The 3 Most Commonly Used Fabrics in Designer Clothing

Designer apparel has become extremely popular over the past decade or so. It was always popular but recently we have seen an overwhelming rise in popularity from this industry. To get the best of the best in designer clothing, choose pieces that incorporate these 3 fabrics into your choices:

Silk
Silk has always been associated with luxury and wealth. There’s something about silk that makes you feel important and when you wear an authentic silk piece, your confidence level goes up a couple of levels immediately. There’s just something about the way the silk hugs your body that flatters every curve, regardless of your shape.

Silk is used for a variety of fashion related pieces. It can be used for skirts, dresses, blouses, scarves, pajamas and lingerie. There are a number of manufacturers who have taken full advantage of the benefits of silk. Some of the designers who have been recognized for creating unbelievable silk designs include Prada, Chanel and Roberto Cavalli. These world renowned designers offer only the best of the best when it comes to their designer clothing and their customers are always happy with their purchases.

Purchasing authentic silk items will benefit you in a number of ways. Not only will it look better because the quality is higher than other materials (or materials that are only 50% silk and 50% other materials) but it will also last longer. A true piece of silk is likely to last twice as long as the “knock-off’ materials. In addition, silk is said to be one of the most comfortable clothing fabrics on the market right now. The sleek, luxurious feel of silk on your body will outweigh the cost in a second. Now you can justify paying twice as much.

Satin
Satin, although usually classified in the same category as silk has a few very distinctive features. Silk is made from insect larvae and is made of small, fine threads. Satin is shinier than silk and usually incorporates some kind of silk fabric into it but has a dull back. Silk is shiny on both sides so you feel the silk against your skin. Satin is perfect for those who don’t like the glossy finish against their body and prefer something a little softer. Generally, satin is slightly shinier, but for the most part, the two are hard to tell apart just from looking.

Like silk and cashmere, there are many designers who have decided to incorporate satin into their magnificent designs. Some of the most luxurious satin gowns have come from prestigious designers like Versace and Valentino. Unlike silk and cashmere, satin has become a very popular material in shoe design. World renowned footwear designers like Nine West have decided to use silk.

Cashmere
Cashmere is known for its long lasting comfort and unbelievably soft appearance. It’s one of those materials that when you see someone wearing it, you just want to touch them because the material looks and feels so incredibly soft. Cashmere is one of the most popular materials in designer clothing because it provides so many benefits. Like silk and satin, cashmere is also long-lasting, comfortable and pleasing to the eye.

There are many designers who have taken full advantage of the popularity of cashmere. Some of the prestigious designers creating cashmere pieces include Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors and Christian Dior. These luxurious designers are definitely the ones to look for if you’re shopping for high quality, stylish designer clothing.

The world of fashion can be a little undermining. Designers have clued into which materials are popular among consumers but realize that they can’t sell their items for low cost if they’re made from this authentic material. So here’s a secret to help you out: Some designers advertise their items as cashmere when in fact they are only partially made of the material. This way, you think you’re getting a deal because you can’t believe you just bought a cashmere sweater for $29.99. Well let me tell you something – nothing good comes for free. Look at the tags on these items and I guarantee you the product isn’t 100 percent cashmere.

Article source: articleworld.net

Eco-fashion: Transforming trash into treasures

Fashion designers are giving new life to worthless candy wrappers, newspapers and plastic bags; turning trash into trendy tote bags, purses and jewelry. From "post-consumer and industrial waste" comes durable, funky accessories reportedly worn by celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz and Petra Nemcova.

One self-described eco-fashion label, Ecoist, has partnered with Coca-Cola, Luna Bar and Aveda to create handbags made from misprinted and discontinued packaging. "We tap into that source of waste because it is reliable, and unfortunately, it's abundant," Ecoist co-founder Jonathan Marcoschamer said. "We believe that for the next few years, there's going to be a significant amount." How about 7.6 billion tons of waste? That's how much American companies toss each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

During the past four years, Ecoist said, it has sold more than 100,000 accessories created by its designers in Peru and Miami, Florida. The bags -- some of them one-of-a-kind -- are priced from about $30 for smaller versions to about $180 for larger ones. "For now, we're an immediate solution for many of these companies to utilize waste for something that's creative and promotes environmental awareness," Marcoschamer said.

Ecoist isn't alone. Katherine Rasmussen, owner of the label Reiter8, creates totes from recycled boat sails. Nicola Freegard and Robin Janson, the design team behind Vy&Elle, have recycled 100 tons of vinyl billboard ads to create wallets, bags and a variety of other products. Another designer, Anna Built, has opted to create jewelry from recycled tin cans.

But it's not always easy being green. Timbuk2, a company famous for its messenger bags, has encountered resistance in its attempt to produce totes made from discarded plastic bags. The idea seemed feasible when Timbuk2 formed a partnership with RootPhi, which developed a machine capable of bonding plastic bags together. The machine, called the Lamitron, allowed them to produce a new fabric while maintaining the visual details of the original plastic bag. See photos of the eco-friendly accessories »

The timing seemed appropriate; San Francisco had banned the use of plastic bags, and other cities worldwide were considering similar initiatives. Despite a following of 3,000 potential customers on the Timbuk2 Web site, the bags are unlikely to be sold any time soon, if at all. The companies have encountered legal and technical hiccups in their efforts to mass produce the bags.

"Everyone is afraid to be the large-scale manufacturer, to stick their toe in the water. It's a risk and a cost issue," says Doug Patt, co-founder of RootPhi. Tinbuk2 also found that, although trash may no longer have an owner, logos on trash still do. Target sent Timbuk2 a cease and desist letter in September when it discovered that some Lamitron bags showed the company's bull's-eye design. RootPhi and Timbuk2 scrambled to identify and remove the offending bags from its limited collection of prototypes.

