Vancouver Eco-Fashion Week

Ladies and gentlemen, let us roll out the red carpet for our favourite Vancouver fashion event of the season. Eco Fashion Week is here and the talent is endless. From Nicole Bridger's Spring/Summer 2013 opening show to My Sister's Closet and Adhesif closing out the week, its all about beauty with a conscious.

You may be wondering why we are so excited for EFW and didn't really lose it over VFW. Following up on what we've said in the past, Vancouver just cannot compete with New York, Paris or London on the same criteria. We are a very small fish in comparison, in both size of city and industry. However, throw in environmental standards and social awareness to the ethics of the fashion industry and we've made a name for ourselves in the global market place for being "Eco" fashion. Not just here in Vancouver, but the entire west coast of North America is gradually becoming the recognizable hub of eco-fashion. Its a slow process, but with Vancouver Eco-Fashion Week in its 6th season, we are well on our way.

With the mantra to educate and awe, EFW has a full schedule of seminars and shows. From Sunday, April 21 to Wednesday, April 24 there are lectures, educational talks, competitions and unique shows put on by Vancouver's most talented fashion designers and artists. Find more about EFW's schedule here.

Like we said, up first is the Nicole Bridger show. This season will vary from the dance spectacular of FW12 with an installation style show at The Portside in Gastown. Tickets are $10 at the door with the doors opening at 7 and the show starting at 8. As for learning opportunities, we are excited to check out Jason Neve form Boardroom Eco Apparel chat about working to find solutions to make the garment and textile industry more sustainable. All these goodies are happening this Sunday, so if you're looking for something to do on a rainy day, these lectures are definitely top on our recommendation list.

Next week, we'll bring you little updates on how its all going, and we hope that you can check it out for yourself. We also can't wait to see the amazing outfits that appear at such events. What will you wear?

Sky's the Limit - Where Creative Talent can Flourish

  Amidst the squeal of trains, bumping haphazardly into one another, there is a sound of saws. This is where I find peace and time to think. There is a woodshop that looks onto the tracks called railtown wood co-op, and I am one of their newest members. Railtown wood co-op is run and maintained by woodworking enthusiasts, who generally barely cover costs by sales of their goods, if they cover them at all. And yet, the rented benches are still in high demand. I personally am in love with the shop because of the encouragement and easy access to knowledge I gain from the other members. It’s a small collective, 9 benches serve a group of mostly young males. All the large tools are there that otherwise are hard to access. It deliciously smells like sawdust and cedar, and I find pleasure in getting as covered in wood bits as possible, with the by-product of often coming home with wood-glue in my hair.

When I first started at the shop I had basic experience with the tools and was quite nervous. Nerves gave way to over confidence and the first day there I cut my finger on the jointer, a spinning

blade of death, and went home feeling humbled. Since then, with the guidance to the wood guru and shop commander, James, I have learned so much about technique and what is possible (anything I am told.) Sky’s the limit! So I continue on, thinking of what would be neat, trying to start it, failing, learning, asking for help, and succeeding. I have been able to churn out a few headboards, herb planters, and miscellaneous small things with moderate success. I have sold a few items, and have trouble keeping up with demand these days (thanks mom.)

I began the journey into woodworking after a bit of a scare, and it has been immensely satisfying to follow through with one of those ‘some day’ plans.

So my experience with communal work space has been a generally positive one.

It is a community that fosters sharing of both creative energy and technique. Which in turn is manifested in wood products that are an expression of you, as well as have a function…if all goes well.

Oh yeah! Being a student of environmental science and a resident of one of the greenest cities on earth, my products strive to be as green as possible. Pine is my common wood, which otherwise wood decay because of the mountain-pine beetle epidemic, and all stains are environmentally friendly and LEED certified.

- Marni

Clothing Swaps: The Best Way to Shop

With Vancouver's continuous fight to become the world's greenest city it seems ever so important to keep our environmentally conscious minds eager. That said everyone loves getting new clothes! Even better, everyone loves getting new clothes and not having to worry about the hole we are burning in our bank accounts. What better way, than to host a clothing swap? Fair JAKE had their first ever clothing swap this past Sunday and it was a success! Everyone walked away with something new (to them) and room in their closets to fit more! 

We are happy to say, thanks to everyone that came out, we have boxes of well groomed clothing to donate.

Not only do we all have something new to rock for spring but so will many others! And with the good quality give aways that we have left, we will be donating them and supporting such groups as Dress for Success and The Boys and Girls Club. The pow-wow we through together was easy and had an impressive turnout for our first go. We hope that we can inspire you to host your own clothing swap. We hope to make this an annual event and with such success (check out outfits of the week), we hope we can inspire you to host your own. It is the most effective way to be sustainable after all - your old becoming someone else's new is the most basic and effective recycling we can take part in. While you're at it, throw some appies and a wicked Sunday punch in there and just have a great time!