Thanksgiving is only a week away, which means the gift-giving season is in full swing. To make your seasonal shopping easier and more sustainable, I’m bringing you a series of green online stores that offer a wide variety of eco-gifts that would make anyone on your list feel appreciated. The first offering in this series was Max and Zane and now, for my second installment, I bring you Organic Style.

Your might remember Rodale’s Organic Style Magazine, which ran from 2001 to 2005, acting as a vital source of information for consumers during the early stages of the second coming of the environmental movement. Bought by sustainable flower innovator Organic Bouquet in May of this year, I interviewed Organic Bouquet’s CEO Gerald Prolman not long after the deal was made public. Launched just a few days ago, Organic Style is primed to become a top eco-shopping destination.

“All the products sold on the site will be either certified organic, transition to organic, bio-dynamic, sustainable, Fair Trade or a new category we call ‘not certified but worthy.’ To help get the word out, we plan re-launch the Organic Style magazine in the second quarter of 2008. We plan to initially publish the Organic Style magazine quarterly and offer it as a free OrganicStyle.com customer benefit. We want to give our customers information that will be valuable in their lives, that will help them make informed decisions about a balanced and responsible way to live and celebrate life,” said Gerald Prolman in our August interview.

As expected, Organic Style offers a breathtaking variety of flowers, wreathes, and plants - my personal favorites are the charitable bouquets, which give a percentage of each purchase price to each bouquet’s non-profit organization. The holiday section offers seasonal gift baskets, wreathes, and gifts for your favorite canine (hopefully they’ll had some feline offerings too). As a bit of a sweets fiend, I was instantly drawn to the organic holiday sugar cookies and organic gingerbread cookies gift baskets. If gift baskets are your favorite way to give gifts, make sure to check out the gourmet section of Organic Style, which has nearly 30 different eco-combinations.

Even after the holidays have passed, Organic Style is a bookmark-able shopping destination for green wardrobe, gardening, and bed & bath goods (I’ve already got my eyes on their beautifully colored organic blankets). With my eco-fashion business focus, I couldn’t help but be impressed by their apparel category that offers non-nonsense, well-designed garments and accessories.

Though most of us don’t need an extra incentive to shop, Organic Style has a built-in eco-points program. Every time you make a purchase on the Organic Style site, your earn eco-points (1 point for each dollar spent). For every 10 points your earn, you can use them for $1 off a future purchase. Upon reaching a few hundreds points, you can also redeem your eco-points for free flower bouquets to help brighten your (or someone else’s) day.

Do you have a favorite online green store? Share your choice shopping destinations in the comments section and they will be considered for the next installment of Green Shopping Spotlight.

Oh yeah, you read the subject of this post correctly … shopping, eek. The holiday gift season usually begins the day after Thanksgiving, a day which I intentionally avoid doing any buying. This year, shops and merchants are breaking out the good stuff (and the good deals) right after Halloween to try and help jump-start the economy again.

If having a gift-free holiday is not something your family would go for, why not get them something sustainable? Just by looking through the eco-links collection on my website, one can easily see that there are cornucopia of green stores to choose from. For the next two months, I’ll be featuring some of the freshest shopping destinations the world wide web has to offer, helping you get to the bottom of that twice-checked list faster than ever.

Trying to decide who to feature in my first Green Shopping Spotlight was a darn tough decision, but the answer came to me in a snap, or an e-mail as it were. Two days ago, I got a delightful message from Jennifer, half of the two-woman team that started Max and Zane, the other half being April. I’d never heard of the online outlet before so I quickly clicked on over to see what the scoop was, and boy (or girl, haha) was I in for a treat!

Handmade, vintage, recycled, repurposed — Max and Zane has it all. We’re not just talking accessories and t-shirts either — paper goods, bath & body, kid & baby, men, women and special gift lists are full of unique items that I haven’t seen on any other sites. "Max and Zane was born out of a love for all things extraordinary and the knowledge that not everyone has the time or the patience to seek them out."

