Whether spring has sprung where you are, or the autumn leaves are falling, it’s that time of year again when the weather can swing wildly from one day to another (and sometimes between morning and afternoon). Having a few trans-seasonal fashion pieces in your wardrobe will help you respond to the elements while staying stylish and ethical.

Why do trans-seasonal clothing?

Smart pieces that layer well and work with stripped back outfits are great for unpredictable weather. They’re also better for our conscience. This is because trans-seasonal fashion helps us shrink our wardrobes by having fewer, more useful pieces of clothing and that in turn shrinks our fashion footprint.

The post 9 Items You Need to Nail Trans-Seasonal Fashion appeared first on Good On You.

Tap into our top picks for responsible organic fashion brands around the world leaving a light footprint on the planet in production.

Organic clothing, from seed to shelf

Choosing organic is no longer just about your fruit and vegetables. The fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, and this includes the pesticides and chemicals so often used to create our textiles. One way to reduce your fashion footprint is to choose certified organic clothing brands.

What is organic clothing?

Organic clothing is clothes and accessories made from materials that have been produced with specific organic agricultural standards. These standards mean that no harmful chemicals were used in production. If we take the example of the increasingly popular organic cotton, this can include everything from manual weed removal over herbicides to not using GMO seeds.

By purchasing pieces that have been certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), you’re guaranteeing that your clothing is free from toxic chemicals and pollutants, from harvest to the factory to you. When it comes to the specific GOTS labels, keep in mind “a textile product carrying the GOTS label grade ‘organic’ must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibres.” A product with the label grade ‘made with organic’, on the other hand, “must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fibres”. There are many organic material options out there to consider, from cotton to linen and even up-and-coming hemp.

The great news is that you don’t have to spend hours on Google or trudging from shop to shop checking every label you see. We’re here to help by showing you some of our favourite ethical fashion labels making stylish, quality organic clothing. These brands are all rated ‘Good’ or ‘Great’ in the Good On You Directory and app, meaning they are leading the way on the issues you care about.

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When it comes to shoes, it pays to tread carefully. From sweatshop scandals to animal rights issues, some of the world biggest shoe brands have hit the headlines over the years for all the wrong reasons.

Luckily for us shoe lovers, there is a growing number of brands getting on the front foot and creating beautiful designs that are good for your sole.

Here are five ethical, eco-friendly, or vegan alternatives to the world’s most iconic shoes:

For Fairtrade

Instead of Converse, choose:

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People have been wearing colours proudly for thousands of years. From social status to artistic statements, clothing colour has had a depth of meaning we probably don’t think about when we shift through the bursting racks of fast fashion chain stores. The synthetic dyes used to make most of our fabrics colourful now are poisoning waterways and causing serious health problems for workers around the world.

Before the invention of synthetic colours, clothing dyes were sourced from nature and applied through slowly cultivated traditional techniques – gentler on the environment, the makers and the wearers. So maybe it’s time we take a look around the world at some of the kinder ways to give our clothing that pop of colour we love.

Mali – Bogolan Mud Dyeing

‘Bogolan’ means ‘made from mud’ in Mali’s main language, Bambara. The base cloth is usually dyed deep reds or yellows by boiling bark and leaves. Then, using mud which has undergone a special fermentation process, distinct patterns are painted onto the fabric using sticks, brushes or reeds. The cloth then is soaked in natural solutions which bind the colour left behind by the mud to the fabric. Once dried, each piece of fabric becomes a totally unique work of art, in hues of red, brown, yellow, black and white, and patterns with a distinct regional aesthetic.

Japan – Shibori Dyeing

Indigo, the mesmerising deep blue that comes from the Indigofera tinctoria plant, has been called ‘the colour that changed the world’, and Japan is one place where the dye continues to hold a cherished place in the culture. The Shibori dyeing process was developed during a time when the Japanese lower classes were forbidden from wearing silk and brightly coloured clothing. The dark indigo colour, however, was allowed.

