"...I reached a point where I had to stop complaining about environmental issues and start doing something about it." - Laurel, Ecology

Many organizations seek to change the world... why, we are one of them. Many people think of us tree-huggers as dressing in worn down clothes, maybe in a hippie drag, or with dread locks. Not so any more! Eco-mindedness has met fashion in the newest addition to Nashville, Tennessee's upscale Green Hills. Ecology seeks to change the world, but the goal is to inspire people to look good while doing it.

Below is an interview I had with founder/ owner, Laurel Staples. Her words say best what the mission of this store shows.

Interview With Laurel of Ecology

So tell us a little bit about what your store is out to accomplish?

In the past couple of years, the green movement has definitely gained momentum. Cars have been designed and enhanced to become more fuel-efficient. Building construction is following new LEED guidelines. Organic food is more readily available in grocery stores and restaurants. But the apparel industry is oddly lagging behind the times. The industry still continues to move forward using poor methods of manufacturing and sketchy business ethics. The use of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers to grow crops used for fabric has an enormous negative impact on the environment that most consumers aren't fully aware of.

And that's because "conventional" cotton, as they call it, is one of the most chemically dependent crops grown these days. A USDA study in the year 2000 revealed that eighty-four million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on cotton in the U.S.A. alone. And only a small percentage of these chemicals sprayed on crops actually do their intended job of killing insects. The rest of it gets absorbed into the air, the soil, the water, and eventually into ourselves.

The alternative is organic cotton. The difference between organic cotton and regular cotton is that organic cotton is grown without the use of these pesticides, herbicides or other harsh chemicals.

Although organic cotton is probably the most common choice for “green” clothing, other popular sustainable materials include hemp, bamboo, Tencel, recycled materials and surplus fabric.

Our goal at Ecology is to (1) educate consumers about the negative environmental and social impact of manufacturing regular clothing, and (2) provide them with an alternative. Eco-fashion retailers and designers are now abundant and thriving in the fashion capitals of the world. Ecology's goal is to make that trend more wide-spread by carrying all of the top designers of eco-friendly and sweatshop-free fashion. At Ecology, we seek to set a positive example by advancing collective responsibility and improving the world we all share.

What drove you to open this store?

Environmental awareness and education had always been a part of my life growing up in Nashville, but a few years after I graduated from Vanderbilt, I reached a point where I had to stop complaining about environmental issues and start doing something about it. I realized while working in Kentucky that there was no outlet to buy either eco-friendly or American-made/sweatshop-free clothing.

I got to the point where I stopped purchasing anything from the mall and would only buy recycled clothing from consignment stores. But my options were pretty limited. After much research, I realized that there was a market for green clothing and there were enough designers already on board with the concept to be able to open a store. I decided to move back to Nashville and fill the niche market here. Everyone deserves an option when buying clothing and this store provides a good one.

How is your store different than just a fair trade store?

Most of the clothing that we carry is actually produced right here in the USA by designers with a parallel sustainable mission. This way, the clothing is guaranteed to be sweatshop-free. If the clothing is not made here, it is made in sweatshop-free factories overseas where the workers are paid and treated fairly.

But when you think about fair-trade or eco-friendly clothing, your first vision might be something along the lines of a natural-colored, stiff smock of some sort. Or when you envision USA made clothing, you might think of tough working clothes. But what we carry at Ecology is eco-fashion, with an emphasis on the fashion part of it. Eco-fashion is clothing that fits right into your lifestyle and your wardrobe, whether is designer dresses, business attire, casual knits or whatever else you can think of. There are no specific “eco-fashion” trends, because now that eco-clothing retailers and designers are abundant, consumers can almost find any style they want.

So what sets us apart from a fair trade store is that we carry designer clothing and accessories that are made with environmentally sound fabrics and materials.

How would you encourage people to promote change in their community through fashion?

The bottom line is, become aware of your shopping habits.

Start making an effort to look for and buy eco-friendly products, including organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and recycled materials when you go out shopping.

If you are a price-sensitive shopper, as many of us are, consider shopping in consignment stores and buying recycled clothing, which is eco-friendly as well. This way, you are not directly supporting sweatshop labor, your clothing is still stylish and inexpensive, and you're benefiting a local store and in turn, the local economy.

I don’t expect anyone to completely alter their normal shopping routines overnight. What I challenge them to do is to start thinking about your everyday decisions as a consumer. Before you make a purchase, ask yourself the following questions: > *Is this product made in a sweatshop?
> *What material is this product made from?
> *Is there an eco-friendly alternative to this product that I could purchase?
> *Do I truly need this product or do I just want it?

This will help you get on the right track to become aware of the choices you make and perhaps start changing them. It's people like us who need to be the leaders in the green movement. We are the ones who are responsible for facilitating the changes that are needed to keep this planet inhabitable. So I encourage everyone to take the time to gain more of the knowledge you need to move towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

What is your long-term goal with this store?

Down the road, I hope to open more stores and increase awareness as far and wide as possible. For now, I just want to make this one store work. That’s simply it.

About the Author

Laurel Staples was born and raised in Nashville, TN. Environmental awareness and education was always a part of her life growing up, but it wasn't until 2007 that she decided what part she would play in the Green Movement. After graduating from Vanderbilt with a mechanical engineering degree, Staples moved to Kentucky to work at Lexmark designing laser printers. On the side, she opened an art gallery, and then a clothing and art boutique. Not satisfied with fulfilling her dreams on the side, Staples sold her businesses, quit her engineering job and moved back to Nashville in 2007 to open an eco-friendly men and women’s apparel store named Ecology. Ecology is Nashville’s first and only sustainable boutique that is 100% dedicated to organic materials, fair labor and fashion-forward thinking. Staples’ store sets an example of social and environmental responsibility and shows what one person can do to make progressive “green” changes in this world.

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