Rachel Sarnoff inspired me with her catchy and funny 60-second clip on “Why eco-fashion matters”. In the video, she gives tips on how to get a “clean” wardrobe, what you should look for and what you should avoid.

Enjoy the show!

What interests me is: What is your share of “poison-free clothing” in the closet?

There’s been a great song roaming the airwaves for awhile in Germany from the Fanta 4. The chorus hips and hops, ‘It could all be so easy – but it isn’t’. Just like real life. I was talking to a guy from Switzerland on the flight over to Nepal, who has known Kathmandu since 1969 and lives there now. According to his own recollections, barely 40 automobiles rambled through the Kathmandu Valley back in the day (now it feels like 40 cars per square meter). I wish I had a time machine. That must have been paradise. And now, here I am in the middle of the city, up to my ankles in filth and dust, not wondering at all where my headaches are coming from in the midst of all the exhaust.

But the guy from Switzerland still keeps coming back, and I do as well. In this country full of contradiction, people live unwilling to take responsibility for others, or even themselves. And yet the same people are capable of living with the adversity around them with surprising serenity. I could use a slice of their patience, take it with me as a souvenir. Hari, the production coordinator at New SADLE, told me on the way top the project that the Nepalese would be better off with no government at all (like the short time between the end of the monarchy and the forming of the government which replaced it). The political conditions, in other words, the government’s complete incapacity for action, is impressive to say the least.

Extremely adverse conditions, as well as considerable lack of individual initiative, pull this country ever deeper into poverty. But then the more refreshing it is when I do see initiative. Like the formidable strength of spirit of Meera Batarai, who has been successfully coordinating women’s cooperatives here for years.

Or like my friends at New SADLE, with whom I had an intensive conversation about numbers today. New SADLE’s concept is cyclic. From its own workshops, products are made which are, for the most part, sold overseas. The income finances the nursing home, kindergarten, and roadside clinic (I’ll get to that one later). The cycle would be complete if the workshop’s profits were enough to pay the running costs of the project (which our colleague Steffi Karl would point out to be an ideal example of Social Business).

There is a considerable deficit, however, which a German development association covers by soliciting donations and sending monthly to contributions to Kathmandu for medicine and medical professionals, among other things. I have worked with this association, Nepra e.V., for years. It started for me when I was flown over as a consultant to work on optimizing their dyes ecologically. Since then we have worked together continually, improving quality, as well as implementing respectable quality assurance systems. I’m really proud of how my colleagues in Nepal have applied these systems. With this level of quality, they could also produce Pashmina shawls, silk scarves, top quality pillow cases, and other goods for hessnatur.

Today I’m quite satisfied. Perhaps you’ve noticed, I’ve hardly moaned at all. Hari and I have met with a producer of banana fiber! Brilliant! The fiber is mechanically gleaned from the stumps of the banana plants, which no longer grow after harvest. Then it is boiled, conditioned, and spun into a yarn resembling wild silk. It looks very promising. Knit and crochet tests are in the works. Who knows, maybe it’ll work, and hessnatur would have yet another innovation to offer (and my boss could give me a Sunday off  )

Here’s a behind the scenes of fashion photographer, Pete Ruppert, photographing the hessnatur Summer Collection.  We’ll launch the Collection in April.  Take a look at the sneak preview.

Whether we like it or not, doing things in a better way costs more money.  At hessnatur we believe paying for quality and the adherence to ecological and social standards.

This is true when it comes to the suppliers we select.  We establish long-term, stable relationships with suppliers whose expertise and respect for their workers we esteem.  While 60% of our suppliers are located within the European Union, our work with suppliers in countries like China and Bangladesh raises some concerns.  And we are often asked, why?

The answer is that many of the specialists for processing certain fibers are located in the countries where these fibers are cultivated.  For example, much of the hemp, silk and cashmere come from China.  Both the cultivation and processing of these fibers exists mainly in China.  What we do is assure that the suppliers we work with in China meet the hessnatur social and production standards.  Hopefully, we are setting an example for workplace environments.

In Bangladesh, we work with Grameen Knitwear, a non-profit subsidiary of the Grameen Foundation.

