BY LORA MAGHANOY, FW Editor

Natalie Stephenson has a lot of heart- and a mission. She wants to prove to people that ecofriendly
fashion does not mean a lack of style, and is certainly not restricted to tree-huggers and ‘granola’ girls alike.
In recent years, the green lifestyle has transitioned from a social statement to a full fledged social trend, with mainstream companies offering earth friendly alternatives for their environmentally conscious consumers – and the
fashion industry is no exception. The industry, particularly the textile sector, is one of the most detrimental industries to the environment, begging environmentalists for changes to be made. With this growing popularity in earth
friendly living, the public’s perception of what exactly constitutes ‘eco-fashion’ is slowly beginning to change.
“I think [the idea of eco- fashion being unstylish] originated in the early days of ecofashion
because the stuff was designed for people who were actively working in the organic industry, mostly farmers […] Largely, it began by farmers for farmers and it took a little time to actually transition into the fashion world,”
she explains, “At this point, people realize that you can make anything that is made with conventional cotton out of organic cotton, without sacrificing anything as far as style is concerned, or durability or wearability or function.”
Stephenson, a practicing Vegan for the past four years, found it difficult finding stylish ecofashion,
and upon recognizing that there was indeed a market out there, decided to dedicate her time to something that she was truly passionate about – and would not compromise her ethics. That something? An eco-fashion boutique called Heart on Your Sleeve.

Opened in July of 2007, Heart on Your Sleeve lives by the concept, “Canadian-made,
cruelty-free eco-fashion.” It provides a cool alternative for style-savvy individuals seeking out earth friendly products- and this doesn’t mean the t-shirts and hoodies that are often deemed the only eco-fashion out there. Come into the boutique and you’ll see that the merchandise falls more along the lines of office-wear and night-life appropriate attire.

By carrying labels such as Devil May Wear, Made by Hilary and Grace & Cello, Stephenson, 29, follows through on her store’s mantra by ensuring that not only are the fabrics earth friendly, but that the labour and production of
the garments produced are also ethically sound. She focuses on brands that are adamant about origin of production (strictly Canadian) and those that abide by ethical labour practices.
“‘Canadian-made, eco-friendly,’ which is that much more green because it’s not traveling really far distances to get to you, and it’s also supporting your local economy and local environment. Within that there are less labour issues and issues of ethical compromises,” she says.

Stephenson, a Trent University graduate, admits that she is less willing to concede when it comes to her beliefs- it’s just who she is, “I studied Environmental Studies- so I’m coming at Sleeve fits in well with the laid-back crowd and Stephenson admits that the area is where she and the store belong, “There’s a lot less explaining [of] what I’m doing. The fairly ethical business that I want to run, I can really only do in Kensington. It’s where I want to spend my time […] The community is here for this type of business. I guess I’d feel more like an island somewhere else,” she claims.
But finding her niche in Kensington has not stopped her from spreading the word on green fashion and she has advice for those wanting to venture towards an eco-friendly lifestyle, “Start with one piece and you’ll realize that you feel
pretty good about it and that piece will sort of become a conversation topic with your friends and you’ll really feel good about it!”

With the store’s one year anniversary looming, Stephenson sees her boutique moving forward, “Definitely moving more in the online direction. I think it was important initially to showcase the fabrics in the public eye so people
could come and feel what bamboo and hemp fiber felt like […] I’d like to eventually have another location, but I’m not sure where. It’s an option – but I like a small-scale business. […] It would be great to educate more people…it’s more about providing the alternatives than shoving it in people’s faces.”