While the goods sold on Max and Zane are green, does the rest of the business operate under the same principles? You bet! "Not only do we have a love for vintage and repurposed goods, but we use recycled office supplies and support eco-friendly companies whenever humanly possible. Your purchases from Max and Zane will most likely arrive at your door in recycled cardboard boxes with reused packaging … we figure, if we can provide secure shipping in materials that are reused, why waste valuable resources?"

Need a simple gift for a co-worker? Shopping for a relative that is "difficult" to pinpoint? Ready to start putting slash marks on your holiday list? Click on over to Max and Zane — you won’t be disappointed.

This past week, I have been immersed in the pleasing insanity that is Portland Fashion Week. Though there were not any children’s lines being shown at the event, I learned about Little Marmara while I was in town, thanks to an e-mail from founder Gabrielle Ackerman.

At Little Marmara, we believe in simple things. That we should treat the environment as we would treat ourselves. That nothing should go next to our children’s beautiful skin that we would not place next to our own. That clothing for little people can and should be as artful and well made as clothing for big people. And that at no point from the cotton fields to our customers should the earth or any of its inhabitants suffer in the slightest for our cause.

Founded in 2005, Little Marmara just recently launched its website and online store in July of this year. Unable to find anything she liked (and her two kids felt comfortable wearing), Ackerman started Little Marmara to solver her own clothing conundrums as well as those of other parents and their kids. Made from 100% organic Turkish cotton under fair labor practices, all of Little Marmara’s creations are printed with low impact dyes, featuring gender-neutral Turkish designs from the Ottoman Empire era. The designs, and the brand itself, is a nod to Ackerman’s children’s Turkish heritage, with the line taking its name from the Marmara Sea and the ancient Middle Eastern trade routes that used to follow its shores.

So far, the line currently only features long-sleeve shirts and cuddly, machine washable pillows that come with their own bag. Ranging in size from 6-12 months to 4T, all shirts are $28 each, perfect for warm days or laying as the temperatures drop. The future holds great things for Little Marmara, including organic cotton pants, blankets, sweaters, hats, washcloths, towels and even toys. With our whole world connected via the internet, bridging the East with West and the North to South, our society seems to be so quick to forget about combining the past with the future and the Earth with ourselves. Our children learn from everything they see, hear, touch, or wear — Little Marmara is a great way to introduce our next generation to our newly-established world culture.

For the next week (beginning tomorrow), I will be in Portland, Oregon for their Fashion Week. Though Portland may not be a big fashion hub like New York or Paris, they do have one thing covered much better than most cities - sustainability. This year’s Portland Fashion Week is going to be the most sustainable fashion week ever, with every effort put in to make all elements of the events green. The largest collection of sustainable designers on the runway is another title that Portland Fashion Week will have claimed this year, featuring nearly 15 eco-style brands.

Among the variety of green fashion brands, Portland-based MEWV (pronounced "move") is one of the few that offers their creations in the widest range of sizes - Extra Small to 4X. Unlike other brands that simply expand the measurements of their smaller sizes to fit larger women, MEWV’s plus-size line was designed independently from their smaller collection, styled especially to fit bigger women and their unique shapes. The assortment of sustainable fabrics used in MEWV’s line is also worth noting: organic cotton, bamboo, soy, tencel, and hemp; all infused with just a bit of lycra to add comfort and extend the life of the garments.

Other than their commendable size range, MEWV also boasts another feature in its line that I haven’t seen before - no buttons, zippers, or hooks. Why? The metals and plastics used to make these common fasteners are not sustainable (at least not yet). Personally, I think this also enhances the fit of the dresses, you know, because you don’t have a zipper poking you in the spine. MEWV’s latest collection will be on the runway at Portland Fashion Week tomorrow night, and I’ll be wrapping up every evening’s events on my blog, in cooperation with Portland’s #1 eco-fashion store Greenloop, so make sure to tune in.

