in areas with high concentrations of silica in the soil. Tom's Shoes has already donated tens of thousands of shoes to people in southern Africa and Argentina. There are videos of their "shoe drops" on the website.

This is a great gift for the last minute shopper because you can help Tom's reach its goal of donating 33,000 shoes before Christmas. Most of the products are in the $50 range and the styles yell out, "mellow sustainable living." There are suede versions, fleece-lined ones, woven and batik inspired prints. Invoking Robin Hood in more ways than one, Tom's has new versions that are vegan-friendly that come in low boot and high wrap versions. My master yoga instructor sister-in-law is getting a pair crisscrossed with a Gandhi quote. My daughter is getting some basic red ones for wearing back and forth when she goes to gymnastics. That means two people in another part of the world who will also be wearing something stylish, ecologically produced, and life-sustaining.

And if you really want to boost your contribution while celebrating the holiday, consider having a Style Your Soles Shoe Party for New Year's: Tom's supplies as many pairs of plain white shoes as you need, while you gather some fabric-friendly paints and sharpies (maybe even some eco-friendly natural dyes) and your favorite friends to decorate their own, unique, unmatched pair of Tom's. Be sure to take lots of photos and add your event to the picture gallery at Tom's Shoes' website.

Conscious Clothing: Hemp-Silk Creations

When the eco-friendly bride wants to walk down the aisle in a breathtaking sustainable gown, what is she going to wear? Making strides in the 'green' bridal movement is Conscious Clothing, which uses hemp fabrics to satisfy the needs of the bride that doesn’t want her wedding to become a strain on the planet. I must say that Conscious Clothing has created a gorgeous line of wedding gowns that uphold all of the same traditional desires of comfort, visual appeal, and texture. Each piece is truly a work of art. Brides may choose dresses made from a: · hemp/silk blend · hemp/silk floral jacquard · hemp/silk satin · hemp/tencel blend (for pure Vegan brides) Interested in a free fabric swatch? It's as easy as contacting Conscious Clothing by phone or email. Some lucky brides may even browse designs at local fashion shows, trade shows, and other events. Upcoming events include the Body Café in Santa Fe, New Mexico (December 6th) and the Seattle Green Festival (April 12th –13th). And… wearing a sustainable, stylish gown isn’t just limited to the exchange of vows – consider the Conscious Couture line that includes the dazzling peacock dress ($3,200) shown below with cowrie shells and peacock feathers.

Photos: Conscious Clothing