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Eco-Chic: 5 Sustainable Fashion Brands & Fresh Care Tips

At GreenEarth Cleaning, we have spent the past decade immersing ourselves in sustainable fashion. This journey has led us to discover and curate a list of the top five fair trade and eco-friendly clothing brands organized by budget. As we become more conscious about our purchases, we must consider the origins and impact of the clothes we wear. Our spending choices can either support or harm the people and resources involved in making our clothing. Choosing sustainable fashion, and even better, secondhand options, can significantly reduce the detrimental effects of fast fashion on our planet. Why Wear Sustainable Clothing? If you’re new to sustainable fashion, you may be surprised by the price tags. However, it’s important to understand that these brands are not meant to be consumed at the same rate as fast fashion. Sustainable fashion brands prioritize eco-friendly practices, ethical production standards, timeless design, and high-quality essentials that last. Unlike fast fashion items that often need replacing every season, these pieces are designed to be worn for years. When it’s time to update our wardrobes, we turn to slow fashion brands. Each of the five brands listed below is committed to ethical and transparent garment production, considering both people and the planet. Many of these brands have third-party sustainable and ethical certifications. Creating a more sustainable wardrobe doesn’t require buying everything new at once. Start with what you have, mend pieces you love, and build your closet slowly and intentionally. Top Sustainable Fashion Brands tentree Best For: Cozy, casual essentials Sustainability: Fair Trade certified ethical manufacturing Size Range: XS–XXL tentree makes Earth-first essentials using sustainable materials. For every item purchased, ten trees are planted, with over 73 million trees planted to date. The brand offers lifestyle and loungewear made from Tencel, hemp, and organic cotton. Tentree’s commitment to the environment and community is evident in every piece.   Pact Best For: Fair trade organic cotton basics Sustainability: Fair Trade Certified, organic cotton, recycled & biodegradable packaging, donation program for used clothes Size Range: XS–2XL; up to US 20 Pact is dedicated to making super-soft sustainable clothes for kids and adults that also benefit the world. The brand ensures its entire supply chain, from growing organic cotton to final sewing, is responsible and clean. Pact is our go-to for basics and underwear, offering carbon-offset shipping for a more sustainable purchase. Kotn Best For: Egyptian cotton wardrobe staples Sustainability: Organic cotton, safe & fair labor standards, plastic-free packaging, nontoxic dyes, gives back to Egyptian communities Size Range: XXS–XXL; up to US 16 Kotn offers luxury basics made from Egyptian cotton. The brand creates garments in a fair and safe environment and helps suppliers transition to organic cotton. As a certified B Corp, Kotn has impacted over 100,000 lives in Egypt by building schools and funding farms. Its high-quality tees are designed to last beyond 30 wears. Fair Indigo Best For: Organic basics Sustainability: Organic cotton, safe dyes, fair wages, artisan-made, gives back via Fair Indigo Foundation Size Range: XS–XL; up to US 18 Fair Indigo focuses on creating long-lasting clothes, like the Forever Organic Tees made from organic Peruvian Pima cotton. The brand’s garments are made with sustainability and ethical practices in mind, offering affordable organic basics and artisan-made accessories. Quince Best For: Affordable silk & cashmere Sustainability: BCSI-certified ethical production, sustainable & organic materials, OEKO-TEX certified, virgin plastic-free Size Range: XS–XL; up to US 16 Quince aims to make ethical and eco-friendly clothing accessible to everyone. The brand offers versatile, effortless basics like Mulberry silk tops and cashmere cardigans, all delivered in plastic-free packaging. Quince’s mission is to make sustainability the standard, not a luxury. Making a Sustainable Choice Embracing sustainable fashion means making informed choices about what we wear. By choosing brands committed to ethical practices and environmental sustainability, we can reduce the impact of our wardrobe on the planet. To ensure your new sustainable purchases stay fresh and last longer, bring them to your nearest GreenEarth Affiliate store. Our eco-friendly cleaning methods protect your garments and extend their lifespan, allowing you to enjoy your thoughtfully chosen pieces for years to come. Visit our store locator to find the closest GreenEarth Affiliate and experience the difference our gentle, planet-friendly cleaning can make.

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Gifting season is upon us, and it is even easier to go green this season!

