Sustainable Packaging 101

Okay, one quick update before my holiday begins (actually, I'm on the ferry on my way to the airport as I type).

Last Thursday I had the privilege of presenting "Sustainable Packaging 101" with Gwen Blake, Director of Boxer & Co, Sydney-based specialist packaging agency.

We hosted a wonderful group of participants consisting of marketing managers, designers, journalists and innovation specialists, all wanting to better understand sustainable packaging options.

We touched on a number of areas including material choices, end-of-life considerations and innovative solutions from around the globe (we even had a number of samples to share around thanks to our families!).  The main message of the evening, however, was that no matter how daunting it may seem to make your packaging more sustainable, the most important thing is to just get started!

At the end of the session we had time for a workshop, enabling participants to consider how to incorporate what they'd learned into their own specific business needs, and a lively discussion.

I walked out of the workshop feeling totally inspired, and I suspect many of the participants did, too. 

I owe a huge thanks to Boxer & Co for inviting me to present this important information, and I congratulate them for being at the forefront of sustainable packaging solutions in Australia.  If you need to 'green' your packaging, they are the agency for you!

My next post will be in a few weeks, post Kimberley exploration, so farewell for now!

xxLisa

Great examples from the US 

Did you know 90% of Australians are sceptical of health and
sustainability claims on packaging? We need to stop the
greenwashing to earn back their trust!

Sharing my favourite piece of packaging with an attendee. 

Samples, samples samples!

Me and Gwen post workshop - well done to us!

I can create that style sustainably : Offspring's Nina Proudman

Okay, confession time, I am obsessed with Offspring*.

Admit it, you are, too. The humour. The drama. The romance. The all-too-familiar overactive imagination. Definitely my favourite Wednesday night activity.

Now that another season has come to a brilliant conclusion, I find myself lingering on the webpage hoping to discover a 'hidden' episode I missed. Alas, I've seen the entire season, so instead I'm putting my obsession to good use and am making Nina Proudman's the next style that I create sustainably.

 
Nina's wardrobe staples are layers, tall boots with a heel, denim, maxis and interesting accessories. And if you've ever found yourself wondering 'where can I buy Nina's [fill in the blank fashion item]?', you're not alone. There is a cult-following of Nina Proudman's wardrobe, and I'm definitely on the slow boat of fashion bloggers describing how to emulate her boho-luxe style, most notably a fab 14-part series by Styling You.

Here I will show you how to recreate her feminine, playful, effortless-with-amazing-details, style, sustainably.

Shop your wardrobe
As a starting point, shop your own closet. Have a look for pieces that you may not have worn together before, and mix them together to make a fabulous "new" outfit. Nina regularly does this - so three cheers for Offspring's wardrobe department. Not only does this make her character feel more realistic, it's much more sustainable than buying new pieces for each episode.

Local designers
Many pieces in Nina's wardrobe are quite unique, with beautiful detailing, frequently found in smaller labels, and it's a great opportunity to support local designers. NancyBird, a Melbourne accessories label with a great sustainability ethos, is regularly featured on the show (another three cheers for the wardrobe department!).  Here are a couple beautiful 'Nina-like' pieces from their current collection.

Nina regularly slings a bag across her body, and this
Millie bag includes lovely detailing in the square fabricl.

 Nina is the queen of the long, skinny scarf, and I reckon
this colour and pattern would look stunning on her.

Jeans
Nina regularly rocks tall boots over great-fitting jeans - here are three fabulous eco-options you can try:

Left: Nudie is now using 100% organic cotton - eco-fashionistas rejoice!
Centre: Reborn jeans by REUSE, using 80% recycled cotton.
Right: Good Society organic demin, naturally dyed. I have a pair of the Slim Fit
and can attest to the 'my-bum-looks-great' quality firsthand.

 
Maxi skirts
Nina's wardrobe is packed full of feminine maxi skirts, which lend themselves so easily to sustainable styling . Anyone else thinking vintage and reuse? I found each of the below options on eBay.

Layers
My favourite thing about Nina's wardrobe is her love of layers - to me it's quintessential Australian-style, and she wears such interesting colour and textural combinations. Here are a few pieces to get your layers started sustainably.

