Ecouterre

Love may be a many-splendored thing, but it's what goes on behind closed doors that really lights our fire. We've lassoed up no less than 14 suggestive suggestions for under-cover lovers who want to set pulses racing while treading lightly on the planet. Heartbreaker, yes. Planet smasher, not so much. Above, an ethically crafted French silk-satin "showgirl" bra by Fred & Ginger will help you get undressed for success.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Fresh from Peru's Sacred Valley, Awamaki Lab returns with a second collection of knitwear that bridges the divide between modern design and Old World craftsmanship. As part of a four-month residency, recent Parsons graduates Courtney Cedarholm and Andria Crescioni uprooted themselves to historic Ollantaytambo, where they worked with a cooperative of Quechua women weavers to develop garments using traditional Andean textiles and techniques. The 13-piece capsule line, which launched at a trunk show in New York City on Friday, will be on view at the Textile Arts Center through Monday.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Hard to believe, but Carrie Parry launched her eponymous label barely a year ago. (We wrote about her debut collection in April.). The Central Saint Martins graduate isn't luxuriating in her salad days, however. Already, Parry has amassed a number of accolades that belie her youth, including the Ethical Fashion Forum's 2011 Innovation U.S.A. Award, a coveted spot at Designer & Agents' Green Room, and the chance to participate in the Green Fashion Competition at Amsterdam Fashion Week as the sole American finalist. So how does she do it? Ecouterre dropped by Parry's Brooklyn studio, just before she zipped off to the Netherlands, to find out.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

If the huddle of artisans making product on the showroom floor didn't clue you in the first time, Project is an entirely different kind of trade show. Its "Made by Project" pop-up exhibit, which ends today in New York City, enlisted iconic and emerging heritage brands such as Barbour, Martin Greenfield, Oak Street Bootmakers, Victor Osborne, Dedegumo, and Metsa to prove their mettle with live—yes, live—demonstrations of their handiwork. Ecouterre snuck behind the scenes for an up-close-and-personal look at the future of craftsmanship.

The start of a brand new year is always ripe with promise and countless possibilities. We asked 22 eco-fashion movers and shakers, including a museum textile conservator, a Project Runway winner, a wearable-technology designer, an online curator of preowned clothing, and several of our media comrades in arms to offer their forecasts for the year ahead. Discover why Safia Minney of People Tree thinks that adorning our bodies will be less important than paying attention to our health, who Summer Rayne Oakes pegs as a champion of artisanship, and what Prophetik's Jeff Garner predicts will be "dripping from the tongues of the masses."

2011 made sartorial history in more ways than one, so it's probably no coincidence that the hottest stories of the year were also some of the most groundbreaking. From the Duchess of Cambridge's hand-embroidered Alexander McQueen wedding gown to lab-grown skins that could replace animals in cosmetics testing, here are seven revolutionary stories that are changing the face of fashion, science, and design.

Oh the evil that men (and women) do. From counterfeit UGG boots made from the skins of brutally flayed raccoon dogs to the alleged complicity of retailers such as Walmart and Macy's in a "rape factory" in Jordan, here are seven stories from the past year that reflect humanity at its lowest.

Creepy, kooky, and altogether ooky. From garments "grown" from petri-dish mold to a floor-length gown made with 3,000 cow nipples, here are seven of the year's most mind-boggling stories that amazed, confounded, and sometimes made us throw up in our mouths a little. Vote for your favorite (or least favorite, as the case may be) below!

The future is ready for its close-up. From contact lenses that give you Terminator-style vision to a field of jeans that purify the air around them, we've rounded up the year's most cutting-edge concepts that are shaping the world of tomorrow today. Cast your vote for the next big thing below!

Cups that overfloweth are a good thing. Landfills, not so much. From jewelry made from discarded footballs and dumpster-bound plexiglass to floor-sweeping gowns derived from vintage children's books and repurposed plastic water bottles, here are seven recycled garments and accessories that are giving our burgeoning rubbish heaps some measure of respite. Have a favorite? Sound off below!

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

As New York City's Garment District struggles to maintain a foothold in the fashion industry, David Gensler, founder of the Keystone Design Union, a Brooklyn-based design consultancy, and apparel label Serum Versus Venom, has it figured out. As the mastermind of Brooklyn Sewn, a new in-house fashion atelier in Williamsburg, Gensler is working to keep the tradition of creating high-quality garments in Gotham alive. By offering everything from pattern-making to small production runs, Gensler is banking on the ethos "if you build it, they will come"—"they" being local designers and brands looking to produce their wares on a small, accountable scale.

