Warm, Green and Fashionable!

By Laura Denny. Contributing Writer for GREENandSAVE.com
Posted on Saturday 10th January 2009

Winter is hitting us with some cold air and some wonderful snow showers this year. However there is no need to be afraid of the cold and how it may affect your fashion. In the past it was hard to find something that looked good and also kept you warm; then the fashion industry caught up and individuals were able to keep their style as well as their warmth. Now with the green movement, not only can someone stay warm and keep up with their style, but they can also do it in a way that is environmentally friendly. Be good to the environment and feel good yourself. Be warm and fashionable while going green this winter.

Why Buy Green?
One of the best explanations for why we should buy green is given by Terra Wellington in her book A Mom’s Guide to Growing Your Family Green, in which she says, “A lot of our purchasing over the last several decades has occurred without much thought about chemicals, waste, or how the product will affect us and our environment in the long run. But we now know that each of us is responsible for our health, our safety, and our environment. Therefore, a better future for your earth, your family, and your pocketbook is rooted in reduction… This requires that you understand how your purchases affect your environment.” Many other tips can be found in Terra Wellington’s book about how you can make your lifestyle more eco-friendly.

Break the monotony
For those who love hitting the outdoors during the winter it is important to stay warm but also to wear as little pieces of clothing as possible. There is nothing worse then being drowned in layers of clothing without any room to breath or move. Icebreaker is a company that creates eco-friendly clothing that is as light as a t-shirt and soft as your skin. It is made of wool shorn from Merino sheep, which have the softest and finest wool of any sheep. Your body is surrounded by complete warmth and does not itch. Since it is a breathable and natural material it also does not hold odor. Their clothing feels nothing like that old wool sweater grandma made. A new very cool feature is that Icebreaker also allows you to trace which sheep and which farm your exact piece of clothing came from. The clothing is eco-friendly because it is all natural, annually renewable, and biodegradable. Icebreaker can be found in the Philly area at Après Sport, Buckman's Ski & Snowboard, Pinnacle Sport, and at Bryn Mawr Running Company, as well as other regional retail stores. Find out more at www.icebreaker.com.

That plastic soda bottle could be my next jacket
When choosing a jacket to purchase for this winter or next it is important to know that the option to purchase an eco-friendly jacket is readily available. Polartec is a leading company in the production of recycled polyester fabric that can be found in many brand name jackets such as North Face, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, L.L. Bean and many more. The recycled fabric is made from plastic bottles and industrial scraps, and many people do not even realize they are purchasing an environmentally friendly jacket until they look at the little hangtag (which is 100% recycled paper) that says “recycled fabric.” Jackets made from Polartec are just as warm as any other jacket, weather repellant, and their fashion is just as good if not better. Polartec uses “power dry” fabric; meaning it is breathable, very comfortable next to your skin, machine washable, and keeps your skin dry when you sweat. Just to get an idea of how great this company is for the environment, in 2008 Polartec saved 38 million pounds of Carbon dioxide by using recycled fabrics. For those who are worried about the price of gasoline, for each new North Face Denali jacket made from Polartec fleece .83 gallons of gas will be saved. Learn more about Polartec and where you can purchase items with Polartec fabric in the Philadelphia area at www.polartec.com.

Losing the heat through your toes and feet
We were always told that if our feet were cold then the rest of our body would be as well. That is why it is important this winter to keep our feet warm. But why not also be green when hitting the white snow. Warmbat is an Australian sheepskin footwear company that produces boots which will keep anyone warm all winter. Stylish boots are a huge trend this winter, and so is going green. The best way to put the two together is through Warmbat. The products produced from Warmbat are extremely comfortable, warm, and eco-friendly. Their boots use eco-friendly sheepskin and are tanned with a chrome-free tanning agent that is recyclable and biodegradable. You can find Warmbat boots at many Finish Lines in the Philadelphia area, as well as “G-Town Sports Inc” on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia. To find out more about Warmbat or other stores in your area visit www.Warmbat.com.

Other Ways to Stay Warm

If you want to find other ways to stay warm this winter and to keep your house warm visit the Heating Section at Green and Save.

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