Who: La Mano – Vancouver, CAN

What: Scarf Raspberry

Where: Ethical Ocean – $64.55 (50% off today through October 31st with coupon code LAMANO-EO)

Why We Love It: It’s difficult to choose a favorite among the scarves and wraps in La Mano’s catalog. The color combinations are rich, unique, and unexpected. The result is modern textile infused with rich history of it’s creation.

Each one is handwoven by members of an indigenous women’s weaving cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico using 100% cotton yarns. Part of the beauty of these textiles are that they directly support the female artisans who craft them empowering this women with economic autonomy, fair wages, sustainable employment, and confidence.

Choose from these color variations: Limon, Sage Stripes, Chocolate Brown, and Burnt Orange Passionfruit.

Who: Hemptress – Los Angeles, CA

What: Mona Mini Hemp Bag

Where: La Terra Bella – $91.80, also available in Herringbone

Why We Love It: Not too big, not too small, this bag is just right for toting all your essentials. And it’s no wonder why, handbag designer Arlene Nilsson had over 10 years experience in the industry before launching her own line of fashion forward eco-conscious handbags.

What sets the bag apart is all in the details; the ruching details on the outside made of 100% hemp (feels like canvas) dyed a deep rich, stunning teal using low-impact dyes; the unexpected contrasting lining made of a bright purple silk and hemp blend; and, a ‘best in the business,’ heavy-duty zipper that will outzip any other zip on the market. And, of course, our favorite detail, the gold chain topped off with a leather shoulder strap made from “reborn” recycled leather that nestles comfortably on your shoulder. Perfect for the eco-conscious fashionista on the go.

teal

Who: Areaware – New York, NY

What: Bow Bin Wastebaskets

Where: Areaware – $36 – $48; available for pre-order.

Why We Love It: At first sight we weren’t quite sure what to think of the new Bow Bins by German designer Cordula Kehrer for Areaware featured at the ICFF this year, but sometimes the story and the concept sells it for us.

The waste bins are produced by the indigenous people of the Philippines through the fair trade Preda Foundation. The foundation’s main objective is to help abused women, indigenous people, alleviate poverty and protect the environment by supporting micro-credit and fair trade initiatives. Creating these waste bins is one of those initiatives.

The Bow Bins are available in five different styles and are made of sustainably harvested rattan and reclaimed plastic bins destined for landfills. What is so interesting about about this piece is the juxtaposition of the of man-made brightly colored plastic and the natural rattan, as the rattan wraps in and out of the plastic it seems almost as if the natural environment is being reclaimed in the way an uninhabited city returns to nature.

Who: People Tree – London, UK

What: Kira Pod Dress

Where: People Tree – £75.00

Why We Love It: Love the standout print on this dress – nothing like it out there. And it’s got a sweet shape  with pleating at the neckline and sleeves and a slightly tulip-shaped mid that would also look great with a belt. And one of a our favorite features – pockets. Nothing makes us happier than skirts and dresses with hidden pockets!

The print is hand block printed in Bangladesh by the Kumudini Welfare Trust, an organization that supports disadvantaged women by providing viable, Fair Trade employment. They handcraft extraordinary garments using traditional craft skills like hand embroidery and hand block printing. Click to continue »

Who: Canvas – New York, NY

What: Covered Jars with Chalk Surface

Where: Canvas – $49 -$74 & save 15% on all orders of $300 or more with code CANVAS300

Why We Love It: We just discovered this store, Canvas, and are swooning over their collection of country cool, laid back home goods. One of our favorite pieces from the store is this trio of covered jars. The jars are American-made and mix this really organic feeling matte white ceramic upper with a dark modern chalkboard glaze finish on the bottom. Love the result and the fact that you can write in your own contents, so that oversized flour jar can easily become a cookie jar! Also, would look great paired with Side by Side’s Chalk Napkin Rings…

Canvas collects their wares from around the world, gravitating towards products rich in texture and material and guided by fair trade and sustainable designs.

Available in small, medium and large.

