Ideal Bite

Eco Jeans

I Dream of Jean-ie: Apparel Basics Week

09.14.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Sun, 09/13/2009 - 11:00pm.

Apparel

The Bite:

Dreaming of a great pair of jeans? Wish granted. The organic jeans we've found are body friendly and didn't require any pesticides to produce - magic.

The Benefits:

Not wrinkling your nose over pesticides. Organic farms tend to compost, frequently rotate crops, and plant cover crops - maintaining and restoring the soil naturally.
No supernatural effects. Five of the top nine pesticides used to produce cotton are carcinogens.
In-genie-ous details. Our picks are high quality (so they'll last longer), and the designers pay extreme attention to detail - hand-pumiced stonewash, anyone?

Personally Speaking:

Jen prefers vintage (read: used) jeans for the worn-in feel - she goes into stores to try on different brands to test the fit, then buys the ones she likes on eBay.

Wanna Try:

Sling & Stones - lux jeans with 24-karat gold detailing; check out the skinny/straight Marys ($270).
7 For All Mankind - if you're into distressed denim, then you're well familiar with this brand's duds, and you'll dig the relaxed Josefina style in Vintage Cali ($198).
Serfontaine - not organic cotton, but the company uses fruit enzymes rather than the typical harsh wash/dye chems, and hand grinding for its stonewash, rather than pumice mined by workers who aren't making fair wages, in the developing world. Check the hot, skinny Fox Peg Legs with a side zipper, in black ($196).
Del Forte - one of the first organic jeans makers is still one of the best; the Laurels have a nice, little-bit-loose, forgiving fit. Send them back for recycling and you'll get 10% off your next pair ($75).
Levi's - look for the Eco label on many of its classic styles; we like the straight-leg 552s in Black Sheen ($70).
If you're more into value over style, Kmart and Walmart now offer some Greensource organic denim options for as little as $8 as part of their Route 66 and Faded Glory lines. (You can even trace your pants back through the manufacturing process using an included tracking number.)

Cocktail Fact

Jeannie's famous bottle wasn't created for the show; it was actually a 1964 Jim Beam holiday decanter.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Biters opt for a pair of organic jeans instead of nonorganic ones, we'll keep the weight of eight male walruses in pesticide-treated cotton out of production.

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