LALF making World Elephant Day happier!

Just in time for World Elephant Day, here's a brand I'm beyond excited to share with you!

LALF (Love Animals Love Fashion) is an ethical, sustainable and vegan fashion brand that creates beautiful and comfortable tees made of organic cotton and natural dyes without the use of chemicals and toxic pesticides, which are poison to our health and planet. Are you smiling already? Then... get ready to smile even bigger! For each product you purchase from their limited edition collection, LALF donates 25% to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and their mission to rescue and protect elephants and rhinos in Africa. How about that for World Elephant Day?! Go check them out! They launched today and you can browse their entire collection on their website!

The tee I'm wearing is the IVY and it came in the most adorable and eco-friendly box, which can be reused or recycled! The box was made with recycled materials and it reads LOVE ANIMALS LOVE FASHION.

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ESPAÑOL

Para celebrar este Domingo y el día mundial de los elefantes, les quiero compartir esta marca divina, ecológica y ética! 

LALF (Love Animals Love Fashion) es una marca de ropa sostenible, vegana y ética que crea franelas/poleras/tees de algodón orgánico con colorantes naturales y sin el uso de pesticidas ni químicos que son tóxicos para nuestra salud y planeta. Ya están sonriendo? Bueno, prepárense para sonreír mucho más! Por cada producto que compren de su edición limitada, LALF donará 25% a la fundación David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust cuya misión se enfoca en rescatar y proteger a elefantes y rinocerontes en Africa. Qué les parece esta noticia tan linda para alegrarnos este Domingo y día mundial de los elefantes?! Vayan a espiar los productos de LALF! Hoy lanzaron la marca y todo esta en su website!

La polera que estoy usando es "IVY" y vino en una cajita hermosa que puede ser rehusada o reciclada. La caja fue hecha de materiales reciclados y muestra el logo y motto de LALF "LOVE ANIMALS LOVE FASHION". 

Ethical, Sustainable, Boho & Cute!

Fashion. It's the second most polluting industry after oil. Did you know that? Or that through fast fashion, the hands that make your clothes get paid less than $2 each day? Or that we produce 4 lbs of waste every day? Or that old (non biodegradable) clothing pieces are part of these piles of trash that sit on landfills for years? These, and many more, are the reasons why I opted for a sustainable and fair-trade closet four years ago. Finding new conscious brands has become a part of my routine, and there's honestly nothing that makes me happier than discovering brands like Arizen. This one-of-a-kind brand designs beautiful and comfortable clothing pieces using sustainable fabrics and nontoxic dyes. Some of the earth-friendly fabrics they use are made of wood pulp, tree cellulose, flax, cotton and others. Arizen also works with artisans in Bali, empowering them through fair wages, humane working conditions, and fair work opportunities. And, as if all this weren't wonderful enough, Arizen will also blow your mind with their packaging. Each clothing piece comes in a biodegradable and compostable "plastic" bag made of cassava! They had me at hello. Seriously! Below are my favorite pieces and styles. 

Pants

Shorts

Top

Nature-filled Walls & Eco Brands I adore!

The wall that reminds me of my solo trip to the Amazon and how I told everyone that asked “Yes, me Jane. I know, latina Jane. Nope, no Tarzan. Just Jane. But you can call me Valeria.” 😂🌿 I’m working on posting every little detail of the 4 days I spent in the Amazon, by myself, sleeping in an eco-friendly treehouse 80ft above ground, powered by the sun, in the middle of the jungle, with howling monkeys and singing frogs and lots of mosquitoes and me defying every fear and enjoying every single second of it! It’s coming!

 In the meantime, I leave you guys with this wall and a head-to-toe sustainable and fair-trade look! Proof that nature makes everything look better!

T-shirt: GOTS certified organic cotton t-shirt that reads “Infinite Love & Gratitude” (my daily mantra) by Ipsilon Paris.

Skirt: made of reclaimed fabrics gathered from large companies that would have discarded them by Stormie Dreams. Also, all designs that don't sell get cut into children's clothing and donated to nonprofits Stormie Dream works with.

Shoes: Black sneakers made of organic cotton, plant-based dyes and renewable tree rubber by Z Shoes Organic. Use code "waterthruskin" for discount. 

Earrings: Handmade and empower women in Colombia by MP Wears. Use code "waterthruskin" for discount. 

Bag: A backpack- I’m absolutely in love with- made of vegan waxed canvas, organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles by LiveLikeAnAce.

Comfy...Chic...Kind.

