Eco - friendly fashion seems to be everywhere now, with many brands claiming to incorporate organic cotton, do you really know what that means? Eco-friendly includes using, reused or recycled materials, as well as natural or organic fibers. It should also reflect business practices too with an emphasis on reducing manufacturing and operational waste, which in effect limits environmental pollution.
Although cotton is considered a natural fiber, conventional varieties are anything but natural. Ten percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides in the U.S. are used to grow cotton. Seven of the 15 pesticides used on cotton are considered to be human carcinogens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Luckily, organic cotton is becoming easier to find. And although the cotton may be organic, the garment made from it may be full of processing chemicals and metal-laden dyes.
The biggest problem is that, as with organic food, much of the organic cotton we are seeing in North America is from other countries, which have lower labor costs and, in some cases, lower standards. And large quantities of greenhouse gases are required to get the clothing to markets here. However, the market for domestic organic cotton has completely disappeared, because the price of overseas cotton is half as much, says Marcia Gibbs, program director of the Sustainable Cotton Project.
Organic cotton isn't the only natural fiber thats gaining ground. Bamboo, for instance, is a fast-growing plant and not reliant on chemicals. Like many other natural fibers, it is durable, anti-bacterial and breathes. Unfortunately, bamboo plantations can displace native forests, and the harvesting and fiber processing are often polluting and energy-intensive. Hemp fiber is a good bet, since it requires no chemicals because it grows very densely, not allowing room for weeds, and is naturally resistant to most pests. It is also one of the strongest natural fibers, making it great for jeans (the first jeans were actually made from hemp.) Soy and corn fabrics are also being used with good results by some designers.
Another celebrity "designer"claims a piece of the fashion world. Yes Natalie Portman is a talented actress, did you know that she is also a vegan? For Natalie, finding chic shoes for the red carpet that are not made from animal skins is such a challenge, that she decided to launch her own collection of vegan shoes, collaborating with, Te Casan, a boutique footwear store in New York City. 
Stella McCartney has brought an 18 piece "green" collection exclusively to Barneys New York
Who would of thought of recycling skateboards to make stylish and colorful women's shoes?
Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon these cool sunglasses made from recycled wood.
The future of fashion in green. Kicking off New York's fashion week this year, some of the world's top designers are going green in support of an eco-fashion initiative from New York based environmental group, Earth Pledge. Taking place on January 31st, EarthPledge's FutureFashion runway show will showcase eco- friendly designs, demonstrating that high-fashion can be sustainable yet stylish and wearable. 