All great layering starts with a high-quality basic. I love this
vibrant Arctic Blue organic tank from Sosume.

Another great colour and beautiful draping on this vest
by Sosume - made of organic cotton and wool.

A quick online search found these 3 vintage tops - I especially love the pale blue sequins!

This vibrant yellow is a very 'Nina' colour, though I suspect she'd wear
it untucked with jeans, and maybe a button or two undone.
This blouse is made of vintage fabric, by Ra Ra Superstar.

How great is this biker jacket made of upcycled vintage leather?
HOT! Get it at Fashioning Change.

And I LOVE this cardigan made of vintage lace.
I reckon Nina would, too. Another Fashioning Change find.

Boots
Nina loves her tall tan boots, whether pulled over her jeans or worn under her maxi skirts, and I found this eco-pair by Naya:

Naya is a shoe company with a commitment to sustainability, using
natural products, vegetable-tanned leathers (so not a vegan brand) and
recycled materials whenever possible.

Jewelry
Nina sports plenty of playful jewelry - there are so many amazing sustainable jewelers at the moment making beautiful, quirky and unique pieces, and I've just pulled out a couple below.

This long statement necklace by Raven & Lily was handmade using
melted bullet casings and recycled metals by HIV-positive women
in Ethiopia - a gorgeous piece that makes a difference.

Another stunner by Raven & Lily. If Nina wears a bracelet
it's usually thin and feminine, like this one. Proceeds from these
sales go to health and literacy programs in Ethopia.

These earrings on AndAble just look like they belong on Nina's ears.
Made of recycled steel, certified Fair Trade, and a portion of the profits go to Kiva,
a micro-financing organisation helping women help themselves out of poverty.

I've really just scratched the surface here. For every item I've shown above, I had multiple others that didn't make the final cut. It was easier than even I imagined to pull together Nina's wardrobe sustainably, and I'm the eternal optimist.

So, if you want to recreate Nina's style, sustainably, happy shopping! I'd love to see any great pieces you come across.

*My American readers, you probably haven't seen Offspring, and you don't know what you're missing! I suggest you go to iTunes right now, download Seasons 1, 2 and 3, and start watching immediately. You can thank me later.

 

* * * * *

Epilogue
Though it's not typically my personal style, I had to chuckle to myself today as I was clearly channeling Nina Proudman. I really should have worn a long thin scarf or necklace, and a lighter shade on top to do it properly, but it's obvious I really got into my research this week!

My sustainable boho-luxe look consists of:

• Fast-fashion rescued skirt from eBay
• Fast-fashion rescued velvet blazer from Vinnies
• Long-sleeve top made of eco-wonder fabric micro-modal.

And on a side note, I this is probably my last post from Oz for awhile. I leave next week on my grand adventure. I look forward to bringing you the latest eco-news from around the globe!

a green travel wardrobe fling

As many of you know, I'm getting ready to depart on a six-month adventure around the globe. I know, I know, flying around the world is not the most sustainable activity, which means I'll have to work extra hard to make this trip as eco as possible (and yes, you can count on blog posts from my adventures, perhaps just not with the same regularity).

Some aspects of eco-travel are quite obvious - offset my flights, use public ground transportation as much as possible, be respectful and inquiring of the cultures I'll be exposing myself to - and others are not quite as obvious, like greening my travel wardrobe.

I'm only taking one medium-sized piece of luggage, which will certainly help limit my 'luggage footprint', but it's also much easier than lugging huge suitcases onto buses and trains.  It would be hard enough to pack for such a long trip even without eco-restrictions, but I had plenty of time to prepare, and I feel it's the least I can do since my flights will be spluttering huge amounts of emissions into the atmosphere.

Here's a glimpse of my green travel wardrobe - so friends and family, get used to seeing me wearing these same items over and over again in my holiday snaps!