Shibori is both versatile and easily applied to cloth to create beautiful, unique designs, so it was a treasured method. It is now a recognised part of Japanese culture and emulated by fashionistas around the world. The process can involve a number of tactics such as stitching, wrapping or compressing fabric and creating stencils out of a rice based paste (katazome dyeing) to intentionally prevent the indigo dye from reaching certain parts of the cloth. The results – beautiful blue hues and unique white patterns – are simultaneously nuanced and striking.

India – Ayurvedic Dyes (Ayurvastra)

The world has always admired the vivid colours of the Indian subcontinent. From art to architecture, to celebrations, and clothing, colour and design are central to the country’s fascinating culture and history. The ancient Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine not only uses plants to aid health and cure illness, it can also be drawn upon to create clothing dyes that are good for both the wearers and the planet. The traditional methods of Ayurvastra (Ayur meaning health, vastra meaning clothing – literally ‘healthy clothing’) allow the colours from these plants to be applied to cloth 100% naturally, without the use of any toxic chemicals and causing no harm to animals or people.

The Monsoon Blooms’ dye house, set in the quiet forests of Kerala in Southern India have been dyeing fabric for tens of thousands of years, using techniques passed down through the generations. There are over 1200 medicinal plants grown at the dye house, and those used to dye and bleach Monsoon Blooms’ underwear include turmeric, aloe vera, and the treasured neem plant.

Scotland – Harris Tweeds

Scotland’s Harris tweed (think Grandma’s favourite checked tweed jacket), worn for its hardy warmth, is traditionally dyed using natural colours and ecologically friendly dye processes. The deep reds, purples and yellow checks of the Scottish kilt are created from lichens, a type of fungus, and the plant woad (another source of indigo) to create the blues. The colours themselves are intended to evoke the rich hues of the Scottish landscape.

The dyeing of Harris tweed is actually the first step in the production of the fabric. The pure wool is dyed in different base colours, which are then broken up by hand and tossed together. They are then fed into a machine which shreds and blends these base colours, creating unique hues for every piece of yarn. Who knew the humble kilt was forged from such delicate craft?

The Mayans, Incas and Aztecs

The distinct patterns and colours of Mexican, Central and South American fabrics have been admired by the rest of the world since they were first discovered. And while grinding or boiling beetles and molluscs to produce clothing dye might not sound like everyone’s cup of tea (vegans take note), it is interesting as a traditional practice and has been cultivated across the continent for many years.

The Spanish conquistadors were in awe of the vivid colours of the fabrics they saw being made and traded by indigenous Mayans, Incans and Aztecs. The vivid reds, now known as cochineal, were produced by boiling and drying coccid insects and then grinding them into a red powder. This dye became a significant export for the region, and is now still used to colour many cosmetics – but as with anything now manufactured and traded en masse, there are questions to be asked about the ethics of the production process of this dye.

But there were, and still are natural, plant based dyeing methods used in the region too. Traditional Mayan artisans use boiled banana leaves as a mordent. This allows natural dyes to adhere to cloth and prevents them from fading with time.

The ‘jaspe’ method, like Shibori in Japan, relies on ‘tye-dyeing’. That’s right, tye-dye was being utilised long before it became the trademark of dreadlocked hippies and Bob Marley fans. Indigenous artisans create intricate patterns by tying their thread at pre-determined intervals before dyeing it. This prevents the dye from reaching certain points. From there, the threads are hand woven into their amazing, colourful fabrics.

The use of synthetic dyes by the fast fashion industry is poisoning waterways around the world and the chemicals in them can even pose health risks to wearers. But as we’ve seen, people around the world have been making unique colourful fabrics sustainably for thousands of years. Learning about traditional methods for making and dyeing textiles is a fascinating way to experience culture when you travel!

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While minerals are naturally occurring chemical compounds, it turns out this has been a nothing short of a blessing for makeup companies and their marketers. Australian dermatologist Philip Artemi told consumer advocacy group Choice that many of these minerals contain trace levels of toxins, requiring chemical processing to remove them and make them safe for use on the skin. This means that while calling mineral makeup a ‘natural’ product is a bit of a stretch, makeup brands and their advertisers still do it to encourage consumers to buy their products.