Gifting season is upon us, and it is even easier to go green this season!   When searching for gift ideas that support our love for sustainable and environmentally friendly products and best practices, we were thrilled to find so many fun and unique ideas. From clothing made from coffee to reusable paper towels, we found a little something for everyone!   Let’s jump right in!   Coalatree Eco-Minded Goods. https://coalatree.com/ A love for the great outdoors is a common thread shared by many. Whether you live in the city and are destined for weekend adventures or enjoy a lifestyle in mountainous terrain, Coalatree has gear for all outdoor enthusiasts. You will find an eco-friendly product line offering clothing for men and women, hammocks, blankets, and accessories, all with rave reviews!    However, we found one product fascinating and, quite frankly, just super cool. Clothing made from Coffee! You read that right. Not only can you enjoy a hot cup of joe each morning, but you can also sport clothing made of coffee. Sipping coffee while wearing coffee! It’s a thing!    Each year coffee consumption creates millions of tons of waste. How do we reduce that waste? One way is to recycle coffee grounds into usable fabric. Infusing yarn with coffee saves landfills from coffee waste, lowers carbon emissions, provides properties similar to synthetic performance clothing, and more. You will enjoy an odor-resistant fabric that is anti-bacterial, moisture-wicking, offers UV protection, and keeps you cool… AND is good for the environment.      Bearaby Napper https://bearaby.com/ The gift of rest is surely something everyone can appreciate. Whether it is a cozy afternoon nap or a long night’s rest, you can give the gift of relaxing slumber to everyone on your list. Your loved ones can snuggle up under a weighted blanket crafted with your choice of buttery-soft cotton, silky-smooth moisture-wicking TENCEL, or eco-friendly velvet in soothing colors like asteroid grey, evening rose, or terracotta, just to name a few. Self-care without compromise is the mission behind Bearaby products, and we think they nailed it. The products are made with eco-friendly materials, sourced ethically, manufactured responsibly, and oh so snuggly! They did not stop at blankets either. Be sure and search their sensory pillows and the cutest little stocking stuffer, the Hugget. Even your littlest of loves can have their own, youth-size, blanket and sensory pillow set.     Munjoi – The All-Dai Shoe https://munjoi.com/ The All-Dai shoe is like gifting four pairs of shoes in one! By removing the insole and collapsing down the desired toe or heel portions, you can have a sandal, a slide, a mule, or a sneaker – all in one. The All-Dai shoe is made from almost entirely plant-based materials (cotton, hemp, algae, and sugar cane). In sticking true to the mission of simplicity and less consumption, the color choices are classic neutrals – Black Sea, Sedona, or Neutral.      Homeostasis Living – REusable Collections https://www.homeostasisliving.com/ This season give the gift that keeps on giving, reusable paper towels. Replacing a one-time-use product in your home is a beautiful way to support a healthier planet. We found these adorable reusable paper towels in patterns that complement any décor. Made with organic cotton and natural eco-friendly dyes, you will enjoy their durable design and long-lasting construction. Each set of 12 or 24 comes with an organic cotton wash bag. Add a bamboo paper towel holder for a complete look.     One of the highlights of researching this article was seeing the passion and heart around creating sustainable, environmentally friendly resources that mirror our founding principle at GreenEarth Cleaning – “doing business without doing harm”. Our mission is a kinder clean. We seek to take better care of fabrics, the people who wear them, and the planet where we live.                  

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Wool – the forgotten wonderful fiber?

As we progress through the Fall and Winter seasons, the more we’ll need to stay warm.  There’s now more of a tendency to add a layer of clothing as energy prices continue to increase. One of the best and most sustainable fabrics to help stay warm is wool. Whether it’s your clothing or blankets! There are lots of different types of wool, including Merino, Angora, Alpaca and Cashmere. All the different types of wool can be found in items such as bedspreads, coats, suits and sweaters. The great thing about wool is that it will keep you warm, but it is also a classic fibre that is very much representative of ‘Slow Fashion’.  Over the years, more manufactured and synthetic fibers have been used as an alternative to wool, but what cost to the planet in the era of ‘Fast Fashion’? Well, wool is coming back into favor, and it has many supporters from pop stars to royalty. King Charles III of the United Kingdom (who proudly boasts that he still wears a wool suit that dates back to the 1970s), is the patron of ‘Campaign for wool’ and even took part in an experiment, which involved burying both a synthetic and wool garment for 4 months. Then Alex James (member of Brit Pop Band Blur) dug up both items. The wool item had degraded significantly, where the synthetic item had not, and in fact had solidified, showing that it would never degrade. Imagine then, a landfill site full of synthetic items. Alex also conducted an experiment on the show ‘Slowing Down Fast Fashion’, setting fire to a wool item and a synthetic item with a blow torch.  The blow torch did burn a hole in the woollen item, but it did not catch fire. The synthetic item did catch fire, and in his words, “That smells really toxic, and it’s really sticky… that’s like an oil slick burning.” So, as well as environmental concerns, there are also safety concerns. Wool is also being used in innovative ways too. Armadillo Merino, create clothing made of wool for astronauts to wear on their missions, helping to reduce odour in confined spaces – something that is not considered to be an obvious requirement to us non-astronauts! And these are not heavy-duty sweaters, but t-shirts, long johns, balaclavas and socks! It’s great that they don’t have to consider after care when on a mission, but back on terra firma, GreenEarth Affiliates and their customers can rely on the gentle and effective properties of our pure liquid silicone.  Whether it’s heavy duty wool or something more delicate like cashmere, these items can be cleaned time and time again, without losing color and shape, plus they will keep their original soft feel – also, customers don’t have to worry about drying items flat, when they entrust their wool items in the experienced hands of our collective affiliate network!

