Saving the World, One T-Shirt at a Time

As residents of Shanghai, we are constantly faced with questions that affect our health, from the food we eat to the air we breathe, but what about the clothing on our backs? Chemically processed fabrics coloured by toxic dyes litter our closets, touching our skin – the body’s most porous membrane – daily. Luckily, a handful of Shanghai-based designers are measuring out the finest in a new generation of fabrics that are not only good for you, but environmentally-friendly, sustainably-created and fashion forward. Polyesters beware!

NuoMi

In 2008, NuoMi opened its first store and started dressing Shanghai in lightweight, natural fabrics, including bamboo fibres and organic raw silk.

The company also stands by its mission of sustainability by re-using materials and working with locally-based designers to help support the community. Many of their neutral, elegant designs are environmentally-friendly, fair trade products, but the surprisingly chic designs of NuoMi, “brown rice” in Mandarin, aren’t just for tree-huggers.

196 Xinle Lu, near Donghu Lu. Tel: 5403 4199; 3186 Hongmei Lu, near Huaguang Lu. Tel: 6401 1219; No. 12, Lane 274 Taikang Lu, near Ruijin Nan Lu. Tel: 6466 3952. 562 Biyun Lu. Tel: 6109 3854; Web: www.nuomishanghai.com

Finch

Finch, a women’s apparel and accessories design company, strives to be green in its manufacturing practices and reduce its carbon footprint by staying local. All of its products are produced in Shanghai, made with 100 per cent organic fabrics and coloured with low-impact dyes. Finch offers a variety of fabrics that are domestically-sourced, including hemp from Shanxi province and bamboo from Zhejiang province. Also from Zhejiang, Finch’s “peace silk” allows the moth to emerge from its cocoon and complete its natural lifecycle.

Not all of the fabrics in Finch’s designs are domestically sourced. Most of the organic cotton is from Turkey, but Finch also imported hand-woven and printed cottons from WomenWeave, an NGO that is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income women in rural India, for its spring/summer 2010 collection. From loungewear to tailored jackets and floppy hats to casually luxurious dresses, Finch’s line of high-class, eco-friendly products is where Shanghai’s green fashionistas come to roost.

Available at The Nest. 2F, Studio 201, Lane 210, Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu. Tel: 6466 9524. Web: www.finchdesigns.com

Echoloo

Fans of green clothes can also accessorise with sustainable bags from Echoloo. In 2009, Mahmudun Nabi reached back to his roots and started designing bags out of jute, a cash crop from his native Bangladesh and a natural plant fibre famous for its eco-friendly properties. Also known as burlap, the jute used by Echoloo is a refined version of this formerly crude fabric, which is being revolutionised by entrepreneurs who mould it into fashionable designs.

Not only 100 per cent biodegradable and recyclable, the jute plant also contributes to the protection of the environment by consuming carbon dioxide and producing oxygen at a much higher rate than trees, and the plant also plays a vital role in crop rotation by increasing soil fertility and naturally protecting against pests. Echoloo also owns its own tannery in Bangladesh to produce the leather trim for some of its bags. Having the independent tannery allows the company to minimise processing chemicals and ensure humane conditions.

Web: www.echoloo.com

wobabybasics

Even the little ones can get in on the eco action with wobabybasics’ line of certified organic children’s clothes. Dressing babies in clothing that is free of toxins is exceptionally important as their skin is five times thinner than that of an adult. Luckily, wobabybasics’ adorable cotton designs for kids of all ages not only use toxin-free fabrics and low-impact dyes, they also sew flat seams to prevent irritation to the tiny tot’s sensitive skin.

The team at wobabybasics likes to practise what they preach by actively seeking ways to reduce waste in their production process and increase energy efficiency at their store. The company also offers a unique Hand Me Down program for its used items, and all of their knitwear is handknit by a fair trade women’s cooperative in Northeast China.

Available at The Nest. 2F, Studio 201, Lane 210, Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu. Tel: 6466 9524. Web: www.wobabybasics.com