I love following Tara St. James because each of her pieces is always so different. When it comes to the sustainable design world, designs like hers are rare but (she won’t want to read this) still very easy to sell.

The Study NY label is her first line since leaving the Creative Director post at Covet, a more commercial line she outgrew artistically.

‘The Square Project’, was her first clothing line under the new label, which she launched at New York Fashion Week last September as part of The Green Shows. She will be producing another small collection of eco-friendly clothing “all with the ethos of sustainable production,” using recycled and organic materials as much as possible.

This week’s giveaway is one of her high-waisted hemp silk skirts. Resting just above the knee and embellished with side pockets, this just might be one of your new go-to skirts. It looks perfect with a crisp cotton blouse or a slinky tank. This is a multi-tasking piece – exactly what you should have to make your closet stretch.

Feeling it? Leave a comment below and you might soon be wearing it.

(For complete giveaway rules click here.)

It’s hard to ignore those cautionary labels (even the misspelled ones). Do we dare wash a delicate garment at home and risk ruining the texture or shrinking it beyond recognition?

Warnings are warnings, but there are exceptions to every wash ‘n wear rule.

With the help of our blog readers, writers and the experts, we have put together a list of myths we are happy to debunk to save you some precious bucks.

1. Washing sweaters will ruin the texture!

“Hogwash,” says EcoSalon’s Caitlin Fitzsimmons, whose mama passed on the tried and true method. “You need to wash in lukewarm water with a gentle detergent,” she explains. “Then lay it flat on a towel with the arms folded in. Fold in the corners of the towel and then roll it up – this lets you squeeze out water, without destroying the shape of the sweater. Repeat with a second towel. Then lay it out flat to dry.”

Image: Moline

2. Dry clean wool because it will always shrink up in the machine.

This one’s for the dogs according to EB, who has been washing his own wool blazers and slacks with a front-loading washer wool cycle for years. “Wool is fairly hard to shrink and doing so requires changes in temperature and agitation  from rubbing, scrubbing and wringing.” No washer for wool? He says use the same temp water for wash and the rinse, a friendly, wool-wash cleaner and minimal agitation. Squeeze dry, roll in a towel and lay out forming the correct shape on a flat surface. I heart this advice!

Image: Romeo’s Mom

3. Cotton really stiffens up when I clean it at home because of the hard water.

We all know hang drying is the most sound energy-saving way to go, but that can produce tough results, as well. Naomi tells us she cheats a bit by tossing her cotton into the dryer with a sheet for a few minutes before hanging dry and it does the trick. And don’t forget, there are some gentle water softeners on the market that won’t give you that Downy chemical rash!

Image: Luigi FDV

9. Dry Cleaning is convenient.

Unless you are as organized as my friend Jodi (keeping schedules is her side career), it could take several months to pick up your stuff at the cleaners. Parking can be hard unless you walk or take public transportation in the city (Carrie Bradshaw did it by cab). And very few cleaners pick up and deliver anymore. It’s just simpler to do most jobs at home.

Image: Flickr

10. Dry cleaning always extends the life of your clothes.

If your clothing can only be sustained by monthly trips to the cleaners, then you are buying the wrong kind of clothing. Our fashion editor, Amy DuFault, is a guru of stylish alternatives and you can follow her resources in the fashion section. Meantime, no one has proven that Perc or other solvents with enzymes are protecting the life of your garment. The truth is, if you are following the guidelines of frugal wash n’ wear experts, your clothes should last as long as they would when doused with toxins and sealed in plastic – perhaps, even longer.

Image: Coolslaw

Main Image : Wm Jas

“Can you do a diatribe on dry-clean-only labels?” asked my editor friend, Tam, citing the numerous times she threw caution to the wind and hand washed a garment despite the dry-clean-only instructions.

Yes, Tam, we can do that. We at EcoSalon are here to please the frugal green crowd looking for ways to avoid high cleaning costs, as well as the toxic detergents regularly used by conventional cleaning companies.

For some answers, I turned to Karl Huie of Eco Dry Cleaners in the San Francisco Bay Area which goes by the motto: “We are not business people capitalizing on the green movement, we are an established dry cleaner changing an industry.” Huie won the 2009 Francine Levien Activist award, which recognized him for taking a leadership role in promoting the health of the community.

Huie’s parents first opened a cleaners in 1969 which he and other family members converted into an eco company in 2007 with stores in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of the city and across the Bay in Sausalito, Calif. (Marin’s first and only certified green cleaners). The Pacific Heights Cleaners is seen as a demonstration site for a statewide program.

