Your favorite ladies deserve to be treated like queens on Valentine’s Day, and that includes Mother Earth. At least one, if not all, of these eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts will make your wife, Mom, best friend, sister, boss, girlfriend, or weekend fling extremely happy. And if you must get something for all of them, it’s really not hard to do with these extremely affordable options.

Crown Your Eco Queen

Still chilly in your neck of the woods? Crown your favorite queen with the chic cashmere cap by legendary eco couture designer Deborah Lindquist. This adorable, super soft hat is made in the USA from 100% recycled cashmere sweaters to keep those regal ladies in your life super toasty. And you know what’s even better than a cute couture hat that’s sustainably made? The fact that it’s majorly on sale. Happy lady, happy wallet, Happy Valentine’s Day! $55 (Down from $110)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Regift

Who knew regifting for Valentine’s Day could be so cool? Art meets eco meets technology with these beautiful crimson and orange hearts by Heart Is Hot. Made in the US from 100% recycled glass, each HIH piece is etched with its own individual number, the epic flower of life symbol, and the Heart Is Hot web address. What makes these so cool is that everyone who gives or receives this heart logs on to HeartIsHot.com and tells their story of how it came into their life and what inspired them to pass it on to the next person. The physical journey of each traveling heart is tracked at HeartIsHot.com, using a custom Google map, and each piece has an archive of “heart stories” associated with it that anyone can go to the site and read. These make the perfect gift for those people in your life who are huge romantics, big supporters of conscious commerce, need a deeply heartfelt gift, or just really love a good story. As Heart Is Hot founder Sahara Damore says, “Heart Is Hot represents re-gifting at its finest.” $24.99 ($2 of which is donated to the Unstoppable Giving Foundation…this gift really keeps on giving!)

Get the whole scoop »

For those of us out there who are struggling with shabby coats from days gone by and are looking to invest in a coat that will be with you for many winters to come, this Top 5 is for you!

Grace & Cello’s “Lucia” recycled wool coat cuts a sophisticated line for women headed to the office or a mid-week cocktail party. Where does recycled wool come from, you may wonder. According to Grace & Cello’s Gerri Brightwell, “The wool in our coats is created by using roll ends, scraps and other pieces of fabric that normally fall to the cutting floor and are wasted. These scraps are reconstituted into the fabric that we use for our coats.” Made in Montreal, not only are these stunning pieces sustainably made, they are also 100% sweatshop-free. So feel good about Grace & Cello’s pattern makers, cutters, and sewers- Maryse, Angelo, Leo, Tony, Mrs. Anna and Cheng hope you like their clothing, too.

The City of Angels has turned out the most coveted coat of the season: The Battalion’s “Ali Cape.” Any woman of high style and sophistication would be hard pressed not to scrounge together the necessary funds for this de rigeur coat, even amidst the current economic downturn. (I could be projecting here.) A draped hood and scarf attaches to this dramatic and colorful cloak, creating layers of fabulosity to this cloak inspired by Ali McGraw’s classic look in the 70’s. This bank account bandit by the Wong sisters is made from bamboo and organic cotton, certified by Oeko-Tex. Even if you can’t feel good about the Ali Cape’s effect on your finances, you can feel great about supporting sustainable manufacturing and farming practices. I’m going to consider it a worthy investment…for your wardrobe and the world. (Okay, that’s pushing it, I realize. I just had to purchase a ticket on the justify train with this one.)

Get the whole scoop »

Hey, Tastemakers…you already know that Greenloop stocks the best of the best in eco fashion on the web and now’s your chance to enjoy the sustainable style revolution for less! Greenloop’s Annual Summer Sale is happening now through July 21st, and it is one of the best times of year to get in on our incredible selection of eco chic organic cotton, bamboo, hemp and recycled clothing. Save up to 70% on some of the best eco-apparel and accessory brands around…Stewart+Brown, Loomstate, Edun, Peligrosa, Vy & Elle, Jack & Marjorie, Toggery, Del Forte, Pi Organics, Linda Loudermilk and so many more. We will be adding new items all week long, so shop early for the best selection!

Fame and fortune, people! It could all be yours by entering Greenloop’s ReShirt Cutting Contest. All you need is a pair of scissors, an old t-shirt, a camera, and your imagination to get a chance to win a $300 gift certificate from eco-boutiqueGreenloop and a 30-minute virtual styling session from celebrity stylist Barbra Horowitz. Not only that, but all winners’ work will be featured on Greenloop’s blog,In The Loop!

Do you love reworking your old pieces to make something hot for the club or office? Do you have piles of shirts in your closet begging for a purpose? Give those ill fitting t-shirts from days gone by a serious revamp and enter ReShirt today!

Check out these prizes… Get the whole scoop »

Well eco fashionistas of the world, it’s true-eco-friendly high heels are still few and far between. Greenloop has pulled together the most gorgeous high heels for Spring…we wish there could be more, but I guess we’ll have to wait for Spring ‘09 for the green wave to take over the women’s shoe industry.