I’ve been putting off this review for almost two weeks now. Why? Worry … worrying about the job I will do. So far, my reviews of Body+Soul magazine have been quite detailed and, in my eyes, seem like more of a "re-hash" of each issue’s contents instead of more personal opinion pieces. With my plans to change things up firmly in place, all I had to do was start writing - that sounded a lot easier than it was. Having the internet just a click away made it all the easier to keep my mind distracted, despite the work I had sitting right in front of me.

You might be thinking, "is the October issue so bad that she can’t even bring herself to write about it?" Not at all! As usual Body+Soul came out with another great issue that I could put down; in fact, I finished it in two days.

Take charge of your life! In our latest issue, learn the essential strategies you need to break free from stress, curb your food cravings, and take control of your heart health. Find out the secrets to natural beauty, tips to greener living, and our picks for fall beauty. Plus, we’ve done the research, now see the results: Body+Soul’s "best of yoga."

It is highly ironic that I was having such a hard time writing about a publication whose feature store is about how to "Stop Stressing [and] Start Living!" After reading this piece by senior editor Terri Trespicio (the magazine would truly not be the same without her), it became quite noticeable just how many times in the day I start to stress and/or worry about silly things that didn’t deserve my mind’s time. I’m sure having clinical anxiety doesn’t help, but that doesn’t mean I need to be fretting about things that a) I can barely, if at all, control or b) don’t have any impact on my personal happiness or the joy of those around me.

"We identified six types of worriers and asked experts … to show us how each type can get a handle on their hand-wringing. Chances are you’ll see yourself in more than one of the following worry profiles - and that’s okay (we did, too)." Boy, did I ever! Three of the six "types" hit pretty close to home with me: the generalist ("I worry all the time about everything."), the rehasher ("It’s not voluntary; I get stuck in a mental loop."), and last but not least, the worldwide worrier ("I worry about the generic engineering of crops and animals. I worry that the bees are dying."). One article isn’t going to change my mind’s odd process, but it is a good start. Terri did a beautiful amount of research and talked to a range of expects (the Buddhist psychotherapist was one of my favorites) and I think this piece can really hit home with just about every reader.

One of the big things that I worry about is my health, which, thankfully, I do have a fair amount of "control" over (genetics aside). My mother is currently on medication for high blood pressure (mostly from stress, I’m sure) and my father passed away last year from a rare bleeding-of-the-heart issue, so anytime my ticker gets funky, the rest of my body and mind goes on high alert. New info and articles about managing our cholesterol come out all the time, but Carolyn Edy’s "Take Charge of Your Cholesterol" is one of the few that didn’t make me feel anxious after reading it.

Do I eat enough fruits and vegetables? No. Do I exercise at least 3 times a week? No. These are two of the main things that I know I need to improve; that’s obvious. According to the Healthy Heart Action Plan that accompanies the article, I am doing a few things right already — maintaining a healthy weight, taking supplements, limiting refined carbs, and relaxing. Like most readers, I’m not perfect, but now I have a solid education of the topic of cholesterol and how to manage it without stressing or eating like a rabbit.

Other swank highlights from the October issue:

• Pantry Primer: Nuts (page 60)
• Think on Your Feet (page 94)
• The Secrets to Natural Beauty (page 122)
• The Best Yoga for You (page 137)

The world’s most imperative fashion invention of all time (or at least one of the top five) has to be denim jeans. Somehow, since its nearly 200 years of being invented, manufacturers have made it unthinkably difficult to find that "just right" fit. Once you begin adding in the factors of sustainable fabrics and Fair Trade practices, your brand options become even more limited, in turn restricting your chances of finding a jean that hugs your shape or drapes off your hips in the most comforting of ways.

