Eco Designs We Want to See at the Next NY Fashion Week

In lieu of New York Fashion Week’s wrap up, we searched for sustainable designers that we may see on the runway in September.

The “green” designer brand has set itself apart from other companies by combining the latest fashion trends with ecologically sustainable techniques. Photo: Matt & Nat

At the forefront of eco-friendly fashion is Matt & Nat, a Montreal-based line that has made the commitment to use only recycled materials in its accessories. The Spring 2010 collection, which features a color pallet of bright pinks, greens and blues, will soon be available for purchase at Matt & Nat’s online store.

The lining of Matt & Nat’s handbags are crafted entirely from recycled plastic water bottles with a tag that indicates exactly how many bottles were recycled to create the finished product.

Last fall, Matt & Nat launched two separate collections, Feutre for men and Suede for women, featuring handbag styles that sometimes use up to 55 recycled bottles per accessory.

When asked how a plastic water bottle becomes a stylish handbag, founder and creative director Inder Bedi told eTalk that the bottles are “broken down into a material called PET, which can then be woven together to produce, in this case, our linings.”

Bedi adds that the bottles come from around the world. “Because we are a vegan company, we are always looking to innovate materials that replicate leather or have not been seen before,” he says.

The history of this ecological fashion house is quite a colorful one. After being challenged by a mahatma to forsake all meat products for thirty days, Bedi was inspired to launch a company devoted to fashion that was chic but also socially responsible. Submitted as a university project in 1995, Matt & Nat launched shortly afterward and has been a true pioneer of sustainable fashion ever since.

Current collections featured on the Web site, like Japanese Paper, Pool and Streamline, are designed around a theme of balance that brings together durable, stylish and modern designs with high-quality materials.

Matt & Nat accessories have been featured in Elle, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire. The company offers a wide range of goods aside from women’s handbags, including laptop carriers, briefcases, wallets, overnighters and even diaper bags.

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