Ecouterre » Lea Bogdan

Khadi: A Handspun Cloth From India That Galvanized a Local Movement

Lea Bogdan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:36 +0000

Photo by RaajMa

KHADI \ˈkä-dē\

n 1 a: A coarse cotton, wool, or silk hand-spun in India on a spinning wheel called a charkha. b: Versatile in its ability to be dyed with limitless natural colors and patterns. c: Can be spun in a range of thicknesses, from lightweight shirting to thick upholstery. 2 a: A symbol of a national pride movement, allegedly started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, aimed at boycotting foreign goods and promoting the country’s self-sufficiency. b: The official fabric used to create India’s flag, which features the charakha wheel at its center. 3: Used in some of the costumes for the Star Wars prequels, including Mace Windu’s cloak.

Thermochromic “Jack Frost” Scarf Reveals Snowflakes as Mercury Drops

Lea Bogdan — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:00:34 +0000

No matter how frightful the weather outside gets, Diana Eng’s “Jack Frost” scarf will delight with snowflakes that magically appear as soon as temperatures drop. A magical spin on technology in fashion, the scarf uses thermochromic inks that react with cold to produce the awe-inspiring effect. At 65 degrees Fahrenheit, tiny flurries begin to materialize, becoming progressively larger as the mercury falls further.

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Amy Pliszka Creates Expandable Textile “Hives” for Urban Bee Populations

Lea Bogdan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:51 +0000

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Laplam: A Recycled Plastic That Resembles Oversized Bubble Wrap

Lea Bogdan — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:00:45 +0000

LAPLAM \lä pläm\

n 1 a: A new material made from air-infused layers plastic—60 to 80 percent of which is recycled—with an appearance reminiscent of bubble wrap. b: Developed by a lab research team at Italian packaging manufacturer Tecnopack. c: Available in a range of saturated colors, the material is commonly used for furniture and women’s fashion accessories. d: Under the direction of Fabrizio Fattori, Laplam has been used for couture handbags, known as “Big Bubble Bags,” that are wildly popular in Italy’s metropolitan areas.

Cocona: Vegan-Friendly Outerwear Insulation Made From Coconut Husks

Lea Bogdan — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:00:53 +0000

COCONA\ˈkōˈkōnˈä\

n 1 a:Trademarked name for a lightweight, breathable fiber derived from coconut-husk waste discarded by the food-service industry. b: Reduced to charcoal, combined with recycled polyester, and spun to maximize its surface area for warmth retention and moisture wicking. c: Said to resist odors better than traditional polyester fill. 2: Used in Nau’s insular jacket, a two-layer, sealed-seam shell with a helmet-compatible hood that the Portland clothier describes as “made for the mountain.”

Sorona: A Versatile Performance Fiber Made From Corn

Lea Bogdan — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:00:46 +0000

SORONA\ˈsȯrˈōnˈä\

n 1 a: Sorona, DuPont’s trade name for poly(trimethylene terephthalate), is an extruded fiber that serves as a alternative to nylon 6 in apparel (swimwear, activewear, outerwear) and automotive, commercial, and residential carpeting. b. Contains 37 percent renewable agricultural feedstocks, in this case corn sugar. c. Said to use 30 percent less energy and release 64 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than nylon. d. Can be blended with other natural or synthetic fibers for colorfastness, wicking, and stain and wrinkle resistance without additional chemical treatments. e. Recyclable when used as a face fiber in carpet backing.

Zeugma: High-Performance, Moisture-Wicking Organic Cotton For Activewear

Lea Bogdan — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:00:46 +0000

ZEUGMA \ˈzo͞ogmə\

n 1 a: A 95 percent organic-cotton textile that mimics the qualities of petroleum-based technical fabrics without synthetic chemicals or additives. b: Wicks away moisture, dries quickly, resists pilling, and stays colorfast but with the breathability of cotton, making it an apt choice for workout clothes and other activewear. c: Made with a proprietary spinning process that mechanically aligns and tightly interconnects cotton fibers to produce long, smooth filaments. 2: Named for a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses. 3: Found in yoga pants, tunics, and jumpsuits by Prancing Leopard, the first company to introduce Zeugma cotton to apparel.

Amara Gold Debuts Collection of Recycled Precious-Metal Jewelry

Lea Bogdan — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:00:44 +0000

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Chiengora: Is Knitting With Dog Hair Doggone Good or Barking Mad?

