]]> Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:26:33 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/streetlab Streetlab business case presenting fresh ideas about Eco fashion, social media and the future of green design.
Social blogger Ikenna Azuike from Strawberry Earth learned us more about next level blogging which is blogging with a cause. With the Strawberry Earth platform the people from Strawberry Earth try to get people to organize the way they spent. Their goals are to raise awareness and also make a difference in a practical way. On July 4th for example there was a Strawberry Mob where 160 people came along via social media as Twitter and Facebook. Ikenna also revealed a few details about Strawberry Earth's next event: Strawberry Earth Wonderland! This will be an eco fashion and music paradise, what more do we want?!
Eco fashionista Annouk Post from Hiphonest talked about a turning point to eco fashion which is needed with consumers. But also brands are not focused on Eco fashion enough yet. And on a lot of fashion schools not enough attention is being paid to Eco Fashion. Still there is a lot going on in the Netherlands in the field of Eco fashion but according to Annouk this is not well and enough communicated.
There was an inspiring skype session with self proclaimed “ fashion hacktivist” Otto von Busch . He learned us all about "Fashion Hacktivism" which is about user engagement in the Fashion Industry and creating a bigger commitment with the garments we buy. We should reclaim the sewing machine and buy things we can age with. When we buy clothing we really connect with we also want to age with it. We should use the clothing which is in the back of our wardrobes for example and re-create other things out of it or wear them again and maybe in a different way.
]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:36:13 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/sataradress
]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/AIFWDOWNTOWN
AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK -DOWNTOWN
JULY 10-17
CHARLIE + MARY CONCEPT STORE

]]> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:47:26 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/veganaward Food for a Better World Fevent this saturday Lisette Kreischer of Veggierose will be rewarded with the Vegan award. Each year the Vegan award is given to the company with the best vegetable initiative. Tomorrow at 16.00 o'clock the Vegan award will be given to Lisette. During this event, which takes place at De Neude in Utrecht between 11.00 and 17.00 o'clock you will be able to get to know Veggierose and the delicious cupcakes of Rosie and the cupcake factory. Lisette Kreischer, the face of Veggierose, Rosie and the Cupcake Factory en Veggie in Pumps, is known by her books “Veggie in Pumps” and “Ecofabulous koken in alle seizoenen”. Also this year she was rewarded with the Trendwatcher Of The Year award (TWOTY) in the category sustainability. We love the eco fabulous work of Lisette!

]]> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:00:50 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/byamfi By AMFI Concept store. At the moment the concept "Groeikas" is about getting back to old meanings and focus on sustainable, fair and eco friendly fashion. The concept is visualized by a big tree with items "growing" on it, which are developed according to these principles. The tree is growing into the tree of life; a tree that represents growth, fertility and The Life of mankind. But this can't be done by the tree alone. It needs everything and everybody to help it to do so. And with every drop of energy the roots of the tree will grow deeper into the soil and the branches will reach wider into the sky. Our own Charlie + Mary collections as well as other collections sold in our store are part of the growth of the tree. This concept store is definitely word visiting. You will find the coolest sustainable items in the tree of life!

]]> Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:57:07 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/cleanunique Clean&Unique platform. This is a platform for young upcoming designers in fair and eco friendly fashion. Clean&Unique is part of the Fair Wear Foundation and this organization helps us to audit and monitor the working conditions in our factories. The Fair Wear Foundation works with a multilevel verification method. Each year the Clean&Unique members will individually be asked how we are doing and what progress we are making. Then there is the audit where the factory is visited by a local auditing team which is monitored by the Fair Wear Foundation. The focus is on interviewing the workers, safety and health inspection and document inspection. The most important part coming out of the audit is the corrective action plan. With this plan we can help the factories to improve the working conditions in their factories. It is clearly very important that we monitor if necessary steps are being taken by the factory management and if progress is being made. The Fair Wear Foundation works with local complaints centers where workers can go with their complaints. Also an info sheet in the local language has to be put up in the factories explaining the workers rights. As a Clean&Unique member we work together with our factory towards solutions and focus on a long term relationship with them.

]]> Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:56:21 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/charliemarygerarddoustraatamsterdam

Charlie + Mary, Gerard Doustraat 84, Amsterdam from marieke vinck on Vimeo.

