Whether you're a fashionista or you're just trying to make a more conscious effort to protect the environment, attending an eco-fashion trade fair can be great fun. Held all around the world, these fairs are designed to put the spotlight on some of the very best ethical brands, and help designers and influencers find clothing that suits their lifestyles and attitude to waste.

At Ultra Tee, we’ve talked about the impact clothing has on the environment many times. In our piece on mind-blowing statistics on the fashion industry, we revealed clothing can take more than 200 years to break down, so finding clothing made from sustainable, recycled materials is a great way to reduce your footprint and prolong the life of quality fashion pieces.

If you want to attend an eco-fashion trade fair, check out our top five list below. We've chosen five of our favourite eco-friendly trade fairs that combine cutting-edge fashion with the environment.

Green Showroom, Berlin

A favourite here at Ultra Tee, the Green Showroom is an annual fashion event held in Berlin, Germany in January of every year. Described as an "unconventional exhibition showroom, enriched by the fresh new concepts", this trade show brings together some of the biggest and most innovative names in eco-friendly fashion and accessories, as well as showcasing some of the latest ethical lifestyle products. The event has grown from strength to strength, with this year's show attracting more than 1,200 guests and 55 exhibitors. You can find out more about next year's event, which will be held from the 15th to the 17th of January 2019, on the 10times website.

Innatex, Wiesbaden

Another popular German eco-fashion trade fair is Innatex, held at the Messecenter Rhein Main Wallau, Hofheim. The biannual three-day event (this year's second event being held from 28th to the 30th of July) is a natural textile fair, with an emphasis on stunning fashion pieces as well as accessories, home textiles, fabrics, toys and much more. Perfect for fashion lovers as well as designers, the event hosts more than 500 exhibitors, attracting between 20,000 and 50,000 visitors.

Future Fabrics Expo, London

If you enjoy making your own clothing or even run your own fashion business, then the Future Fabrics Expo in London is a must-see. This annual event is now in its seventh year, and was launched as a “platform to discover more sustainable textiles and innovations for the future of fashion”. As well as showcasing some of the most innovative and environmentally-friendly textiles, the event is centred around networking and bringing together brands and designers who have one common goal: to reduce their fashion’s impact on the environment and use more sustainable, innovative materials that will stand the test of time and deliver comfort and style.

Ethical Fashion Show, Berlin

Back to Germany for the next trade show on our list, and this time to the Ethical Fashion Show in Berlin, known as NEONYT in Germany. This international fashion fair is open to professional visitors only and runs every July and January. Exhibitors show off their latest designs for men, women and children across ranges such as streetwear, sportswear and much more, as well as premiering new products across their accessories lines, like bags, shoes, jewellery and more. Of course, everything showcased is ethically sourced and produced, while conferences and fashion shows are hosted to bring together some of the biggest names.

The Fashion Trade Show, London

The Fashion Trade Show, known as Fashion SVP, is another popular fashion trade fair in the UK, and while the event itself isn’t tailored towards ethical dressing necessarily, it hosts an annual seminar that’s designed to help fashion designers and buyers source more ethical clothing and make changes to their production and manufacturing to improve the global impact fashion has on the environment. Known as the Sourcing Briefing, the event brings together industry experts to share their knowledge and experience on sourcing, production, brand and product development, design, marketing and social media - with an emphasis on being ethical.

While fashion trade fairs certainly aren't for everyone, they're a great day out if you're into fashion and want to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in ethical design. At Ultra Tee, we've been able to source our ethical, organic cotton thanks to trade fairs, and continue to attend these events around the world to discover the latest technologies and processes that are making the fashion industry more sustainable, ethical and green. Stay tuned for more updates!

At Ultra Tee, we fly the flag for sustainable living, from clothing to cleaning, to everyday beauty, and when we can find a more environmentally-friendly alternative that suits our lifestyle, we love to talk about it and share our favourite products with the world. One of those areas is cosmetics.

It may seem hard to believe, but the average woman uses more than twelve different makeup products every day, and a large proportion of those are packaged with plastic. We all know that too much plastic waste is bad for the environment and our oceans, but what’s worse is that, even if we do recycle this makeup packaging, the vast majority contains resins that can’t be recycled, meaning our old blusher palettes and concealer tubs often end up in landfill.

And it’s not just packaging that’s bad for the environment. Exfoliating microbeads made the news a couple of years ago because of their damaging effects to marine life. They’ve since been banned in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, but they're still found in some personal care products that are shipped over from other nations. Preservatives such as BHA and BHT are also bad for the environment because they bioaccumulate and cause damage to aquatic organisms; siloxanes are also causing chemicals to enter our oceans.

