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This Valentine’s Day, why not consider showing your love for the Earth?

February 11th, 2008

Conscious Elegance, Ltd. creates beautiful eco-friendly bridal and formal wear using only the kindest, most socially responsible methods available.

Lori Del Genis, Founder and Designer, is a third-generation dressmaker and has been a seamstress for over 20 years. Whilst researching fabrics for her own wedding gown, she found that current manufacturing and labour practices were often cruel and destructive to the environment and to the garment workers involved. She comments: ‘Clearly, we needed a solution that neither depleted our earth nor mistreated her people. And so we began with a question: could we offer fairly-priced bridal/formal wear that would be earth-friendly, people-friendly, and stunningly beautiful?’ In response to this need, Conscious Elegance was born.

Their products are sewn individually by local seamstresses, meaning that they don’t farm out to overseas workers and their gowns are not mass-produced. Unlike many high-street shops, they closely monitor each of their sources and can account for every link in their (very short) supply chain. All of their gown production takes place in the UK.

Conscious Elegance seamstresses use only 100% Control Union-certified (formerly SKAL) organic cottons and pesticide-free silk and hemp and linen blends in their dressmaking. They use eco-gentle fabrics such as hemp/silk blends and offer vegan-friendly fabric options, as well as vegetarian ‘peace silk’ that does no harm to silkworms. Even their garment labels are sewn on certified organic cotton and their buttons are carved from sustainable nutshells, the sale of which supports rainforest preservation. Their suppliers also pledge to responsible practice: no sweatshop conditions or underage children are employed by any of their fabric or notion sources.

The business’ administrative methods reflect their philosophy too. Employees make a point of minimising waste in both administrative needs and dress-making (that’s not as easy as it sounds!). They use only ethically-produced, fair-traded and recycled products for their business needs such as 100% post-consumer recycled paper for their letterheads, swatchpacks and cardstock. Seamstresses sew at home or in local workshops whenever possible to conserve resources and to be available to their families and communities. Packaging and shipping materials are also recyclable, often reclaimed and all fully biodegradable. The completed gowns are wrapped in chlorine-free, acid-free preservation-grade tissue paper made from sustainably-managed Scandinavian forests. The gowns are shipped via carbon-neutral eco-friendly couriers who are dedicated to minimising their own environmental impact. Whenever possible, the business attempts to support working mothers in independent and family-run small businesses for their supplies.

Even the dresses themselves can be recycled: Conscious Elegance offers a free service whereby they can create infant wear out of the gown after it has been worn. Since the materials are already organic and chemical-free, the garments are a perfect choice for newborns.

Their efforts have drawn the attention of the local business community: last month they were thrilled to accept a regional award for the Environmental Business of the Year, beating out much larger companies such as Nissan.

Lori says, ‘Conscious Elegance, Ltd. gowns are made with a joyful purpose and a great love for what we do. We want to create a more beautiful, more ethical world and invite you to join us.’

http://www.consciouselegance.co.uk

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