I met Amy Chase this spring in Austin at the Texas Style Council Conference, where we spoke on a panel together and she, appropriately, hosted a clothing swap. She has an excellent perspective on sustainable style, which translates into an equally excellent day job — since co-founding The Swapaholics in 2008, she now makes a living traveling the country hosting clothing swaps for Swap.com. Amy’s next swap is this Thursday here in San Francisco, co-hosted by Lulu’s, and she’s shared a special deal with us for 25% off the $20 ticket price with code FASHIONLOVESPEOPLE! She was sweet enough to answer a few questions for me recently, from how she scored such a great gig to how to host your own swap.

What’s the story behind The Swapaholics? What inspired you to get started?

I had started hosting clothing swaps in my town the year I bought a house. I was researching how to run a greener/cheaper household, and swapping items with in your community kept coming up. Being extremely interested in fashion, I knew I had to make a clothing swap work. A few months later I was outgrowing every venue I could find. A friend introduced me to Melissa and asked if we would plan a swap for her indie craft market in Boston, which was a huge success, and we just never looked back.

How did it happen that you became the official clothing swap hosts for Swap.com? Is this what let you focus on swapping full-time? (And congrats for that, of course!)

Thank you! After growing The Swapaholics nationwide, hosting events in Boston as well as LA and Denver last year, we approached Swap.com to become our corporate sponsor so that we could bring our swaps to even more cities in 2011, which was the perfect fit since Swap.com is the world’s largest online swapping community. At the first meeting with their CEO we got along so well and had the same vision and passion for swapping that we were talking about joining forces by the time we’d reached the elevators. Swap.com officially acquired The Swapaholics in September 2010 and Melissa and I joined their full-time management team.

Why do you think clothing swaps are such a great option for ethical fashionistas?

The way I see it is, the longer we keep a item in rotation, the longer it stays out of a landfill and the more likely another item won’t be bought to replace it. When I discovered how much water and chemicals were used to make new clothing, it made me think twice about how much NEW stuff I really needed in my wardrobe.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever gotten at one of your swaps?

I’ve gotten so many things I love, I can’t event keep track anymore — most of my wardrobe is swapped. I love finding vintage items at swaps. Also, items that I’ve loved for seasons on my friends that they are ready to part with.

What was your favorite swap you’ve hosted, and why?

I am partial to all the swaps we host in my hometown. It’s where I started hosting events years ago and where I was greatly supported by my community. It’s really fun to go back and bring some swappers/shoppers with me to give back to the small business that helped me get started.

What tips do you have for people thinking about hosting their own clothing swaps?

Start small — my fist swap was with a handful of friends with their Goodwill bags. Pick a day and invite your girlfriends over.

If you want to check out a swap before you host, check our Events Directory and see if there is one coming up in your city: http://events.swap.com

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If you’re in SF, don’t forget to grab your tickets for this Thursday here — just $15 with discount code FASHIONLOVESPEOPLE. I’ll be there and would love to see you, too!

Top image via the UK’s clever vintage curator Supermarket Sarah

Two Italians living in Berlin, Majla and Nicola, run the brand EKOLOVESANIMAL, a line of upcycled leather bags with loads of style.

“EKOLOVESANIMAL was born as a project related to our desire to create something that united our needs for style, practicality and respect for animals and nature,” they told me.

Their bags are made from vintage leather or leatherette from flea market clothing and junkyard seat belts. “And it is an endless search! Why kill animals when there’s a lot of leather around?”

Each bag is unique, inspired by its original clothing form, and is easy to put on and comfortable to wear. And it’s important to each of the designers that they be practical for carrying on a bike!

Prices range from $106–$137 USD.

]]> http://fashionlovespeople.com/2011/05/05/upcycled-leather-bags-by-ekolovesanimal/feed/ 5 http://fashionlovespeople.com/2011/04/26/new-upcycled-leather-accessories-at-poketo/ http://fashionlovespeople.com/2011/04/26/new-upcycled-leather-accessories-at-poketo/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:50:02 +0000 Janette http://fashionlovespeople.com/?p=3242

Poketo just launched a line of accessories made from 100% vintage sofa leather — some lovely pieces, from the $32 leather button wallet to the $44 clutch. Shop here!

