The Best Vintage Cardigans

60s Gray Wool Sweater
- Ramona West (Etsy) $45
This vintage Etienne De Paris cardigan looks elegant and chic thanks to the gray knit with black trim. Keep it casual with jeans or layer over pretty dresses.



Radcliffe Vintage Stripe Sweater
- Scout Dry Goods (Etsy) $68
This unique cardigan looks quite nautical with its stripes, flared sleeves and belt. Lovely!



Chunky Handknit Hooded Sweater
- Dusty Rose Vintage (Etsy) $34
Quirky, cute and so adorable! The lovely pink shade, hood and short sleeves make this cardigan super sweet.



Vintage Amanda Red Cardigan
- Brown Bag Vintage (Etsy) $32
You can't go wrong with a long cardigan in a bright, bold hue. This cherry red one with pockets is perfect!



Vintage Scoop Red Pocket Long Vest Cardigan
- Midnight Thrift (Etsy) $32
This vest cardigan would be ideal for layering. Wear over singlets and under jackets for an extra layer of warmth and a pretty pop of colour!



80s Coral Pink Vintage Cardigan
- The Koru Branch (Etsy) $26
If you want your cardigans prim and pretty, then this short sleeved cardigan in a soft coral pink may be for you.



Striped Navy and Green Cardigan
- Principessa Emicranie (Etsy) $26
This cardigan which is made in Italy, will keep you cosy this fall and winter. The chunky stripes and colours create a sporty and casual cool look.

Eco Fashion Spotlight - Frank & Faith

Behind the Name

Why the name Frank & Faith? These two words perfectly embody what the clothing label stands for which is being 'frank' about the way their fashion is manufactured and produced and keeping the 'faith' that 'socially conscious clothing is possible'.



For Who?

Frank & Faith have clothing for everyone. Women will find cute and feminine cardigans, fashionable jumpers and dresses. There are also adorable striped wool basics for kids and jumpers for men.

Where the Clothes are Made

When I found out Frank & Faith manufactured in the UK, I had to re-read the words to double check I was not dreaming (as I often dream about ethical fashion, of course). Finding a clothing label made in the UK today is like trying to find a great vegetarian meal in France (near impossible).

Manufacturing in Britain not only utilises local resources and reduces the carbon footprint but it also ensures sweat shop free labour as the company must meet UK labour laws and EU labour directives. One more benevolent ‘tidbit’ to add to Frank & Faith’s glowing eco credentials is their membership with 1% for the Planet, which involves donating this percentage of their sales to global environmental organizations.

Materials Used

Frank & Faith will 'only ever use 100% organic cotton, sustainable and environmentally friendly yarns such as hemp, bamboo, wool and linen when designing and manufacturing their collections'. They also try to reuse factory surplus fabrics (left over yarn from spinning mills in Scotland) for their plaid blankets and throws (purchase on their website for £40).

Style

The designs are casual and comfortable but with a very stylish finish. Frank & Faith’s range is smaller due to the garments being produced within the UK but this ensures exclusivity and higher quality.

Women will find essential wardrobe basics such as organic cotton dresses, jumpers and cardigans in neutral shades such as black, navy or ecru and in more colourful hues such as raspberry and forest green. Frank & Faith have also just released a new bamboo jersey range for spring and summer which includes t-shirts, tunic tops, shrugs, cute dresses (love the Olivia dress) and fabulous ‘Lou Lou’ leggings.

Men and kids have a smaller but just as impressive range to choose from. There are some great organic cotton jumpers for men while kids have striped wool jumpers, dresses and beanie hats in pretty pinks and blues.

Price Range

Women’s pieces are very reasonable and usually within the £40-50 price bracket. Look out for some bargain prices on the sale section of their website (women’s jumpers and cardigans have been reduced to £10). Men’s jumpers retail for approximately £50, while kids items are from £2-12 pounds.

Where to Buy

Purchase online at Frank & Faith or online stores such as Adili, Bochica and By Nature. Visit their website’s stockists page as they can also be found in UK stores such as One Ethical Boutique in York and Purity in Surrey. International stockists are also listed for Australia, Slovakia, Norway, Japan, Finland and Denmark.

Images

1: Black Bamboo Daizy Shrug with Grey Laura Bamboo Dress

2: Black Cheryl Organic Cotton Cardigan

3: Ecru Evie Organic Cotton Dress

4: Blue Olivia Bamboo Dress with Black Lou Lou Bamboo Leggings

5: Annabelle Dark Mauve Organic Cotton Jumper

5 White Eco Fashion Finds

Perhaps more fitting for a winter wonderland Christmas themed post, but one look at the stunning white eco friendly dress, jeans, underwear, cardigan and ballet flats and you will see why they had to be posted a.s.a.p!




