"Organic Clothes Not Just for Hippies Now"

MIAMI (AP) — High fashion is going granola. But not the grunge of hippie yoga wear and grainy hemp T-shirts typically associated with organic clothes.

Think soft soy dresses, cropped organic terry jackets and slim fit organic denim jeans to pair with stilettos, not flip flops.

Consumers worried about ingesting harmful pesticides have long been purchasing organic foods. But the philosophy is slowly hitting mainstream clothing retailers as experts warn about the dangers pesticides pose to the environment.

Whether shoppers are buying eco-friendly because it's trendy or because they hope to preserve Mother Earth, they no longer have to sacrifice fashion for philosophy. With major retailers like Target, Victoria's Secret, H&M and Nike joining the green trend, there's something for fashionistas of every price range in 2007.

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Maybe it's time for environmentally and business minded entrepreneurs to start forming cooperatives by pooling their money together in the businesses this could spawn. You need growers to grow the plant material. Factories to process into thread and cloth, designers to fashion the clothing and more factories to make the clothes all in the USA and with all employees being part owners or shareholders.

Then you need distributorships to contact and sell to the retailers. I'm too old but if I were still in my working years, I would start working on a business plan and seeing if I could get others on board with me.

off "natural clothing" and pure wool sweaters made in Scotland?

Lands End is now owned by Sears...(Clothes from Third World...no Scottish Sweaters) and LL Bean's clothes are the same....even their famous boots I believe are now made in China just like the expensive Cole-Haans in the better stores.

Reagan through Poppy, Clinton, Bush...kind of cut off the market when the imports became much cheaper.

There's probably a market for natural clothes again...but they would be more expensive than anyone is used to paying who is under 45 years old. It's the only way they could keep wages low...was to allow us to buy more cheap.

I wish what you say could happen, though.

The boots, or more properly the Maine Hunting Shoes, are still made in Maine. You are correct that most of their clothing and other footwear are made outside of the U.S, but there are still a handful of items manufactured in Maine. I make purchase decisions in part based on where items were made. Bean's sources a number of items in Vietnam.

dress I bought during the waning days of WW2. It was made of milk products and I'm not kidding!!! Didn't smell too bad until I got stuck in a rainstorm. I reeked of sour milk so tossed the thing in the trash PHEW!!!

We have towels, sheets, undies, shirts. They are so superior and so soft. I don't buy it because it is trendy, I buy it because it is soft and cushy, and I am all about comfort. And yes, it makes me feel good that it is better for the planet too. :hi:

Oh the horror! I love scratchy towels. :)

...but I get the point.

when I was home for a couple weeks, and they were marked down to $4.99 each. I only bought one set. Now they are gone. They are my fav towels in the world, and not a wallet buster. Had I known how awesome they were (I didn't use them until I got home :( ) I would have bought out what was left at that price!!