Love Nature

Gramicci believes in the simple action of just "Starting Somewhere" towards helping save and sustain our worlds diminishing natural resources. If you visit the Start Somewhere area on our web site, you will learn more about some remarkable change makers and organizations that may resonate and compell you to start somewhere. About 40% of all Gramicci clothing is now made with organic or recycled materials. We call this Greenicci - a small part of a growing movement of manufacturers that are taking action to reduce their impact on the planet. Greenicci represents our "start somewhere." One step at a time, little by little, we do more and more each season to further reduce our negative impact on the environment.

WHY IS ORGANIC COTTON BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAN CONVENTIONALLY GROWN COTTON?

Cotton grown in the conventional manner contributes to the poisoning of soil and waterways around the world. Cotton represents roughly 20% of the world's crops, while it consumes 80% of the world's pesticides. Pesticides are not only harmful to the environment, but also to the people who come in contact with them. Each kilo of ordinary cotton is sprayed with eight grams of pesticides during its growth. Ethyl parathion (which is sometimes fatal after inhaling only .02 grams) is the most widely used pesticide. One conventional cotton t-shirt contains two grams of this pesticide as well as other pesticides while at the same time one t-shirt applies one-third of a pound of these toxic pesticides to the earth's soil & waterways.

When cotton is grown organically, it is grown with the aid of organic fertilizer and natural pesticides. Sustainable and organic growing methods support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, improving the quality of the soil, using less water and helping to prevent groundwater pollution. Organic cotton also has longer & stronger fibers because it has not been broken down by chemicals. This helps make organic cotton clothing last longer and look nicer than regular cotton. You can wash and dry organic cotton just like you would regular cotton. If you apply a lot of heat to regular or organic cotton it starts to show wear and tear faster. Go easy on the garment & the environment by drying low or hang to air dry.
When purchasing organic cotton products it is important to note if the product is certified by an industry standard certification. Gramicci's organic cotton yarn is certified by SKAL Certified.

WHAT IS THE PRICE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANIC COTTON & CONVENTIONALLY GROWN COTTON?

If a conventionally grown cotton t-shirt is $10 dollars, then the organic cotton t-shirt would be about $13 dollars. Since organically grown cotton does not use toxic pesticides the yield per hectacre is usually lower and the harvest is more labor intensive because the cotton balls are picked by hand.
As organic cotton sales increase, prices are dropping. Are you willing to pay a few dollars more to avoid the use of toxic pesticides which are harming people as well as the environment? Your purchase of organic cotton products does make a difference!

Gramicci has made organic clothes more affordable while raising the quality. We have blended all organically grown Hemp with organic cotton and by doing so have been able to offset the higher price of organic cotton and design clothing that wears longer and cares better because hemp is a more durable yarn.

HOW IS HEMP A SUSTAINABLE FIBER?
Courtesy of the Hemp Industries of America.
For more information please visit: www.thehia.org

Hemp is one of the most ecologically sustainable crops to grow, requiring little to no pesticides and herbicides. Every part of the crop is used to make a large variety of products. The bast fiber is used to make textiles, cords, netting & carpeting. The woody core is used to make building materials, industrial products & paper products. The hemp seed is used for animal seed & protein rich flour. The hemp nut is used in foods such as bread, granola, milk, and other products. The hemp oil is used for foods, body care and technical products such as oil paints & solvents.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HEMP CLOTHING?
In addition to being an environmentally friendly product, hemp fabric offers superior qualities such as UV resistance, antibacterial properties, breathability, strength & endurance.

SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HEMP:
Industrial hemp varieties of the cannabis plant, also referred to as "fiber" or "low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)" hemp, should not be confused with psychoactive "marijuana" varieties of the plant. In fact, they are quite distinct varieties or breeds of the same plant species, much like a St. Bernard and a Chihuahua are very different varieties of the same canine species. It is not possible to get "high" from hemp.
In spite of this, the DEA continues to intentionally confound non-psychoactive hemp varieties of cannabis with psychoactive marijuana varieties. The U.S. is the only major industrialized nation to prohibit the growing and processing of hemp. However, non-viable hemp seed, oil and fiber are all currently legal for trade in the U.S., and domestic industry has continued to support hemp products. Industry estimates put the total North American retail market for hemp products at approximately $150 million for 2002.
With thirty-one other nations growing industrial hemp and the U.S. representing the largest consumer and industrial market for their hemp products, we are poised to take advantage of an unprecedented opportunity. Americans are becoming aware of the significant possibilities and benefits that hemp presents. Vote Hemp!
To learn more: www.VoteHemp.com

GRAMICCI'S RECYLED & SUSTAINABLE BUTTONS
Gramicci has now started using buttons made from recycled & sustainable materials starting with the Spring 2009 collection. Look for the recycled button symbol under the garment features for all Greenicci styles as well as other select styles throughout the line. The recycled buttons are made from recycled wood, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, and recycled hemp. The buttons made from natural materials are the 100% bamboo buttons.

Top 10 Recycling Tips

1. First things first, a little R & R & R
   The aphorism is so tired it almost might seem like “reduce, reuse, recycle” should go without saying. But in fact, most of us have only really heard the last third of the phrase, and they’re ranked in order of importance. Reducing the amount that we consume, and shifting our consumption to well-designed products and services, is the first step. Finding constructive uses for “waste” materials is next. And tossing it in the blue bin is last. (The garbage can is not on the list, for good reason.) Through a balance of these three principals you can easily see your landfill-destined waste dwindle fast. A good example of recycling is setting your empty water bottles in the bin on the curb. But by using a water filter and reusable container you can reduce or completely eliminate your need for disposable plastic bottles.
   
   
2. Know what you can and can't recycle
   Read up on the recycling rules for your area and make sure you don't send anything in that can't be processed. Each city has its own specifics, so try to follow those guidelines as best you can.
   
