In our last issue we talked about finding eco-friendly wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses. Now we focus on attire for the groom, groomsmen, and ushers who also want to look great while keeping the planet in mind...

When it comes to wedding apparel, the main buzz is often around what the bride and her attendants will be wearing. But we know that the groom and his men also want to look sharp, and that their apparel is a key element of the wedding’s total look and feel.

So what are environmentally and socially responsible, fashion conscious guys to do? Join us as we explore approaches to finding men’s wedding garb that’s stylishly guilt-free, whether it’s brand new or previously worn.

Several styles of hemp suits are available online, with black and natural being the most common colors. Match top to bottom, or try a natural colored jacket with black slacks. You'll find stylish hemp fabric suits at HempWorld, Sandstone Designs in Hemp, and Utopian Living. Downbound and Rawganique feature sweatshop-free organic hemp suit jackets and slacks manufactured by Ecolution. These garments are made from non-chemically processed hemp, dyed with fiber-reactive and plant-based dyes, and finished with buttons made from natural biodegradable materials such as uninhabited sea shells or tagua nuts. 

Steer clear of suits and other garments made of synthetic petroleum-based polyester and nylon fabrics. Not only are these bad for the planet, but the fabrics don't "breathe" and you may end up feeling unpleasantly warm and sticky when you'd rather feel confidently cool on your wedding day!

Whether your suit style is formal or relaxed, you'll want a nice looking, comfortable shirt next to your skin. The most elegant shirts we've found are Boll Organic's cotton dress shirts. Made of 100% organic Texas cotton, these shirts are refined, comfortable, and earth friendly.

Kent Russell of Boll Organic explained to me that he and his twin brother Kevin created the company because they weren't able to find organic cotton dress shirts for business wear. Instead of waiting for someone else to offer them, they decided to take matters into their own hands to design and manufacture a line of finely crafted organic cotton shirts. These shirts are perfect for wedding attire, and the timeless designs will live on in your wardrobe for future occasions or business needs.
 

Men's New Apparel Boll Organic www.bollorganic.com Downbound www.downbound.com EcoWise www.ecowise.com Garuda International www.garudainternational.com Good Humans www.goodhumans.com Grass Roots Natural Goods www.grassrootsnaturalgoods.com HempClothing.com http://www.hempclothing.com/ HempWorld www.hempworld.com Island Importer www.islandimporter.com Rawganique www.rawganique.com Sandstone Designs in Hemp www.sandstonehemp.com Utopian Living www.utopianliving.com

Concern for the planet is at the heart of Boll Organic's mission "to offer superior quality organic cotton dress shirts at a comparable price to our nonorganic competition."  Russell believes that the "use of organics is universally beneficial." According to USDA statistics "over 50 million pounds of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other chemicals were applied to cotton crops in 2001."  Boll Organic offers a reasonably priced alternative to conventionally grown cotton - even though organic cotton shirts cost more to produce. Boll absorbs the increased cost rather than passing it on to the consumer. Boll also donates 1% of their total revenue to environmental organizations. Social responsibility is also at the top of Boll's list. Russell told me that they have used the resources of Sweatshop Watch to seek out factories that employ fair trade labor practices. Less dressy, yet appropriate with a casual suit, are long sleeved shirts made of environmentally friendly hemp. We've found nice options at Downbound, EcoWise, Garuda International, and Grassroots Natural Goods. For an informal wedding, also look for casual shirts and pants made of organic cotton, linen, and other natural fabrics. The links in the paragraph above will lead you to some casual options. Island Importer is a good source for your beach wedding wear, offering natural fiber shirts and drawstring pants perfect for grooms and groomsmen. Or for a fun romantic look, try a pirate shirt made of 100% organic hemp from Rawganique.

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Reuse and Recycle

It makes good economical (and environmental) sense to wear previously worn wedding apparel. This tactic works especially well for less formal events where exact matching of groom's and groomsmen's outfits is not essential.

The first place to look may be your own closet. If you already own a suit or blazer and slacks, consider how they may fit in with what the bride and her attendants will be wearing. A popular informal combination that many guys already own is khaki pants teamed with a navy blazer. Or for beach or outdoor weddings, pair your color coordinated Hawaiian shirts with khakis or cotton drawstring pants.
 

Used formal and casual wear may also be found at thrift stores, and at consignment and vintage shops.  Check the box at right for links to national charitable organizations' websites where you can search for local store locations. The Rusty Zipper has some great vintage formal wear, and more contemporary styles may be found at MyOwnTuxedo.com and Tuxedos Online. Listings for tuxedos on eBay are abundant, and you might even have luck with craigslist 's "Clothing & Accessories" listings. If you decide to purchase a previously worn tuxedo or suit, it may be difficult to find the perfect fit essential to an elegant look. A garment slightly larger or longer than what you need can generally be altered. One that is too short or tight may be very difficult to alter unless there is ample hem or seam allowance - and even then, the way it's constructed may make alterations challenging. A garment that is greatly larger than your size may not be a good choice either, as complete reconstruction may be necessary. Ask your seamstress friends or check local listings for alteration specialists who can assess whether alterations to a particular garment are feasible.

Previously Worn Apparel Goodwill Industries www.goodwill.org MyOwnTuxedo.com www.myowntuxedo.com Rusty Zipper www.rustyzipper.com The Salvation Army www.satruck.com Society of St. Vincent de Paul www.svdpusa.org Tuxedos Online www.tuxedosonline.com Value Village www.valuevillage.com

Be aware that many second-hand stores, and thrift shops in particular, do not clean their garments and accessories before putting them up for sale. Suits and other non-washables should be professionally dry cleaned (by environmentally-safe companies) prior to wearing. Washable shirts and slacks may be home laundered. To disinfect accessories such as shoes, use an eco-friendly homemade mixture of 2 teaspoons borax, 3 cups hot water, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon liquid soap.

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Custom Creations
 

Stitching up men’s apparel is a bit more challenging than sewing ladies’ frocks if a tailored suit is the desired result. If an original tailored garment is what you want, we recommend that you be sure that the person creating it is skilled in the art of tailoring. For less formal garb such as unstructured suits or island-style shirts and pants, skilled seamstresses can successfully fill the bill. If you don't have sewing experience yourself, be sure to consult with your seamstress to make sure that you choose a fabric that is suited to the style that you have in mind. Your neighborhood fabric store should carry a good selection of sewing patterns for you to choose from. Patterns may also be purchased online at several sites, including DenverFabrics.com. It's not as easy to find sustainable fabrics such as hemp and organic cotton at most local fabric stores. There are, however, several online fabric stores (see box at right) that carry these fabrics, mostly in neutral solid colors. Organic Cotton Plus and PM Organics also offer prints in organic cotton suitable for beach weddings.

Sustainable Fabric Clothworks www.cameronclothworks.com GreenSage www.greensage.com Hemp Traders www.hemptraders.com Near Sea Naturals www.nearseanaturals.com Organic Cotton Plus www.organiccottonplus.com Pickering International www.pickhemp.com PM Organics www.pmorganics.com Sweetgrass Natural Fibers www.sweetgrassfibers.com

You’ll find lots more tips in our website’s Apparel section, and for a special guide to finding ladies' wedding apparel check out our April/May 2006 Issue.

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