LG and Levi's Release Denim Laptop
Okay so its not made out of denim, but LG recently announced the Xnote Mini X120 Levi's special edition netbook in South Korea. The specs of this special edition X120 are similar with the original model. The 10.1-inch netbook features an Intel Atom N270 CPU, a 1024×600 LCD display, a 160GB HDD, a 1GB RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, Microsoft Windows XP Home OS, and a 6-cell battery. How cool is this?! I think this is PERFECT for the denim obsessed! Do you think I could write this off on my taxes as a business expense, since I do blog on denim?! Hmm.
Denim Goes "Green"
Denim brands are jumping on the environmental bandwagon and fast! In 2006 Levi's Jeans found that making a pair of classic 501 jeans used 920 gallons of water, 400 megajoules of energy (that's a lot) and expells 32 kilograms of carbon dioxide. What does that mean to me and you? Well Levi's said it equals running a garden hose for 106 minutes, driving 78 miles and powering a computer for 556 hours... all for one pair of jeans.
Companies are looking at new ways to make denim as desirable yet still treat our ecosystem with love. From Jeanologia a Spanish denim development company who are making products from industrial washing machine (the G2) which uses air as opposed to traditional water and chemicals to their textile laster which will give you the same distressed and vintage looks without the chemicals that poison the environment. By combining cotton with Tencel a fiber from the eucalyptus plant water usage is reduced by up to 25%. We all love our colored denim the very dyes that make the trend so hot are toxic also! Dystar one of the largest denim suppliers is using low-impact dyes and enzymes are now being used instead of bleach.
Brands like Replay are taking quick notice of the social movement toward greener living and incorporating these techniques with their new line called "Just Add Water" which will hit stores in the fall. It was just announced that the unlikely pairing of singer Alanis Morrisette, actor/director Kevin Smith and Woody Harrelson have teamed with Reco Jeans (see thumbnails below) to launch an exclusive line of recycled denim. To raise awareness to the brand they are having a contest where you the consumer can set the price point for the jeans and will be raffling off 300 limited-edition box sets (jeans and ipod case) to those who come closest to the average bid.
Good idea? Yes. Good marketing? Yes. But with 158.5 billion gallons of water and 1.3 million tons of chemicals being used each year in the making of our favorite item of clothing, I'm hoping this is a trend that will be here to stay.
Who What Wear "Cruel Summer"
Every morning I look forward to an email from Who What Wear the fashion newsletter that keeps me up with celebrity style, runway trends and shopping suggestions. When I received the "Cruel Summer" layout, I was most impressed with it both from an editorial point of view as well as style suggestions. The denim layout features pieces from Topshop, Wrangler, H&M and Erin Wasson's collaboration with RVCA. If you don't receive the newsletter go the website and sign up.
Nudie Jeans Wear & Tear Competition
RECO Jeans Eco-Friendly Denim + Lookbook
Reco® Jeans is a unique denim brand devoted to recycled jeans and to living green in today's world. Not only does Reco® want their shoppers to look and feel great in the collection, but they also believe in the complete lifestyle encompassed by their mission: one that calls for a healthier, cleaner, and more dignified earth.
"Reco® is the only company to use an innovative new recycled fabric solely on all denim products," says the company. The fabric is so unique, in fact, that it has been approved and certified to eliminate waste within the garment industry through its eco-friendly design.
Here is a recent set of looks from Reco®. As you can see, they offer something for everyone: men's denim, women's denim, classic styles and trendy silhouettes too. Check them out on the official website at recojeans.com to learn more.
Show Your Denim Some Love With Indigo Magic
Do you sometimes worry that are spending a fortune on your denim only to see it fade too quickly when washed with regular washing powder? Indigo Magic is a new jeans wash formula which claims to clean your denim gently and with a minimum amount of softner to ensure they feel as if they have been hand-washed. For more information check indigo-magic.com.