Here's another sustainable outfit for all my conscious souls. Comfortable, vegan, ethically made and planet-friendly with a sexy twist! Even the reusable coffee cup! :)

Pants: fair-trade and made with organic cotton and natural dyes by Monkee Genes. Their motto is all about "No slave labour, no child labour, no blood, no sweat, no tears.’

Open-back Top: fair-trade and made with natural fibers by VeganResortWear,

Heels: Vegan leather heels I’ve rocked for over two years by Cult Of Coquette. No, vegan leather is not eco-friendly since it's made of PVC. I didn't know this years ago. Now that I do, I've chosen to wear and reuse these heels as much as possible instead of sending them to our landfills. 

Earrings: fair-trade and handmade by artisans in Colombia by MPWears. They also help empower women and keep old traditions alive. 

Reusable coffee cup: made of wheat. No plastic. No guilt! Sustainable and fair-trade. I bought it at Whole Foods. 

Busy Busy Bee Green Mondays!

I've always loved fashion but it wasn't until I submerged myself in this conscious journey three years ago that I actually began to enjoy shopping. Before, it was more of an ego thing. I dressed to impress people I didn't like with fashion pieces I bought focusing mainly on the designer name behind them. Ethics and sustainability didn't play a role at all! Incredible how a human can take a 180, right? Today, every consumer choice I make on a daily basis revolves around being mindful and conscious of the consequences my actions may have on others and nature. That's the beauty of sustainable fashion. Every dollar spent supports brands that are protecting our planet and people, and helping heal the wounds our ancestors have created. Here are my favorite picks for today. Happy Monday!

Bodysuit by MiakodaNewYork: I have this bodysuit in every color. Literally! Black, nude, grey, white. Made from organic cotton and bamboo, and Miakoda provides the hands that make these products a fair wage and safe and human working conditions. 

Kimono by MiakodaNewYork: Beyond comfortable. You can wear it as a kimono or rope since it comes with a belt made of the same fabric. This fabric is the perfect combination of soy fiber (this is usually seen as waste in the food industry. It is the part of the soy bean that is not used to produce food), organic cotton and bamboo. 

Skirt by VeganResortWear: fair-trade and made with natural and vegan fibers! This skirt is beyond comfortable and light. Perfect for those hot summer days!

Booties by VerduraShoes: My newest OBSESSION! These booties are made from old fishing nets taken out of the ocean. Talk about recycling and upcycling at its best! They are also handmade in Italy! 

Eco Tote by WaterThruSkin: Limited Edition. Made from recycled NYC billboards and non-toxic dyes. It comes with a palo santo and a green aventurine crystal, and each purchase helps plant corals, restore our oceans and rehabilitate wild animals. 

Boho necklace: I bought this handmade beauty at an eco-friendly and organic nail salon and boutique in Miami. B-Livinn. 

Go-getter Friday Ethical Look

Here's another look I've been dying to share with you, and another example that dressing with- and supporting- eco-friendly and ethical brands is easier than we think! Remember that we, as consumers, have a great power. WE get to set the demand and, with every dollar we spend, we get to shape the way companies do business. That simple. Our purchasing power can make a difference if we choose to shop consciously and support the right brands!

Dress by StormieDreams: Fair-trade, eco, and made with reclaimed fabrics gathered from large companies that would have discarded them. Also, all unsold designs get cut into children's clothing and donated to nonprofits Stormie Dream works with! Use code wtrthrskn20 for discount.

Vegan Glads by FreePeople: FREE PEOPLE! Yes, Free People has partnered with Peta to come up with vegan designs that are to die for! Go check them out!

Basket Bag by VeganResortWear: Handmade, fair-trade and made with vegan leather straps. 

Earrings by MP Jewelry: Fair-trade and handmade by women in Colombia. It is the perfect combination of Colombian and Indian traditions. It is also a 2-1 earring set with emerald studs!

On The Run With Clothes That Do More Good Than You Imagine!

This outfit! It is everything! It is comfortable, fashionable, boho (my essence), but it also helps me step on this earth kindly and consciously! 

Black Dress: Softest and most comfortable dress I've worn in a while! I liked it so much I wore it for two consecutive days! (Don't tell anyone though :p) It is made with natural fibers and organic cotton sustainably-harvested from beechwood trees from Austria, and provides fair benefits to everyone involved in the manufacturing process (from living wages, high workplace standards, workers rights, to social fairness). Plus, this dress was made in Austria and France, which means that it traveled less than 800km from raw product to finished dress! And, as if that were not enough, with each purchase, "Les Sublimes" provides 1 month of education to girls in need worldwide! How wonderful is that? Use CODE: SUBLIMEWATERTHRUSKIN10 for discount!