They are what’s considered a wet cleaners, which means they use a water-based solution made of natural soaps and conditioners; and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Cleaning, which uses compressed liquid CO2 with detergents.

In other words, they really know how to handle wet clothes, which according to Huie, is the criteria for cleaning your own garments without professional help.

Luanne: Which fabrics are safest for DIY cleaning at home?

Karl: I think polyester and nylon are probably the safest, including recycled polyester from PET bottles, because the plastic in it will hold everything together. Bamboo is an organic product that cleans very nicely and is easily accessible if handled correctly, but you have to be careful not to put too much agitation to the rayon because that will cause it to break or get fuzzy.

Luanne: What about cotton fabrics? You would think you could clean those yourself.

Karl: The risk is shrinkage. That can happen with leather, too, when people try to clean it themselves. The other day a customer brought in a leather jacket they shrunk wanting to know if I could stretch it back out. I also get customers bringing in cotton clothes with stains they tried to remove. They bring them in still wet in plastic bags. You have to have some experience with material and know how to handle it when it is wet.

Luanne: I’m always surprised when I hear friends wash their own sweaters. I’m always afraid the texture will get ruined.

Karl: Generally, silks and cashmeres are not easy to handle. It doesn’t so much have to do with getting them wet but the pH balance of the water and the detergent you use. The wrong balance can alter and shrink the wool and strip off oils  that can cause the texture to change.

Luanne: I never go near any garments with hand beading or special stones but people question why they can’t be hand washed with care. What’s the best thing to do if you aren’t sure?

Karl: Any time not sure how to handle something it is best go get advice from a pro. If you are a regular customer of mine I’m happy to tell you how to take care of it. All the time people bring in items for me to fix after the damage is done.

For some great tips on hand washing or dealing with stains, such as salad dressing spills or chocolate messes, you can go to Karl’s blog, Your Green Dry Cleaner. On the site is a section about cleaning items yourself.

Karl advises:

“Just because something is washable doesn’t mean that’s the best way to handle it. If you’ve got good quality jeans, sweaters, linens, bedding, etc. you want to protect them. Dry cleaning your fine things extends their longevity, keeps color from fading and prevents shrinkage. Plus you get a professional’s skills in stain removal. Talk to your dry cleaner to determine the best way to protect and preserve all your fine things.”

Image: sfllaw

Curiously, the most esteemed and luxurious material of the past several millennia is one created by caterpillars. It is the fate of these caterpillars, or silkworms, that has animal rights organizations concerned. Many thousands of silkworms are killed in the processing of just one pound of silk; if any two or four-legged creature were involved this would be considered outright cruelty.

Somehow the situation is less clear when it involves the lowly worm – albeit cute worms that eventually become moths and fly freely. Becoming more curious about the origins of your silk garments can empower you to choose designers who walk a sustainable path on the silk road of fashion.

Though access and products are very limited, there are growing options. “Peace silk” or “vegetarian silk” is produced with a more humane approach to harvesting the silk strands; you should buy it when it’s available (unfortunately, usually it’s just not). In this style of production, moths are often allowed to mature and emerge unscathed from the cocoons, which are then salvaged and spun, rather than discarded. (To the discerning fashionista, the so-called vegetarian silk does have a slight discoloration and rougher touch than other varieties.)

Another option is wild silk – which is silk harvested from cocoons in the wild where the silkworms and subsequent moths are allowed to live free lives in their natural habitat. The silk is simply harvested from abandoned or damaged cocoons. Manufacturers cannot always use wild silk because it contains a different protein sequence making it harder to dye.

The silk of your garment may have come from a small supplier or an enormous corporate silk plant. Silk from a small village vs. an enormous corporate plant will generally contain fewer chemical additives (used to add extra luster). Buy from reputable companies that support fair trade artisans and you’re more likely to get the better kind of silk.

Organic and sustainability standards are still in the development phase for silks. The cruelty issue is largely separate from the “organic” issue, since silk can be produced with no pesticides or chemical additives, but still be processed in a way that kills the pupae before they become moths. The Ahimsa Silk company is one at the forefront of the peace silk movements, providing detailed documentation of its manufacturing processes.

The entire debate over the situation of sustainable silk helps us to recognize that “organic”, “sustainable” and “ethical” are three separate code-words, each with their own complex set of guidelines.

The word ahimsa (non-violence) embodies the core of sustainability practices can be applied when we inspect other animal-based textiles for their ethical practices. Defining sustainable practices for silks is starting to show on the radar of eco-fashion designers and consumers, who are encouraged to ask questions. “What became of the silkworm?” is increasingly a question on the list.

