KUYICHI

KUYICHI is an organic, fair-trade line launched in 2001 in the Netherlands that captures a young, casually-edgy and effortless cool aesthetic. Kuyichi was born when the Dutch NGO Solidaridad discovered how harmful conventional cotton was while setting up fair-trade programs with food. They were the first denim and fashion line to use organic cotton, and they continue to pioneer innovative and sustainable methods of production including recycling water and natural dyes, considering both labor and environment. Every KUYICHI garment has a “Track & Trade” code on the tag, and using this code, you can track the history of each garment using this amazing web tool. KUYICHI is SA8000 certified which means no child labor or discrimination, no sweatshops, fair pay and hours, and heathcare and safety for workers.

With influences ranging from grunge-rock and vintage military to yippis and bikers – KUYICHI features materials like organic cotton, bamboo denim, linen denim, spare denim, hemp denim, recycled PET and Lenpur.  Find out the details about these materials by clicking HERE. Unfortunately, they do use some vegetable-tanned leather, which, according to the UN, still comes from the #1 cause of global warming: Raising animals for agriculture. I hope they nix the leather all-together in favor of waxed and treated plant-based materials, or eco-friendly fauxs.

You can purchase their garments ONLINE.

Ethical Exploits Vol. 1

The ups, downs, ins, outs, disappointments, and triumphs of a day-to-day vegan living.
By Featured Contributor, Matt Lara

I had a friend once tell me that he didn’t know how I remembered all this vegan stuff everyday. I told him that it’s all just a bunch of small things, and I keep adding more as I go. So here are some small things i’ve come across for your own use and enjoyment. Start compiling….

Steel-Cut Start
For me, it starts with waking up to good vegan choices. I have had many of those mornings where I’m running to work with deli coffee and a muffin. I have to recognize these days—they often end up filled with trips to the vending machine—and know that many of these short-term fixes can become long-term effects on my health and the environment. If I’m going veggie I have to do it healthily, and that extra 15 minutes to eat a good breakfast has become a priority. I’m not someone with one daily routine, so I have a few breakfast options depending on what my week looks like. If all I have time for is coffee and a muffin, it’s organic fair-trade coffee and a muffin I baked the previous weekend. Some days it’s simply cereal or a smoothie. On Sundays I like a good tofu scramble or pancakes. My favorite go-to breakfast is a bowl of Irish oatmeal, also known as steel-cut oats. They are packed with nutrition, but do take a bit more time to prepare than the sugary oats you pour hot water over. Luckily, there are some short cuts to lessen the prep time to about 10-12 minutes (I use the “quick soak” method all the time).

These tins make excellent pen holders!

Refreshing Rishi
Speaking of morning coffee, I stopped drinking so much of it. It was no big decision and not even that big of a struggle. It was more like avoiding an addiction in the making. I still chill over an occasional soy latte at my local coffee spot, but I am now enjoying loose-leaf green tea from Rishi Tea. They make a variety of green and black teas, as well as many herbal infusions. According to their instructions the leaves can be brewed 3-4 times. I am surprisingly refreshed after a few small cups. Green tea does have some caffeine in it, but not nearly enough to give you those coffee jitters nor those fun post coffee “movements” that tend to come along.

Feeling Pot-Lucky

If you have a circle of vegan friends, do get together for a potluck. One of the highlights of my month was attending the one hosted by The Discerning Brute himself. If Josh is cooking, I am there. By the time I arrived, his stuffed shells were all but gone, but there was still plenty to eat. It is so refreshing to walk into a room and be surrounded by many amazing dishes, great people, and great animal friends running around adding life to the party. Plus, there were guests who did not consider themselves vegan. They got a chance to both see and taste this deliciousness we experience on a daily basis. To me, that’s the best way to show people what we’re doing. If our food is undeniably great and all are welcome to partake, we’re on the right track.

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-Matt Lara

Matt is an actor, singer, closet poet, dancer, avid reader, guitar picker, waiter, home cook, nosey coffee shop guy, animal lover…he basically has to know how to do everything. He lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Fresh Friday Finds

Fact! There are 700,000 homeless people in the U.S., and 18 million vacant houses and apartments…
Source

1. Turk + Taylor, Spring 09 is looking good! T+T is one of our favorite designers, who we’ve been following for a few seasons now. The collection is almost 100% organic cotton. Check them out! Also check out their new organic tees.