Gladiators: vegan leather!! I purchased these babies 3 years and wear them still! It was love at first sight! 

Bag: I've talked about this brand before, and will do it again because each of BigBubbleBag's designs are unique, sustainable and flawless. Fair-trade and made of recycled plastic and bubble wrap. You can now get them on Amazon and Sawgrass Mall (for my Miami soulmates!) Use CODE: WTS15 for discount!

Sunnies by Wuudz Sunglasses: I've talked about this brand before, as well. The sunglasses are made with bamboo, wood and plantbased acetate, and the box they come in is eco-friendly and has the following encrypted  at the front: "Avanza con los pies en la tierra y la mirada en el infinito" which translates to something like: "Grow with your feet on the ground and your sight on infinity". Handmade and fair-trade too!

Jean Jacket: I bought this one at a vintage store, washed it, saged it, and then painted mandalas and more things on the back of it. Great way to bring an old recycled jacket to life. 

Dress made from recycled t-shirts? Hell, yeah!

As you guys may already now, Swim Week is currently taking place in Miami. It happens every year with hundreds of brands hitting the runways and thousands of fashion lovers attending the shows. This year I'm incredibly proud to participate as a fashion blogger but most of all because over 5 eco-friendly, fair-trade, vegan and charity-oriented brands are introducing their 2017 lines to the world! From bikini lines, to yoga wear, to high-end dresses. You name it! Consciousness is hitting Miami full force! (About time!)

Even though I'll be writing about Swim Week, the events and the conscious brands on the blog next week, I've decided to post this look now due to all the requests I received and also because this outfit has become by far one of my favorite sustainable outfits EVER! Can you believe the dress is entirely made by hand from recycled t-shirts?! How mind-blowing is that?! 

Dress by SeaJasper: A sustainable fashion brand entirely made by hand using damaged t-shirts that would've otherwise found their end-of-life cycle on our landfills, dyeing them with natural colors made from boiled herbs, roots and spices like turmeric and saffron, and using different weaving and crochet techniques to create these beautiful and eco-friendly fashion statements!

Recycled plastic heels by Melissa: Who said heels had to be made with leather to look good? This pair is living proof that sustainable fashion ROCKS! They are made from recycled plastic and Melissa also reuses 99% of water, waste, and unsold stock from previous collections! (ON SALE!! Over 50% off)

Vegan Leather Clutch by Matt & Nat: I adore this brand! The bags are entirely made with different recycled materials such as recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork. As if that were not enough, Matt & Nat also uses linings made from 100% recycled plastic bottles and is now adding recycled bicycle tires to the designs.

Photos by Christine Michelle Photography.

Around Town with a Conscience!

Today, I'm all about this girly Sunday look but, of course, I had to add the jean jacket wrapped around my waist to sprinkle the style with some bohemian chillness. :p

All brands are vegan, eco-friendly and charity-loving!! See below for details. Happy blissful Sunday, babes!!

Melissa Vegan Flats: Yes!! Another beautifully designed pair of Melissa shoes! I don't think I'll ever get tired of talking about and promoting this brand. Every design is made from recycled plastic and, as I mentioned in a September post, Melissa also reuses 99% of water and waste and recycles overstock models from old collections and uses that same plastic for new designs. Plus, every pair of shoes smells like CANDYYY!!! :D

Harveys Eco-friendly Cross-body Sophia Bag: This bag!!! This was one of the first models I received from Harveys over 1.5 years ago and it's just so impeccably designed that I doubt it will ever go out of style. Its details are flawless and the color goes well with any outfit: jeans, skirt, dress, shorts. In case you guys haven't heard of Harveys yet, this is a brand created by husband and wife in California using recycled car seatbelts (exterior) and recycled plastic bottles (interior lining).  Use code: Waterthruskin for 10% discount!! <3 

Symbology Fair-trade Skirt: A line that combines fashion with giving back. Each one-of-a-kind piece is handmade in Asia and helps empower women across the globe. The goal of Symbology is to merge old traditions into the modern fashion world while employing marginalized artisans and connecting women worldwide. You can shop this skirt and more planet-loving products at Nomad Tribe in Miami. One of the stores I adore!!!

Photos captured by Christine Michelle Photography.