Judge these belt buckles by their covers and all you’ll come up with is a serious case of eco, clever and fun. And maybe an urge to go to the library.

I’m a serious book lover, and these one-of-a-kind Literary Belt Buckles are too cute for words.

I call them the bookworm’s belt buckle because each one is made using a small part of the covers of various vintage library books – books long forgotten, discarded and headed right for your nearest landfill.

There’s the Studious Boy buckle and the Pediatric Nursing Textbook buckle. My favorite is the Firefly buckle (shown).

The cover images are set in pewter and protected with a thick layer of resin. Each buckle measures 2 ½” by 3 ¼” and fits a 1 ½” or 1 ¾” belt.

Maxine, Dear is the brainchild behind these buckles, which are yet another example of going green by resurrecting the old into something new and useful. Bravo!

Find your favorite buckle online for $32 at Rare Device or Maxine, Dear’s Etsy store.

via Poppytalk

A successful swap keeps our wardrobes simple, timely and up-to-date. It’s a chance to gather with friends, put those great pieces you’ll never wear to good use and pick up “new” duds for free.

Here are a few tips for throwing your very own successful clothing swap:

Send email invites and ask everyone to go through their closets, pulling out anything and everything they no longer wear, like or want.

Include men’s clothing if possible, and shop for significant others and relatives. It’s never too early to prepare for an upcoming birthday or holiday.

Make it a gourmet potluck, too. Ask the guests to bring organic fruit (in-season), fine cheese, fair trade dark chocolate and organic wine.

You might want to subtly (or not) suggest application of a clear antiperspirant prior to attending. There’s nothing worse than a gorgeous dress with white deodorant marks.

Display everything on tables, hang it on racks and in manageable piles on a clean, traffic-free patch of floor.

Check that you have a variety of sizes available so everyone can “play” and no one feels left out. One size definitely does not fit all.

Create a semi-private dressing area. Use a bamboo screen or even a sheet to secure an area for trying on and off.

Make sure there are plenty of mirrors for oohing and ahhing. Have fun playing dress-up with a group of women telling you “Wow, that looks so good on you!”

Rules are key to a well-run swap. Draw numbers to decide who picks first, and so on. And once a piece is tried on and chosen, it’s off-limits.

At the end of the party, put all the unclaimed clothes in bags and donate the leftover stash to a local thrift store or women’s shelter.

The clothing swap isn’t for summertime only. Start off every fashion season with an eco-friendly wardrobe exchange!

Images: Idhren, and Nancy says

These have to be the cutest kids ever. Not just because they’re, well, adorable children, but look at what they’re wearing! Soft, comfy, organic cotton striped clothes! If these aren’t the happiest little munchkins you’ve ever seen…well…don’t tell that to their moms.

And just what are these tykes wearing? Clothes made by Happy Green Bee, a manufacturer of Fair Trade Certified, organic cotton children’s clothing. I found them at a trade show and got sucked into their happy little hive. Not only was it the bright, fun colors that attracted me – but the softness of the clothes, as well. And don’t be intimidated thinking that organic cotton has to be expensive – they’ve got a great sale page too.

Now if only they made this stuff in my size.

For the eco-textile connoisseur, have I got a treat for you. Yes, you’ve explored the soft and wonderful worlds of organic cotton, hemp and bamboo, but have you ever worn nettles? I know, I was surprised, too, when I came across Savage Designs. I was attracted by the swingy, well-tailored cuts, high quality fabrics and funky designs. Then I noticed a sign, some photos, something about the fibers. I had to know more.

What I learned was this: Savage Designs makes their clothes out of sustainably wild crafted Himalayan nettles (yes, the stinging kind), processed naturally by hand into a soft and durable fabric. They also use bamboo, organic cotton and Tencel from eucalyptus trees. The clothing is eco-luxurious and casually edgy; designers Sunny and Stardust incorporate conscious business practices and eco-integrity into every step of the process. If you’ve ever wanted to wear the finest fibers the Earth can provide, these are the clothes for you.

If you are anything like me you probably didn’t pay too much attention in home economics class. Cooking comes naturally to me because I had to help prepare meals at home – and I eat every day of my life. But sewing? That’s always been something I’ve outsourced or avoided.

Now that I’m supposedly all grown up, I admit to feeling a little envious of friends who are handy with a needle. However, since every skilled dressmaker I know started out making dolls’ clothes when they were children, I don’t think I’m ever going to catch up. I’m also not prepared to wear years of second-rate clothes while I learn my craft, when there are so many gorgeous ready-made fashions.

Instead, I am making a conscious effort to learn how to maintain and mend my clothes. In the old days I would either take my clothes to a shop – a costly habit – or they would sit in a basket gathering dust. In the mean time, I would forget them and buy more clothes. So I’m planning to give a new lease of life to my wardrobe just by mending my existing clothes. Why don’t you join me?

How to sew on a button by hand or by machine.

Frankly, if you just have one button to sew on then it’s faster and easier to do it by hand – nothing simpler.

Here’s how to darn a sock.

I avoid synthetic materials because they’re made from unsustainable petrochemicals and don’t let my feet ‘breathe’. Sadly socks made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool are prone to getting holes around the toes or heels. Instead of discarding them, the frugal and eco-friendly option is to repair them. (It takes about 10 minutes, judging from this video – but they’re working on quite a big hole, and I expect a small toe hole would take less time).

