Ethical Ivory :: yay or nay?

Ivory is back on the agenda, only this time it’s ethical.


Russian businessmen are taking advantage of a continuing demand for ivory and mining woolly mammoth remains for their tusks. This ‘ethical’ ivory, which is mined from underneath the Siberian tundra, is expected to demand a premium price. Currently, Russia is exporting 60 tonnes of mammoth ivory to China annually.

A Woolly Mammoth. Image from The Age

Monique Pean is one designer using ethical ivory to produce stunning jewellery worn by admirers that include Michelle Obama. Her breathless pieces include other ethically sourced materials, including 100% recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds. Check out her website for more information on her ethical sourcing policies.

Monique Pean ivory ring

To be honest, I’m not sure what I think about ethical ivory or whether I’d ever purchase a piece, but I admire designers who make efforts to supply a market demand with ethical options. I do, however, worry that continuing to promote ivory as a luxury and coveted item will encourage the illegal elephant poaching trade, as fashionistas who can’t afford the ethical option may opt for a cheaper substitution.


Would you ever purchase an ethical ivory piece of jewellery?

Blog Love :: Thinker Maker

I love trawling through blogs. And if you're reading this post, I'm guessing you do too.

There are the pretty blogs, the helpful blogs and the news blogs. And they're all fun and great to read. But every now and then, you come across a great blog that gets you thinking, and I mean, really thinking. They make you re-evaluate your personal choices and fire up your passion for the subject being blogged about. I love these blogs and whenever I'm having a 'I feel lost' kind of moment, I surf my way over to one of these sites and read a post or two. They remind me of my personal loves and inspire me to keep working hard to make my business successful and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Thinker Maker is one of these said blogs.

The blog author is Hayley Lau and if your thinking, 'that name sounds familiar...' then you'd be right. Hayley is the creator of the fashion label Heidi + Seek, which Hayley has chosen to put aside "...to find something [she] enjoys more." I really respect that and admire that Hayley had the courage to recognise that her business wasn't bringing her happiness anymore, and make the decision to move on to new things. When you've given something your all for a long time, this can be hard to admit, accept and make changes to move on.

Thinker Maker is an inspiring diary recording Hayley's journey towards a more thoughtful and sustainable way of living, focusing on the choices we make every time we buy something. It's about thrifting, being creative and, most of all, being aware of the impacts our shopping purchases make not only on the environment, but on the way our society functions as a whole. Each post is thoughtful, insightful and beautifully written.

I highly recommend you check out Thinker Maker and let me know your thoughts. And if you have or know of a great eco-fashion blog that you think is worth recommending, let me know so I can check it out too!
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Peppermint Magazine now instore!

Australia's freshest eco-magazine is now available at Green Bowerbird. Like a beautiful piece of literary art, Peppermint magazine is a collectors edition that you can read over and over.

Get your copy here now xx

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Hope to see you there xxx

In case you couldn't already tell: we're pretty excited about being at the Thread Den North Melbourne Market tomorrow.

Go visit threethousand for your chance to win a $50 voucher to spend at the market! And then come and visit us at our stall ;-p

Hope to see you there!

Veronica & Maria xxx

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Lovers of Green Bowerbird

Wow, we've been really fortunate this fortnight to have two totally amazing blog posts all about us published on two separate websites!

The first feature was written by the amazing Renee-Anne on her super-cute blog. You should have a read and then browse through the rest of her gorgeous site. Renee-Anne is an illustrator and some of her beautiful artworks can be purchased in her shop.

Diary Dates :: Get your eco fashion fix face-to-face

Yes, it's true: online shopping is FABULOUS (shopping in your pyjamas, anyone?). But if you like a shopping experience of the face-to-face kind, you're in luck! Coz both Green Bowerbird and some of our awesome suppliers are going to be exhibiting in some upcoming market events, right around the country!

Here are the deets:

1. Green Bowerbird @ The Thread Den North Melbourne Market

Where: The Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol Streen, North Melbourne
Dates: 27th June 2010

This will be our second market and we're seriously excited! If you're in Melbourne, come down to Errol Street, have breakfast at one of the local cafes and then saunter on down to the Lithuanian Club to see (and try on!) all of our gorgeous pieces. And of course, make sure you introduce yourself - we love to meet fans of our store!

Eco inspiration :: Katie Gannon

Quality fabrics and exquisite attention to detail, mixed in with a splash of vintage: these are the qualities that herald a Mother Maria garment to any discerning (eco) fashionista.

Katie Gannon established the Mother Maria label in 2004, after demand for her one-off, vintage inspired creations blossomed. Incorporating a mix of vintage fabrics with new silks, cottons and organic jerseys ensures that each Mother Maria garment is unique. Furthermore, being completely designed and manufactured in Australia means that Mother Maria fashion ticks all the eco boxes.

To celebrate the arrival of Mother Maria's Winter 2010 range (titled Parisienne) instore, we interviewed Katie Gannon about creating eco-fashion in Australia and how she celebrates being green in other aspects of her life:

Sum up your label in 25 words
"Girly, pretty, simple, clean. For the lady with the independent spirit, the good heart, and the imagination to create her own image."