The early mornings are for padding along silently.

When the sun’s barely risen and the house is as cool and serene as a Buddhist temple, it would feel wrong to clatter through it in hard-heeled shoes – but at that hour, the floor’s too cold for your bed-warmed bare feet.

To wander through the house without a sound, you’ll want some soft, snugly contoured slippers. We’ve been in love with this softest of footwear since at least 1478 (the earliest recorded use of the word in English), but in recent years slippers have tended towards parody – great fluffy acres of them, the wider, (mock-)furrier and sillier the better.

Now, slipper fashion has come to its senses again. Take the calming, svelte lines of Acorn’s Quilted Eco Scuff Slippers (at Planet Shoes): the “Ivory” variety (shown) is made from natural hemp and organic cotton, while the “Earth” is hemp, wool and yak down. Both types use CFC-free polyurethane to form a soft sole that’ll keep you gliding silently through your waking home. Alternately, if you don’t live as far north as I do and your floors aren’t as cold, wiggle your toes deliciously in a pair of Acorn Eco Wraps.

You’re out on another date with your environmentally-conscious hottie.While you freshen up under low-voltage lights in the bathroom, he waits for you on your new, toxin-free fiber sofa, lighting soy candles and pouring each of you a glass of organic Chardonnay in recycled glassware.

You return after brushing your teeth (sans the water running) and reapplying eco lip gloss (made without animal testing) and cozy up beside him. He kisses you and you melt like a Sunkist popsicle at Disneyland in August. There’s no turning back. Thank goodness you’re green all the way – because you are wearing a certified organic cotton thong from Rawganique. So much for that green restaurant reservation.

Yes, it all comes down to the thong. This site, which offers intimate wear for "a fragile planet" has an impressive selection of cotton and hemp underwear in every style for men, women and kids. Boxers, briefs, bras and tees – they’ve got you comfortably covered. The thongs, in natural, blueberry or lavender, are $15-19 a pair, and the whisper-thin cotton keeps eco chic gals coming back for more.

Dutch designer Van Markoviec seeks to twist styles. 

By "twisting" attitudes and styles, the collection emerges triumphant as a balance of sharp and soft, ambitious and playful and entirely green.

From fiber to your figure, Van Markoviec is ethical and organic. A favorite textile for their collection is a hemp-silk blend tinted with all natural plant dyes. Their 2008 line is a paragon of green style – high fashion, but still streetwear inspired.

The look is cutting-edge, and simply beautiful.

I’ve had a love affair with Cosabella ever since my Swiss friend Susanne declared there is no better thong on the market. That’s why I’m so happy the star of the Italian company’s Fall 2008 line is the Eden Collection, woven of a silky blend of bamboo and micro-modal fabrics. Even Eve would be tempted by the comfort and durability of this new eco line.

The biodegradable bamboo used is an ideal choice for fine-quality underwear, because it is antibacterial, free of pesticides and herbicides, and four-times more absorbent than cotton. All of these combine to make the collection breathable and odor free. Modal is also a 100% natural fabric made from the pulp of beech trees and is extremely agile, which means the garments will endure lots of wash and wear. Say goodbye to itchy nylon panties with snags!

The collection of under garments and loungewear comes in organic garden shades of carrot, sage, corn, radish, earth and onion, and will be available in stores that sell the brand, including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and many more small boutiques nationwide. Purchase online at Chic Mystique. ($29-117.80.)

Salts Organic Clothing of Canada is chill, chic and sports a distinctly modern West Coast streetwear flair.

The line is entirely North America-manufactured and is created in an expanding repertoire of our favorite eco-textiles including hemp, soy, bamboo and tencel, a smoothly draping fabric made of wood pulp cellulose.

I enjoyed their online flash museum of "brave green clothing", one of the most charming cyber-clothing racks I’ve seen. With a vow to expand their sustainable lines and to support the Surfrider Foundation, Salts is proving they really are of the earth.

These bamboo skirts embody the understated Salts style, versatile and durable with that subtly hip Northwest edge.

I have a place in my heart for loungewear that can truly pass as going-out wear. Nothing better than throwing on this gorgeous black kimono for a day at home, at the pool or a night out. I love Jonano’s understated, modern take on this ancient essential.

The draping, patented ecoKashmere blend by Jonano is the perfect eco-incarnation of  a silk kimono. The material is ultra-smooth, organically-grown bamboo jersey – it moves like silk on your curves. The piece works as a minidress, a robe or a sleek tunic. The one-size-fits-all sizing will extend to just above the knees on medium frames, with 3/4 length deep bell sleeves to catch the breeze. A great value at $65.

Image/purchase: Jonano

My love for sweet slips and fancy undergarments is so strong that I even have an antique lingerie chest to display my collection. Like I always say, it’s important to dress up for yourself and swathe your figure in feel-good finds, but there’s always the hope that you’ll have a certain someone to show off for, too.

Hence, the latest addition to my drawer – this organic cotton nightie with contrasting lace trim by Perfectly Imperfect. It’s flattering, it’s natural, and it’s oh so soft. The best part: it’s machine washable so you don’t have to add one more piece to that mile-high pile of hand washing. Next on the agenda – find that special someone to sneak a peek. (Very reasonable at just $62.)

Image/Purchase: The Green Loop

Po Zu – the biodegradable footwear company – has created slippers with shoe-beds made of coconut husks which not only biodegrade but also contain hidden seed trays which will sprout and grow, if planted in the earth.

Compostable sprouting slippers! The inclusion of seeds improves the decomposition process, and ensures your discarded slippers will eventually undergo a swift unification with the soil. Not that you’ll want to plant them – the slippers are stitched to be extremely durable, make use of no harmful glues or dyes, and contain air pockets in the foot mattresses for a custom fit.

The entire line was inspired by the Japanese custom of leaving outdoor shoes at the door out of reverence for the interior space of homes, temples and businesses. Po zu means "pause" in Japanese.

If you’re the type whose feet are always cold around the house, give those suede suitcases known as Uggs a run for the eco-money with some soft, nubby Buto slippers. $170. (The entire line is planted at Po Zu. And don’t miss their edible shoe cream!)

Feeling luxurious as you slip under the covers shouldn’t be reserved only for cuddling up next to a sweetheart. So, I indulge myself regardless of occasion. (I’ve always had a small obsession with sleepwear and lingerie. Even if it’s only me, I like to dress up for bedtime.)

Sometimes I like silk, sometimes a little lace, but more often than not, I enjoy the breathable comfort of soft, cool cotton. To be honest, I usually steer clear of florals – they remind me of the tacky pajamas I used to wear in the 80s. But I just found this chemise and robe set by Deux Amies, and it’s made me look at flowery prints in a new light. After all, a little rose patch never hurt anyone. Even better, this set is made of organic cotton (Deux Amies’ calls it "green cotton"), which means it will be soft and safe on your skin.

Image: Deux Amies