I’ve long been a fan of the recycled wine bottle tumblers sold by Heath, but… $19 per glass? I did a quick search and found these on Etsy, which are $33 for the set of four. They’re made by BottleHood in San Diego, who gets their bottles from shops and restaurants in their neighborhood. (They also offer nice mismatched sets and take custom orders.) These are first on my list for when I have a real house again!

(I don’t typically write about home goods here, but I do have a slight obsession… feel free to check out more of my interior picks in my account at Pinterest.)

At Pivot Boutique in 2008, during the world’s most incredible eco fashion sale you’ve ever seen, I bought a pair of Manimal ribcage earrings marked down to $10. They came in a kraft paper box, spray painted with a stencil in gold paint, with a little feather inside for awesomeness.

Aren’t sweet little touches like that the best? I could tell this brand was special!

I’ve gotten about a million compliments in the life of wearing those earrings, and after designer Kristen Lombardi was amazing enough to send me one of her scrap necklaces, I got about a million more on it.

People are always like, “is that suede?” And I’m like, “yeah, it’s from Manimal, it’s leftover suede from making moccasins.”

So this summer as I was planning the re-launch of my own apparel, knowing I wanted to partner up with some of my favorite jewelry designers for accessorizing my photoshoot, I was quick to ask Kristen to participate. She let me offer two of her necklace styles for sale in my store prior to the launch of her full fall line, Alaskan Winter. What an honor.

And here Alaskan Winter is now, in all its glory! Inspired by Inuit imagery — masks, totem poles — Kristen has created a color palette to die for and, to go ahead and get specific, a tote bag for the gods. (Isn’t it amazing?)

All images here are from the newly updated Manimal site, where pieces are available now for $30 (the pouch necklace) to $220 (the double fringe bootie). Something for everyone.

Oh and also: Baby moccasins!

I’m in the market for a new tote — something classic and hearty, for casually carrying around my laptop and any occasional purchases alongside my (mini) purse. Beautiful shades and textures of brown leather keep catching my eye. The newest on the list is this Wedge Tote, handmade by Jill Harrell in San Francisco by Scabby Robot, $160.

Many of the brand’s styles are made from scrap and reclaimed leather. You can see more styles here.

All Osborn Design handmade shoes are 20% off with code SUMMER, and all reMade USA upcycled leather bags are 20% off with code SUMMERLOVE.

Almost sounds like they called each other. :)

reMade USA sale via Green Grechen.

There’s something so soft and sweet about A Alicia‘s necklaces.

Designed and handmade in London by Anna Johnson, the pieces are constructed with only fair trade and organic fabrics and vintage and recycled materials.

These single-strand necklaces are $37 and the double-strand is $67, and they ship in recycled/biodegradable packaging. They look lovely with just a plain white tee!

Via EcoFabulous.

I recently wrote an article for KCFreePress.com about eco fashion in Kansas City, spotlighting three fabulous Kansas City brands. Today, a closer look at Early Jewelry.

Kylie Earlene Grater grew up on a small Kansas farm, but rather than leave those roots once and for all when she moved to Lawrence in 2001, she has translated her rural upbringing into the aesthetic that defines Early Jewelry: “Capturing the spirit of pasture and prairie, and the excitement of old made new again.” Grater’s eco-friendly nature is reflected in her minimalist lifestyle and design aesthetic, she says.

Grater’s designs are made from recycled metals and vintage and natural materials, from one-of-a-kind buttons and cuff links to feathers and bone. She handcrafts each individual ear wire and necklace clasp, which underscores the handmade origins of each piece. Occasional interns and part-time employees help with basic production steps, like trimming wires, but Grater does all the finishing herself. “Quality control,” she says.

Grater’s skill set comes from a degree in sculpture from the University of Kansas, including a year spent studying craft-making in England through an exchange program. She has now been building Early Jewelry full-time for three years and has worked with several major distributors, including a 6,000-piece order for Urban Outfitters in 2007 and a Free People order that just shipped out in February.

Early Jewelry is available at boutiques and shows across the country, and online at EarlyJewelry.com.

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As you may have noticed, I can’t get enough of Kylie and Early Jewelry — her aesthetic complements everything that I think is good in the world. When I visited her Lawrence studio earlier this spring, she made a necklace of repurposed vintage buttons and even showed me how she makes her custom necklace clasps, which are beautifully designed yet perfectly practical. Anyone interested in jewelry construction will appreciate these videos.

