Nau There’s Recycled Jackets

Nau offers up recycled weather-protection in some great cuts. Created from post-consumer and post-industrial polyester waste, these jackets employ cradle-to-cradle ECOCIRCLE® technology, so that at the end of a long life it can be sent back to Nau and recycled once again into polyester fibers for reuse. Unfortunately, some Nau products contain cruel and exploitative down and merino wool, so stick to these cruelty-free choices:

Sonic Neckties, Land O’ Aches, The Conscious Cook & Green Porn

• Tal Ronnen, the notorious chef that got Oprah to go vegan, shares his enticing, unexpected vegan dishes with everyone who relishes eating beautiful, flavorful, and filling food. In the Conscious CookEvery recipe delivers on his promise to omnivores and foodies: “You won’t miss the meat.”

• It’s so cool that the Girlie Girl Army crew pointed out these Limited Edition “Sonic Neckties” made from recycled audio cassette tape! Get them in skinny or wide at Supermarket for 90$

• Where simple goodness begins? The picturesque, historically inaccurate and greenwashed imagery on the cover of Land O’ Lakes products can not hide the cruelty under the wrapping. A new PETA undercover investigation inside a Land O’Lakes supplier facility in Pennsylvania has revealed routine neglect and cruelty to cows who are milked for the Fortune 250 company’s products.

• The only porno I’d ever recommend to you guys is the amazingly clever Green Porno by Isabella Rosellini on the Sundance Channel. Hilarious, hot, and the best biology and ecology lesson you’ve ever had.

OCTOBER CONTEST: Win an Italian-made, organic shirt from Culturata!

Seen on celebs like Matt Damon, George Clooney, and Michael Cera and gracing the cover of MR Magazine, Culturta has earned worldwide respect as an international brand that represents a higher standard of contemporary clothing. Culturata is changing the way people choose clothing by pioneering sartorial sustainability. This concept is based on the balance of old and new. By combining old world tailoring traditions and hand craftsmanship with new sustainable fabrics and practices Culturata elevates  our expectations .

You can win an Organic Culturata Shirt in a few simple steps:

1. Send an email to TheDiscerningbrute@gmail.com listing “The Top 3 Things You Can Do to Promote Organic Cotton“. The Subject line must read: OCTOBER CONTEST: CULTURATA (otherwise it may get trashed)
2. The best and most creative submission wins!
3. Deadline is October 31st.
4. The winner will be announced November 1st.

G-STAR, Mjolk, B.Son, RCVA

G-STAR is known for its urban, experimental approach to denim and it’s technical, decorative stitching and embellishments. The men’s collection features organic denim jackets, shirts and jeans. This organic vintage shirt does not disappoint, and would look fantastic on your walk for animals.

RVCA created a vegan studded pleather duffle bag that can carry all the anti-fur pamphlets you’ll hand out this autumn and winter, in style.

Sometimes Autumn weather can throw you for a loop. A short sleeve hoodie is a good compromise. These organic cotton hoodies from San Francisco’s B.Son can do the trick while apple-picking or partying with the turkeys at Thanksliving.

If you’ve gotta just roll up your sleeves and fight the good fight for wild horses, I love the wooden toggle-sleeve on this organic cotton shirt from the Australian line, Mjolk.

Drop-crotch seems to be coming up all over the place. People either love it or hate it, and it’s a pretty loud trend in Europe and Australia. Mjolk offers up these organic cotton jersey trousers. If slouch is not your thing, don’t worry. If you’re a risk-taker, dive in do some dancing in celebration of the 4.5 million animals recently saved from cruel experiments.

Native, Naturally

The incredible craftsmanship, color usage, and pattering of traditional Indian textile is going to be big this fall. The pairing of these styles with plaids, denim, canvas and moccasin-inspired shoes and boots is a great way to include it in your wardrobe. Because these textiles are traditionally made from wool and other animal hairs (like in the Pendelton for Opening Ceremony image up top), it is quite difficult to find animal-friendly and eco-friendly versions.