Years back (at least seven or eight by my count), Levi’s used to offer a custom jeans program wherein you would visit one of their stores, get measured by a trained associate, try on some sample pairs, and order jeans that are fit just right for you. Unfortunately, I only got one pair made before they closed the program, which to this day is still quite a disappointment for me.

Imagine my delight when I stated hearing about Ontario-based UJeans, which offers a tellingly custom, 11-point fit that you measure yourself. On top of that, all their goods are made from sustainable cotton (not organic, but close) from a unique farming program in Pakistan. The cotton is dyed with natural minerals and enzymes, lowering the company’s (and your wardrobe’s) impact on the environment. All manufacturing steps are done under Fair Trade conditions, and a portion of all the company’s profits are distributed through Kiva, offering micro-loans to small businesses in developing countries. Want more eco-involvement? Each pair of jeans is mailed in a denim envelop, made from remnant fabric from the manufacturing process. "The denim bag has been used for a make-up bag, pencil case and even a sleeping bag for stuffed animals," said Daniel Feuer, President of UJeans. An outline of the businesses’ complete sustainable actions can be seen on their website.

So, what is all this going to cost you? No matter your size — short, tall, big, or small — each pair is $125 Canadian (about $127 US at today’s exchange rates). A healthy chunk of change, I know, but how much is the time that you spend at the mall (wasting hours trying on 20, 30, 40 pairs of jeans) worth in the long run? If you are fretting about taking your own measurements, and ending up with denim that looks like it was meant for Paris Hilton instead of you, UJeans offers a 100% money back guarantee. "If you don’t like the jeans, just simply send them back within 30 days of delivery and we’ll refund your money — no hassles." Everything from the fabric (nearly 50 choices in 100% cotton and 98% cotton/2% lycra) and inseam to pockets, belt loops, and cuffs can specified by you; no teenage crowds or Mrs. Fields cookie shops involved.

It’s October, and the cool temperatures here in San Francisco have begun to set in. Trying to live as green a life as possible, I have been resisting the urge to turn on a heater; simply opening the blinds and having the sun shine in has a similar effect.

Next, layers are key and making sure the extremities are covered (i.e. hands and feet). Buying a new pair of slippers has been tempting me for months, until I saw this Cut Out + Keep step-by-step project for making house slippers out of an old towel (we’ve all got some of those). Vegan and easily customizable, this project only take a little over an hour and is as easy as pie (oh, another good idea to warm up).

Cut Out + Keep is a nifty online community and collection of DIY project started by Cat Morley, a young journalist/filmmaker/photographer in Scotland. Cat’s writing has been featured in both Venus Zine and ReadyMade Magazine’s website; she also produces an online magazine called Snippets, which features "the most interesting, wonderful and weirdest from the worlds of fashion, music, technology, art, craft and entertainment." Snippet’s latest issue, number 6, is all about fashion, even featuring an interview with Portland-based eco-style creator Leanimal (who will be premiering her new collection at the upcoming Portland Fashion Week).

After a host of good online reading and homemade slippers, my chilly hands were becoming all the more noticeable. Cut Out + Keep comes to the rescue again with a step-by-step project for a pair of fingerless gloves made from a pair of socks (another spare thing that’s easy to find lying around). A half hour and very few tools are needed to make these functional hand-warmers . With over 200 projects, Cut Out + Keep is also a great resource for things to do on those long Sundays or when the kids are getting restless.

Ghouls, goblins, and tasty goodies are just around the corner. That’s right, Halloween is now just a month away - have you decided on your costume yet? If not, your green style maven is here to help with two collections of affordable, easy-to-make outfits for both adults and kids, care of Ms. Martha Stewart. For the younger tots, 7 Grocery Getups features hula dancers, a cheerleader, cowboy, princess, flapper girl, space invader, and a knight and dragon duo (perfect for close-aged siblings hitting the sidewalk together). A number of the "ingredients" for these costumes are ones you already have around your house, thanks to your last trip to the grocery store, helping to save you both money and the planet’s resources. These designs were first published in 2004, so some of the elements aren’t as green, such as the 55Styrofoam cups needed for the space invader get-up. With the process of sustainable dinnerware (hello, potato starch!), finding a eco-alternative for most pieces is a snap.