If you want to make sure that your makeup kit isn’t harming the environment or animals, then you should consider switching to sustainable, vegan-friendly alternatives. We know that you don’t have the time to sit and read the labels of every beauty product you own, so we’ve rounded up our favourite cruelty-free vegan cosmetics companies for you to try out below!

Lush

By now it’s common knowledge that Lush offers organic, vegan-friendly cosmetics, and they’re one of our favourite choices when looking for new makeup products. One of their most popular lines is their Independent liquid eyeliner, which is available in a wide range of colours to match every outfit and occasion. The best part is that it’s full of natural ingredients, making it suitable for those with sensitive eyes and skin, and it’s packaged in a glass bottle which can be recycled.

Tropic Skincare

Tropic Skincare says that they “love animals and care about their welfare, so we will never test on them or cause them distress by using derivatives such as lanolin, beeswax or honey”. It’s a bold statement, but it’s one that sets them apart from other cosmetics companies. “We believe that what you put on your skin should never be a mystery,” the company adds in their mission statement, before promising that they’ll list ingredients in plain English so that you always know what you’re putting on your skin. In a world of hard-to-read makeup packaging, it’s refreshing! 

LAMAZUNA

The French cosmetics brand LAMAZUNA is another firm favourite here at Ultra Tee and a company that we use when looking for eco-friendly cosmetics. Founded in 2010, the company offer a wide range of solid cosmetics which don't require preservatives or plastic bottles to be sold or transported when you're on your travels. One of the company's most innovative products is the Women’s Cup, which is an eco-friendly alternative to using tampons and sanitary napkins.

CutECOsmetics

Cute Cosmetics, also known as CutECOsmetics, offers "cosmetics with a conscience". The site is an online marketplace full of hand-picked ethical products which are kind to the skin and allow you to keep up to date with the latest makeup trends, without causing harm to the environment. As well as stocking brands such as Lunatick Cosmetics Labs, Medusa Makeup, Espionage Cosmetics, Little Ondine, the company is on a constant mission to work with up-and-coming cosmetics companies that follow the same ethos and values as the founders and its users.

Where do you buy your vegan cosmetics? Let us know in the comments below, or send us a tweet on Twitter using @ultrateebrand, and we’ll feature the best in a future blog post!

At Ultra Tee, we're passionate about finding clothing that's not only environmentally friendly and sustainable but looks great, whatever the occasion. Finding green clothing isn't always easy, but thanks to the marketplaces we are listing today, it's possible to find stunning pieces that suit your figure and personality, all while protecting the environment from the harms of fast fashion.

The Keep Boutique

The Keep is about much more than its curated selection of ethical fashion - it's about changing attitudes and asking consumers to think about the products they're buying. Simply put, if you're not going to keep it, then you shouldn't buy it. With a stunning range of dresses, knitwear and accessories like environmentally-friendly shoes, socks, sunglasses and soap, The Keep Boutique is one of our favourite places to shop. Even better is the fact that they have a physical store on Brixton Village in Coldharbour Lane, London, so you can feel and try on the products before you buy, and help reduce the emissions and wasted packaging associated with shipping.

The Good Place

If you’ve watched the hit Netflix show, then you’ll no doubt picture flying shrimp when you think of The Good Place, but the Good Place we’re recommending in this post a little less unusual! Their tagline is “be conscious, think fair, shop for a reason”, and it’s a mantra that we should all live by when we’re shopping for new clothing, what with millions of us throwing away clothing to landfill. As well as an online store featuring mens, womens, and homeware, the company has a showroom on Chelsea Manor Street in London, which is the perfect spot for some retail therapy.

Mae Sue

Packed with sustainable and fair trade fashion, Mae Sue offers ethical and sustainable clothing for women and men, with products that don’t compromise on style. Stocking hand-selected brands such as Bloi, Know the Origin, Thinking Mu, Dedicated and more, Mae Sue is on a mission to show that ethical clothing can be expensive and doesn’t have to be dull and boring. “From fast fashion to slow fashion,” the company says on its site. And thanks to a 30-day return policy, you can relax knowing that, if a product doesn’t fit or look just right, it won’t go to waste.

Le Monde Ethique

The French Le Monde Ethique marketplace is an “eco-citizen boutique of committed brands”, and proudly stocks the Ultra Tee range amongst others. With free shipping in France when you spend more than €80, and shipping to the United Kingdom also available, this site is a haven of unique, organic and sustainable products all in one place. Each product listed on the website has to meet the company’s policy, which is committed to the “defence of people, animals and the planet”, so rest assured that every purchase you make supports only ethical businesses.

Kabanes

The popular ethical fashion magazine Kabanes is set to launch their own green-brand marketplace in September, and we’re looking forward to seeing the products that they will stock. The magazine is the ultimate hub for eco-conscious consumers and fashionistas, covering everything from fashion and beauty to culture and designer interviews, so expect big things!

