Ready-Made Eco-Conscious Wedding Dresses
Twenty years ago, the bride who wanted an eco-friendly wedding gown faced a frustrating proposition. If she was lucky enough to find one that met her standards for sustainability, it was most likely either extremely expensive, dowdy, or both.
Not so today. While they may not (yet) be readily available in your hometown bridal boutique, sustainable wedding gowns are no longer an endangered species. In fact, there are several “off-the-rack” versions available from online retailers starting at a little over $800. And many of them are every bit as gorgeous as the gowns you dreamed of as a girl.
What makes a wedding gown “Green?”
Not the color! Eco wedding dresses are available in a variety of sustainably-produced fabrics, including hemp, organic cotton and ethically-produced silk. And yes, you can get them in white! Look for fabrics free of formaldehyde and other environmentally-harmful chemicals. If they’re certified by Öko-Tex or another regulatory body you’ll know they’re safe for you and the environment.
Here are a few sites that feature ready-to-wear bridal attire:
Threadhead creations : Quality handcrafted clothing in eco-friendly fabrics and attention to style. Each dress is made by hand with great attention to detail. Check out their stunning and unique “Strapless Daydream” dress featuring a hand-pieced front panel. Threadhead offers ready-made styles as well as custom options.
Conscious Clothing : Conscious Clothing creates unique bridal wear using environmentally friendly, SBP ( sustainable/biodegradable product) hemp fabrics. Their website features an elegant and sophisticated collection of gowns, as well as unique bridesmaids’ dresses and even one for the flower girl.
Rene Geneva : Offers corsets, gowns, and other bride’s attire made from formaldehyde-free HempSilk and other sustainable fabrics.
Rawganique : This family-owned business sells only products made with natural fibers that don’t need chemical processing – especially the three elegant ancient fibers: organic cotton, hemp, and linen. Their wedding collection includes a hemp and wild raw silk evening gown that can easily double as a simple, sophisticated wedding garment. An added bonus is that it can be dyed any desired color after the ceremony and put to use for other occasions.
