GREEN FASHION IS MORE THAN A PASSING TREND: LEADING ECO-DESIGN WEBSITE INHABITAT.COM

NEW YORK, NY (September 23, 2009)—In an effort to highlight the critical environmental impact of clothing design, leading green design website Inhabitat.com has announced the official launch of its new eco-fashion site, Ecouterre.com. Aiming to dispel the disparaging stereotypes that still cling to “eco fashion” and reverse the frivolous connotation associated with fashion design in general, Ecouterre.com wants to change people’s minds about what “fashion” is: moving beyond fleeting fads and mindless consumerism to a smarter understanding of what goes into the textiles that we wrap around our bodies on a daily basis. Ecouterre approaches fashion from a design perspective, and it maintains that like any other form of design (architecture, product design, urban design), fashion design can, and should be better, smarter, and more socially and environmentally responsible.

Ecouterre could not have come at a more relevant time. The plight of the economy has forced people to open their eyes to our limited resources, and the trend toward frugality has actually bolstered the sustainability movement by encouraging consumers to be smarter about their spending and more creative with their resources. In addition, clothing manufacturers are shifting their modes of production. In 2006, retail sales of organic cotton products reached $1.1 billion globally—85 percent higher than the year before, according to the Organic Exchange—which presents telling evidence that “green” is finally becoming a selling point for consumers.

Despite the fact that most fashionistas are loath to talk about the environment, and most environmentalists are loath to talk about fashion, the environmental ramifications of clothing design impact each and every one of us on a daily basis. The cotton industry releases roughly 16 percent of global pesticides—more than any other agricultural crop—every year. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 3 million people are poisoned by pesticides each year, resulting in 220,000 deaths worldwide annually.

“I got tired of having to explain to skeptical fashionistas that there is more to ‘eco-fashion’ than organic T-shirts, while simultaneously trying to convince my grouchy environmentalist friends that they need to focus their eco attention on the clothes they wear on their back,” says founder Jill Fehrenbacher. “There are a ton of talented, environmentally conscious designers who are producing beautiful, innovative, groundbreaking designs each year, and they are really not getting the attention they deserve from mainstream press. I’ve started Ecouterre to provide a showcase for these up-and-coming designers and a forum to get people talking about eco-design.”
For more information visit www.ecouterre.com

Founder and Publisher, Jill Fehrenbacher is available for interviews to comment on fashion, style and sustainability. For all media inquiries, please contact STATE Public Relations at 646.714.2520, Ryan Urcia at ryan@statepr.com or Kristina Ratliff at kristina@statepr.com.

About INHABITAT
Inhabitat.com is an online magazine devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices, and materials that are pushing architecture and design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. With over 1.5 million readers a month, Inhabitat is a must-read for architects, designers, trendsetting consumers, and cultural innovators who are working towards a better future. Learn more at www.inhabitat.com

About ECOUTERRE
Ecouterre is a website devoted to the future of fashion design. Dedicated to showcasing and supporting clothing designers who not only contemplate cut, form, and drape, but also a garment’s environmental impact, Ecouterre’s mission is to follow the evolution of the apparel industry toward a more environmentally sound future, as well as spark conversation about why sustainable design matters.