   
3. Buy recycled
   The essence of recycling is the cyclical movement of materials through the system, eliminating waste and the need to extract more virgin materials. Supporting recycling means feeding this loop by not only recycling, but also supporting recycled products. We can now find high recycled content in everything from printer paper to office chairs.
   
   
4. Encourage an artist
   If you know someone interested in making art from recycled materials, offer to provide supplies. Many school children need items like paper towel tubes for art projects. Older artists use everything from rubber bands to oven doors. If you know someone who teaches art classes, suggest that an emphasis be put on making art from trash. While you're at it, remind them to use recycled paper and biodegradable, earth-friendly glues, paints, and pencils whenever possible. See below for inspiration and groups that connect artists and students with useful “trash.”
   
   
5. Recycle your water
   If you're a homeowner, consider rearranging your plumbing so that rainwater or wastewater from your shower and tub is used to flush your toilet. If you have a garden, water it with leftover bathwater or dishwashing water (as long as you use a biodegradable soap). For more on water recycling see How to Go Green: Water.
   
   
6. Recycle your greenery
   William McDonough and Michael Braungart, authors of the groundbreaking Cradle to Cradle, envision so-called “waste” divided into two categories: technical nutrients and biological nutrients. Biological nutrients are those that, at the end of their useful life, can safely and readily decompose and return to the soil. Composting is one of the simplest and most effective recycling methods. Both your garden cuttings and your green kitchen waste can go into an outdoor or indoor composter (with or without entertaining a population of worms). If you don't have a garden yourself, find neighbors or a community garden that can make use of your soil. Composting food scraps will mean your regular kitchen wastebasket fills up more slowly and also won’t smell. Hotter, more active compost heaps can also consume tougher stuff like newspaper and paper napkins. After Christmas, many cities also have programs for turning your tree into mulch.
   
   
7. Recycle your robots
   Electronics recycling is becoming more common in many urban areas, battery recycling is ubiquitous (rechargeable batteries are ecologically sounder, but even they wear out after a while), and there are a number of non-profit organizations that will take computer parts and turn them into working computers for others. Companies like Ebay have also developed programs to help your electronics find new homes. Other groups will gladly recycle your cell phone or give it to a senior citizen, as even without a contract it can still make emergency calls. If you have a major appliance that doesn't work and you'd rather replace it than try to fix it, offer it to local repair shops, trade schools, or hobbyists to tinker with. Many cities now offer hazardous waste recycling days when they will take not only hazardous waste, but electronics.
   
   
8. Anticipate recycling
   In addition to buying recycled goods, keep a keen eye out for recyclable goods. Whenever you purchase something packaged, think about how you can reuse the packaging, return it to a shipping store for reuse, or try to otherwise recycle it. If you get something likely to run down or wear out over time, such as an electronic component, give preference to the model that can be easily upgraded or cannibalized for parts so that you don't have to junk the whole thing if one part breaks. Products that are impossibly fused together are often called “monstrous hybrids” and are, while often cheaper up front, frequently unfixable and unrecyclable.
   
   
9. If you don’t love something, let it go
   Lots of charities welcome your donations. Groups like Freecycle and Recycler's Exchange exist to help you get rid of useful objects that you just don't want to make use of. If you're in a Craigslist city, make use of the "free stuff" section. Give away clothes that don't fit, the boxes you used in your last house move, or scented soaps that don't appeal to your sensibilities. Make it a rule in your house that nothing useable goes in the trash until you've given the community a fair shot at it.
   
   
10. Become a waste-stream analyst
    To better understand the kind of materials that enter and leave your home, office, or school, consider conducting a waste audit. Set a span of time like a week or a month, and separate your waste categories. Weigh the different kinds of material flows that go out the door (landfill waste, organic compost, aluminum, recyclable plastic, reusable material, etc.). Design a “material recovery” program that minimizes the amount going to the landfill. This is a great exercise to do with kids but can be very convincing to corporate higher-ups, too, especially since most companies pay to have their trash hauled away and can get money for recycled paper, containers, toner cartridges, corrugated cardboard, and such.

Story by: Danielle Sylos

Concrete roads, tall buildings, and limited green space surround everyday city dwellers. Many urbanites are environmentalists who ride metro lines, bike to work, drive hybrid cars, and do their best to live a green lifestyle. Another way for urbanites to incorporate a green lifestyle into their lives is by surrounding themselves with nature. To help them accomplish a life filled with nature, there is a gardening movement happening all over the country and the world called Guerrilla Gardening, which brings gardening to urban centers in innovated ways.

Guerrilla gardening is a non-violent direct movement. It is related to land rights, land reform, and permaculture. Activists use abandoned land, which they do not own to grow plants or crops. Guerrilla gardeners believe in reconsidering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse, and assign a new purpose to it. Some guerrilla gardeners work in secrecy at night while others work more openly. In other words, if you live somewhere where space is limited and you don’t have an area of your own to plant a garden or know others who don’t, it doesn’t matter because there is a spot somewhere that needs greenery in your community.

This idea of guerrilla gardening certainly isn’t a new phenomenon, it actually goes all the way back to 1973 on a lot in New York City. It is the brainchild of Liz Christy and other gardening activists called Green Guerrillas, all of whom transformed an abandoned lot, in Manhattan on Bowery and Houston Street, into a historical garden. Liz Christy and the Green Guerrillas saw potential in a forgotten place in their neighbor and developed an abundant garden of sixty raised plant beds that they planted with veggies, trees, and herbaceous borders. The movement immediately caught the attention of nearby neighborhoods, which all saw what could be done and the potential within their own neighborhoods. Consequently, the Green Guerrillas started teaching workshops and planting experiments for those interested in starting their very own gardens.