]]> Fri, 28 May 2010 10:43:38 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/DEFF2010 Dutch Environmental Film Festival (DEFF), an annual platform for the best international, environmental films and documentaries. Each year DEFF screens major international and national premieres, hosts inspirational speakers and creative green organization, and organises memorable festival parties with talent from the European DJ and live music scene. DEFF is the only major international film festival in the world that uses 100% of all money raised to make the screening venues eco friendlier. DEFF has grown to become one of Europe's premier environmental film festivals. June 3 and 5 DEFF is taking place at Studio K in Amsterdam and June 4 in Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam. Check out the DEFF Programme and reserve your tickets.

]]> Sat, 08 May 2010 13:24:22 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/fairfashion www.fairfashion.org

]]> Sat, 08 May 2010 12:43:12 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/good-lelystad Good was launched in Lelystad. During this three day event event all kind of sustainable businesses will present their products. If you are looking for sustainable fashion, eco furniture or if you're after information regarding sunboilers or green energy, it is all presented at this fair. There are also mini workshops which you can join, you can make a test ride in a hybride car or taste some delicious organic drinks and bites. The fair is located in Lelystad and ends this Sunday April 23. Don't forget to visit the Charlie+Mary/Solarsenergy stand when you're there!

]]> Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:23:17 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/barefoot_thursday TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what TOMS shoes is all about.

Why shoes?
Most children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or just getting around, these children are at risk. Walking is often the primary mode of transportation in developing countries. Children can walk for miles to get food, water, shelter and medical help. Wearing shoes literally enables them to walk distances that aren't possible barefoot. Wearing shoes prevents feet from getting cuts and sores on unsafe roads and from contaminated soil. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected. The leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted parasites which penetrate the skin through open sores. Wearing shoes can prevent this and the risk of amputation. Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.

There is one simple solution...SHOES.

]]> Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:04:17 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/earthhour Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:46:37 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/paris_shopping
These where the things I loved ; First of all use the bike system Vélib, instead of the Metro. Take a bike from the first place and drop it at another place for only a few euros a day. Paris is much nicer above ground and it’s better for the environment as well. Go to the neighbourhood Le Marais for the nice atmosphere, inspiring shops, good coffee places and vintage shops like Coiffeur on Rue de Rossiers and King of frip on Rue de Roi Sicilie. Please keep in mind most shops are closed on saturday here because of the Shabat as this a Jewish area. On sunday the streets in Le Marrais are car free and a lot of Paris people are coming here which can make it crowed but nice! In Saint Germain there is a place called Coolin where every two weeks on sunday evening a real cool jazz band is playing the whole night. Go there, have a drink and listen to the English/French jazz songs! Eat a cheap meal here or cross the street for a real French dinner at restaurant Saint-Germain! Near Palais Royal in the 2nd arrondisement you will find Collette on Rue de Saint Honore, a really cool store with books, gadgets and fashion. A great place to wonder around, get inspired and spot the latest trends. Done with window shopping in this area go to Rue Montorgeuil for lunch. It’s a small street with all kind of restaurants. Around lunchtime you will not be the only one down here! On the corner of this street you will find the best vintage store of Paris called the Killiwatch and can definitely not be missed during your visit to Paris.

Hope you will love Paris as much as we do. If you see some eco fashion stores or other great places let us know so we can check it out next time as well!

]]> Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:49:45 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/late-avond-idealen Late avond idealen. The play is about the generation of NOW and takes place at a spectaculair catwalk decor where the public is placed opposite each other. Some hip youngsters are having an After-After party and discuss the meaning of life, their ideals and what to do whith them. In the meantime they are partying and eating junkfood. The play really shows how difficult it can be to have ideals and to also live by them. For us, the generation of NOW it is definitely recognisable and confronting and a lot of fun! The little reminder at the end of the show (which we won't tell) and the goodiebag put some extra sugar to it all. We are nowhere without some critical self-reflection.

]]> Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:38:05 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/camilla_norrback_aifw_jan2010 Camilla Norrback showed her new AW2010-2011 collection. Big shoulders, high waists, lovely squirrels and horses. And a fantastic mens collection! Again we loved it and you will definitely keep finding the Eco luxury brand Camilla Norrback in our store.



pictures by Peter Stigter]]> Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:06:46 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/gooodstuff Gooodstuff is a new Dutch website for consumers with a conscience, connecting all information on the internet regarding sustainability. With a Goood mentality the people from Gooodstuff! emphasize the importance of leading a sustainable lifestyle. On the Gooodstuff! website you will find usable advices for leading a sustainable lifestyle. This advice goes from their offer of products to enhance this lifestyle till the use of sustainable innovations. You can share your own ideas, solutions and experiences regarding sustainability on the Gooodstuff! forum. Gooodstuff! is an initiatiative of the three friends, Dagmar van der Lans (28), Arend Zwaneveld (31) and Paul Bontenbal (31). Keep up the Goood work guys!