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Keeping Earth Day Alive

Now that we’re into May, we almost leave Earth Day and Earth Month behind, but not quite.  Whilst Earth Day is a big celebration for us, when we reflect, re-evaluate and refocus. By setting new company and individual objectives, we try to ensure that every day is Earth Day. GreenEarth Cleaning’s objectives for the next 12 months include continuing to reduce our own carbon footprint and also the footprint of our affiliates. We achieve this by converting more of them to our optimized GreenEarth® system.  And the team’s individual objectives range from reducing travel related carbon, to reducing use of disposable plastic, to community litter picking. We also ensure that we share the latest in sustainability related news and initiatives with our many GreenEarth Cleaning affiliates, helping them navigate their way through that content, so that they can continue to make a significant difference. The GreenEarth® Cleaning system consists of 3 main product components in addition to our proprietary pure liquid silicone.  They are: 1)      Activated Clay 2)      Prime pre-spotter 3)      Sustain Detergent When using this system, we no longer use (or need to dispose of) cartridges or all-carbon filters. The amount of detergent used can be reduced, as well as reducing utility usage and associated costs by up to 60%.  And a result of bypassing the distillation part of the process, cycle times are reduced, and productivity is increased. To celebrate Earth Day 2022, we combined sustainability and giving back to society. Alongside many of our USA affiliates, GreenEarth Cleaning organized a clothes drive, something that we have done for several years.  Many of the stores collected clothes from customers to benefit charities.  The GreenEarth team in Kansas City, hosted a clothes drive at the Bierstation, and over 1,000 lbs of unwanted clothes were collected, preventing them from going to landfill and at the same time, benefiting the charity Big Brother Big Sister, which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships, that ignite the power and promise of youth”. Adult volunteers are matched with children from age 5 to young adulthood. We’d love to hear your Earth Day stories – share them with us at info@greenearthcleaning.com

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Spring Cleaning—So Fresh & So Clean

As the weather warms and flowers bloom, it’s a fantastic time to clean and freshen up your home for spring. If your sights are set on green living this year, here are some great tips on how to clean sustainably.  During the winter, clothes start to pile up and overburden you with clutter and there is nothing worse than clutter to make a space feel messy. Clutter can be a source of stress but there are ways to manage it. If you are looking to cut down on landfill waste, consider donating your items to your local Salvation Army or nearest clothing drive. For items you want to keep like new, we have many affiliates who can help you clean them properly, without harsh or harmful chemicals. If you have a trusted dry cleaner in your area, you may know that they offer dry cleaning services that will help gently remove any dust or grime that may have accumulated over the winter season. If your local cleaner uses the GreenEarth Cleaning process, then you are really in luck. With the GreenEarth process, you can expect a friendly clean that is fresh and crisp, and you can trust that the process is sustainable.  The GreenEarth Cleaning process is made up of one basic ingredient, pure liquid silicone. This ingredient is non-toxic and non-hazardous. You can find liquid silicone in many of your daily use items, including cosmetics and body lotions. Since it is unlike traditional solvents, it can be used on delicate fabrics without causing damage, with its gentle but effective clean. Since it is non-toxic, it can clear away oils and dirt, making your items feel softer. Your items will be returned to you looking brighter than ever. When bringing your items in to be cleaned for spring to any GreenEarth cleaner, you can also expect your items returned to you with satisfaction guaranteed. You will be amazed at what our process can do to not only clean your clothes the right way but to renew them just in time so you can enjoy sunny spring days, worry-free. With our Affiliates, you can expect nothing less. So, the next time you are looking for a trusted local dry cleaner, check our store locator! Meanwhile, if you are feeling overwhelmed with your spring cleaning, here are some great sustainable tips to start with: Organize, organize, organize! If you feel like you are drowning in clothes, try to sort out each item by color, fabric, or season. When you do this, you can figure out which items to store, and which items you plan to use the most this season. When storing your winter items, do your best to keep them in a cool and dry environment. You may also want to consider buying a few easy-to-access storage bins to place under your bed or on the shelf in order to minimize dust accumulation.  Fold your clothes neatly, that way, when you go to pull them out again they will not be wrinkled or bunched up which will reduce the amount of effort you will need to put into unpacking these items for next season. Consider donating clothes rather than throwing them away. Bring your items to a local clothes drive, sell them on social media, or drop them off at Salvation Army. This will lessen the burden of having too many clothes while also helping to minimize landfill waste and perhaps help others in need as well.