2. These shoes are golden! Cool, Vegan, fair-trade, and eco-friendly, does it get any better than that ? Jinga was started 3 years ago by two gals who give back at least 5% of sales to a social project in a Rio de Janeiro favela (shantytown) which provides activities and education to children to keep them away from gangs! (Thanks to reader Michael B. for this info!)

3. Undercover Animal Lover. This guy is an ethical vegan who risks his safety killing animals all day and shooting undercover footage so we can get a glimpse into the heavily-shrouded meat and dairy industries. Can you imagine? Read this rare interview with TIME magazine, and check his HBO documentary Death on a Factory Farm airing March 16.

4. This Sunday, March 15th, eat good vegan food and help farm animals!

Farm Sanctuary’s Dinner Night Broadway East
171 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Reservations for your party are available between 7:30 and 10 p.m.
Reserve your table online at www.opentable.com or by calling Laurie at 212-228-3100.
Be sure to mention Farm Sanctuary when making your reservation.

5. One of our favorite organic companies, Loomstate, is having a party at one of our favorite eco-boutiques, Kaight, on Friday March 20th. Get a free Loomstate organic tee with any purchase of Loomstate S/S ’09!

6.  Person to know: Historian and Activist GEORGE DRAFFAN

” ‘Development’ is a euphemism, much like the word ‘efficiency.’ Efficiency within the current system is really about how fast you can turn forests and mountains into wastepaper and soda pop cans. Is that good? If the purpose of life is to consume and destroy, then international trade and industrial civilization are definitely proven ways to speed that up .”

7. Chloé Jo and the GGA weigh in on the myth that leather can be ‘eco-friendly‘ , on the best Vegan Cheeses, and on the controversy surrounding veganizing your companion animal. Watch out for those crazy cat people! They get their claws out!

8. You might need a french terrycloth motorcycle jacket. I’m just saying….

9. From the folks who brought you EcoRazzi, Veg Daily is Born!

10. Veteran vegan rockers Propagandhi talk to VegNews about their forthcoming album, Supporting Caste.

Looking Trashy, Recycled Kenyan Cowboys, & Vintage Ties

Kilakitu shirts come in 58 styles. Floral prints are big for 09, and these bold cowboy-cut tops are made from second-hand fabrics from the Kenyan marketplace. At 75$ a pop, a portion of the proceeds goes directly to a lunch feeding program for school children in Rongai (video). Also, Kilakitu plans to start a community cleanup & recycling business that will receive 10% of profits from Kilakitu – staff will work on cleaning up the environment in Rongai.

“Kila Kitu is a swahili saying meaning “everything” – our garments reuse discarded clothes from around the world and lovingly bring them back to you”.

What are the top 10 worst zoos for elephants? Find out if your city made the list HERE:

You will look totally trashy carrying this handsome messenger bag made from the plastic trash that litters New Dehli’s streets. The company, CONSERVE also provides a sustainable living for the poor women that make these bags, in addition to continually working to solve social, economic and environmental problems in the city of New Delhi.

$49.95 at Original Good.

Giorgio Armani has broken his promise not to use fur. A new video narrated by actor Gillian Anderson (X Files), shows rabbits kicking and screaming during slaughter. After the skin is ripped from the rabbits’ bodies, it is sold to designers such as Giorgio Armani—who uses rabbit fur in his new designs.

The selection of vintage neckties and bowties at ties2pillows.com is amazing. Everything from the classic skinny black tie, to high-contrast-plaid (big for ’09!) to narrow bowties can be found here. Most ties are only about $15 and you get 10% off your order just by giving them your email. Here’s a few of my selections:

If I had a bit of money to burn, and I wanted a gorgeous, rustic, recycled dining room set, this is probably the one I’d choose. It’s made from reclaimed railroad tie wood. $1468 for the table and 6 chairs, at VivaTerra.

