California has always been a leader when it comes to fashion and beauty trends. With recent drought conditions and various other issues related to the environment, people are looking to many local industries to help support the cause. This includes clothing designers and manufacturers who have made names for themselves within the industry by making eco-friendly apparel the next hot trend.
Patagonia
Based out of Ventura, California, Patagonia was established by Yvon Chounard over 40 years ago. The company offers high-end outdoor apparel that is eco-friendly and extremely durable. Recycled, organic and other, environmentally sound materials are used to create both the apparel as well as other outdoor gear the company offers. 1% of the company's profits goes directly to environmental causes and employees are given two months of paid vacation each year to volunteer their time to environmental groups.
EcoSkin
Sandy Skinner's contribution to “eco-couture is EcoSkin. She offers an environmentally sound clothing line to the elite of both Hollywood and the world. Her contemporary designs stand out among other designers and she takes great pride in helping to make positive changes in the clothing industry. The clothing industry is known for the pollution it creates and Skinner is determined to be a positive influence that reduces its impact on the environment.
Chemline
Chemline is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1976, the company has taken the initiative in many ways to produce environmentally sound and sustainable clothing. The company uses sustainable materials such as hemp, bamboo, cotton and wool in the creation of its unique line of high end clothing.
The Battalion
The brainchild of sisters Chris and Linda Wong, The Battalion clothing line is one of the most well known in the world of eco-couture. Along with organic cotton and wool, the sisters use materials like hemp and bamboo to create both stunning and unique items for their line. Bamboo is quickly becoming popular with designers who are trying to use environmentally friendly materials. It is extremely durable and has anti-bacterial properties that dramatically increase its wearability while reducing wear and tear that cause materials to degrade. The company was established in 2006 when the sisters relocated to Southern California to start fresh and bring their dreams of a sustainable clothing line into reality.
Deborah Lindquist
Deborah Lindquist is one of the most unique clothing designers in the country. Her eco-friendly clothing line has earned her the nickname the Green Queen. This has also become the name of her versatile, yet beautiful line of green apparel that many people in the fashion industry have been raving about. Lindquist graduated from Parsons School of Design and has went on to create a green apparel in a wide variety of styles. She uses a variety of materials that are sustainable and eco-friendly and is constantly expanding her line. The Green Queen is headquartered in North Hollywood and is well known throughout the fashion industry for being one of the most creative and unique designers in the world.
The fashion industry has been proven to be one of the most harmful when it comes to environmental issues. Eco-friendly designers and, even those who are not known to be forerunners in eco-couture, have taken the hint and started to incorporate more environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing practices in their creating their designs. The designers who have opted to make it a priority are quickly being recognized as leaders in what is now being called, eco-couture. High end celebrities are raving about the new designs and materials to the point that many designers are creating eco-couture fashion lines that are more affordable and accessible to those outside of the fashion industry.