]]> Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:38:14 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/MLY MLY will show her new winter collection "Painting Pictures". The show will take place in the exclusive setting of the westerunie in Amsterdam. Emily Hermans will present her new collection in her own personal way. Starting with "the making of" and after the show sufficient possibilities to have a drink and discuss the show. The show will take place Tuesday the 26th of January. There is an afternoon show and a VIP dinner show. For further details you can check the website of Amsterdam International Fashion Week

]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:09:49 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/aifw  Eco Luxury brand Camilla Norrback in the spotlight!

during Swedish Fashion Route Amsterdam 2010

Swedish fashion is taking the world by storm with its simple and clean lines and attention to details. Swedish brands are experiencing great success on domestic as well as on international fashion scenes and are competing with the world’s top labels, selling their items in the most exquisite shops worldwide. Fashion experts are fascinated by the Swedes and their stylish, creative and high end design. Swedish designers are experts on transforming simple clothing into must-haves that have found their way into the wardrobes of fashionistas around the world.

Swedish design in Amsterdam is being celebrated during coming Amsterdam International Fashion Week. Jan 28th Camila Norrback will show her new collection during the Swedish night "Hot design from Cool Sweden".

The Swedish Fashion Route Amsterdam 2010 will take you along 16 different shops selling Swedish top brands. The route will take you to every fashion corner of Amsterdam. From the nine streets to the Museum distrikt, to Oud West and of course to Charlie + Mary in de pijp ;-). We can't wait to show you the eco luxury brand Camilla Norrback who will be in the spotlight the entire week!

Välkommen!

Strawberry Earth Hotel Crash! from Strawberry Earth on Vimeo.

]]> Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:27:54 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/earthcounttee Knowledge Cotton Apparel you can now help to save the world from chemicals and pesticides. The Earth Count tee is made from 100% organic cotton and each tee has a unique number so you can see how far we are with saving the world from more chemicals. Only a specific number of tees is made and when all tees are sold we saved the world from 1000kgs of chemicals and pestcicides. Help saving the world and buy this unique tee in our store or webshop.

charlie + mary fashion show from marieke vinck on Vimeo.

Teaser | The Sewing Machines Must Run from Sacha Post on Vimeo.

Brick lane

This is a great area to spend some time when you’re in London.. Young and hip Londoners are shopping and working on their apple notebooks here. Inspiring vintage stores and stores which stock cool English brands with a focus on ethical production processes are to be found in Brick lane. Great for an organic coffee and delicious pizza is Story Deli. Not to be missed either and next to Story Deli is the place called Cafe1001. Hamburgers from the Barbecue, take away drinks and bites which you can eat at the picknick tables outside or bring inside. In the evening there is a DJ playing funky music. Sometimes there are movie nights or there is a band playing. We totally love the atmosphere. You can take the metro to Liverpool street station and walk to Brick lane from here. You need a map of London.

A lot more touristic but definitely good for shopping and inspiration. Vintage style clothing, antique stores and lots of good organic coffees. A great place to have lunch is Gail’s. If you’r looking for a vintage one of a kind jewelry piece or a second hand Chanel purse this is the place to be! Take the metro to Notting Hill gate and follow the signs into Portobello road.

Alternative, crowded and cool! The most and best vintage shops are to be found here. Also some creative English designers are selling their hand made fashionable pieces in Camden Market. The stores are packed together in old stables, which certainly enhances the atmosphere. It’s young, loud and inspiring! Grab a coctail or beer and hang around here for a while after shopping. Take the metro to Camden Town and follow the crowd.

]]> Sat, 09 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/Reusereuserecycle In New York city Jill Danyelle's personal fashion project fiftyRX3 was a project in style and sustainability. It consisted of a photo documentary of what Jill Danyelle wore everyday for a year, with a goal of averaging fifty percent sustainability. Her principles are simple; to reuse-something not bought new, to reduce-by choosing products made with environmentally friendly production methods and to recycle-making garments from a previously existing item. Jill Danyelle designed the first dress made out of umbrellas. These umbrellas were collected from the streets of NYC. The dress already inspired others to develop better and more sustainable umbrellas. Jill Danyelle also explored the relationship we have with our clothing and how others perceive who we are through what we wear. Promoting and sharing ideas about sustainability in the apparel industry became a big part of project fiftyRX3. We think this is a very interesting project, which shows us there is no need at all to stick to outdated images of green design. Just have a look at the stylish umbrella dress in the picture below!