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2022 Sustainable Fashion Trends

With 2022 finally in full swing, it’s a fantastic time to start thinking about the tone we will be setting for this new year, specifically when it comes to sustainable fashion! The pandemic gave many of us a chance to examine our relationship with fast fashion, providing an opportunity to ‘reset’ and rethink how we value newness, comfort, and quality. This past year, we have noticed more influencers and designers who promote longer-lasting garments, instead of buying more new pieces. This is a trend that not only benefits our environment, but it also sets a new tone and expectation for the fashion industry. Secondhand clothing also looks to make big waves this year. As people hunt for their favorite labels at bargain prices on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, and Depop. Giving clothes a new lease on life by up-cycling and promoting a more sustainable, yet trendy, way to shop your favorite style. A few studies by Mashable show that the 90s are back. Loose denim, vintage suits, and bucket hats are coming back strong. With celebrities sporting more vintage sustainable fashion, it is quickly becoming the latest trend for the masses. Every brand has a unique approach to sustainable fashion, for instance, ReCircled allows for clothing and accessories to be put back to use.  Rather than going to a landfill or shredded for scrap, the ReCircled process keeps these items at their highest value, which is a core value of sustainability. Another brand that goes above and beyond with sustainability is Sorona which manufactures ethically sourced materials. Apparel made with Sorona Fabric enables people to look good and feel good while doing good for our planet. Sustainable fashion is crucial, especially now. Our team at Cameo By Copeland wants to emphasize that we love longevity in fashion and we are proud that we use the environmentally non-toxic GreenEarth® dry cleaning process because not only is it safe for the environment, it’s gentler on fabrics as well so your clothes look newer longer. By replacing petrochemicals with pure liquid silicone, GreenEarth delivers an impeccable clean without exposing your clothes or the environment to harmful chemicals. So while you’re thrifting, or buying reused clothing, it’s important to get them cleaned professionally. We can ensure that our team will make your sustainable clothing look brand new and more comfortable than ever! Take your new wardrobe to Cameo By Copeland today, and let us get you ready for 2022 in a sustainable way!

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The Perfect Date Night

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so naturally, couples everywhere are planning their perfect date night. Imagine yourself getting ready and putting on that perfect outfit, knowing you look and feel beautiful, so you can start your evening stress-free! Your local GreenEarth cleaner is there to help. If you have a dress in the closet you have saved for that special night, and you might notice it doesn’t fit quite right anymore, their expert tailors will find you that perfect fit. With all the time and money spent on Valentine’s Day, see if your local GreenEarth cleaner offers pickup and delivery. It’s just one more way they can make your life easier. It works on your time and will make your perfect night less stressful. GreenEarth cleaners are the best in the business and take incredible care in keeping your fine garments including dress shirts, bespoke and designer suits, gowns—even bridal finery, looking new yet scrupulously cleaned. Romance and dry cleaning go more hand in hand than you probably thought, right? Rather than handbag or shoe cleaning, restorations, or even fur upkeep, our Affiliates excel in creating the cleanest clothing possible, all while maintaining their commitment to the environemtn. First, it has very low surface tension and is very light in weight. Surface tension is what causes water to “bead up” on fabric. GreenEarth’s low surface tension allows it to more effectively penetrate the fabric fibers and lubricate away the dirt particles. Silicone cleans and rinses more gently, reducing wear and tear on fabrics. Second, liquid silicone is chemically inert, meaning it does not chemically react with textile fabric or dyes during the cleaning process. This minimizes abrasion to and/or swelling of fabric fibers, eliminates traditional issues with dye removal and dye bleed, helps maintain the soft hand of garments, and prevents shrinkage. A wider variety of clothes can be safely cleaned with GreenEarth. What used to be “problem” items is no problem at all. Liquid silicone is odorless, so there is no lingering chemical “dry cleaned” smell on your clothes. GreenEarth cleaning kills most viruses and microbes that survive on garments, bedding, and upholstery. Lastly, we want to wish everyone an amazing holiday and hope that you have the most magical night possible, whomever it is spent with.

