Eco Road – Material Musings

When I was in graduate school, I was immersed in the exploration of Deep Ecology, which includes the field of eco-feminism.  Eco-feminist could also be called eco-sensualist.  Indeed the entire Deep Ecology genre is sensual in nature (pun intended).  It’s about communing with the Earth and all her inhabitants with all 5 of your senses as well as conceptual thought in order to deepen your knowing and thus inform your action.

Over the past 10 years, I have been researching responsible hedonism.  There are many similarities.  It’s also about expanding your experience of your universe with all 5 of senses and conceptual thought and using that information to look for what pleases you and the other beings around you.  It’s about having more pleasure and inserting more good in the world in a responsible way that doesn’t cause harm.

My entry into the realm of eco-fashion feels like just another leg of a continuous journey to have a grounded sense of life affirming beauty in my life.  Over the past 5 years or so, I had been leaning into the tactile nature of garments.  How does it feel?  What is it made of?  How does it move with my body, across my skin?

Textiles is a field about which I have very little knowledge, and just beginning to research.  For instance, I discovered early that while bamboo has been gaining in popularity as a renewable resources among the manufactures looking to claim eco-cred, it is not without its flaws.  It turns out that the process to break down bamboo wood fiber and turn it into essentially rayon is one that dumps an incredible amount of toxic waste into the environment.  Personally, I love the feel of rayon, bamboo seems to be particularly soft.  I went out of my way to find a bathrobe made out of the stuff, and I love my Cosabella lounge set.  Am I going to give these items away? No.  Will I buy more pieces made with bamboo fiber?  Probably.

I’m beginning to see that this realm of eco-fashion is far more complex than I remember it being back in the day when I coveted hemp skirts and considered anything made out of natural fibers a no-brainer.  It seems that organic cotton, though, is still a relatively safe bet.  However, there have been supply chain challenges with how “organic” the material is that finally makes it in to your beautiful tee.  In this regard, I’ve come to rely on producers with a well-established eco reputation like Gaiam or Anvil for a stylish basic tee that could be layered over or under other pieces.

That said, as I write this, I am wearing a white tissue cotton tee that I purchased from Target a couple years ago, so I’m fairly certain that not only was the material production toxic, but the assembly was probably done by a woman or a child making sub-standard wages in nightmarish conditions. If I were to buy a white tee shirt today, I would choose a more compassionate product. However, I wear it with warmth in my heart because my dear friend, Mary, painted an abstract design on it that we created together.  I’m a sucker for original art and a good story, and this top has both.

In the short time I have been on this path, I am already far less the fanatic I was on New Years day when this began when I wanted to get rid of everything in my closet that wasn’t compassionate and sustainable.  In the mean time, I continue to read labels as well as research designers and manufactures looking for fabrics that feel good to both my skin and my soul.

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Oceana lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with the love of her life and their dear kitty, Jazzy. She enjoys writing about fashion for grown-up women who are not only comfortable with how long they’ve been around, but also care about the Earth. Oceana turned her focus to eco-fashion as a new area of exploration in her life on New Years Day 2012 and shares her journey here each Friday. You can also follow her blog bodyascanvas.tumblr.com.

Follow Oceana on #Twitter @OceanasCanvas

lead photo: Kee Klamps