From Birkenstock to Bloomingdale's, environmentally conscious companies have been raising their profiles in the fashion industry. This past decade has witnessed the birth of eco-fashion - stylized clothing that uses environmentally sustainable materials and responsible production techniques. But is eco-fashion really as sensitive as it claims to be, or is this just another superficial fashion hype? What are the forces driving eco-fashion forward? Will consumers always have to balance fashion against sustainability and cost? And if so, what factors affect these decisions? A panel of industry experts - including fashion designers and boutique owners - discusses the eco-fashion movement, its attributes and its future.

TITLE: Eco-Fashion: From Birkenstock to Couture

SPEAKERS: Tierra Forte, Founder and Designer, Del Forte Denim
Caren Holzman, Director of Category Management, TransFair USA
Zem Joaquin, Director, Global Green Board; Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Ecofabulous; Contributing Editor, 7X7
Maggie Kim, Co-founder and Designer, oda
Joslin Van Arsdale, Owner, Eco Citizen
Lynda Grose, Assistant Professor of Fashion Design, California College of the Arts – Moderator

DATE: Monday, September 15, 2008
TIME: 6 p.m., Check-In | 6:30 p.m., Program | 7:30 p.m. Reception and Party
PLACE: Temple, 540 Howard St., San Francisco
PRICE: $15 members, $25 non-members
Reservations (415) 597-6705 or register at http://www.commonwealthclub.org/inforum

INFORUM is a division of The Commonwealth Club by and for people in their 20s and 30s, with a mission to inspire debate around civic issues. INFORUM has 2,500 members.