H&M's Conscious Collection

French singer, model, and actor, Vanessa Paradis, is the face of H&M’s new eco-friendly collection called Conscious. The collection officially launches in Canada on March 21, 2013.

“I like being part of something like the Conscious collection at H&M,” says Paradis. “I try my best to shop consciously, and vintage is very much part of my wardrobe. I love the style and it works in an eco-friendly way because I like to use and reuse old clothes.”

The collection is made from more sustainable materials, including organic cotton, recycled polyester, and a material called Tencel Lyocell, which is a natural man-made fiber. The line includes fashion for men, women, kids, and babies, and even offers some accessories.

“We have our dedicated conscious collection every spring and then throughout the year we always have select garments made from more sustainable materials in all departments,” said Emily Scarlett, from H&M’s communication and press department.

H&M highlights their environmental values on their website. Their sustainability strategy includes being ethical, climate smart, and using natural resources.  Not all of H&M’s garments are made from sustainable materials, but they say they want to use more sustainable sources in the future.

“We are the world’s largest user of organic cotton and hope that by 2020 all the cotton in our range will come from more sustainable sources,” said Scarlett.

Some of my favourite picks that are already in stores include this short-sleeve lace top, made with 51 per cent recycled polyester. This top comes in natural white, khaki green, and black. Although this top is made with sustainable materials, it’s still affordably priced at $12.95.

Keeping with the natural colours, this khaki green jumpsuit will definitely get you craving springtime. This sleeveless V-neck is made out of 100 per cent Tencel Lyocell, and the sparkly bedazzlements on the pocket give a trendy flair to the earthy jumper.

 

This grey sweatshirt is made out of 100 per cent cotton and looks very warm and cozy. The flower-covered ‘C’ design, representing the Conscious collection, gives the sweatshirt a more feminine feel.

 

Keeping with their environmental values, H&M has also launched their garment collection initiative, allowing customers to bring bags of unwanted garments from any label to select stores. In return for each bag, customers will receive an H&M voucher. They state that this effort is to prevent clothing from going into landfills.

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St. Ives: Eco Friendly

When looking for new body care products, I always read the label to see if they contain any animal ingredients, and whether the product is tested on animals. A company that I have bought a number of products from, before going vegan, is St. Ives.

After inspecting my body washes, creams, shampoos, and conditioners, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my St. Ives products were already vegan.

According to the company’s website, St. Ives stands for environmentally friendly products, right down to their packaging.

“We always seek out eco-friendly solutions to improve our packaging. We make every effort to use as many renewable, recycled materials with our packaging and distribution,” the company states.

They also state that they use PCR (Post-Consumer Resin), which means it’s made from recycled materials, in their packaging whenever possible.

St. Ives lists all of their products on their website and include whether or not it contains animal ingredients. Not all of their products are vegan friendly, but the majority are.

St. Ives Energizing Citrus Moisturizing Body Wash contains no animal ingredients and is not tested on animals. The body wash awakens your senses, and leaves you smelling fresh. It is also made with natural ingredients, and contains 100 per cent natural extracts.  The strong grapefruit scent is what keeps me loyal to this product; I believe it’s the best smelling citrus body wash I have found.

Another great product I use is the Apricot Scrub. This exfoliating scrub is oil free, contains no animal ingredients, and is also not tested on animals. I was truly amazed by how soft my skin was after using this product on my face. It smells great and left my skin looking refreshed.

 

The final St. Ives product I use is the Daily Hydrating Body Lotion. It contains 100 per cent natural moisturizers, is not tested on animals, and contains no animal ingredients. The fresh scent is very calm and not overwhelming like other lotions. The product left my skin feeling very moist. The product is also very inexpensive and comes in a large bottle, so I’m never worried about using too much and running out.

I highly recommend these products for their quality, and for the company’s eco-friendly efforts. This brand can be found at most pharmacies, and is in the same price range as your average body-care products.

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