Ecouterre

Looks like Forever 21 isn’t the only apparel label on the hook for promoting sweatshop-like conditions in downtown Los Angeles. Federal and state labor authorities announced on Thursday the discovery of “widespread” labor violations by garment manufacturers that supply to more than 30 of the biggest names in fashion retailing, including Aldo, Burlington Coat Factory, Charlotte Russe, Dillard’s, Home Shopping Network, Rainbow Apparel, Ross Stores, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Urban Outfitters, and Wet Seal.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Forever 21 in Trouble With Dept. of Labor for Alleged Sweatshop Practices

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Alicia Silverstone isn’t down with down. The actress-turned-vegan-lifestyle-guru and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are putting up a united front to urge holiday shoppers to avoid products that include duck or goose feathers. In a behind-the-scenes video released Thursday, Silverstone describes the cruelty millions of birds endure as they’re plucked for their feathers each year. “Many birds used for down have their feathers yanked out of their skin, sometimes several times a year, while they are still alive,” she says. “The terrified birds are pinned down while hurried workers rip fistfuls of feathers from their sensitive bodies, often plucking them so violently that they actually tear open the birds’ skin.”

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A Canadian camouflage-design company claims to be developing a real-life invisibility cloak that causes its wearer to vanish in plain sight. Likening its “Quantum Stealth” technology to Harry Potter’s magical coverup, the British Columbia-based Hyperstealth Biotechnology says the material tricks the human eye by bending light around a person or object. Although the firm has provided only “mockups” in lieu of proof of concept—CEO Guy Cramer says he cannot show the actual technology for security reasons—the company insists it has the backing of both the U.S. Pentagon and the Canadian military.

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Squeaky wheel, meet grease. After a week of relentless campaigning by Greenpeace’s “Detox” initiative, Levi Strauss has finally committed to eliminating all releases of hazardous chemicals from its products and supply chain by 2020. The world’s largest denim brand announced Thursday that it will require 15 of its largest suppliers in China, Mexico, and elsewhere in the Global South to disclose pollution data as early as June of next year. Another 25 major suppliers will follow suit by the end of 2013, providing communities living in or around discharge sites with crucial data about pollution in their local environment. Levi’s has also promised to ban alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs), which scientists describe as “highly toxic” to aquatic life, as well as replace all perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) with fluorine-free alternatives by the end of 2015.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERE: Levi’s, Major Denim Brands Embroiled in Mexican Water-Pollution Scandal

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Photo by Shutterstock

An international team of scientists have developed the world’s first fiber-optic solar cell. Thinner than the width of a human hair and scalable to many meters in length, the silicon-based wire opens the possibility of a new generation of flexible fabrics capable of converting solar radiation into direct-current electricity. The group’s findings, which were published in the December 6 issue of Advanced Materials, expand upon earlier attempts to combine optical fibers with electronic chips. Although many attempts have been made to integrate photovoltaic technology into clothing, traditional components tend to be rigid and unyielding.

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Remember when Tinseltown’s finest tried to make wearing your jammies in public a thing? If there’s one brand that could convince us to go full-on Hugh Hefner, it’s Suno. Ethically made in New York City, the Africa-influenced label’s limited-edition pajamas come in no less than six of its best-selling prints. Both cotton and silk versions feature long-sleeve, notched-collar button-downs and coordinating wide-leg pants with contrast piping. We suddenly feel very sleepy…

+ Pajamas $165-$175

+ Suno

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