Ultra Tee

While the products are being produced by the same designer, it would be strange to write a list of eco-friendly clothing companies. At Ultra Tee , we're truly passionate about changing the way we shop, and our eco-conscious apparel is designed with the planet in mind. All of our prints and embroideries are inspired by our love of nature, and we use environmentally-friendly printing techniques on ethical quality, organic and recycled cotton.

Where do you shop for environmentally-friendly fashion? Let us know in the comments section, or send a tweet to @ UltraTeeBrand . We'll add marketplaces based on your recommendations!

As an eco-conscious traveller, it can be tough to know where to visit. Although air travel is now greener than ever, travelling can still be damaging to the environment, so it’s important that you minimise your trips and choose the most sustainable and responsible travel companies.

According to a sustainability report from Airbnb, half of young British adults value travelling more than they would buying a home but added that they were concerned about climate change. Because of this, eco-friendly holidays have exploded in popularity in recent years, and major holiday resorts and complexes are doing more than ever to keep customers happy.

Without further ado, it's time to look at five of the very best eco-friendly holiday ideas that we could find.

Bali, The Hideout

Tucked away in the stunning Gunung Agung volcano mountains, The Hideout is the ultimate eco getaway if you're looking for a peaceful, relaxing break. The all-bamboo structure has huge glass panes, overlooking the stunning nature just seconds from your doorstep, while amenities such as an outdoor shower and oversized hammocks help you soak up the rays.

The Hideout is situated by the river, close to many of the region’s rice fields, so it’s the perfect spot if you want to get off the grid and spend some time connecting with nature. Add to that that the nearest village is more than 500m away, you can rest assured that you won’t be disturbed.

The property is available to rent on Airbnb from £151 per night.

Around the world, EcoCapsules

Another wacky holiday idea is the EcoCapsules, egg-like structures that sit comfortably within nature and provide a comfortable retreat from the weather outside. After causing a stir on social media earlier this year, these sci-fi pods are now available to rent and buy in stunning locations.

What makes the EcoCapsules so great is that they're self-sustainable, and powered solely by wind and solar energy. Those who rent, or splash out €80,000 to buy one for themselves, can enjoy hotel-like luxury off the grid, wherever they are in the world.  The best part? Intelligent water collection system filters local rainwater into water for your pod, so you can stay fresh.

Alternatively, if you want to spend time in the great outdoors, then you could find a large holiday home in a countryside destination like Devon, Cornwall or Somerset, right here in the United Kingdom.

You can find out more about the EcoCapsule on their official website.

Mexico, Grand Velas Riviera Maya

If you want to soak up the sun and have fun with your family, then the Grand Velas Riviera Maya could be just for you. This luxury resort is all-inclusive, set right on the beach and offers activity schedules that would put even the best children's entertainers to shame. Whether you want to explore nature on a bicycle tour, go snorkelling, take part in a treasure hunt or try water-sports, you'll find that there's something for everyone to enjoy. And the best part is, it's environmentally friendly.

The resort is perfect for eco-conscious families, as rooms come packed with biodegradable toiletries, energy-saving light controls, and the on-site restaurants recycle and donate leftover food to local charities and those in need. Their commitment to the environment is simply impressive.

The hotel offers family-friendly rooms and adult-only accommodation. Book your room here.

Shanghai, URBN Hotel

The URBN Hotel is the first carbon-neutral hotel in China, with the company behind the chain wanting to reduce its carbon footprint even more in the future. Featuring stunning recycled and locally-sourced interiors, the hotel is a dream come true for eco-warriors looking for a good night's sleep. The exterior of the property is covered in stunning greenery, while rooftop gardens and a state of the art gym and spa add to the luxury of the establishment. Oh, and the bedrooms look fantastic, too, featuring sunken king-sized beds and sustainable fixtures and fittings.

Make a booking to URBN Boutique Shanghai on their website.

Sweden, Urnatur

Designed to help you experience the full magic of Sweden's Holaved forests, the Urnatur complex is a treat. Log cabins, made from the wood from the forest, are situated throughout the park - but they don't come with an electricity supply, so you'll be truly disconnected from the outside world. If you want an even more luxurious escape, the resort also offers cabins built up in the trees, overlooking breathtaking views of the ponds and a glen in the forest.

The resort comes equipped with a sauna, inspired by Japanese, Swedish and Finnish traditions, while the breakfast bar serves morning coffee and a delicious range of organic, vegan treats.

Book your getaway to Urnatur here.

Have you booked an eco-friendly getaway? Let us know on Twitter using @ultrateebrand, and remember to check out our full range of sustainable clothing, perfect for your travels.

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