However, we definitely shouldn’t confuse mineral makeup with organic skincare, which is better for our skin and the environment. While mineral makeup is made from finely ground naturally occurring minerals, these are still inorganic substances, meaning it’s impossible for a makeup to be mineral-based and 100% organic.

Some products might contain organic ingredients, such as jojoba or aloe vera, but these are only beneficial for the skin when absorbed, not sitting on the surface as powders do. So, if it’s not always au naturel, then should we be concerned about what goes into our favourite mineral foundation?

Most makeup is already ‘mineral makeup’

A pure mineral makeup should only contain the following ingredients, and perhaps one or two more:

• Titanium dioxide
• Zinc oxide
• Mica
• Iron oxides

But it turns out that many regular cosmetic products contain these ingredients anyway. The problem is that there isn’t any regulation that defines when a cosmetic brand can call their product ‘mineral’ makeup. So basically, if it contains a mineral as a base ingredient, it can be labelled as mineral makeup, regardless of what other chemicals it might contain.

Vegans beware! Dead bug alert…

Minerals might be natural, but that doesn’t mean the makeup is vegan-friendly. Pearl powder, silk powder and carmine are animal derivatives and common ingredients used in cosmetics. Carmine helps add a red tone to blushes and powders but is produced by crushing and boiling dead cochineal beetles…yuck!

Stuff to watch out for:

Asbestos

Since 2017, nearly a dozen makeup products marketed to children have been pulled from store shelves because of reports of asbestos contamination. This is a scary fact, considering asbestos is a deadly cancer-causing agent that belongs nowhere near us and our skin, not to mention our children! A big part of the problem is that the cosmetics industry essentially polices itself, and some lawmakers are pushing for changes. In the meantime, the safest bet for consumers is to avoid products containing talcum powder. For more information and a full list of recalled products, see this helpful Consumer Notice page.

Silicones

On a makeup ingredients list, these will likely be dimethicone or cyclomethicone. Silicones are added to skin products to give them that smooth, silky feel. They help powders and liquids glide on easily and create a barrier over the skin. This protects the pores from pollutants and dirt from outside. But if used too often or left on for too long, they can also seal in the bad stuff like bacteria, sebum and impurities, leaving the skin prone to breakouts. Both dimethicone and cyclomethicone are members of the siloxane family. David Suzuki features siloxanes on his Dirty Dozen, a list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid for their impacts on the environment and our health.

Phenoxyethanol

This is a preservative used frequently in cosmetics, perfumes and soaps. There is some evidence to suggest that phenoxyethanol is an irritant, particularly for people with eczema. While the concerns about its side-effects are minimal, the issue is that real mineral makeup shouldn’t require preservatives at all. If you see this one on an ingredients list, the makeup probably isn’t as ‘natural’ as it claims to be.

Bismuth oxychloride

Bismuth oxychloride is frequently used in many kinds of makeup. While it’s a naturally occurring metal, it’s usually synthetically produced and refined in order to meet demand and to make it safe for use on skin. It’s used to give makeup a matte or shimmery appearance, but because it’s a heavy metal, it can cause irritation, itching and breakouts.

Silica and kaolin

Kaolin is a type of white clay, traditionally used in ceramics. Silica is a mineral found naturally in sandstone, clay, and granite. Both are used in cosmetics for their ability to absorb oil and moisture. This is great for people with oily skin types. However, if you’re prone to dry skin, you’ll want to avoid makeup with these ingredients – they’ll only make life harder!

The popularity of mineral makeup has been driven by a growing demand for natural products. We at Good On You support this shift wholeheartedly. But we also believe in the mantra that less is more, and that’s certainly something to keep in mind when shopping for cosmetics. If you’re a lover of mineral makeup, be sure to check the ingredients list before you buy. You may find a few not-so-natural surprises.

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