Don’t worry, I didn’t forget us adults - we deserve to have as much fun as the kids, right!? The 8 No-Sew Costumes feature, first published in 2005, still has a host of great ideas and unique ensembles: "with supplies from the craft store, supermarket, thrift shop, and your closet, you can create fantastic disguises without a stitch." The great guises to choose from include a bubble wrap jellyfish, spider web mother and sock spider baby, garbage bag witch, tulle ghost, coffee filter godmother, umbrella bats, silk leaf swamp couple, and a feather and felt raven. Just reading the names of the costumes springs to life a host of green options, such as those socks in your drawer that you never found a match to (sock spider baby), that broken umbrella that you don’t know what to do with (umbrella bat), and the last must-have item that you ordered online that came with [gulp] plastic packaging (bubble wrap jellyfish).

What as your favorite past Halloween costume?

Can you think of a way to make it more sustainable or easily recyclable?

Remember how bummed you were when your favorite sweater got a hole in it? Even with similar structural blemishes, I find it hard to part with my favorite garments — ones that have been worn during so many memorable moments. With a few snips, unravelled rows, and sections of knitting, you can easily turn these old, damaged favorites into fashionably new creations with Knitty.com’s Frankenknits column. Knitty was started back in 2002 by Toronto-based, New Jersey-born knitter Amy R Singer, who still edits and publishes the "web-only knitting magazine with a sense of humor and absolutely no doily patterns."

Each quarterly issue features 10-15 new patterns tailor to each season, as well as columns, articles, interviews, product recommendations and more. One of the consistent columns, titled "Frankenknits," is written by Kristi Porter, in which she chops up clothing, and transforms them into updated items of wonder (perfect for us reuse-loving crafters). Knitty’s Fall 2007 issue recently went live, and the Frankenknits column features two handy dress incarnations: one for women and another for baby.

Past installments of Frankenknits, which became a regular column last year, include dying wool with Kool-Aid, knitting superheros, duplicate stitching (also known as Swiss darning), intentionally adding dropped stitches into designs, transformed bags, and shibori scarfs (which make great quick gifts). If you happen to love knitting for your pooch, you should check our Kristi’s first book, Knitting for Dogs: Irresistible Patterns for Your Favorite Pup — and You!, released in 2005.

Prefer to take your personal style into your own hands? Had enough of mass produced cheap fashion? Looking for something unique? Then Burda Style, the newest community-based online do-it-yourself style destination, is for you. According to the site’s "About Us" page,

We like to think of this website as a virtual sewing circle, an open-source hub of ideas, expertise, and amazing patterns you can download and sew at home. We want you to learn something new every time you visit BurdaStyle. We want this website to inspire you. And most importantly, we want you to get involved: We’re offering our ideas, expertise and download-able patterns to the BurdaStyle community, and we hope that you’ll contribute, too.

Though the website has online been online since late January 2007, it has gained popularity in the crafty community quickly.

With users uploading images of their creations, and sharing tips and tricks via the wiki-style Sewpedia and How-To sections, inspiration is only a mouse click away. Though the images in this entry feature skinny, youthful models, nearly all patterns feature a wide range of sizes. As of late, the website’s official blog has featured a number of user’s pattern customizations for pregnancy.

Currently, there are 35 patterns available, with new ones being uploaded at least once a week. Everything from pants and dresses to accessories and lingerie are online in PDF format, easily printable from any home printer. As with any good pattern, difficulty ratings and details on amount of fabric needed are provided for each project, as well as direct feedback from other users who have completed them.

What’s your favorite part of creating your own wardrobe? Where do you prefer to find your stylish patterns?

Leave us your feedback and you could be featured in a future Green Style How-To post!