We also talked more about how she started her business, which is a great case study for any artistic entrepreneur. In general terms, it goes something like this: She got the best education possible in her field, learned about wholesaling by working at a retail store in her industry, sold her designs at as many local art and craft shows as possible to figure out her market and what they would buy, did valuable business research through her local small business development center, expanded her distribution by entering the world of tradeshows, and now, Kylie has made Early Jewelry her full-time job for three years.

One catalyst of Kylie’s success has been LOLA, Ladies of Lawrence Artwork, an event/collective she co-founded in 2004. At the first LOLA show, she and three other local artists hosted an evening event to sell their goods, and today, a larger group hosts several shows a year, all in venues that allow them to keep 100% of their profits.

That initial collaboration of Kylie’s led to many more, and it’s striking how much she has partnered with friends and other creatives to create and maintain her brand, from her identity design to photography to copywriting — some of which she has traded jewelry for. You can listen to Kylie talk about how she got her start and how she launched her brand in my other video excerpts.

The next LOLA show is this Saturday in Lawrence, and I can’t wait to see Early Jewelry at the Renegade Craft Fair here in Austin May 15-16.

Earlier this month I wrote an article for KCFreePress.com about eco fashion in Kansas City, spotlighting three fabulous local brands. First, meet solojones.

Founder and seamstress Sunny Dawn Summers may be living in New Orleans at the moment, but solojones is no doubt a born-and-bred Kansas City brand. Known for high-quality, hand-sewn boy shorts available at Birdies Panties & Swim — silk on the front and mesh on the back — solojones has been in business since 2003.

“It’s some of our sturdiest, prettiest stuff,” says Birdies owner Peregrine Honig. “They’re womanly, not cutesy, and somehow flattering on everyone.”

Summers worked in a corporate job and stumbled upon underwear design through a friend-of-a-friend connection with Birdies. She created a pattern that was a hit and sold about 400 pieces of her first run, while also working weekends at the shop. “I’d take my sewing machine down there and sew panties on the counter,” she says. “Inevitably people would buy whatever was coming hot off the presses.”

Though she’s never formally studied fashion, Summers sews each pair herself. “It’s not like buying something that comes off an industrial line. Every stitch is sewn and seen by eyes who know how to make a lasting garment,” she says. Classic jones are made of stretch silk charmeuse, a strong natural fabric that can last forever when cared for correctly.

But salvaged jones are one of the most memorable parts of the brand. For $30 (or two for $45), Summers will turn an old t-shirt into your new favorite pair of underwear. “It gives another life to something, in a secretive sort of way,” she said.

Classic solojones are available at Birdies, and salvaged jones are available for order through solojones.com.

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I don’t own a pair of Sunny’s original silk undies, but I just ordered and received the salvaged jones pictured here, which I am so excited about! Both were a nod to my husband Jon (appropriately, right?) — the gray track shirt above is obviously the Storenvy logo tee, for the web startup he founded, and he was a Tiger Cub as a kid (pre Boy Scout drop-out) and has had an adult-sized Tiger Cubs tee since college. A friend had given me the same shirt in a boy’s size small, which has never fit but has stayed in my closet nonetheless, so having it sewn into underwear couldn’t have been more perfect.

When ordering salvaged jones, Sunny lets you choose what color mesh you want sewn onto the back, or you can check a box that says “surprise me.” I requested black for this pair, and I’m in love with the sturdy black lace she chose.

The salvaged jones story: “I had a boyfriend with this amazing Cab Calloway t-shirt,” Sunny says. “I kept it, made panties out of it, and wanted to show everyone. Then I started making salvaged jones out of t-shirts that didn’t fit or that I loved but didn’t wear anymore. It gives another life to something, in a secretive sort of way. I wore those Cab Calloway jones so much they are in shreds now.”

The solojones pattern fits beautifully, free of underwear lines. Sunny takes special requests for custom pieces, and you can contact her through her website. Classic jones are available for $30, and for my two pairs of salvaged jones, I spent just $45.

Image of classic jones by Jenn Wetzel at KCFreePress. The rest are by me.