Fashion has always been about looking toward nature - for inspiration - but has a long history of not being good to nature. In years past, ostriches were killed mercilessly for plumes, whales hunted to near extinction to produce such products as whalebone corsets, and leopards were routinely killed to create coats, hats, and all manner of true 'animal print.'



Arguments still rage about the use of products from animals and corporate farms - not to mention products made under poor conditions for humans. However, an increasing number of designers are looking back to the earth to make products that are enjoyable for those who live on the planet now, but will be safe for those who inherit it from us.

Of all of these design houses, one of the greatest success stories is Nudie Jeans Co., a nine-year-old Swedish company. Nudie Jeans, a line of comfortable, stylish denim for men, works hard to ensure that all of its suppliers provide responsibly developed products.

Available from top Internet fashion boutique Glamway24 (), Nudie Jeans require all of its suppliers to comply with a hard-driving code of conduct that - if all design houses were to adopt it - could make the world a more beautiful place for us and for our children.

      'Smart clients know that being stylish and earth friendly go hand in hand,' said Glamway24 president Gilda Barabino. 'Our customers love the fact that Nudie Jeans makes some of the hottest jeans around, and do it while being good to the earth and to the people who make them.'

Nudie Jeans insists that everyone with whom the company does business - from cotton growers to its own employees - be concerned about human rights, wages, working hours, and social accountability.

The company subscribes to the principles put in place by Amnesty International, the worldwide organization first founded in 1961 that promotes human rights for all.

According to Amnesty International's Web site, 'all companies have a direct responsibility to respect human rights in their own operations. Their employees and other people with whom they work are entitled to rights such as freedom from discrimination, the right to life and security, freedom from slavery, freedom of association, including the right to form trade unions, and fair working conditions.'

In past years, a number of apparel companies have come under fire for producing products in sweatshop or other unfavorable situations. Violations have included poor working conditions for employees, infringement of child labor laws, and the use of hazardous machinery or chemicals in production.  

Concerns for garment workers were first brought to the forefront with the 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. In that fire, 148 garment workers were killed by fire, flames, or jumping to their deaths to escape the disaster.

In 1995, the world was horrified to learn of a sweatshop in El Monte, California. Seventy-two Thai garment workers were held as slaves - some for as long as 17 years - sewing clothes for some of the world's top retailers. The workers, who labored for as many as 18 hours a day, worked and lived in filthy conditions and were monitored at all times by armed guards.

However, with the advent - and obvious success - of such design houses as Nudie Jeans, it's obvious that the environment and the socially conscious can co-exist with great fashion.

With the philosophy that a pair of jeans should be like a personal skin - naked and personal - Nudie uses only the finest materials to produce its fabulous designs. Good to the earth also means good to your skin - a factor that has endeared the Nudie Jeans brand to rock stars, actors, and other celebrities.

'Having Nudie Jeans at Glamway24 is both an opportunity and a privilege,' said Barabino, who says that Nudie Jeans have consistently been a top seller at her Internet boutique. 'This company proves that the world can be green and fashionable at the same time.'