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What do you think of when you hear 'green fashion'? Bamboo fibers? Organic cotton? Plastic bag shoes? Green fashion is actually all of these things - and more. The fashion industry is often criticized by environmentalists as being frivolous and self-absorbed. Constantly changing trends and the newest concepts in fashion design dictate that clothes be thrown away and new clothes bought with a high rate of turnover. To make matters worse, pesticides used for protecting commonly used textiles cause contamination in our soil and water. Cotton, for example, is the most pesticide dependent crop in the world. Polyester, the most widely used manufactured fiber, is made from petroleum. Chlorine bleach, a product that necessitates the use of protective gloves when using as a cleaning agent (if you still use bleach in your home, please check why bleach is bad), is often the first chemical our clothing is dyed with. According to Earth Pledge, approximately 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into fashionable clothing. Recently, though, in the growing wave of awareness that our actions really do affect the planet - and often not in a good way - it seems the fashion tides are starting to change, or at least become more organically attired.

Enter green, or eco-fashion, a movement that is trying to redefine the way we understand the role of our t-shirts (and hopefully the people who make them). Using organic and/or natural sources like bamboo, corn, seaweed, and recycled products to create beautiful pieces of clothing, there are some designers out there who are beginning to understand that our fashion habits, like our meat and oil consumption, need a swift kick in the...repurposed auto leather jacket. Patagonia, for example, caught onto this long ago and, because of their innovation, has been selling clothing like fleeces made from postconsumer plastic soda bottles since 1993. In the years since then they've saved approximately 86 million soda bottles from landfills, all while becoming one of America's largest retailers of outdoor clothing and gear (and leading the way in conservation and environmental justice).

Green fashion has a new connotation as well. Long gone are the days when the term eco-fashion conjured up hippie dippy hemp vests. Now, there are couture dresses made from self-sustaining and organically harvested plants. In 2005, Earth Pledge started Future Fashion, a program to bring environmental consciousness to the fashion industry. Since then they have collected over 600 sustainably produced textiles and have worked with renowned fashion designers all over the world. 2008’s Fashion Week in New York City saw an impressive FutureFashion show including designers Donna Karan and Versace.

If you're not one to buy couture, there are plenty of lower-key green clothes out there. Larger clothing retailers like H & M have begun to bring an environmental eye to their textile and business practice choices. Bamboo fibers, surprisingly, make a great textile. Bamboo plants grow fast and do well without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Bamboo clothing is soft and hangs nicely; it's often referred to as a cross between cashmere and silk. As an added bonus, it also has natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties! Target has an affordable line of bamboo bath and bedding. And a google search of bamboo clothing will turn up dozens of sites where you can buy beautiful, environmentally sound bamboo items.

But buying dresses made from bamboo or sasawashi isn't the only way to bring greener style to your clothing choices. Recycling clothing is one of the best ways to decrease your personal footprint. Donating clothes you no longer want to goodwill or the salvation army is just one way to keep them out of the landfill. Consider getting your friends together for a clothing swap – it’s a great way to get rid of items you don’t want and pick up some new duds. One person’s trash…

And there's no beating vintage or second hand shopping for brightening up your wardrobe and recycling at the same time. Now that the internet is here to stay, there are all sorts of second hand shopping opportunities available on your computer. Websites such as Rehash offer you the chance to swap clothes with people in other cities and states (all you have to do is pay for shipping - and just remember that buying local still applies here!). At swyyne.com you can score some sweet free clothes in exchange for a little sisterly (or brotherly) love, and this guide can help you find a veritable goldmine of vintage online.

So there you have it - fashion can be eco-conscious and beautiful. What will we think of next?