Image: Jason Gulledge

A woman’s purse is akin to a man’s tie – add a new one to an old outfit and it’s new once again. Well, almost. But the handbag does add a fresh dash of the different to any simple ensemble.

I don’t need a different handbag for every outfit, but having a handful of options from which to choose is nice. Basic black, navy and brown are important but finding a good eco-friendly bag with a little flair or color or texture is extra special. The Chan Luu Handbag has all those qualities and it’s made with vintage silk fabric.

This purse has class with just a touch of bohemian warmth. The thick upholstery-like fabric has a stitched pattern throughout its mustard yellow base. The ochreb color was the hue for fall, and it isn’t going to go out of fashion any time soon.

Find it at VivaTerra on sale for $198. A matching Clutch is also available, and on sale, for $85.

The colder the weather gets, the cozier your couch becomes. But how can you snuggle up and relish the warmth without a soft and stylish throw? You can’t, honey! Here are a couple of eco-friendly options I love.

Are you looking for a throw that covers you from head to toe? I’m guessing all our gals in the Northern parts of the country are saying “Yes!” to that. Shown at top, the oversized Reversible Silk Fleece throw at VivaTerra will keep your whole body toasty. The best part is that it’s reversible, so it works throughout the year for changing color schemes.

Amenity Home’s Alpaca throw proves that baby alpaca yarn is the secret to its amazing softness. And, believe it or not, these fluffy fibers both trap heat and breathe, making it the perfect throw for all seasons.

Woven from organic cotton and treated with non-toxic dyes, the Coyuchi Jacquard throw is available in an array of hues to complement any color scheme. Being lightweight cotton, it’s great if you get too hot being bundled up.

Feminine masculine, masculine feminine – in these days of gender fluidity, anything goes. Flirt with florals one day and dominate with stark, bold colors the next. Menswear inspires runways in cycles (in my calculation, about every other season or so) and it happens to be very much in vogue at the moment. Suspenders, high-waisted, wide-leg, expertly tailored button downs – can you swing it?  

If you’re new to the gender-bending scene, you may want to attempt this in phases. Start with a sexy, starched shirt and build up to adding suspenders the next time around. Or, take the plunge from the start and try this look by Meadow that hits all the high notes in one outfit. Go on, be a man.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, gift giving is the universal spirit of the season. The phones start ringing and everyone wants to know what you want. And suddenly, your mind is a blank slate. It seems the most daunting of tasks to conjure up that one thing you’ve been longing for. But thanks to eco-fashion mailing lists, my inbox does all the thinking for me.

Just the other day, these fabulous Ollie Sang vintage clutches appeared in my email and will most certainly make the perfect present. Made of luxe secondhand silk, each piece is one-of-a-kind with contrasting print and zip pocket inside. By day, by night, or thrown into your weekend bag, these clutches are suitable for all occasions. I love the gold and black version shown here, but they come in an array of colors – from red and navy to charcoal and blue damask – so there’s one for every taste. Available at Coco’s Shoppe eco-boutique.

To commemorate special occasions like marriages and the birth of children, Sudanese women adorn themselves with long, flowing scarves traditionally referred to as ferkas. For centuries, Egyptian weavers in Naqada, a region renowned for this craft, supplied their neighbors with these celebratory accessories. However, when a trade embargo was enacted against Sudan, rural artisans from the Naqada Silk Weaving Project lost a large portion of their business and struggled to subsist on seasonal tourist sales. The decision to begin trading with the Egypt Craft Center and Fair Trade Egypt turned out to be their saving grace, and, today, 70 members are able to support their families thanks to fair wages and welfare benefits. You can find their famous ferkas at Original Good.

Having just showcased her Spring/Summer 2009 collection at Toronto’s L’Oreal Fashion Week, Thieves designer Sonja den Elzen is guaranteed a speedy launch into the international eco spotlight. Much like her Canadian counterparts such as Deux fm, Lav & Kush, and Salts Organic (den Elzen hails from Ontario), the designer combines wearable chic with an urban edge.

Drawing from a palette of the deepest charcoals and black for her current fall collection, the designer evolves classic shapes into organic futurism through subtle details. The tailored tall dress (shown above) appears staid from the front but creative back drape detail and electric blue tights add just the flair we’re looking for. The sailor coat and high-waisted trouser incorporate stark lines and placket details that evoke industrial elegance.

Making decisions fueled by respect for the environment, den Elzen has chosen to use such eco-friendly fabrics as soy, organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, organic wool, silk, lyocell, and seacell in her creations. She explores texture, raw materials, and different methods of construction that yield high-end fashion quality with a sexy street style.

Right now, Thieves is sold exclusively in Canada, but you can shop online until collections come abroad.