Lea Bogdan — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:00:05 +0000

CHIENGORA \chē-ˈen-ˈgȯr-ə\

n. 1 a: A portmanteau of “chien” (French for dog) and “angora.” b: A soft, spun yarn—said to be up to 80 percent warmer than wool—made from the naturally shed undercoat of canines with hair typically longer than two inches. c: Current production methods are mostly limited to a low-volume, hand-crafted technique similar to traditional carding and spinning wool. c: Uses for the yarn include sweaters, and cold-weather accessories. 2: The subject of a book, Knitting With Dog Hair: Better a Sweater From a Dog You Know and Love Than From a Sheep You’ll Never Met, by Kendall Crolius and Anne Montgomery. 3: Spinners charge an average of $12 per ounce of dog-hair yarn, according to The Wall Street Journal; a custom-knit sweater can cost several hundred dollars.

Cupro: A Cellulose Fiber Made From Recovered Cotton Waste

Lea Bogdan — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:00:28 +0000

A linen-cupro shirtdress from Donna Karan

CUPRO \¦k(y)üˈprō\

n. 1 a: A regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton linter (the ultrafine, silky fibers that stick to the seeds of the cotton plant after it’s been ginned) that has been dissolved in a solution of ammonia and copper oxide. b: It is similar to rayon, but breathes and regulates body temperature like cotton. c: Often used as a silk substitute, cupro is noted for its ability to create beautifully draped clothing, except it can be machine-washed and -dried. d: A European relative of Tencel, cupro is a hypoallergenic, antistatic fabric that is resistant to stretching out of shape at higher temperatures.

Bionic: A Rapper-Approved Fiber Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles

Lea Bogdan — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:00:27 +0000

Photos from Timberland’s Bionic Canvas collection

BIONIC YARN \bī-ˈä-nik ˈyärn\

n 1 a: A highly durable fiber composed of organic cotton wrapped around a core of recycled PET, a plastic commonly used for the production of soda bottles. b: Return Textiles Corporation—rapper Pharrell Williams is a key investor—produces spools of Bionic Yarn, which can be woven into a tough, water-repellant material that looks like traditional cotton canvas but dries quicker and is twice as abrasion-resistant. c: The fiber is being commercialized by clothing and footwear companies such as Moncler, TopShop, and Timberland.

Tencel C: A Shellfish-Derived Fiber With Skin-Renewing Properties

Lea Bogdan — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 13:00:52 +0000

TENCEL C \ˈten ˈsil ˈsē\

n. 1 a: A fabric by Lenzing that combines Tencel (a trademarked name for lyocell) and chitosan, a naturally replenishable biopolymer derived from shells of mollusks. b: Purports to offer cosmetic benefits by hydrating and renewing cells, resulting in healthier, less wrinkled, and faster-healing skin. c: Naturally inhibits bacterial growth, accepts dyes, and is machine washable (50 times or more without losing its cosmetic properties, according to Lenzing). d: Used in home textiles, bedding, and active apparel.

Fabric Horse Recycles Fabric Scraps Into Hip Utility Belts for Cyclists

Lea Bogdan — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:00:06 +0000

For Carrie Collins and Mary Casper of Fabric Horse, tool belts aren’t just for workmen. The duo’s utility belts cater to cyclist, hipster, and nerd alike by combining edgy urban style with hands-free practicality. Designed to stow your travel essentials, each belt is made to order in their Philadelphia studio from castoff scraps and remnant material, including bicycle inner tubes and selvage edges. In other words, your Great-Aunt Gertrude’s fanny pack, these are not.

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Diana Eng’s Recycled Fortune-Cookie Purse Reveals Leather Origin

Lea Bogdan — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:00:07 +0000

Diana Eng’s Fortune Cookie coin purse combines several eco-fashion design practices into a small, well-crafted pouch. The Project Runway alum makes her purses from reclaimed leather that is marked and traceable through an online database. The laser-etched ID number might indicate, for instance, that the hide was destined for the dumpster because of stains or discoloration. Eng cuts her purse patterns from the unsullied areas, keeping as much of the highly processed material from going to waste.

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Wearable Shelter: Eco-Chic Streetwear Transforms into Protective Emergency Gear

Lea Bogdan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:54 +0000

Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino

When it comes to multifunctional clothing, a trio of Philadelphia student designers have the competition beat. Their conceptual “Wearable Shelter” collection, which wowed audiences at the third annual So Re Fa (Socially Responsible Fashion) eco-fashion show in Philadelphia this past week, offers the perfect apparel for these uncertain times, including waterproof coats that transform into sleeping bags or two-person tents.

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