Sustainable Style with Alt Anthro
The following is republished with permission from Alt Anthro. Thank you to sustainability coach Cat for putting together such fabulous outfits!
Express yourself and your values
I recently had the pleasure of working with the team over at Ash & Rose to debunk a long-standing myth: that sustainable fashion is all boring tee shirts and hemp dresses.
Ethical and sustainable fashion has come such a long way in recent years and as consumers, we now have hundreds of eco-friendly clothing options that fit every style. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to even begin searching for brands that meet your standards and your style. That’s where Ash & Rose comes in!
Ash & Rose mindfully picks out items solely from designers who match their values. They look for items that are handmade, use sustainable textiles, donate to charity, are Fair Trade, Fair Labor, and Cruelty Free, and so much more. Oh, and if that’s not all, everything they pick out is super stylish too!
Don’t believe me? Check out a few of these outfits I put together entirely from their selection:
Look #1 – The Informed Activist
This look is VERY me – I love to build an outfit from an all-black base and these button-fly jeans and bell sleeve top add such gorgeous detail to a very simple, chic look.
Not to mention, the jeans are consciously crafted in the U.S. and the top is designed with zero-waste production methods using reclaimed rayon.
And just in case my outfit didn’t already shout “I’m a conscious consumer” I grabbed my copy of The Imperfect Environmentalist to really drive the message home.
From there I layered on this lovely, lightweight scarf handmade in India along with these stunning earrings, Eloise Ring, and the aptly named Bitsy Ring all handmade with fair labor practices.
Look #2 – The Mindful Healer
I don’t know about you, but for me curling up with a book and an oversized, knit cardigan on a dreary winter day is peak self-care.
So, meet your new favorite “me-time” uniform: the cozy Potto Longline Cardigan. And to make your experience even more relaxing, you can rest easy knowing the cardigan is made by an ethical brand that emphasizes quality, sustainability, and worker rights.
To add to the goodness, I layered this cardigan over perhaps the softest floral camisole I’ve ever felt made with organic cotton and colored with low-impact dyes and yes, jeans. I know what you’re thinking – but trust me these jeans are actually comfortable!
They’re made in the U.S. with well-crafted comfort stretch fabrics so you can get lost in a good book without thinking about your jeans digging into your sides.
Look #3 – The Glam Hippy
This look is as perfect for attending a spring wedding as it is for frolicking barefoot through a field of flowers.
This ankle-length maxi dress has a gorgeous, elevated details like floral print and puff-sleeves making it elegant enough for special events but comfortable enough to quickly transfer into a play dress with its stretchy, smocked bodice and hidden pockets. Yes, I’ll repeat that again. Pockets!
If you’re not already convinced that this is the perfect dress, It’s also very worth mentioning that it’s sustainably handmade with a mission to educate, employ, and empower women in India. Similarly, the jaw-dropping moonstone and labradorite earrings I’ve paired with this dress were also made in India with Fair Trade practices.
About Ash & Rose
Ash & Rose is a mother-daughter owned boutique that believes in filling the world with more beauty and less waste. In my experience with the shop, they’re doing an amazing job with that mission!
Story:
In the midst of the pandemic, a broken pipe flooded Ash & Rose’s small shop under 6 ft of water and sewage, forcing them to close their brick-and-mortar location indefinitely and move forward online-only.
While this is a difficult transition and undoubtedly a loss for in-person connection, it is also a gain for buyers across the country as there is now more emphasis on reaching individuals with their important ethical message regardless of geographical location. If we can show buyers across the U.S. how diverse sustainable beauty truly can be, that’s a huge win!
I highly encourage you to support mission-driven small business now more than ever!
Brands:
Across the Ash & Rose site I was able to spot tons of brands that I know and trust for their sustainable and ethical practices, as well as be introduced to a number of amazing brands I’d never heard of before! They do such a wonderful job curating a diverse mix of clothing and jewelry that gives back and I am able to fully trust that when I buy from their shop, I’m making a difference.
Not only do they showcase incredible brands like Tonlé, Just Black Denim, Dolma, Thought Fashion, Synergy Organic, and more, but they also offer their own line of garments, The Ash & Rose Collection, which is handmade in Boston, MA out of deadstock fabrics!
Shipping & Packaging:
I was so impressed with Ash & Rose’s packaging when I first opened my delivery! All of my items shipped 100% plastic-free wrapped in reused tissue paper however, items are generally shipped in recycled poly mailers, which are reusable and recyclable.
My order was also sent in a reused cardboard boxes from a previous supplier shipment. To pad the items on their journey Ash & Rose re-uses protective packing materials sourced from the local community. They also offer a gift packaging service using 100% recycled kraft gift boxes that are made in the U.S.
If that’s not all, each piece of jewelry is also sent in a colorful, handmade pouch crafted out of scrap fabric from the Ash & Rose Collection!
Collaboration:
I’d like to thank Ash & Rose for reaching out to conscious consumers like myself for these kinds of opportunities and for sponsoring this post! It is because of organizations like Ash & Rose that I am able to continue my works as a sustainability educator.
Your sustainable lifestyle coach,
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