Ecouterre

ORANGE FIBER \ˈôrənj ˈfībər\

n 1 a: A textile fiber made by extracting cellulose from citrus fruits. b: Said to release vitamins A, C, and E upon contact with skin, a result of natural citrus oils that are embedded in the fabric. c: A solution to the growing problem of citrus-waste disposal in southern Italy. 2 a: Developed by a trio of student-entrepreneurs in collaboration with Polytechnic University of Milan. b: One of the 10 projects selected for the Changemakers Expo Milano 2015. 3 a: The primary material used in fashion designer Adriana Santanocito’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection.

[Via C.L.A.S.S]

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Got fur? Chances are the hapless critter was raised and slaughtered on a fur farm in China, where cheap labor and lax or nonexistent regulations translate into fatter profit margins. On an undercover tour of facilities in the Hebei Province, investigators from Swiss Animal Protection, the largest animal-rights group in Switzerland, found horrors “beyond [their] worst imaginings.” “Conditions on Chinese fur farms make a mockery of the most elementary animal welfare standards,” they said. “In their lives and their unspeakable deaths, these animals have been denied even the simplest acts of kindness.” Above, the Chinese fur trade exposed in 60 seconds. (We can’t unsee this bloodcurdling gif, either.)

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Raccoon Dogs Skinned Alive to Make Knockoff UGG Boots

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Roma’s slick rubber rain boots aren’t your typical puddle-stompers. Fairly made in China from 100 percent natural latex rubber, each $84 boot includes a lining of quick-drying cotton to keep your toes nice and toasty, plus a multilayer cushioned insole for splashing around in comfort. Even better? For every purchase, Roma donates a pair of galoshes to a child in need. We’re hooking up one lucky reader with a pair of boots to call your own, in your choice of size, color, and finish (choices include gloss plum, gloss navy, matte brown, matte gray, and matte taupe). Enter now to win!

TO ENTER THIS FABULOUS GIVEAWAY

1. SIGN UP FOR THE ECOUTERRE NEWSLETTER. (This is important because we’ll be announcing our winner there.)

2. LEAVE A COMMENT BY JUNE 4 and tell us your favorite rainy-day activity. Although it doesn’t hurt to get fancy, we’ll be picking a winner at random.

Note: This contest is only open only to residents of the United States.

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Photos by Emily Sandifer

This spring and summer, celebrate the warm weather with sustainable, lightweight knitwear from Myrrhia Fine Knitwear. Created from sustainable merino wool, cotton, and tencel by Oakland, California designer Myrrhia Resneck, each piece uses only fibers grown and spun in the USA. Self-admittedly obsessed with efficiency and carbon footprint, Resneck believes in the notions of nationalism and protectionism by establishing a domestic supply chain.

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Photo by Shutterstock

Your running shoes may be leaving a heavier footprint on the planet than you imagined, according to a study published in the April 2013 issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production. A life-cycle assessment by MIT’s Materials Systems Laboratory found that an average set of trainers generates 30 pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to leaving a 100-watt light bulb burning for a week. What surprised researchers wasn’t the volume of the shoes’ emissions, however, but rather the bulk of their origin. Led by Randolph Kirchain and Elsa Olivetti, the team of scientists discovered that more than two-thirds of a running shoe’s carbon impact can come from manufacturing processes—more than the acquisition of raw materials or its actual use combined.

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Photo by Khurshed Rinku for Associated Press

On Friday, it’ll be a month since a devastating building collapse claimed the lives of 1,127 garment workers outside the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka. The Rana Plaza disaster will go down in history as a watershed moment for labor rights. In its aftermath, more than 40 of the world’s leading apparel companies—including Benetton, H&M, Topshop, and Zara—have agreed to hold themselves legally accountable for the safety and wellbeing of the people who make their products. Still, a number of retailers have declined to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which trade unions and labor-rights groups have dubbed superior to non-binding, corporate-controlled codes of conduct. Two naysayers in particular stand out: Walmart and Gap, both significant producers in the beleaguered South Asian nation.

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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Socially-driven accessories company, Thread & Loom introduces itself to the world with a line of handbags that make for the perfect spring and summer carry-all item. The resort-meets-urban collection is defined by classic shapes that draw the eye with neon accents. Founder Gargi Agrawal personally oversees production in India to ensure that artisans are paid a fair wage and that materials are sourced responsibly. A strong supporter of women’s educational initiatives, Agrawal donates all profits to Kranti, an organization that rescues and empowers girls of the red-light district of Mumbai.

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Photo by Northfoto/Shutterstock

As dozens of anti-sweatshop protestors faced arrest outside Gap’s annual shareholder meeting in San Francisco on Tuesday, the retail giant defended its decision not to sign the legally binding Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. Although more than 40 Western brands and retailers, including Gap competitors such as H&M, Mango, and Zara, have agreed to hold themselves legally accountable for safety and labor conditions in the factories they employ in the South Asian nation, Gap has held back. But don’t mistake the company’s reticence for callousness, according to Angela Leung Wasmer, the company’s director of global public affairs. “Gap takes our commitments very seriously,” Wasmer says in a video on We Are Committed, a website Gap launched on Sunday to address the issue. “We see all of our commitments as things we will do each and every day.”

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: More Brands, Retailers Commit to Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety

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Patagonia wants to play fairy godmother. The outdoor-apparel giant has announced plans to invest more than $20 million in like-minded, socially responsible startups through a new in-house venture fund. Known as “$20 Million & Change”—the name is a nod to both the initial capital and its potential to “change” the way people do business—the fund will fall under the auspices of a new holding company that will serve as an umbrella for Patagonia’s apparel arm and the company’s various subsidiaries. Patagonia Works, which succeeds the Lost Arrow Corporation, will not only cover present Patagonia holdings, but it will also incubate new companies or investments that use business to “inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis,” according to Yvon Chouinard, the rock-climber-turned-entrepreneur who founded Patagonia 40 years ago.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Patagonia Launches eBay Storefront to Buy, Sell Pre-Owned Gear

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