"We encourage and promote recycling efforts, including ones that use our recycled bags," Target said in a written statement to CNN. "However, in this particular case we believed that the prominent use of our bull's-eye design mark implied a sponsorship or affiliation with Timbuk2 that did not exist at that time." Target said Timbuk2 has cooperated. Perry Klebahn, Timbuk2's CEO, acknowledges that Target wasn't technically wrong. "The onus was on us to talk to Target and get them to say OK, in this particular case, to grant us a license. If we really are going to make use of this, we should be responsible as the manufacturer."

However, the initial draw for Timbuk2 was the possibility that it could simultaneously clean up neighborhoods and satisfy a market demand for highly localized and personalized eco-products. "What's great here is that no two bags are the same. ... What if you could roll into a town and make artifacts that have a local flavor?" Klebahn asked. His vision was that one day, anyone could drop off their used shopping bags at Timbuk2 and receive a customized tote bag a few weeks later. For now, the masses will have to wait.

Eco-fashion has certainly proved that it has enough caché in the fashion world. Last year, British designer Anya Hindmarch created an instant eco-fad with her $15 limited edition "I Am Not A Plastic Bag" bag. The cotton bags quickly sold out in London and New York, with hundreds of people lining up for them. The bags fetched $400 on eBay and spawned a dizzying number of knock-offs.

Atlanta, Georgia, boutique owner Joyce Justicz said she doesn't think consumers buy eco-fashion exclusively for environmental reasons. "They buy them because they're cute, and it's an added bonus," she said. Will the trend last? Yair Marcoschamer, another Ecoist co-founder, is optimistic. "Businesses and individuals have realized that if something isn't done [about the environment], this is going to have a profound effect on each of our lives," he said. "Consuming products that are fair-trade, that are environmentally responsible, is our responsibility as consumers."

Top 5 Green Actors

Melie Bianco - Los Angeles Designer -
Uses Synthetic Leather to make affordable designer handbags.

About.com
From Courtney Curtis,Your Guide to Green Living.
Celebrities Who Have Gone Green

They’re rich, they’re famous, and for some reason the whole world seems to be obsessed with everything they do. Even though celebrities are best known for their extravagance, there are a fair few that do their part to make the world a greener place.

The question is: which stars are the greenest of the green? Grist identifies the following five celebrities as the most eco-conscious actors striving to make a difference in the world as we know it. Any of their efforts sound familiar?


1. Leonardo DiCaprio
A strong defender of the environment, Leonardo DiCaprio has had his own eco-site to inform others of environmental issues since 2000 and has been a Board Member of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Global Green USA since 2004. Since his line of work is in the entertainment industry, it’s incredibly suitable that he reaches a large audience with his environmental efforts. Narrating 11th Hour, a documentary about the impact humans have on the environment, and starring in Blood Diamond, a feature-length film based on conflict diamonds are two examples of his work. As if that wasn’t enough, he is also involved in the ad campaign for Gap’s (Product) RED line, which donates half of all profits to the Global Fund.

2. Cameron Diaz
This model turned actress started getting a lot of recognition for her green lifestyle when MTV's reality show Trippin' hit the airwaves in 2005. Even though the show didn't last, Cameron's greener way of living stuck with her, as evidenced by her day-to-day efforts. Not only does she insist on using offsets for carbon-neutral travel, she works with Gwenyth Paltrow to promote Act Green. Cameron also finds the time to work with environmentalist and former Vice President Al Gore. She was among 1000 individuals invited to participate in Gore's global warming slideshow training program, which she successfully completed. Afterwards, she joined Gore to announce the initiative Save Our Selves: The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis, in 2007.

3. Robert Redford
Robert Redford is a celebrity pioneer when it comes to living the green life. His efforts are alive and well today, but he got started making the world a more eco-friendly place even before going green was 'the thing to do.' The 'Sundance kid' took a keen interest at an early age, working at Yosemite National Park as a teenager following his bout with polio. His involvement with the Yosemite led him to produce and narrate Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven, an award-winning documentary about the national park and the environment in the late 1980s. But Robert had many other projects he worked on before regaining his focus on Yosemite. In 1969 he purchased Utah land to create Sundance Village and went on to co-found the Sundance Institute in 1981.

4. Cate Blanchett
This Australian actress makes an impressive effort to green her day to day life completely. Not only does she live in an off-grid home, powered entirely by solar panels, but she is making a genuine effort to green her work to the extreme as well. As artistic co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company, Cate and her husband are working to employ solar panels and reuse rain water to make the company entirely eco-friendly. Cate also works tirelessly as an environmental activist on the side. She launched a web-based climate change campaign in August 2007, and was a prominent figure in 2007’s Earth Hour ad campaign in Sydney, Australia. She also has annually participated in the Walk Against Warming Protest with her two sons since 2006.

5. George Clooney
When he’s not giving interviews as People’s Sexiest Man Alive or starring in the latest blockbuster, George Clooney is doing his part to save the planet. He prides himself as being one of the first (if not the first) to own a Commuter Cars Tango, and he owns a $100,000 Tesla Roadster, both of which run entirely off electrical power. But George does more than buy pretty green gadgets to do his part; he also is a strong humanitarian activist. George is a part of the ONE campaign and is also a supporter of Save Darfur. Among others, he has participated in events such as America: A Tribute to Heroes, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope, a telethon for victims of the South Asia tsunami in December 2004.