Mother Earth Gets Stylish

You’re buying locally grown organic foods, riding your bike to work and your entire house is outfitted with energy-saving light bulbs. Cool. Now take your eco-friendly attitude to your wardrobe. Just in time for Earth Day, plenty of eco-chic clothing and accessories are hitting the shelves in emerging spring/summer 2008 collections. If working Earth-consciousness into your wardrobe is on your to-do list, here are a few must-have items. The best part? These vegan/organic/recycled pieces save the Earth without sacrificing a sliver of style.

Vegan handbags by Matt & Nat
Banning the use of any animal products, including fur, leather and wool, Montreal-based Matt & Nat creates handbags that are fashionable, functional and cruelty-free. Their synthetic leather is as soft and supple as anything real (no, seriously), and the bags are peppered with unique details such as antique silver hardware and faux-suede linings. Taking eco-friendly to the next level, their spring collection features bags created entirely from recycled plastic water bottles and recycled cardboard.
Available at Lori’s Designer Shoes, 824 West Armitage, (773)281-5655. View more at mattandnat.com.

Del Forte Denim
According to Del Forte’s Web site, it takes two-thirds of a pound of pesticides to make a single pair of jeans, and exposure to these chemicals is as harmful to agricultural workers as it is to Mother Earth. That’s why all of Del Forte’s denim—from low-rise to high-waisted, colored to traditional blue—is created using organically grown cotton. Desiring a relationship with the people who grow their materials, Del Forte has teamed up with The Sustainable Cotton Project, which helps support organic farmers. So by donning a pair of these super-soft jeans (available in a variety of styles) your environmental impact reaches far and wide.
Available at Pivot Boutique, 1101 West Fulton Market, (312)243-4754. View more at delforte.com.

Green Karat Jewelry
A little dose of the shiny stuff is essential to any ensemble, and thanks to Green Karat, you can stay eco-savvy down to the smallest accessory. This eco-conscious company uses recycled metals in all of its stunning creations, aiming to lighten environmentally destructive mining practices. Its gems are (impossible-to-tell) synthetics, as the company hopes to one day eliminate diamond mines altogether, which are harmful to both the environment and the workers. The necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings range from flirtatiously fun to simply stunning, and Green Karat even offers a wedding collection of ecologically responsible engagement and wedding rings.
Available at greenkarat.com. (Molly Each)