Who: Coyuchi – Point Reyes Station, California

What: Pleated Flannel Bedding Collection

Where: Pure Habitat – $20 – $178. Save 20% on first time purchases with coupon code instyle2010

Why We Love It: This time of year, all we want to do is crawl into a warm cozy bed and hibernate, and with this flannel bedding collection from Coyuchi, we are pretty sure we’d be able to sleep straight through to April. Click to continue »

Who: Swedish Hasbeens – Enskede, Sweden

What: Lolita Hand Painted Tiffin

Where: Kir DeVries – Reg. $129.95, 40% off with coupon code moving40 ($77.97) through 1/31/11.

Why We Love It: Now this cute and compact lunch valet makes us want to pack up some scones and jam along with 3 of our best friends and head out for lunch in the park, if only there weren’t 2 feet of snow of the ground. Bygones. The four roomy compartments of the Tiffin (British Indian for ‘light lunch’) stack neatly together for easy transport and open to reveal four metal serving bowls. It’s also great for keeping lunch components separate without having to wrestle with loose containers. Nice, neat, easy and reusable. Click to continue »

Who: Bhalo – Australia

What: Gather Round Top

Where: Bhalo – $135, in olive/violet or ivory/lavender

Why We Love It: We are totally entranced by the colors, cut  and print of this 100% Rajshahi Silk top. The billowy, ruched sleeves and the wide boatneck are equally refined and relaxed. The blown-up graphic pattern takes inspiration from the woven bamboo walls of traditional low-cost  homes in rural Bangladesh emoting a cool, yet moden ethnic vibe.

Not only does Bhalo support Bangladesh culture in design, but also in practice. Their collection of cotton dresses, silk tops, and accessories are hand-loomed and hand-embroidered by  Thanapara Swallows, a Fair Trade organization that provides work for over 200 disadvantaged women in rural Bangladesh, providing a viable alternative to inhumane garment factories and empowering women with the opportunity to sell their wares at prices that afford them education, childcare, and healthcare. The profits help cover the costs of the village school for 300 children.

fair trade

Who: The Hemma Collection – New York, NY

What: Gold Coast Corset

Where: Hemma – $315 in green or purple

Why We Love It: When friends Edna Bisson and Cindy Gaston studied abroad in Ghana, they fell in love with the traditional Kente fabrics that have been handwoven by artisans since the 17th  century and worn by Ghanaian nobility. They were inspired by the vibrant colors, rich textures and intricate patterns and completely reinvented them creating a modern and sophisticated limited edition collection (only making 300 pieces of each style and color in the collection). Click to continue »

Who: Lotus Jayne – Montclair, NJ

What: Red Checked Kroma Scarf

Where: Lotus Jayne – $9 for small in red & $12 for blue (Update: Lotus Jayne just received a new shipment of scarves, so the red one is back!.)

Why We Love Them: We are totally smitten with spring and summer scarves. Not only is it the answer to surviving over A/C-ed buildings, but it’s also the female equivalent to the tie and a great way to spice up an outfit by adding color, texture and pattern. This red-checked scarf brought to us from Cambodia by Jill Kimball of Lotus Jayne is absolutely one of our favorites.

It is incredibly versatile and is the perfect compliment to any outfit. We’ve worn ours with dresses, jeans, skirts, stripes, prints, blues, whites, jackets, tanks, vests, the whole gamut and it works with just about everything. And best yet, the purchase of this scarf supports artisans in regions of the world like Cambodia, where this 100% cotton scarf is hand-woven by fair trade collectives supporting these struggling communities. And by wearing this scarf you can share the story of the Kroma Scarf:

During the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970′s, brutal dictator Pol Pot made the checked kroma the national scarf for the tyranny that led to deaths of over a million Cambodian people. Today, however, the cotton kroma has been defiantly reborn as an optimistic symbol of a bright future for the Cambodian people. In Cambodia today, you will see the krama worn by everyone and used in every conceivable way, not only as a stylish accessory but also as a grocery-sling, doll, cart pull — the krama’s uses are endless.

Read more at Leisure Cambodia.