Blinded by the White

Snow isn’t the only white thing out there! These bright-whites will make make any guy stand out in a crowd. The Carnaby from Vegetarian Shoes UK could point you in the right direction. Matt&Nat’s new Pool collection offers up this ‘Warhol’ shoulder bag with 100% recycled faux-suede lining. The vintage Wayfarer knock-offs can be picked up at Fabulous Fanny’s,  and the gorgeous 100% recycled glass Fern Plate collection from Riverside Design Group is perfect for a warm, winter meal. Autonomie Project’s fair-trade, organic cotton scarf will keep the chill out. Finally, what is better than Soy-Whip to top off a cup of hot cocoa?

He Blue Them Away

Don’t let the winter give you the blues. Instead, get these Topman plimsole high-tops, Alternative Apparel eco-hoodie, leather-free Hunter boots, Jaanj skinny cotton tie, Rayban Wayfarers, Naked & Famous Organic Denim, an organic, Italian dress shirt from Culturata Organics, or a gift set from Pangea Organics that you can plant the packing and grow a spruce tree!

Organic Menswear, KFC Victory & Action Alert!

1. Organic, Fair-Trade Certified Menswear from Across the Pond!
By Nature has a few great mens’ items like this beige polo, the red check shirt, and the dark brown button-down!

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4. Howies makes sharp organic & recycled menswear!
Howies, another UK-based company, makes recycled-poly board-shorts, organic hoodies, organic jeans, and everything else you can think of. This is a great find!

3. PETA declares victory in Canada KFC campaign!

PETA has won a major battle in its efforts to stop the worst abuses of chickens by KFC. KFC Canada has agreed to a historic animal welfare plan that will improve conditions for millions of birds. However, the decision makers that run KFC in other countries are allowing the worst cruelty to continue. KFC Canada has agreed to a historic new animal welfare plan that will dramatically improve the lives and deaths of millions of chickens killed for KFC Canada. The company will take the following actions:

• Phase in purchases of 100 percent of its chickens from suppliers that use controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK)—the least cruel form of poultry slaughter ever developed. KFC Canada is the first major restaurant chain to commit to phasing in the exclusive purchasing of chicken meat from CAK slaughterhouses.
• Add a vegan faux-chicken item to the menu of all 461 Priszm-owned KFC restaurants (more than half of all the KFCs in Canada).
• Improve its animal welfare audit criteria to reduce the number of broken bones and other injuries suffered by birds.
• Urge its suppliers to adopt better practices, including improved lighting, lower stocking density and ammonia levels, and a phaseout of growth-promoting drugs and breeding practices that painfully cripple chickens.
• Form an animal welfare advisory panel to monitor the changes and recommend further advancements.

Order a Free ‘Vegetarian Starter Kit

3. ACTION ALERT!

A bill now before the U.S. Senate will fund cruel, indiscriminate killing programs on our nation’s wildlife refuges. H.R. 767, the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act, flew through the U.S. House of Representatives because it was promoted as an invasive plant eradication bill. In truth, the bill would allocate millions of dollars to fund expensive, unwarranted and inhumane killing programs — targeting feral cats, free-roaming dogs, wild horses, and any other unwanted animal species. We need your help to halt this short-sighted legislation. There are better ways to solve conflicts with animal species, and if passed by the Senate, the REPAIR Act would ignore common-sense, humane approaches, in favor of lethal killing.

Holiday

1. Wearing:

Summer Wallets from DB Clay

Fair-Trade, organic Low-tops from Ethletic

Beach Shorts from Gilded Age

2. Listening to Ratatat and Bon Iver (thanks to Karl of Partybots)

3. Eating

Holy Moley! The Cheezey- Spinach Artichoke Dip, Chef’s Salad, Vegan Quiche and Pumpkin Chai Latte at Teany are so amazing it made me want to eat the dish-ware. They also have around 100 teas to choose from.

4. Reading “An Unnatural Order: A Manifesto for Change”, by Jim Mason (thanks to Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary)

“An eloquent, important plea for a total rethinking of our relationship to the animal world. Mason analyzes the West’s ‘dominionist’ worldview, which exalts humans as overlords and owners of other life…. His powerfully argued manifesto will change many readers’ attitudes toward hamburgers, animal experimentation, hunting, and circuses.” -Publishers Weekly

5. Going to:

Check out these events in the next couple of weeks!

