It's easy being green with local designers, shops helping outWendy Donahue
Published April 22, 2007
Our eco-research for Earth Day unearthed a green mile of great local designers, boutiques and events worth checking out.
* Certaintees: These T-shirts conceived by Chicago multimedia artist Lee Tracy are made of sustainable bamboo and printed with nature-loving messages and images using ecologically friendly water-based inks. Tracy has designed six series whose images match the missions of partnering non-profit organizations, which receive $5 from each shirt sold. Themes include social justice, independence, food, peace, energy and nature. Shirts are $52 to $54 at certaintees.com. The colored shirts are available at p45, 1643 N. Damen Ave., 773-862-4524, and Endo-Exo, 2034 N. Halsted St., 773-525-0500.
* Rescued Clothing: The studio of Chicago artist Dolan Geiman is where exhausted clothes go for rehab. For $75 to $150, you can hand over a once-beloved jacket, shirt, skirt, and he'll rekindle your excitement for it, using screen-printed appliques, embroidery and other artistic touches. He's no tailor, he emphasizes. His art form is, well, art. See dolangeiman.com.
* Grow, 1943 W. Division St., 773-489-0009: For those whose eco-awakening coincides with pregnancy -- a common consciousness-raising period -- Grow carries eco-aware and well-designed baby furniture, non-toxic bedding and organic clothes, as well as biodegradable G Diapers.
* Wolfbait & B-Girls, 3131 W. Logan Blvd., 312-698-8685: It's "almost a co-op for local designers who use recycled fabrics and items to create unique clothing and accessories," said Eva Yusa, known as Eva the Shopping Diva on her blog at shoplocal.com.
* Saffron, 2064 N. Damen Ave., 773-486-7753: This shop offers the Ekologic brand, which makes clothing and accessories for men and women from recycled cashmere. The Museum of Contemporary Art store carries the brand too.
* Mohop shoes: Local designer Annie Mohaupt uses reclaimed materials and interchangeable straps for her line of wood-heeled shoes, all cruelty-free and featured in the "Spotlight Humane" fashion show presented by the Humane Society of the United States this past winter. All shoes are $185 and come with five sets of ribbons. See mohop.com.
* Green Festival Chicago: This weekend, the fest is celebrating enough green products and services to warrant McCormick Place as its venue. $10 admission; $5 for seniors, students, bike riders and public-transit riders; and free to children under 12. Check greenfestivals.org or call 800-50-GREEN.
-- Wendy Donahue
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
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