If you're reading this, chances are you are at least mildly aware of the devastating social and environmental effects of the fashion industry. One of the most common questions I get from friends and acquaintances is, "How can I make a difference?" The idea of suddenly becoming a "sustainable shopper" from one day to the next is definitely overwhelming. Don't worry. It's not that scary. You can start feeling great about your shopping decisions just by asking yourself a few simple questions the next time you want to buy something: 1. Do I really need it? One of the most effective ways to reduce your negative impact is to simply Shop Less. We have all been guilty of impulse...
Last night was our event for Fashion Revolution Week. Guests attended a screening of the documentary film The True Cost followed by a panel discussion featuring Andrea Plell of Ecologique Fashion, Daniela Degrassi of Annaborgia, Luke Swanson of The Tripty Project, Marissa Goodman Thierot of Tempest + Bentley, and myself, representing Belvele. As guests began to arrive, we asked a few of them to pose for the #whomademyclothes campaign. This is a way for consumers to encourage fashion brands to be more transparent about the origin of their products. After watching the film and discussing the serious issues brought to the surface, attendees realized that we can all help demand progress in the fashion industry by asking questions and shopping more...
On March 1st, we had the pleasure of being the featured guests at San Francisco Green Drinks' monthly networking event. We set up a Pop-Up Shop, and met some fascinating people who are involved or interested in sustainability. Some were aware of the fashion industry's environmental effects, but most of the attendees had never heard or read that the clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world. I shared my story of going from careless consumer to conscious shopper after seeing the shocking headlines of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse. My personal struggle to find ethical fashion is what led me to designing my own clothing and ultimately launching Belvele. It was very nice to hear similar stories from...
Hey, you.This is Monica, founder of Belvele. I've been putting off writing a Blog post for a while, because I want us to get to know each other, but I feel a little strange talking about myself. Instead, I've decided to talk to you about the things and people that energize and inspire me.One of my favorite things in the world is travel. This last week, I was fortunate to be able to attend Market Week in New York City. The main goal was to find exciting new sustainable pieces to bring in for our Fall assortment (so much pretty coming your way!) The second goal was to take in the beauty of the Big Apple and its denizens. One...