Clothing manufacturing, which used to be a healthy business in Western Europe and the US, has mostly relocated in areas of the world where labor is cheaper.  That usually means undesirable and socially negligent working conditions.  Although we, too, have been forced to find suppliers further from home, we have in no way relaxed our principles.  We insist that all our suppliers agree to hessnatur social standards.  And that costs more money.  But we see it as an investment in a better life and a better way.  For us, cheaper is never better.

Recently I received an exceptional request from the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a branch of the United Nations.   The UN has launched a campaign to encourage everyone to sign a climate change petition for the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. For this “Seal the Deal” Campaign, UPU needed a banner made of organically grown cotton, 25 feet long. To ensure the quality they wanted, they requested hessnatur fabric. At hessnatur we were delighted. We asked our supplier in Belgium to send eco-cotton to UPU. Then UPU had a banner designed with the urgent appeal, “Please save our planet!“

At the end of September UPU exhibited the banner at the PostExpo 2009 in Hannover, Germany. The first person to sign the banner was Dr. Franz Appel, CEO of German Post. Then every visitor to the fair was asked to commit themselves to climate protection by stamping and signing the banner.

Now the banner is on its way to Copenhagen where world leaders will meet in December to achieve an international, comprehensive and ambitious climate change agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009.  We wish them all success with this critical mandate for change.  You, too, can help “Seal the Deal” by signing the petition.

In case you don’t know what that brown Muppet in the picture is, it’s an alpaca. Her name is Bell.

Working for hessnatur for so long gave me a great insight into natural fibers, including alpaca, but I’ve only come across the actual animals in zoos until now. I neither spin, nor knit, so I thought I would join in on Alpaca Farmgirl’s Fiber Arts Friday by finally visiting the Happy Valley Alpaca Ranch, one of our local alpaca farms. Mike and Linda were great hosts, introducing my family and I to their herd as they were family themselves. And that they were. I soon discovered that I could recognize each animal not only by their color, but also their behavior, body language and even “facial expression”.

In general, alpacas have curious, cat-like personalities. Happy Valley’s herd is quite active, engaging in their own form of bumper-cars every evening for the fun of it. It surprised me that they bear young for almost a year before giving birth to just a single cria (baby alpaca). Apparently, the animals can adapt to live just about anywhere, and are very gentle on their environment.

Linda said she gets about three to six pounds of fiber from each fleece, shearing them once a year with a specialist who shears the animals freely standing (which creates a lot less stress for the alpaca). Alpaca fiber is not only snuggly, silky soft, it is also hollow, making it extremely warm. Although the white alpacas produce the finest and densest fleeces, and they are the best for dyeing, I personally like the earthier colors. Alpacas produce about twenty two variations of natural color all on their own!

It’s neat to see the enthusiasm revolving around alpaca fiber. “Chasca” has created some very visually interesting yarns, even working cria fiber into them, which is apparently quite difficult. “Froggy” shares a contraption to avoid tangled yarn while reusing/recycling at the same time. And “Wonder Why Gal” has given me inspiration to recall my grandmother’s lessons in crocheting and get to work again, myself!

As awareness of organic cotton grows, the impact of organizations dedicated to promoting it become more visible.  The World Congress of Organic Cotton takes place this year from September 21-24 in Interlaken, Switzerland.  It is part of the United Nations declaring 2009 the Year of Natural Fibres.

The theme of the Congress, “From Fashion to Sustainability” identifies the profound change that is happening in the fashion world.  No longer is fashion just “clothing of the moment”, instead  it plays a critical role is determining the health of our environment.

The Congress, sponsored by the Swiss NGO, Helvetas, has asked our CEO, Wolf Luedge, to deliver a keynote address regarding communicating and marketing sustainable and ecological fashion.

Everyone involved in the textile chain – from growing through manufacturing – will be part of the Congress.  Business leaders, technical experts, project managers, CSR and marketing specialists will be working together to identify solutions and innovations for cotton.

Cotton is the leading fiber grown worldwide.  Yes, it is natural, but that doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.  When conventional cotton is grown, tons of pesticides and other chemicals are used.  They not only harm the soil and the water, they also can destroy the health of the farmers and their families.  Fair Trade organic cotton represents only a tiny fraction of the worldwide cotton market.

Continuing to raise awareness of the importance of wearing organic cotton and other fibers is critical to our future.  The Congress provides a forum for all those who are committed to this goal.  We are all looking forward to it.