What exactly is eco-friendly? It's a term we hear often, but may not fully understand. Is it just marketing hype or is it relevant, or perhaps a mixture of both? According to Wikipedia, eco-friendly, nature friendly, and green are synonyms and used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. To make consumers aware, environmentally friendly goods and services are often marked with eco-labels. But, because there is no single international standard for this concept, the International Organization for Standardization considers such labels too vague to be meaningful. Consumers are required to do their homework and learn something about the products deemed eco-friendly, and then they can decide whether or not to buy. With the emerging green market, and consumers now asking for eco-friendly products, it’s easy for marketers to misrepresent products and claim to be greener than they actually are.

Ethical Consumerism is on the rise

“Ethical consumerism,” an emerging concept, is a growing market as people become more aware of global warming and our impact on the environment. The positive effect of this is that companies who want to be the “good guys,” are now deciding to get on board with green products from start to finish. The fashion industry is recognizing eco-friendly is a growing market, and green is becoming chic. Top designers are making fashion lines made with only organic fabrics, low waste dyes, and using sustainable packaging. They are not sacrificing a bit of style.

In Paris, there is even a yearly Ethical Fashion Show, where conferences and workshops and runway shows center on ecological and social matters—the conference will be touring cities internationally next year.

Voting with your Dollars

Choosing green is an emotional experience and people who buy eco-friendly, feel they're doing the right thing. They believe their choice to buy green is a political statement, and by making conscious choices, they’re having a small but positive influence in a world that most of the time seems out of their control. At least, they reason, their hearts are in the right place. If we say we’re for sustainability, buying green is putting our money where our mouths are; we’re walking the talk. And, in fact, green industries are employing people, educating us about sustainability, and helping to heal the planet.

"Buyer beware" is an adage that is always meaningful. Consumers need to ask questions about where clothing and other products come from. Many eco-friendly companies buy locally and are involved in the process of production from start to finish. Consumers have to beware of "greenwashing," or of companies making products seem greener than they are by using small amounts of recycled or eco-friendly materials in products and labeling them "green."

Is it Recycled, Upcycled, or Eco-friendly?

Generally clothes made of new organic textiles, such as organic cotton or bamboo, are eco-friendly, while items made from a synthetic base have been either recycled or upcycled. Recycled clothes are often made of recycled plastic bottles, while upcycled clothing refers to vintage or used clothing that is restyled to fit current trends.

Buy less: This is something that is quickly becoming a national mandate, not a choice. We have to start thinking about quality and not quantity. Perhaps a few pairs of organic jeans are better than a closet full of jeans that are made in China using cotton grown by children in Pakistan. After writing my article on organic cotton, I was so deeply shocked by what I learned, I completely changed my thoughts about how to shop, what to look for, and how I need to make changes in my habits as a consumer!

Read labels: Changing our buying habits requries becoming educated, and the first step can be as easy as reading labels. Find out what the product is made from and where it is made.There are several sustainable-fashion certifications, such as SA 8000 (overseen by the Social Accountability International organization) and GOTS (the Global Organic Textile Standard). If you're unsure what one means and whether the product is legit, ask an eco-shop owner or look up the brand at www.ecofashionworld.com.

Look for items made from recycled material, or upcycled fabric that avoided the waste stream altogether.

Try to avoid regular cotton which accounts for 25% of the insecticides, and more than 10% of the pesticides used around the world.

Avoid buying products that require dry-cleaning: Dry cleaning is not only costly but uses toxic chemicals like perchloroethylene, a carcinogen and respiratory irritant, that evaporates from clothing into your home. I refuse to buy anything that cannot be washed.

Buy from second hand stores.

Donate clothing and other items to charity.

More information on Eco-friendly:

Choose Non-Toxic Candles

Best Natural Cleaning Products

Aubrey Organics - a Company with a Conscience!

Buy Organic Cotton to Heal the Earth