• Soy Dogs at Shea
• Vegan Drinks
• Boogie for the Bonobos

Sling & Stone in a Good Society

When a group of Seattle professionals left their high-power jobs to change the world with “the most luxurious and best-fitting jeans”, they had no idea what they were getting Themselves into. Sling & Stones jeans are made from American-grown organic cotton. The pocket lining is organic, fair-trade Peruvian cotton. Their supplier programs in Peru help poor farmers, who previously were forced to grow cocaine, generate electricity for the nearby villages, and donate proceeds back into the local communities. Fair Trade ensures workers are paid enough to care for their families, put food on the table, and send their children to school. In addition, Sling & Stones provides doctors, subsidized housing, and living wages to their factory workers. If you don’t think they are doing enough, a percentage of Sling & Stones’ profits will be used to immunize villagers in Peru, fight teen suicide in Japan, and build an orphanage and youth rehabilitation center in India. Organic Jeans! Who knew?

Why Organic Jeans? Each year cotton producers around the world use nearly $2.6 billion worth of pesticides — more than 10% of the world’s pesticides and nearly 25% of the world’s insecticides. If all of our cotton clothing was organic, we could cut global insecticide usage by a quarter! This is staggering.

Cut: Daniel (Slim Fit) Denim: S&S Staple Japanese Organic Supima Denim

Cut: Daniel (Slim Fit) Denim: Natural Indigo Dyed S&S Staple Japanese Organic Supima Selvege Denim

Click HERE to find out where to purchase a pair.

Sling & Stone is also a participant in Good Society:

“Good Society is a loosely connected organic movement driving global change. The core value of this movement is the belief that in all things we must love, will, and do good. The Good Society label takes fashion beyond useless, and often-destructive pretense by presenting an affordably priced, forward thinking collection that is fully sustainable – both ecologically and socially. The label centers around its collection of fairly traded 100% organic denim with clean styling and a fit that ensures it will be the pair you wear to look good and feel great. Please visit www.goodsociety.org for more information.”

DB’s Etiquette Recommendation: If you care about ecology, animals, or other people – conventional cotton is your sworn enemy. If you are not familiar with the GLOBAL CATASTROPHE that is conventional cotton, click HERE and watch the video at the bottom.

Blake Hamster

When a company views ecology and social responsibility as paramount – it gets a Discerning Brute’s attention. When that same company acts as a framework for designers, artists, marketers, journalists, authors and musicians from all over the world to collaborate, it becomes even more intriguing.

The most recent collection by Blake Hamster pragmatically entitled “001″, features menswear made from 100% organic cotton. Showcasing the cut designs of Ulla van den Heuvel & Susan Bauer and the artwork of Hamansutra, Andreas Döhring aka, Beagle, Jeroen Jongeleen aka Influenza, Catriona Shaw aka Miss le Bomb, Stephan Doesinger, and Diana Keller & Damir Doma . Photographers of the collection include Michael Heilgemeir, Lisa Miletic, Michael McKee, and Dieter Mayr Martin Fengel.

 

It is their aim to experiment with different products, from shirts to housewares, utilizing various production processes and distribution models while upholding a set of aesthetic and ethic ground rules. The fabric of the mens shirts consists of 100 % organic, eco-friendly cotton. Even the dying process of the fabric took place in accordance with the guidelines of the International Association of Natural Textile Industry. The shirts are produced sweatshop free and Blake Hamster ensures fair working conditions for everybody involved in the process.

The shirts are sewn in Italy by the renowned Confezioni Barbon. Barbon has been manufacturing clothing for over 40 years. They produce for Jil Sander, Escada, Chanel, Etro, Marithè Francois Girbaud, Theatre de la Mode, Marni, Gaetano Navarra, Calvin Klein, Pollini, Valentino, Piazza Sempione, Victor Victoria, and Hilton. Barbon’s production division is made up of a high qualified staff able to realize and produce items of a high quality standard.

At around $100 each, they are not cheap! But keep in mind they are limited to 50 of each style, so you are basically buying art. If you are interested in purchasing any of their products, SHOP HERE.