You are what you wear

By Celine Gabriel

I am a carnivore. I love my meat and to be very honest I can never refuse a good slab of steak. It?s just one of those things for me: water, air, and a medium rare rib eye. I sometimes get flak for my preferred dietary choices from acquaintances that preach that eating meat is cruel. They go into minute detail about the process by which animals are slaughtered, the inhumane way by which they are killed, the pain they go through, the suffering; all to be packed and delivered to your nearest grocery for your immediate and ready consumption. Ouch.

I admit, it sounds a bit sick. All the lurid details are enough to make me consider giving it all up? until my eyes focus on the thousand-dollar designer hand bag they are clutching that?s made of nothing less than the finest, richest leather. Hmmmmmmm. Clearly, there is some sort of double standard.

There is a saying that goes: ?You are what you eat.? But what about ?You are what you wear??

Relax. This is not a guilt trip and I don?t expect you to totally give up your precious leather goods. I would be a great hypocrite to do that because I surely have not. Rather, there will be some of you that will take this to heart and I want you to know that there ARE options if this is an advocacy that is important to you. In other words, it?s possible to be vegan, both in nutrition and fashion. Now that?s what I call walking the walk and talking the talk.

Give up leather you say? How? Well by going for synthetic leather or organic designs, of course. Team Manila offers fashionable totes made of fabric that one can use for the day or out of town with your friends. Modern Mythology also has created a special line of hand bags made of recycled materials, like old curtains, rubber, etc. But let?s not stop with accessories. One vegan option I discovered recently?and this will surely thrill Yoga enthusiasts and runners alike?the innovative Bamboo Path is a line of casual, lifestyle and exercise wear that is made of organic and environmentally friendly fabric such as bamboo and ChitoSante.

Organic bamboo fiber is soft, very much akin to silk or even cashmere. Aside from the comfort factor, bamboo absorbs water three to four times better than cotton which is obviously a plus when you do any kind of exercise as sweat is inevitable. It is anti-microbial which means it prevents bacteria from cultivating on it (keeping you odor-free), and it stays 2-3 degrees cooler in hot temperatures (and warmer in cold ones) which is perfect for our country.

ChitoSante, on the other hand, is made from natural biomass coming from crab and shrimp shells. This biomass is combined with textile fibers during the dying and finishing process which results in fabric that is absorbent, breathable, wrinkle-proof and durable.

Bamboo Path acknowledges that people have not only become increasingly health conscious but also concerned about their environment and the rights of animals. By using bamboo and ChitoSante fabric, people can now choose a label that will help them to get fit and at the same time won?t hurt their conscience.

Aside from casual/exercise wear, other ?vegan? fashion options for dressier events would be from the collections of local designers like Ivarluski Aseron and Patty Eustaquio who use fabric made from pineapple or what is now called Tepina. This goes to show that we do have options that can take us from day to night.

Overall, the point is that we are lucky to be living at an age where we have the education, the options and the free will to live our lives according to the principles of what we believe in.

This is the time wherein fashion can no longer be called frivolous. And this is also the time to practice what you preach.

Modern Mythology bags are available at Peppered Cherry in Serendra. People interested in Bamboo Path can e-mail a_manalastas@yahoo.com and check out their goods at bamboopath.multiply.com. Desire an original Ivar creation? Contact 0928-5013468.

Comments, questions, suggestions? Please e-mail me at celine_gabriel_column@yahoo.com.