Mindy Mock - Lara Miller
Made in Chicago
100% Hand-loomed bamboo

This exquisite dress proclaims loudly and proudly to the world that eco fashion is ready to take centre stage! The Mindy Mock is the perfect unique dress to have in your closet.
Purchase in store or online at eco boutique, Embodies (Larkspur, California) for US$338
Visit Lara Miller online



Sunbaked White Jeans - Sharkah Chakra
Made in India (handwoven) and Italy (finished)
Organic and fair trade cotton

These are the first white jeans to be made 'totally organically and without bleach' according to Sharkah Chakra. Baked in the Indian sun, it takes around 6 months to achieve the desired shade of white and 250 days in total to make. They look ever so chic and it's little wonder supermodel Claudia Schiffer has been spotted wearing them.
Purchase online at Sharkah Chakra or buy on sale at Browns Fashion for £115, reduced from £220!





Magnolia knickers and matching bra - Luva Huva
Handmade in the UK
Made from end of line remnants

I fell in luva (sorry, couldn't resist) with Luva Huva when organic beauty site, Puresha were recently offering a special giveaway of their pretty and feminine underwear. Each piece is hand made by founder, Joanna Ketterer using disused and end of line fabrics which are sourced locally. I'm seriously impressed and totally smitten with the line which appeals to the Jane Austen within!
Cream Border Anglaise Knicker £20 - Purchase at Luva Huva
Magnolia Cream Border Halterneck Bra £27 - Purchase at Luva Huva
Visit Luva Huva



Bethany Cardigan - Frank & Faith
Made in Britain
Organic Cotton

A white cardigan will look fresh this spring or summer and is more flattering to sun deprived winter skin than black, which can sometimes drain what little colour you do have away. This cute Frank & Faith cardi would work equally well with jeans for a casual look or dressed up with a pretty dress or skirt.
Also available in black, cherry red or green
Purchase online at Frank & Faith for £43



Ace Shoes - Vegetarian Shoes
Made in Portugal
Canvas and 'breathable bucky' vegetarian material

I did feature the black version of these Ace shoes in the 5 Best Black Vegan Ballet Flats post, but I thought the style and price of the cute polka dot lined white shoes deserved a viewing of their very own!
Purchase online at Vegetarian Shoes UK £39.95

6 Eco Friendly Fashion Items in Chic Navy Shades

If your closet is starting to fill up with one too many black pieces, perhaps you should venture over to the navy side. Navy is just as sophisticated as black, but less harsh. A dash of navy here and there can soften your look but still keep you looking chic. So take a look at my selection of the best navy key pieces for your eco friendly closet.

The Organic Market Bag – Moop
Handmade in Massachusetts
Organic Cotton and Vegetable Based Dyes
Etsy is my new best friend for finding creative and stunning handmade gems from designers such as Moop. Their large midnight blue bag is ideal for the girl who literally has to cart her life around in a bag. At least now it can be an organic, ethically made bag!
Etsy US$113
Visit Moop’s Blog

Karida Coat – Amana
Made in Morocco
Hemp, wool, tencel and organic cotton lining
This sophisticated nile blue coat is on sale and available in a long and short version. Grab your style and size now at such a good price and remember you can’t go wrong with a navy coat in your ethical closet. The colour and style will look good for years to come.
Fashion Conscience £99 (was £165)
Amana £105 (many other Autumn / Winter ’08 items on sale also)

Cheryl Cardi - Frank & Faith
Made in the UK
100% Organic Cotton
Bravo Frank & Faith for manufacturing your clothes in the UK and for making them so darn cute! I love a good lightweight cardi to throw on with jeans or over a dress. Frank & Faith are also members of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of their sales to environmental organisations.
Frank & Faith £52 (Also available in black and green)
Adili £52 (Also available in black)

Karen Dress – Wildlife Works
Made in Kenya
Organic Cotton
A stunning shirt dress for those times when you need to look ‘businessy’ and organised. This dress is also extra fabulous because it is helping wildlife conservation in Kenya. Wildlife Works have established a sanctuary and eco factory in Kenya to ‘save endangered and threatened wildlife’ and to also provide valuable employment opportunities for locals. Wow! This dress is going to make you feel really good now! By the way, the dress looks black but is actually a deep navy colour.
Equa £94 (was £235)
Wildlife Works US $150 (was US $300)

Eugina Jeans – Del Forte Denim
Made in the USA
Organic Cotton
Definitely one of the Top 3 wardrobe items a green girl needs to invest in, organic skinny jeans. Del Forte’s Eugina jeans are Equa’s best selling shape and look ultra flattering and comfortable.
Equa £75 (was £135). Visit Del Forte Online

Pure Shoes – Olsenhaus
Made in Mexico
Don’t these shoes just scream, ‘don’t mess with the vegan!’ The mock croc style will ensure seamless blendability with the Net-a-Porter set but will also keep your vegan friends impressed as well.
Olsenhaus US $215