Correction: Organic Fashion is Fly

I previously posted a blog about how it seems practically impossible to find organic clothing that is both organic AND stylish. However, this weekend, the girls of the Teens for Safe Cosmetics "Turning Green" Fashion Show proved me wrong.

They walked us through all the major facets of daily life from morning to shopping to a night on the town. And the best part was-they did it all using completely green, sustainable and organic materials. And I must say, I wouldn't mind wearing a few of those outfits myself.

Bravo girls. You enlightened me. And thank you to all of the companies who were inspired to create clothing that is actually wearable for the eco-conscientious citizens of today's world. Maybe I'll go out and buy some new organic outfit for myself. Who can argue with an excuse for a shopping spree?

Meet Erin Schrode

How many of us can say that by age sixteen we impacted a revolution? Very few indeed, but Erin Schrode was only thirteen when she began her fight to educate the public and especially teens about going natural and organic.

She is only a sophomore in high school, but she has taken huge strides in the movement to living green. She is the founder of The Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign. She is also the youngest member of Face Parlour's team of advisors.

Last year she held "Project Prom" - a teen rally for safe cosmetics that was being staged in the middle of San Francisco's shopping district. She not only participated in the rally, but also very heroically chased down a purse thief (?!)

This past week she co-hosted the Turning Green fashion show and Green Spa with Zem Joaqin of EcoFabulous.

Erin Schrode is definitely a young woman to keep up with.

Teens Turning Green National Campaign Kick-Off

Friday April 4th of 2008 marked a day in history. At the Broad Street Ballroom in New York City, The Teens For Safe Cosmetics Campaign held their Turning Green-Living Green event. If you weren't there, you definitely missed out! Erin Schrode and her team of green advocates put on an amazing event that featured a short documentary, an absolutely stunning runway show, several organic brands, and a mini-spa to boot.

Tim Daly, from the popular spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, was in attendance along with his wife Amy Van Nostrand to support their daughter Emelyn Daly who was a model in the run-way portion of the event!

All of the models were amazing as they strutted down the run-way in the coolest and hippest organic clothes. Be sure to keep these names in mind for the future, they could be the next top model: Alexandra Vicuna, Cheyenne Kinch, Deepa Satwarine, Dwayne Garner, Emelyn Daly, Erica Fredrickson, Erin Schrode, Hannah Gross, Jade Viggiano, Jenny Osman, Jessica Despagne, Julia Wilfert, Kendra Miller-Rosenberg, Leah Sinderbrand, Taylor Griffin, and Marissa O'Brien.

Everyone who was there walked away with a free goody bag with samples from all of the brands and tasty snacks and treats provided by Whole Foods. They also walked away with a clear message: ORGANIC IS FABULOUS!

We can’t wait for The Teens For Safe Cosmetics Campaign to put on another glamorous event.

Organic Clothing - What's Missing?

Is it just me or is organic fashion industry missing a certain key element to their designs? Like maybe...fashion?!

It seems so easy to find fair-trade clothing if you're looking for your basic white tee or a not-so-form-fitting pullover hoodie. Yet, if you follow the trends and are looking for something that looks like you didn't just spend the day running around the track, the goal becomes much more difficult.

When will somebody fulfill this seemingly small niche market of consumers who are not only green, but also hip and trendy? Society is shifting and the word green no longer represents granola-eating, tree-hugging hippies.

Luckily, some people, like the Teens for Safe Cosmetics, are allowing creative spirits to develop new designs that are all fashionable and eco-friendly at their fashion show in New York City Friday, April 4.

But for now, I'm waiting for the time when all clothing can become sustainable and fair trade - even on the Red Carpet.

We Heart EcoFabulous

Zem Joaquin: the founder of EcoFabulous.com preaches a new philosophy about today's green movement. During her speech at the Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign 3rd Annual National Summit, Joaquin expressed that today you don't have to sacrifice style for sustainability- you can have it all.

Edelbio agrees that all products should strive to be effective, stylish and eco-friendly! Current Eco-Editor at Domino magazine, Joaquin believes that it's no longer enough to be conscious consumers - now we need to be completely conscious individuals. "We need to promote the companies that are doing things right." She mentions NBC's recent GREEN WEEK which included tips for saving water and energy and features of "How to create a Green Wedding". Joaquin is sure that this green trend will only grow throughout other media outlets. We think this focus on the environment throughout the media, new products and businesses can only help spread awareness and hopefully make the changes necessary to improve the earth for future generations.

A Quick De-Briefing of the TSFC National Summit

There were many exciting things going on this past Saturday, but one of the most exciting events was the Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign 3rd Annual National Summit. There were many teen girls (as to be expected) and quite a few notable speakers.

Dan Jacobson is the Executive Director of Environment California. He introduced himself to the crowd and immediately asked, “What are Phthalates?” I’m sure much of the audience was confused and hadn’t a clue. He went on to explain that Phthalates are basically what makes plastic soft and squishy, and a rubber ducky was displayed as an example. He proceeded with, “They act like a hormone when they’re in the body, interrupting the “chemical conversation,” which in teen bodies is particularly complicated.”

Whole Foods market was represented by Jeremiah McElwee, Global Whole Body Coordinator. He made the point that "the interesting thing is that for personal care products there are no governmental standards" and we here at Edelbio Skincare have been trying to point that out as well. He also explained that "the term 'natural' became ubiquitous and kind of lost its teeth" and that the solution is education. He told us that we must push for standards and the rest of the retail world will follow suit. There is power in the dollar and it shows in comparable sales.

Jared Huffman, State Assembly Member 6th District, announced that legislation is not the answer. He justified that by explaining that the industry will put out new chemicals on the market faster than we can remove them. He mentioned that he is now working on butter flavoring chemical and flame retardants.

Safe Cosmetics Campaign Spreads Nationwide

Do you remember when global warming was just a figment of the youth's/Democrat's/fill-in-suitable-demographic-profile here imagination? It was the pre-Gore war: raging liberal environmentalists vs. corporate America. Weapons of choice? Scientific journals and meek politicians, thrown in each other's faces like so many bits of confetti. And now look at it - 9 out of 10 Americans agree: we're in trouble.

Grassroots is where most mainstream movements gain momentum and spread. And now, after local campaigning and internal organizational efforts, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is moving to that grassroots level - nationwide.

We've been following their progress and have been impressed with their results so far. Apparently, harnessing teens is a big plus in grassroots efforts, as they have time, energy, and an enormous peer audience. Next week, in fact, Marin County is playing host to the 3rd Annual Teens for Safe Cosmetics National Summit where leaders will convene to spread awareness about the issues and teach how to further the campaign's goals.

Education being one of them - here is a recent finding, lifted from one of their newsletters, about triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial soaps, oh so popular in this winter cold season.

"Researchers warn that triclosan, a chemical used as an antimicrobial and preservative, acts as an endocrine disruptor. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can lead to early puberty, serious reproductive issues and breast cancer. Triclosan's hormone-mimicking behavior could also be responsible for harming aquatic wildlife, since this chemical is washed into our waterways."

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