MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CLOTHING AND BEAUTY INDUSTRY
These are just a few of brands, all available on the island, that are making it a part of their mission to ensure the components of a garment, and the ingredients of a product are making the smallest footprint on the planet as possible – from sourcing and manufacturing to packaging and selling. Nowdays, clothing companies are starting to think about the long term impact on the environment and seeking out ethical alternatives for responsibly made clothing and goods while being held accountable in a way that is increasingly conscious of the treatment of their employees by offering fair wages and practicing sustainable production before, during, and after production
LEMLEM
Lemlem is an artisan-driven collection made entirely in Africa.This ethical fashion label works with social enterprises to design and support training initiatives that help women artisans in Ethiopia and Kenya build skills and prepare for jobs in Africa’s growing textile and fashion industries. In Ethiopia, lemlem’s first Artisan Training Initiative workshop launched in partnership with Muya Ethiopia this Spring and generously funded by Swarovski Foundation is training women weavers in artisanal techniques, leadership and life skills, and placing them in jobs.
Eskader short dress; lemlem
Slate, Edgartown
BLUEWAVE BODY COMPANY
Made in small batches, exclusively on Martha’s Vineyard, Bluewave only sources ethically harvested ingredients for their beauty products. They also work very closely with vendors to make sure all fair-trade and sustainable practices are being followed when getting ingredients. This company also sources local ingredients from local vendors as well, using organic local honey in their face masks and sea salt from MV Sea Salt in the Sea Salt Hair Texturizer. All of this so you can feel good about using their products.
Chilmark Coffee Scrub + Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Bluewave Body Company, Edgartown + Vineyard Artisans, WT
AMONG THE FLOWERS
Based in California, the ingredients used in their offerings are simple, focused, and stripped of the unnecessary. These active plant based nutrients are left in their natural state and deliberately made in small batches frequently during the week in order to ship out all orders free of synthetic preservatives. Shelf life is not their goal. The products are perishable and will sustain better in refrigeration. They offer very few formulas that combine oil and water for factor alone that it creates a perfect home to unwanted bacteria growth.
Pink salt Moisturizing Whipped Salt Scrub; Among the Flowers
Citrine x trust, Vineyard Haven
ZOYA NAIL POLISH
Zoya’s hard work, and a demand for quality and healthy, natural ingredients for her clients, her husband Michael, an advanced chemist, created the first working fast drying topcoat and the longest wearing, toxin free natural nail polish, revolutionizing the nail industry. Today, Zoya, Michael and everyone at Art of Beauty focus on creating the highest quality products available to professional salons and spas. As the first to remove toxic ingredients such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and DBP (dibutyl phthalate) from its formulations, Art of Beauty maintains its focus on the health and well being of salons, spas and consumers.
Barefoot Collection Nail Polish; Zoya
Caleen’s Day Spa, Vineyard Haven
ARUNA DESIGNS
A partner with the Shanthimalai Handicrafts Development Society, a resilient Indian Fair Trade business that provides ongoing training to artisans. SHDS engages in a number of local charitable activities, including a program to help poor widows – women who otherwise are left penniless, uncared for and unwanted. At Shanthimalai Handicrafts Development Society (SHDS), the widowed women are making “Scrappies”, is a new line of soft sculptures, using scraps of cotton fabric with hand embroidered eyes and hearts. These adorable little creatures: mice, elephants and horses are simply precious. Purchases of Aruna Designs “Scrappies” help provide for and support the widowed women with steady work.
Scrappies; Aruna Designs
The Beach House, Vineyard Haven
LEVI’S
From growing the cotton to dyeing and finishing, it takes over 2,000 gallons of water just to make one pair of jeans. Levi’s focuses on the finishing processes to remove water wherever possible with its Water < Less collection, which it says uses up to 96% less water to make. And because Levi’s is such a big player in the denim industry, steps like this can actually have a big impact. On top of that, the brand publicly shares its in-depth sustainability commitments throughout the product lifecycle.
Levi’s Wedgie fit
The Green Room, Vineyard Haven
M.PATMOS
M.PATMOS makes clothing that has a story and a person behind each lovingly made fiber, fabric and stitch. That story includes the combination of traditional techniques with modern technological innovations to create elegant and refined collection made by people earning a fair wage and working under safe labor conditions. M.PATMOS production techniques are socially conscious and eco-friendly. Always a symbiotic balance of artisan methods of production with modern technology, Patmos’s collections exhibit thoughtfully handcrafted elements side by side with innovative technological advances to create a full range of garments from investment pieces to everyday essentials.
Blue Sunshine Dress; M.Patmos
Slate, Edgartown
HALO AND SWAN
Their textiles, mostly scarves and accessories, are made in India with certified organic fabric that is hand block-printed—the most ancient form of printing on fabric. First designed in North Carolina, Halo and Swan’s designs are then carved into wooden blocks and imprinted by hand onto each piece of cotton fabric. This incredible way of hand-forged production—with no machine ever used—creates pieces with exceptional soul and beauty, each their own story and personal touch. Founder and stylist, Ella Zarum, finds design inspiration throughout the natural world and indigenous cultures from around the globe. With every piece handmade by the dignity of tradition, each scarf is unique and enriched by its painterliness, an artform that’s only attainable by hand. Additionally, Halo and Swan is committed to a humanitarian and ecological ecos, focusing on the preservation of indigenous cultures and natural heritage preservation
Morroco star metallic scarf; Halo and Swan
Refabulous Decor, Vineyard Haven
LINGUA FRANCA
A subversive underground movement to counteract the forces of mass production, and mindless consumerism. Today, Lingua Franca is a line of sustainably-sourced, fair trade luxury cashmere
sweaters, all hand-stitched by women in NYC. “We’re committed to fair trade, ethical labor practices, and the highest environmental standards. We’re proud to pay our embroiderers, all local women in NYC, a living wage. Oh, and we’re really into using our brand as a platform to inspire change – a portion of LF proceeds support the badass activists and organizations who are working for a better world.”
“It Was All A Dream” Embroidered Cashmere Sweater; Lingua Franca
Slate, Edgartown
