Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Fruit of the Loom(state)

Would you pay $200 for a pair of jeans?

What if they were made of 100% certified organic cotton , were a model of sustainability and came with a certificate guaranteeing fair-trade practices?

Yeah... me either.

$200 is $200, especially these days. When people are struggling to pay their mortgages and worried about being laid off, buying a pair of eco-friendly jeans for $200 might seem... well... a little frivolous.

And that right there ladies and gentlemen is a problem the Green Movement is only just now starting to address. When so many eco-friendly and organic products are out of reach for an increasing number of Americans living on a budget, the Green Movement can have a disturbing tinge of exclusivity. It's not enough to tell people not to buy from the chains or the commercially-grown products, there has to be affordable alternatives. I would love to do all my shopping at Whole Foods, but my paycheck just doesn't stretch that far.

The good news is that a few visionaries are trying to make organic more affordable.

Designer Rogan Gregory has been a passionate advocate of green-living for years. His Loomstate line with Scott Mackinlay Hahn was one of the first fashion labels to feature organic materials, and he famously started Edun with Bono's wife. This month he introduced a cheaper version of his Loomstate line at Target but with the same dedication towards being environmentally friendly and the same quality.

The collection features super-soft tees, cute separates, a plaid bikini and boardshorts for guys. And at $14.99-$44.99, there's something for everyone's budget.



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