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Love Your Leather Jacket Longer

Name a more timeless wardrobe staple than a leather jacket. We’ll wait… Some of the first modern leather jackets were worn by members of the military in the early 1900s for protection against the elements. In the latter half of the 20th century, the garment was popularized by Hollywood stars and quickly became the very essence of “cool.” While long appreciated for their practicality, leather jackets have been a cornerstone of fashion for decades—and they’re not going anywhere. To ensure your leather jacket remains forever in style, it needs meticulous cleaning and care. Unlike everyday garments, leather pieces shouldn’t just be cleaned when they get dirty. Caring for these investments is a matter of maintenance. With a quick Google search, you’ll find all sorts of tips and tricks for DIY leather cleaning. Regularly conditioning your leather on your own is beneficial, but for a deeper clean, it’s best left to the professionals. There’s a higher risk of doing more harm than good with an at-home approach. GreenEarth cleaners should be your go-to source when it comes to looking after your leather garments. As you’ve read from us before, our environmentally non-toxic system of care is not only better for the planet, but it’s also just better for fabrics—and that includes leather. Unlike traditional dry cleaning methods, GreenEarth cleans gently, returning items fresh and rejuvenated. For your beloved leather jacket, that translates to restoring the natural skin’s soft and supple feel. And if your piece has additional embellishments like fringe, embroidery, painted designs, etc.? That’s no problem either! Because GreenEarth isn’t abrasive or aggressive, there’s no worry of leaching dyes or damaging trims. Aside from cleaning, many of our Affiliates also include restoration, alterations, and repairs as part of their leather services, providing you with comprehensive care so you can continue to enjoy and cherish your leathers for years to come. GreenEarth cleaners are truly the best in the business—and a treasured garment like a leather jacket only deserves the best. With a combination of knowledge, expertise, and state-of-the-art care, you can have peace of mind that your investment is being left in the most skilled and capable hands. To find a cleaner near you, head to our Store Locator. A few tips to consider in between professional cleanings: Leather conditioner keeps leather soft and pliable as well as helps it repel water. Condition your leather at least four times a year, or more if it’s regularly exposed to rain or sun. Avoid spraying hairspray, perfume, or cologne while wearing your leather. Always hang leather garments on padded hangers to help retain their shape. Keep leather items stored out of direct sunlight. Natural skins will fade over time, but sunlight will speed up that process substantially. Never store leather in plastic or non-breathable covers. It could cause the leather to dry out and lose its integrity. Instead, use a fabric garment bag or even cover the item with an old sheet for long-term storage.

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dry cleaning

A Sustainable New Year Celebration

Celebrating a new beginning, a turning of the page, the next chapter in life—who doesn’t get excited about New Year’s celebrations? The champagne, the party blowers, the little hats, and the fashion. Oh, the fashion! Dressing to the nine for the big ball drop is a long-lasting tradition for many folks, and we are here for it. We love seeing all of the fresh, couture, high fashion looks. So while everyone everywhere is either planning a party or preparing to attend one, do we dare ask you to keep the planet top of mind this year? We do—a sustainable New Year is music to our ears. The Guest List If you’re sending out formal invitations, think about doing it digitally. There is something to be said about the classiness that comes with a printed invitation, but with the environment top of mind, your guests should understand. There are some really cool e-vite cards these days too, and you can even frame your message around the planet and all of your friends will know how forward-thinking and planet-conscious you are. A True Dining Experience Forget the plastic. It’s so easy to just throw away, your hungover self will thank you the next day. But let’s stop letting our hungover selves call the shots. Put your foot down and rent some fine glassware. This way you can simply return it the next day and be done with it, almost as easy as throwing it in the trash. Now, mother nature can thank you for a sustainable New Year celebration. Floor To Ceiling Most traditional New Year’s Eve party decorations are not kind to the environment. But just take a look around, check out some local party shops, they will almost always have some more eco-friendly options for you. And don’t get the paper tablecloths—use fabric. It’s much classier. And if it gets wine or champagne spilled on it, no worries, your local GreenEarth cleaner will get that right out for you. Razzle Dazzle ‘Em You can’t do New Year’s Eve without your best, drop-dead gorgeous fit. Avoid all things fast fashion, go for glitz—the real deal. Even think about shopping some vintage boutiques for that super trendy retro look everyone’s going for these days. Nothing is more sustainable than that. And you guessed it, GreenEarth cleaners around the world will be there waiting to take care of any alterations pre-party, and of course, cleaning and stain removal post-party. Find your local GreenEarth cleaner on our store locator—they’ll be your one-stop shop for all your fabric care needs.

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