A Guide to Eco-friendly Maternity Style Staples

SO. I'm on the home stretch with one week to go (in theory), and I wanted to be sure to show you three eco-Mama items that have been key to my comfort and were a central part of my wardrobe as my belly grew: my Birks, my H&M concscious collection tees, and my AG maternity jeans.

I'll start with the jeans. I tried on several pairs from J Brand, H and M, and more, but as soon as I put on the AG Jeans Stella Secret Fit Belly® 5 Pocket Maternity Jeans, I knew I had found The Ones. These jeans are super soft, and they feel like wearing your most comfortable lounge-around-the-house leggings. Like all AG Jeans, they're made in the USA, but AG also takes a thoughtful approach to their manufacturing, processing their jeans using ozone technology that slashes use of water, energy, and chemicals.  

Full disclosure: As I shared in last month's post, I waited until the very last minute to acquire maternity jeans, but even if I had bought them earlier in my pregnancy, I would probably not have paid full price for an article of clothing with such a short lifespan. Instead, I snagged my pair used from Ebay for about $60.

Next up: The Birkenstocks. Never has there been better cosmic timing (for me) then the resurgence of orthopedic sandals and being pregnant. What you should know about these sandals, though, is that not only are they built to last, but they are made in Germany (thus under fair labor standards) and made out of pretty eco-friendly stuff.  Ana over at The Distillerist outlines Birkenstock's eco-friendliness in more detail here, but I can tell you that the footbed is made of natural latex and upcycled cork, two renewable and non-toxic materials, and the soles are made from EVA, which is a cleaner alternative to the traditionally used PVC.

BAG: Secondi (consigned) 

T-SHIRT:  H&M Conscious Collection (similar) 

SHOES: Birkenstocks, made sustainably in Germany

SWEATER: conventional (ethical options HERE and HERE)
JEANS: AG Maternity for Pea in the Pod, made in the USA

Last but certainly not least is my shirt, which is from H&M's Mama collection. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that almost all of the staple pieces (basic tanks and tees) in this collection are also part of the Conscious Collection, including the striped shirt above, which means they are made from organic cotton. I picked up a few layering pieces in black, white and stripes, and I've been pretty much good to go using the looser fall and winter sweaters I already had.

Shop the look {ethically}:

Lem Lem: Fair Trade Summer Clothing from Ethiopia

Lemlem, meaning "to bloom" in Amharic, was started by supermodel Liya Kebede as a way of providing Ethiopian weavers with economic independence. Each piece is designed in New York and made in Ethiopia using traditional artisanal weaving practices. The result is a vibrant collection of delicately handcrafted summer staple pieces.

WEARING: Lem Lem cotton striped shirt, fair trade; gifted shorts (secondhand), Pikolinos Masaai sandals (similar HERE), fairly made in Spain with fair trade beading; Mango Tree fitted bangle, made from sustainable mango tree wood, Butter London Three-free nail polish in Ladybird.

Alert! There are a few shirts and shorts similar to the one I'm wearing that are on deep clearance at Net a Porter right now (50%-70% off in size medium and large):

1 / 2 / 3

I've also put together a few more favorites from across the inter webs:

Follow me on Pinterest for more fair trade, made in the USA, and otherwise sustainably-made summer options!

Fair Trade Summer Jumpsuit by Ace and Jig {Sustainable Summer Style}

WEARING: Ace & Jig jumpsuit; Pikolinos Masaii Project sandals; Mango Tree Bangle (sustainably wood), old belt. PHOTOGRAPHY: my obliging husband SCENE: beach house in Nag's Head

I've recently acquired some summer staples that I know I'll be wearing again and again this season, and the first one is this jumpsuit by Ace & Jig.  With soft cotton weaves made fairly in their small factory in India, Ace & Jig are masters of easy, breezy patterns and cuts.



Season after season, they churn out loosely cut, laid-back silhouettes that aspire to exist outside of current trends, made instead to be pieces that stay with you for life, and that's a goal that anyone who cares about the ethics behind fashion can get behind. Lucky for all of us, the brand has only grown in popularity with each passing year, are they are now on offer at retail heavy-hitters like Barney's, Shopbop, and Saks.



Although they are not fair trade certified, Ace and Jig's fabrics come by way of a small factory in India whose proprietor not only provides free health and child care to his workers, but also offers them organically grown produce that has been nurtured by the recycled rainwater collected on the roof of the building.



Don't be fooled by the appearance of a short trouser length on the models who wear this in the lookbook below-- I'm between 5'4'' and 5'5'' and had to belt it to achieve this length.



The quality of the fabric is representative of all of their weaves, which always keep to the design duo's signature stripe motif, and to their high quality standards. Remember this riff on chambray, for example? It's thick enough to wear in winter, but breathable enough to throw on for breezy beach days.



I love the open back for hot summer days, and love even more that even though the fabric is just slightly see-through, it's only a concern if you're out at night using flash photography. In other words, if you don't often experience paparazzi attacks, you have nothing the worry about re wardrobe malfunctions.

Shop this exact summer jumpsuit (in three colors), more Pikolinos sandals (made ethically in Spain), and a few more American-made onesie options below, using the arrows to scroll through:

Follow me on Pinterest for more fair trade, made in the USA, and otherwise sustainably-made summer options!

The Perfect Summer Sandals {by Pikolinos}

Shoes by Pikolinos; dress from American Apparel; lipstick by Radiant Cosmetics

Last Saturday was the perfect summer day: my friend Victoria made us a delicious brunch, the weather was warm but not humid, and I got to wear my favorite new shoes!










I'm so pleased to introduce you to my new summer sandals from Pikolinos, a Spanish company that is clearly committed to being kind to people and to the earth. This pair has beautiful Maasai beading and is part of a recent collaboration with the Association for Development, Alternative Commerce and Micro-credits (ADCAM), which works to promote social projects in various parts of the world, and specialises in education, women and micro-credit.

Even though they are brand new, they feel buttery soft like I've been wearing them for years. Plus, Pikolinos uses a vegetable tanning method, water-based dyes and solvent-free glues. I'm in love!

I'd also like to say a special thank you to the sales team at Pentagon City's Nordstrom. When I explained that I was looking for shoes that were made in the USA or fair trade, they were so incredibly helpful, and I never would have discovered this lovely company without their expert assistance. Thanks, ladies!

Shop Pikolinos at Nordstrom here (free shipping both ways!)

Photography and styling by Victoria Corkhill.

Last but not least, I want to reassure you that I am hard at work on a few big posts, so please stay tuned for an exciting collaboration that I hope to reveal this month. :)

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Tuesday Trend: Nautical Stripes