These gorgeous FSC-certified walnut wedges from Mohop are a must for Spring. Annie Mohaupt’s unique design allows you to create totally different looks depending on the way you tie the ribbons. Each handmade pair of platforms comes with 5 sets of ribbons, which allows you to have casual, office, and evening looks all from one pair of shoes. The recycled rubber bottoms makes walking in the platforms much more comfortable and you won’t have to complain about not having shoes to match your outfit this sandal season! Get the whole scoop »

Colette Brooks, owner of LA-based biodiesel conversion company Biobling, is the new face of Keen’s recycled line of bags, dubbed the Harvest Collection. For her day job, Colette resurrects old hoopdies and pimps them out with biodiesel-ready fuel systems and funky fresh interiors. This season, Keen Footwear resurrects the rice sack and creates an eclectic line of totes and backpacks for the eco-conscious suburban set. Colette and Keen make a great match, as both reimagine materials to put a little funk in the trunk of folks with a Keen sense of style.

The charismatic couple of Conscious Living TV, Bianca and Michael Alexander, show us “Urban Fashion At Its Finest” in this eco fashion tour de force. From our sustainably fashion forward neighbors in Montreal to the funky vintage shops of Hollywood, Conscious Living TV takes us coast to coast uncovering edgy and retro designs, useful green wardrobe tips, and Michael’s bootilicious dance moves. Relax and enjoy the show-the fun (and the funk) of these two is infectious.

Known for his equal commitment to high style and sustainability, Rogan Gregory has established a small empire of ethical design. His debut collection Rogan, introduced in 2001, is an homage to vintage workwear featuring hand detailed denim of the highest quality possible. Loomstate is the 100% organic spin-off of that line which launched in ‘04, before “organic denim” was even in the American vocabulary.

In 2005, along with partners Ali Hewson and Bono, the Ohio native launched Edun; a company devoted to the “Trade Not Aid” mission of bringing manufacturing and healthy commerce to impoverished areas of Africa. Also in 2005, Rogan found the time to launch his furniture line Rogan Objects (his personal assistant better be getting six figures), that uses reclaimed wood from old factories and barns in Upstate New York and tooled leather trim to create modern handcrafted pieces that are both rugged and refined. Get the whole scoop »

Technically Terra Plana means flat land, but you’ll be hardpressed to find much flatness with this shoe manufacturing anomaly. Inspired by a deep desire for longterm ecological survival, Terra Plana publishes the life cycle assessment for every pair of shoes they produce. They design their shoes with reparability, lightness (to reduce shipping impact), anatomic design, and durability in mind. According to Terra Plana, they “minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use and love.” They produce their line using chrome-free and vegetable tanned leathers, recycled materials of all sorts (from rubber to old quilts and parachutes), and pure latex soling materials. Not to mention, they merchandise their products with an arresting, out-there aesthetic (check out the product shots above).

Terra Plana has also debuted a more eco-conscious leather product called E-leather. It’s a ‘re-woven’ blend of leather and textile fibers practically indistinguishable from good quality leather. E-Leather is produced with closed loop water usage and best practice pollution prevention methods. These people clearly care about crafting beautiful fashion statements using only the most modern and sustainable methods possible.

And how do they look? So, so hot! Whether you’re in Milano, Madrid, or the Mid-West, these unique sneaks and heels will be turning heads. Priced from $50-300, a pair of Terra Plana’s is a worthwhile investment in a company that’s setting the bar for eco-conscious manufacturing, as well as your wardrobe.

If you want to check out a sneak peak of Terra Plana 2008, go to smartplanet.com for a look at the super-sexy strappy heels for Spring.

Photo by Ralph Hockens

For 2008, I made a resolution to bring eco-consciousness to my wardrobe and take readers of The Tastemaker Diaries with me. Our January installment of Green Your Closet introduced the Clothing Swap, a party combining the noble task of reusing your old garments by acquiring new ones from your nearest and dearest stylish friends. Now, we’re showing you how to love your wardrobe and the planet…by taking good care of the clothing you already have. If you keep just a few simple tips in mind, you can make your “personal classics” last a lifetime. If you take care of the clothes that aren’t your favorites, you can happily pass them on to another lucky person to wear for years more. By lengthening the life of your clothes, you lessen the environmental impact of the clothing manufacturing business, which makes for cleaner water, air, and soil for you and yours. Who knew buying less could have such a big effect on the world beyond our bank accounts? We also show share a few great tips on green washing (the good kind.)

Keep ‘Em Cold
Wash your darks and brights in cold water to keep colors true and save on hot water. And keep any garments that may bleed color far from whites…there’s nothing like one random red sock to ruin a whole load of whites.

Green Your Clean
The bulk from most laundry detergents is made up of water. The concentrated versions are good for just as many loads, use much less plastic for packaging, and require less petroleum to transport. The non-toxic powder versions packaged in recycled cardboard are my personal favorite.

Handwash delicates to keep them looking like new.

Get the whole scoop »