 
So, what's so sustainable about it?  Here are some highlights:

• 2 vintage sundresses
• 3 skirts c/o eBay (rescuing fast fashion from an early death!)
• 3 Bassike organic cotton tees, made in Australia
• 1David Atwell organic cotton tee from Manly Markets
• 1 denim long sleeve button up c/o eBay (more rescued fast fashion!)
• 2 pair of flip flops (1 ancient pair of Havainas, 1 pair of Breo natural rubber thongs, currently unavailable, but check out Fashioning Change for Ethletic thongs)
• 1 pair running/hiking shoes, Brooks Green Silence
• 1 pair flat espadrilles from Fashioning Change
• 1 pair Good Society organic cotton denim jeans
• 1 cotton/bamboo hoodie from Braintree Hemp
• 1 vintage poncho picked up in Melbourne last year
• 1 cardigan I've been loving for nearly a decade
• 1 American Apparel circle scarf
• 1 pair organic Lululemon leggins (no longer available)
• 1 vintage backpack from Dear Gladys
• 1 bikini and wrap, as seen in my green beach fling

I didn't buy all of this new, but everything I did buy new was either eBay, vintage or sustainable fashion.  All in all I'm quite pleased with my stylish, sustainable travel wardrobe. We'll see how it all performs!

I'm also leaving some space for bringing some supplies to projects we'll be working on in Tanzania (and for local market shopping, of course!). Thanks to Indigo Bazaar for sharing the organisation Pack For a Purpose - if you have overseas travel planned, hop on this website and see if you can bring any needed supplies to communities in the area.


I still have a couple of weeks before I depart, so this isn't my last post before I go - any packing tips are greatly welcomed!

a green Fashioning Change fling

As my Twitter followers and Facebook fans already know, I was given the incredible honour recently to create a guest look for my favourite online store - Fashioning Change.

Fashioning Change is behind the 'Wear this, not that' phenomenon that is sweeping the inboxes of eco-fashionistas the world over, offering fashion lovers eco and ethical versions of the latest trends. THANK YOU!

I knew I wanted to create a stylish, beach-chic look, something that I would personally love to wear around my beach village, and I had so much fun pulling it together.  The hardest part was narrowing down what pieces I was going to use because there's so much great stuff on the website. That may be why I've used so many accessories - too many lovely pieces to choose from. 

Below is the look I put together, Seaside Style. Do you love it as much as I do?

Take a closer look on the website for the full description and to purchase any (or all!) pieces you love.

Thanks again Kestrel, Adriana and the rest of the Fashioning Change team!

a green shaving fling : one for the fellas

Not to brag or anything, but I have the most handsome husband on the planet.

Even on my dodgy iPhone camera he looks this good . . .

Even  better, he cares about the environment as much as I do, and has recently taken steps to green his shaving routine (not that I encourage him to shave that often, I love a bit of stubble!).  For the past month he has been trying out the Vanessa Megan line of shaving supplies with excellent results.

This cream-based shaving cream looks a bit different to the foamy 'creams' that come out of a canister, but works a treat.  The natural oils in this cream are meant to keep shaving rash at bay, which makes it perfect for those of you with sensitive skin, and it's even claimed to help razors last longer.  And I just love a short ingredients list!

Purified H2O, grapeseed oil, coconut oil*,  Jojoba Oil*, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax*, Vitamin E (Natural), Grapefruit Seed Extract, Essential Oils of Bergamot* and Vetiver*.

*Certified Organic Ingredients

The Wild Chamomile face cream is the perfect aftershave cream as it's designed to heal sensitive and irritated skin.  It smells really fresh and clean - just lovely (in a masculine way, of course). And check out these natural, and heavily organic, ingredients:

Purified H2O, Jojoba oil*, Hemp seed oil*, Vegetable emulsifying wax,  Grapefruit seed extract, Vitamin E (Natural), Calendula extract* and Chamomile extract *, Essential oils of Absolute rose, Wild Maroc Chamomile, German Blue Chamomile* 

* Certified organic ingredients

My hubby is definitely a convert to natural shaving supplies now, and he loves the scent of both these Vanessa Megan products.

Vanessa Megan do a full range of products for men, women and baby, a number of products specifically marketed as pregnancy-friendly. And of course I love their simplistic, sustainable packaging.  All packaging is recyclable, and they use only glass (not plastic) jars.  As I've recently learned, glass is infinitely recyclable, meaning it doesn't get weaker or lose anything when recycled.