How to repair a tear with a machine (part 2 here). Or repair the tear by hand.

How to mend a hem by hand.

Image: wakalani

My grandfather used to tell me, “Things aren’t made the way they used to be”. We were probably looking at some item made within the last 30 years, and he was referring to its lack of craftsmanship and attention to detail. I agreed, and not just because he’s my gramps.

There’s something special about handmade things – maybe it’s the passionate intention or the time invested – but the difference is tangible. You can see it, touch it, practically smell it. Lest you think I am full of dramatic eco fluff, here’s an example of hand-made and recycled at its best.

Heidi & Seek is a one-woman show that has me standing for an encore. Her name is Hayley Lau, her home base is Australia and her wares are eco-friendly, sweatshop free and totally affordable. She designs and sews each piece herself.

My favorite by far is her Block Girl Dress made using a second-hand top and various unused factory remnants including black jersey, purple stretchy stuff and cream jacquard fabric. This one is size extra- small to small (US 2-4) and will set you back only $64 (plus $7.50 shipping from Australia). Available at the Heidi & Seek Etsy store.

Heidi & Seek pieces are one of a kind, quirky and have a mod 60s feel to them. Lau rarely makes more than one version of each, which makes sense since she’s using recycled materials. Learn more about her ethical clothing and commitment to eco-friendly living at her website and her blog.

The past year has been a bad one for toxic kid’s products, what with lead paint on imported toys and phthalates in plastic toys. For once, Congress has been quick to act.

A new law is set to go in effect on February 10th that will require all products such as toys, backpacks, clothing and other kids’ gear be tested for lead and phthalates in order to be legally sold.

This is a major step towards ensuring non-toxic products for little ones, but there was also a little scare for children’s thrift and consignment shops and DIY resellers like those found on Etsy (many of them being work-at-home-moms). Had they been required to pay for the expensive testing, most of them would have immediately been put out of business. And it would have dealt a financial blow to the large number of families in an economic crunch who depend on thrift and consignment shops to clothe their fast-growing children.

After hearing a huge consumer response, Congress quickly added a notice that vendors of second-hand children’s goods would be exempt from testing for lead or phthalates.

So what does this mean for thrifty, recycling-minded shoppers? When buying second-hand, use good judgment. Most clothing is safe enough, but avoid metal buttons that may contain lead or parts that can easily break and leach chemicals if a child puts it in their mouth. And when it comes to used toys, cribs and other children’s items, it would probably be best to avoid any imported or plastic products altogether.

Do your research, be smart, and rest assured that as this law goes into effect, safer products will be entering the second-hand product stream, and that’ll make the eco-friendly option of buying gently-used just that much better.

Image: notic

This was a spectacular year for the art and business of green garb. Environmentally conscious fashion designers from all over the globe popped up, providing us with sustainable, eco-friendly clothing that’s anything but plain, crunchy or predictable. Our eco fashion finds covered the spectrum from chic to trendy, simple to sophisticated, quirky to girly, modern to sexy.

The proof lies in this list of what caught our eyes in 2008. (You can check out our Fashion Favorites Guide for even more eco-wardrobe excitement.)

Silk charmeuse “bloomers”

Image: Verrier

The Pieced Silk Tunic

Image: Garnet Hill

Elroy Apparel

Image: Elroy Apparel

The Eden Collection from Cosabella

Image: Shopbop

High Style High Heels

Images: Nimli, Vegetarian Star, Neiman Marcus and olsen Haus

Acquarella Nail Polish

Image: aussiegall

The Must-Have Looks-Good-on-Everyone Sweater for All Seasons by VivaTerra

Image: VivaTerra

The Gypsy05 Maxi Dress

Image: Gypsy05

The simple No Sweat Tee as well as a list of figure-friendly tees,

Image: No Sweat

including this one from the ‘urban vermin’ series

Image: glo4life

The much-loved clutch and the much-needed shopping tote.

Images: One October and Tobi

The Ivana Helsinki Dress

Image: Ivana Helsinki

Here’s hoping 2009 brings as much fun in fashion – Happy New Year from our closet to yours!

Canadian designer Jessie May’s self-named line of casual knitwear has been making its way into U.S. boutiques over the past few years and the pieces have become a sleeper-hit among eco-minded notables.

The newest lines feature an increasingly organic selection of bamboo, creamy cotton “cashmere” and modal jersey knitwear. The line is divided into three distinctive categories: “organic tribal glam”, “coastal prairie nostalgia” and “sunny vintage tropics”.

Jessie May had me at ‘”organic” and enticed me with her philosophy of using a “therapeutic color pallet”. An earthy rainbow of hues ranges from vanilla to poppy, buttercup and chamomile. Easy on the eyes would be an understatement – these pieces are mesmerizing.

The integration of lyocell into many of the fabric blends offers a sexy, silken touch. Lyocell is a sustainably produced wood fiber sometimes called a “cotton alternative”. The soft feel of lyocell graces much of Jessie May’s playfully elegant inventory.

Jessie May’s designs are like sexy lullabies – delicate, flowing and surprising.