Luckily, thrift stores are chock full of this stuff, from silk-screened shirts to plaid pants and vests, to this western shirts I found, with a great black, silver and tan Chimayo pattern on it. I definitely recommend starting off at the second-hand stores, for both your wallet and the environment.

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Vuori‘s “Native” and “Tribe” organic tee-shirts  honor the men and women whose heroic efforts, so often unnoticed, propel us towards a more sustainable future. The “Eagle” tee from Loomstate and the “Endangered Wolf” tee from Loomstate for Barney’s celebrate two iconic animals that both need respect and protection. I’d wear this over a skull and crossbones, any day.

The Aztec Shirt from Sierra Trading Post, and Navajo Shirt from Orvis would look great underneath a solid sports coat or beneath a vest. Also try a Navajo vest over some organic plaid like Patagonia’s two shirts below.

Try some burgundy organic denim from Monkee Genes or pick up some plaid pants from the thrift shop!

These are some cruelty-free shoes and mocs that can pull the look together, or just function as the sole element:

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.

Loomstate, Edun, and Rogues Gallery: Organic Menswear Online Sale

Loomstate, Edun, and Rogues Gallery will be showcasing organic menswear at up to 70% off retail at the exclusive GILT GROUPE on Friday 7/24/09 starting at Noon EDT.

Gilt Groupe provides access, by invitation only, to Men’s, Women’s and Children’s coveted fashion and luxury brands at prices up to 70% off retail. Each sale lasts only 36 hours, and it’s first-come-first-serve.

A Fetching Friday

SOFAUX Fashion Factory makes awesome, hand-printed, hand-dyed,  organic cotton shirts. Made in Seattle. Get them at BlackBird for about $58

Also check out more organic finds from our favorite lines:

Gilded Age is famous for well-made, classic garments using the oldest looms remaining, and centuries-tested methods of dying and construction. This “Sullivan” organic cotton chambray shirt &  “Clarke” organic cotton seersucker shirt are quite fetching.

We love these organic “RIP” and “Sir Edmund” tees from Vuori AW09. Founder, Joe Kdia and Chad Alasantro,  use waterbased inks, organic cotton, and well-designed homages to eco warriors. Check out the rest HERE.

Wings & Horns & Lars Andersson organic tank tops are perfect for summer, and to show off some ink!

Sameunerneath‘s organic cotton blazer is back! This is a rare item in the world of menswear.

Cover your head! Patagonia makes a nice organic cotton cadet cap in black, brown, and green. Also check out their 100% recycled poly rainshell!

JUNE CONTEST! Win a pair of Bourgeois Bohéme brogues! (US size 10)

Win a pair of Bourgeois Bohéme brogues! (US size 10)

Bourgeois Boheme makes amazing, vegan shoes and boots for men and women. These Simpatias have been featured on the blog before, and I am sure someone who is a size 10 will have some happy, handsome feet! These are some of my favorites!

You can win these Bourgeois Bohéme $125 shoes in a few simple steps:

1. Write a “letter to the editor” of any major fashion magazine you choose: Vogue, GQ, Elle, Cosmo, etc… explaining why leather is disgusting, toxic, unethical and outdated! Here are some facts & tips to help you write! Remember: the goal is to enlighten, not incite! Be respectful, and do not make threats.
2. Forward that letter to TheDiscerningbrute@gmail.com. The Subject line must read: JUNE CONTEST: Bourgeois Boheme (otherwise it may get trashed)
3. The best, most moving and creative letter wins!
4. Deadline is June 31st.
5. The winner will be announced July 1st.

* DISCLAIMER: The Discerning Brute takes no responsibility for the content of any letter written in association with this contest.

Loomstate for Target: Affordable Organics

One of our favorite lines, Loomstate, has partnered with Target to do a line of affordable, organic menswear and womenswear . Founders Scott Hahn and Rogan bring us denim, tees, chinos, board shorts, jackets, and knits all around $20 – $40.

What’s so great about organic cotton anyway? Watch this vid.