I've been brushing up on my sustainable packaging knowledge lately to get ready for the Sustainable Packaging 101 workshop I'll be running with my friends at Boxer & Co on Thursday 19 July.  I'd love to see you there!

I can create that style sustainably : InStyle June 2012 '70s inspired

I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed the first I can create that style sustainably post last week!  Since you all loved it, and I loved researching it, I'm happy to bring you another sustainably stylish look this week.

InStyle's June issue once again provides my inspiration, this time with a 1970's inspired look - definitely my favourite fashion era.

I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing like a smokin' jumpsuit to liven up your wardrobe, and this burgundy beauty by 3.1 Phillip Lim is an excellent example:

 

 To recreate this look sustainably, why not try the following combination:

Jumpsuit by Rosel, made of 100% recycled silk, also
available in gunmetal grey, $250 USD.

Drop earrings made of recycled silver on Etsy, $48 USD.

Clutch made of organic canvas hand printed with
water-based inks and used truck tire tube by Super Earth
Goods on Fashioning Change, $64.50 USD

Silver leather snap bracelet by Raven & Lily, handmade with
melted bullet casings and recycled metals by HIV-positive
women in Ethiopia - I can't say enough good things about
Raven & Lily, $86 USD.

70's-chic vegan stilettos by Mink - vegan shoes have sure come
a long way in the past few years! $300GBP.

InStyle must like jumpsuits as much as I do, because there was also a feature of celebs in jumpsuits on their website, like this sexy number on the sexy Gwyneth Paltrow.

 

If you prefer this jumpsuit look better, then it's your lucky day because I discovered this Auralis Inc smoldering black jumpsuit with convertible 'straps' enabling you to create multiple looks:

You can purchase this organic cotton jersey
blend jumpsuit by Auralis Inc on
Fashioning Change, $220 USD.

There you have it - sustainably stylish (and sexy) jumpsuits all available at the click of a mouse.  Let me know if you make any purchases!

I can create that style sustainably : InStyle June 2012 cover

Welcome to my first post in a new series I'm working on called . . .

I can create that style sustainably

Inspired by my latest addiction, the Fashioning Change online ethical clothing shop and its Wear this, not that look book, I'll be referencing looks from the latest fashion magazines and sharing how to achieve the look sustainably.

First up is the cover image of the latest InStyle Australia, featuring the stunning Miranda Kerr.

So, how can this beautiful look be achieved sustainably? It's quite simple.

Model - Miranda stays, of course!  Between her range of natural body products, Kora Organics, her book encouraging self-esteem and acceptance, Treasure Yourself, and her love of yoga and a natural diet, she's the perfect choice!

Dress - The cover dress is by Carl Kapp, and it's a stunner.  I'll give Carl credit for his tendency to use natural fabrics in his designs, but there is limited information on the source of the fabrics. I found these hot red (eco) dresses instead:

Found on Fashioning Change, this number by Kristinit is organic wool and made
by local women in Los Angeles. Perfect now that winter has hit Sydney!
$125 USD

Found on eBay, this Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress is a steal! DVF is
always feminine and flattering, and this fire engine red piece is HOT.
Buy It Now for $140 AUD

Bracelet - The magazine's cuff is from Harlequin Market; HM do carry divine vintage pieces among their collection, but it's not clear from the product listing if the cover's bracelet is vintage. No matter, check out this gorgeous vintage piece!

This beautiful cuff is from a vintage seller on Etsy.
It's only $35 USD - if you like it, order quick, or I may just buy it!

Makeup - The cover look used MAC Face and Body Foundation and Napoleon Perdis waterproof mascara and Light Patrol illuminisers. To go all natural instead you could substitute:

• Musq Musqskin Creme Mineral Foundation
• Ere Perez Natural Waterproof Mascara
• Adorn Mineral Illusions Illuminisers

And there you have it - I told you it would be easy! When it's this simple to eco your look, there's really no reason not to stay in style, sustainably.

Keep your eye out for the next installment, and let me know if there are any looks you'd like help to create sustainably.