You don't have to brave the hordes on Black Friday to score a great deal, particularly if you're looking to save some green while buying green. By putting a planet-pandering twist on Gilt-like private sales, these seven members-only sites have done all the legwork for you. Above, LovingEco offers a rotating selection of sustainable fashion and beauty picks—brands include Stewart + Brown, GoodSociety, and PeaceMaker Cosmetics—with savings of up to 50 percent off retail. Plus, 3 percent of every sale goes to a social or environmental cause.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Procrastinators, rejoice! Here's a do-it-yourself ribbon brooch that's so easy to make, it'll take only 20 minutes from your holiday schedule. Embellished with found objects like feathers, sequins, and other assorted doodads, it becomes a one-of-a-kind treasure that looks good pinned on anything from dressy to casual. And just in the St. Nick of time, too. Now who wants more eggnog?

Photos by Mike Chino for Ecouterre

The holidays wouldn’t be as bright without Global Green U.S.A.'s annual "Gorgeous & Green" eco-fashion show and fundraiser, which took place earlier this month at the historic, LEED-certified Bentley Reserve in San Francisco. The event is both the seventh for co-chairs Zem Joaquin and Nadine Weil, as well as, according to our sources, their last. Something tells us, however, that the gorgeous duo will surprise us with many more glamorous soirees to come. Until then, click through our slideshow to revisit the delightful array of colorful gowns that were as easy on the eye as they were the environment.

As the first trends-driven global-sourcing marketplace for the fashion industry, Source4Style knows fabric. To celebrate the 2.0 version of its website, co-founder Summer Rayne Oakes has compiled a list of sourcing tips for emerging designers, particularly those with a yen for sustainability. “Despite the rise of online solutions to fashion commerce, the $400 billion market for materials sourcing remains offline and fragmented,” says Oakes. “Design and apparel brands want to come to a place where they are inspired, where they can discover new trends. Most don’t want to purchase the material for their upcoming collection in the same place they can source coffee beans or machine parts." Source4Style seeks to change all offering designers a curated selection of materials through comprehensive search tools and trend reports. Plus, the first 25 Ecouterre readers to use the code 25TERRE100 at checkout will get $100 off an annual Premium Level Membership and $25 in free swatches.

It's 27 degrees outside and you want to SMS your friend for the address of the restaurant you're meeting her at, except that doing so would entail wrenching your poor fingers from the cozy recesses of your gloves. If you had a pair of smartphone-compatible "texting" gauntlets, however, you wouldn't even be having that dilemma. For frugal types who prefer not to splurge, here's how to make your own from a pair of mitts you already have tucked away.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

What do tall, gleaming skyscrapers have in common with rustic, handwoven textiles from Guatemala? Plenty, if you ask Dita Zakova of Ecolibri, a social enterprise based in the Lake Atitlan region, and Rhea Alexander, founder of sustainable design house DIGS. The duo launched Scarfitecture: A Venture in Design, Sustainability and Impact Investing earlier this year to build awareness of the skills and abilities of Guatemalan women artisans, who collaborated with seven internationally renowned architects to create a series of scarves and shawls using natural dyes and reclaimed yarn. The completed designs were featured in a fashion show in New York City's Financial District earlier this month, followed by a silent auction in benefit of Ecolibri's community-sustaining work.

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Still have someone special on your list who would appreciate a handcrafted gift from you? Here's a simple necklace that requires little technical skill or expense. (You can even do it while watching your favorite holiday movie.) For a personal touch, try salvaging fabric scraps from a favorite shirt, bag, or scarf you no longer use. And once you have the basic process down, you can create unique designs by varying the fabric or adding embroidery or beads.

Know someone who collect gadgets the way other people hoard cereal box tops? Here are seven eco-chic gifts for the early adopter in your life. Above, Mac geeks will take a shine to these upcycled laptop cuff links ($125) by Creative Dexterity.

Cold winter blasts, dry indoor heating, and holiday stress can take a bitter toll on your visage. If flaky hides, wan complexions, and inopportune breakouts are making it tough to love the skin you're in, here are six all-natural treatments—both DIY and ready-to-buy—to help you relax and save face.