Also we have to be Sincere. Doing good for 100% is not possible yet. But what we can do already is telling the real story. An example of this is the numbers Studio Jux uses in their garments. These numbers indicate who made the garment we bought and we can meet the maker on the website of Studio Jux. Another S used by Annouk is the S of Slowing down. This is a trend which has already been there in the food industry. Next to Slow food we are getting more into Slow fashion as well. Fast fashion is associated with a lack of quality and not being very sustainable. The S of Secondary makes us think about what happens with our garments or shoes once we wore them. Then there is the S of forgotten Secrets which stands for getting back to old production methods in the fashion industry. Or the S of Sharing which might be the most important S. If we share our thoughts and the information we have we can make a big step forward in this world in transition.

There was only one toiletcard for fifty people, which the supervisor kept. When someone needed to go to the toilet permission had to be asked from the supervisor. Nowadays the minimum wage in textile factories in Bangladesh rose to about €20,- a month. Ninety percent of the companies pays it's workers in time, and cases of physical and sexual harassment decreased in recent years. So some change luckily came already. This is achieved because workers and consumers wanted this Kalpona explained us. In 2006 there was an enormous rise from workers in Bangladesh, as at the same time from the other side consumers where putting pressure on western brands. But more change is still needed Kalpona assures us. And help of consumers is very much needed. Boycotting products from Bangladesh will not help the people in Bangladesh, as 76% of the export products in Bangladesh are garments, Kalpona explained. But it does help if we keep putting pressure on the brands and companies, who buy and produce their products in Bangladesh, to take their responsibility. Kalpona is now telling her story when she is travelling through Europe to inform consumers here about the working circumstances in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh she educates workers regarding their rights and encourages them to join labour parties. We were very much impressed by Kalpona's story and her as a person. Let us all give her a hand and wonder where and how are garments are made when we buy them.

]]> Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/carbonfootprint The UK fashion retail market has claimed the world’s first carbon footprint label for clothing. Continental Clothing, described as an ethical and eco-chic manufacturer, working with Carbon Trust, is launching the world’s first Carbon Reduction Label for textile products. Consumers will for the first time learn about the carbon footprint of their clothing. The label will be displayed on a range of printed T-shirts and sweatshirts, and will inform us of the total lifecycle footprint as well as our own contribution through washing, tumble-drying and ironing.

The label is a great way to give us clear information about the environmental impact of the clothes we own, throughout their entire lifecycle. It will also show how reductions can be achieved through changing our washing, drying and ironing routines. The "footprinting" study has shown that as much as half of the total footprint of clothing can come from our home laundry activities, particularly our tumble-drying, which produces twice the emissions of automatic washing. Avoiding tumble-drying and ironing could reduce the total footprint by as much as one third overall. The project is part of Defra's action plan for sustainable clothing launched at last month's London Fashion Week by Sustainability Minister Lord Hunt.

]]> Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/trendforecast At the last Clean&Unique meeting, which took place last Thursday in Amsterdam, Andrea Wiegman from the trendwatch community Second Sight gave an inspiring presentation. In today's society we are buying certain products with a reason. We want these products to add value to our lifes. There is a shift from the focus on "hunting" to the focus on "attention". Which means that we want to take care of the things which are already there in the world. After a time of only consuming, it is time for a new consciousness regarding non material things in life. We are living in a time, where we have too much of everything. Our waste is piling up, which was very well visualized by the Louis Vuitton garbage bag. We are asking questions and the answer to this is Storytelling. If a brand does not give an answer to these questions we will make up our own story. This symbolizes that it is a time of sharing. The focus is not on "I" but on "We", because together we can shape the future. Authenticity is very important. Companies and brands who are real are appreciated. Status symbols are changing as well. The Green Wheel was for example indicated as a new status symbol. Andrea explained that at the moment it is impossible for trend watchers to predict the future, as there are so many changes going on in the world. This does leave a lot of openings for us to let the brands and companies we buy from know what we expect from them.

]]> Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.charliemary.com/index.php/blog/designjourneys Design Journeys, written by Kate Fletcher, is a great book for everyone who is interested in fashion and sustainability. The book explores sustainability issues in the fashion industry from the design perspective in it’s broadest sense. It offers everyone an insight in what can be done during the whole life cycle of a fashion product to make the process more sustainable. This starts for example by choosing the fabric of the garment in the design process. It ends with the temperature the garment is being washed at and the way the garment is disposed of by it’s end user. The book shows us that there definitely are a lot of ways in which we can integrate environmental and social quality in the design, production and and use of fashion and textiles.