With the first colors of autumn beginning to seep into our sun-bleached psyches, one’s attention understandably turns to what is on the horizon for sustainable style Fall 2008. NY Fashion Week is less than two weeks away, and we are already gearing up to cover some of the eco-fabulous events that are on tap here in NYC. We wanted to kick off our fall pre-view reporting with one of our favorite local accessory designers, Alison Teich of Teich Collection. Alison creates luxurious eco friendly clutches and bags that are geometrically bold and colorfully crafted. If you are looking to add just one new piece to your green closet as a way to inject your wardrobe with new sustainable hues, Teich might be just the fall find for you.
Teich Collection’s Fall 2008 ‘Fold-Over Mini Clutch’ of black vegetable-tanned leather, magenta vintage lambskin pleated stripe detail, and blue organic cotton twill lining
We first discovered Teich at Bahar Shapar’s The Four Hundred showroom during the Designers & Agents show here in NYC. The Four Hundred has a fantastically edited selection of eco fashion designers that they represent, and we were excited to see Teich as part of their current line up. Alison Teich has done an outstanding job creating her recent collection as she has obviously employed all of her amazing skills in the craftsmanship that goes into each thoughtfully designed piece.
In terms of the eco friendliness of materials, the designer states, “All the leather I use is vegetable tanned and chrome-free. I work with environmentally friendly fabrics such as hemp and linen. These fibers require no pesticides or herbicides and much less water than conventional fiber plants. Hemp grows very quickly, yielding more crop and needing less land than crops such as cotton.”
Rooted in the tradition of her father’s work ethic and commitment to locally produced goods, Alison spent a considerable amount of time at his Greenpoint, Brooklyn steel door factory learning about local manufacturing and quality production via local resources. “In 1925 my grandfather started the company, and it is still in business there today,” said Teich. “I have a deep appreciation for the manufacturing history of NYC. It was important for me to keep the production of my bags local and support New York businesses and artisans.”
Teich is a local success story both in terms of its sustainability agenda and commitment to doing GOOD right here at home. Fashionable and forward-thinking, they are designs that devoted customers can covet for many a season.
For more information on where to find Teich, contact The Four Hundred.
+ Teich Collection
+ The Four Hundred
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