Gone are the days when eco friendly fashion equated to Birkenstocks, hemp clothing, or anything tree huger chic.  Today, the Green revolution is sweeping the world and designers from Phillip Lim to Linda Loudermilk, and celebrities from Kate Bosworth to Leonardo DiCaprio are embracing the movement and contributing to the cause. 

While many do-gooders would like to help prevent the population from killing this planet, the Green waters can often be murky.  With so many terms, definitions, and complex combinations, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. 

Listed below are the most popular terms you will find in relation to the Green movement.  While this is a large and growing field, at least you will be able to speak and dress with confidence knowing your recycled from your repurposed. 

Green is a broad term that applies to the overall environmental movement.  It not only encompasses green fashion and manufacturing, but the concept of trying to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of a person, family, home, business, car, etc.  

Eco-Friendly and the term Green are often used interchangeably.  Eco-friendly means creating clothing and products that do not damage the environment or that prevent environmental damage. 

Sustainable Fashion is part of a design philosophy with the goal to create a system that can be supported indefinitely in terms of environmentalism and social responsibility.  The environment is considered during the whole lifespan of the garment.  Environmentally friendly materials such as organic cottons and soy dyes and the use of renewable energy for production are all considered sustainable.

Reused or Repurposed fashion involves taking vintage clothing and accessories and recrafting them into new styles. Examples include vintage broaches that have been given new life as ornaments on a headband; using old telephone wire to create intricately designed cuff bracelets; or taking old Indian saris and using the fabric to create beautiful sundresses. 

Recycled involves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent waste, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, air pollution, land fills, and lower green house gas emissions.  Examples include creating a new, fleece-like material from melted water bottles for tote bags, or creating handbags like Ecoist, from recycled candy wrappers, food packages, soda labels, newspapers, etc. 

 Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on green manure, compost, biological pest control, and excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms.  In the fashion world, the term organic is most commonly seen in reference to organic cotton.  It is grown without pesticides from plants that are not genetically modified.  Though organic cotton has less environmental impact than conventional cotton (which accounts for 16% of the world’s pesticides), it costs more to produce.  Brands like Stella McCartney, Loomstate, and American Apparel have all incorporated organic cotton into their lines.

Vegan refers to a diet and lifestyle that excludes the use of animal products or byproducts for food, clothing, or any other purpose.  Vegan fashionistas refuse to wear leather, fur, any type of animal skin, as well as anything with animal byproducts.  Although this can be quite limiting, there are a growing number of vegan brands such as Herbivore, Neuaura, and Jennifer Coreace that are bringing Vegan fashion to new heights. 

Carbon Footprint is an estimate of how much carbon dioxide an entity such as a person, family, building, or garment, produces and releases into the atmosphere.  Amazingly, two thirds of a garment’s carbon footprint will occur after the garment is purchased due to laundering, and the eventual landfill space it will use.     

Green Washing is a term used to describe the practice of companies disingenuously spinning their products and policies as environmentally friendly, such as by presenting cost cuts as reductions in use of resources.  It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing.  The term Green Sheen has also been used to describe organizations that attempt to show that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment. 

Fair Trade is a certification code used to ensure that a product has been made or grown locally, that the maker has been paid a fair market price, provided credit, and given assistance in their business with the eventual goal of economic self-sufficiency.  The fair trade movement aims to help producers in developing countries and promotes sustainability.  It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries and tries to eliminate sweatshops, child labor, inhumane working hours and conditions, and promotes fair wages.

Consider this your cliff notes version to going green.  While changing every aspect of your life to more eco-friendly ways may seem overwhelming, don’t forget that every little bit helps.  The greenest thing you can do is to use and wear the clothing and accessories that you already own.  Give your old clothes to a friend or charity, organize a clothing exchange party with your friends, or get creative and repurpose your existing pieces into something exciting and new.  Whichever path you choose, know that you can still be stylish, fashion forward, and eco chic all at once.