Eco fashion can sound pretty granola but over the years we have found brands here and there that are rolling out styles that are a little more urban, on trend and exciting than what you can find at your local head shop (read: Baja hoodies). One company, Three Leaves, has tapped into helping these brands and launched an online shop where they have gathered the best independent brands from around the globe including clothing, footwear and accessories.
Founded in 2012 in Red Hook, Brooklyn by Adam Batnick, Three Leaves seeks out brands that incorporate organic cotton, recycled plastic bottles, hemp, vegan materials and sustainable dyes in their collections. All of the brands must meet the strict level of environmental standards including certification from Oako-Tex, Global Organic Textile Standard, certified organic by the Soil Association and OE100. There is no sweat shop labor here either. It doesn’t stop there – they use recycled shipping materials too.
The refreshing thing about Three Leaves is the variety. There are tailored pieces from Culturata in Rome to simple hoodies, tee’s and polos from Continental Clothing, denim from Kuyichi (their exclusive in the US) and even socks and underwear that are eco friendly from Knowledge Cotton Apparel. The Veja brand of shoes has been a favorite of ours for some time. Based in France, they work directly with Brazilian co-ops of organic cotton and wild rubber from the Amazon.
This summer Adam is considering taking the show on the road and taking a truck around to various outdoor events around New York so people can get better acquainted with the site and get a sense of how the clothes fit and feel. “More importantly it is time for us to connect with the people – so that’s what we plan on doing more,” he told us.
Three Leaves is continuously working on rounding out the brands that they carry. Right now the focus is on accessories – more bags, eyeglasses and ties. Watches too. So sign up for their mailing list and watch this site. Eco has clearly come a long way.
