Ideal Bite

That story about Heather's reaction to the business suit is awesome. I can very much identify and routinely try to subvert the "no jeans ever" rule in my office by wearing courdiroys as much as possible.

According to wisegeek.com : "Modal is considered bio-based rather than natural because, though the raw materials used to make it are natural, they are heavily processed using a number of chemicals."

Until "green clothing" is more affordable for the masses, most folks will find it impossible to afford many pieces, especially with the price of gas still spiraling upward. Wal-Mart (bad word?) offered pajamas of organic cotton at a very reasonable price before Christmas, though those were the only organic cotton items I have seen in our small rural market here in SC since I closed SALT of the EARTH - "A Green Store" in 1999 due to lack of business. As SC's first registered green store, I had offered quite a selection of organic cotton items, but cost seemed to be prohibitive - even when offered at my cost!

What I can't tell even when clicking on the link for men's dress shirts is the washing instructions. Are they machine washable? Otherwise we are just polluting further on the dry cleaning end.

My favorite place to get work appropriate garb is Fair Indigo. All of their clothing and jewelry is fair trade and some of it is organic cotton. And Toshio, if you ever need more white t-shirts for work, they have them! Really soft, too.

I second the grip on the expensive nature of eco-friendly clothing. A good suit jacket for me costs about $50 (clearance people, clearance) not $350! Until we start marketing for the everyday women (and man), sustainable clothing is just not going to catch. I am not saying we need uber-cheap stuff here, but just mainstream pricing. Anyone else feeling that?

Not only are many of these out of reach for the "average" consumer, but I'd like to know who is actually making them. Are they made by children?

When it comes to dressing for a more formal office & doing it on a budget, it's easier to reduce, reuse, & recycle than buy new, even if the "new" is eco-friendly. Reduce the number of items you think you need -- just a couple well-made suits in a mid-weight wool, classic cuts, neutral colors, can be worn w/different shirts & accessories for years. Reuse your own clothes, of course, by taking good care of them, making repairs promptly, cleaning spots swiftly, etc. Recycle by shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, eBay, vintage stores, & swapping with friends for new-to-you items. Sometimes being green isn't about buying new stuff labeled "green"; it's about consuming less in general & using what we have carefully.

Here is where organic is once again being sold as a fashion whether than eco-friendly. The greenest wardrobe you can get starts by using what you already have in your closet or maybe even hitting the thrift stores for some good fashion that has already been produced. -Carrie http://www.litegreenliving.com