Cue Hot Mama Gowns. Started by a hot mama that wanted to usher in her newborn in style and organic comfort, the full line of fashionable maternity gowns are the answer for expectant mothers. A full-coverage snap back is paired with an adjustable tie-front top for easy breast-feeding convenience (check out the video below) and comfort.

Using 100% organic cotton and natural, low-impact dyes, Hot Mama Gowns are as gentle on the environment as they are on you and your newbie – and make the perfect baby shower gift! At $119, the gowns aren’t cheap but the comfort during delivery and the use you’ll get in the months that follow are worth the investment. Choose from the current styles listed or try your hand at a custom design (choose anything from Harmony Art or you can even send in your own fabric).

Inspired by her grandmother’s jewelry boxes filled with gemstones, precious metals and costume jewelry, designer Jessica Fein uses vintage pieces to remake one-of-a-kind rings and earrings on a sustainably harvested wood base. The reinvented pieces are at once whimsical and elegant.

Ranging from $30-$45 the rings are some of the most affordable eco-friendly jewelry we’ve seen. And the latest? An earring line with the same structured wood base and funky reinvented heirloom pieces. Shop for J. Fein Designs jewelry on etsy or search for a local boutique near you.

Throughout its lifecycle, a pair of jeans consumes as much energy as powering a personal computer for 556 hours! That’s why simple choices like washing in cold, washing less, and line-drying will make a huge difference – not to mention a reduction on your electric bill and jeans that keep that perfect fit even longer. And when your denim has done all it can for you, make sure to donate to goodwill or send your jeans in to be made into recycled denim insulation.

So now that you know these small steps can add up to make a huge difference, why not think even bigger? This summer Levi’s is looking for the most innovative air-drying solution on the market for their Care To Air Design Challenge. Be inspired to think outside the box – or line, so to speak and submit your designs for voting and judging by July 31st.

(Image of the Sun Dyer, one of the many entries already submitted)

If you’re in LA, come by Dwell on Design to see a custom air-drying “clothes tower” designed by Josiah Cain of Design Ecology for the Modern Living Showhouse. Entries will be judged on the design’s aesthetics, sustainability, creativity and more importantly, adaptability (view current entries here). So get those creative juices flowing because there’s $10,000 up for grabs! Not really the inventor type? You can still join in the movement by voting and providing feedback on the entries. The “Most Valuable Community Member” will get their fair share, $500 to be exact.

Sound like a jean-ious idea to us.

All Livity products are made using organic, renewable and recyclable materials and the company is committed to fair-trade practices. We’ll raise our hats to that!

If you’re looking for something a little more simple and sweet, though equally as dramatic, try the knot cloud necklace or the rain knot cloud (our personal fave). Hair do’s get an instant update with one of A Alicia’s pom pom facinators or floral clips – both great wedding day accessories (also check out the fabric floral corsages!).

Thankfully, there are a plethora of responsible lines out there. Real Jewels has given eco-fashionistas some green bling that’s as sparkly and bright as ever. The beautiful line is crafted from high quality recycled precious metals and fair-trade sustainable gems. The pave diamond guitar pick shaped pendant necklace is so rocker-chic, and the “Real Me” initial disks are perfect for everyday glamour. Being responsible never looked so good!

The “Basics” Collection cardigan in midnight blue and the Ruffle V-Neck tee from the “Fanciful & Frilly” Collection in sangria are amongst our favorites. With most items under $100 and plenty under $50, SPUN’s goal of making eco apparel available to every woman in the world is quickly becoming a reality.

We’re particular fans of the Tote, a simple no hardware design that will stay fashionable for years to come, and Bitch, a bag inspired by Erin’s bad ass babysitter with reinforced gathered sides. Feeling like your closet’s complete in the bag department? Check out her killer accessories like the Obis wrap belt and the Writer, a sexy leather cover for moleskin journals.

Ashley: Treehugger names you the “best green casual brand” – are there any future plans to design formal attire?… would love it!

S + B: Yes, we are working on a few more formal looks for Spring 2011. Stay tuned…

Jennifer: What’s most rewarding about working in the eco fashion industry?

S + B: The most rewarding thing is probably the simplest – piece of mind and a sense of purpose; and that’s in the sense of knowing we have committed to being part of the solution and not part of the problem both with our personal and professional lives.

Celine: What is the most eco-friendly material that the clothes are made out of?

S + B: That’s a good question and a tough one to answer. If you are speaking of clothes and body cover in general then I’d have to say something fabricated from naturally felled plants and woven together with like-minded fiber so that when it is beyond its lifespan it will naturally decompose… see Robinson Caruso. Otherwise it would have to be something fashioned out of an undyed or unbleached hemp or organic fabric and sew with a similar thread.

Rebekah: Has the brand’s increasing popularity strengthened or made it more difficult to operate ethically?

S + B: Another great question. Our success has made it much easier to operate ethically as we have more leverage with the vendors/ partners that want to work with us.

Carolyn: Is nature the number one thing you look to when drawing for inspiration?

S + B: Yes, nature is measure, model, and mentor. We love design and Mother Nature is the best designer ever… untouchable!

Kate: Where are your materials produced?

S + B: I assume you are asking where our fabrics are sourced? Currently, the majority of our fabrics – almost all of our organic cotton, are sourced right here in the USA. The rest come from Australia or New Zealand – merino wool, Magnolia for our cashmere, and some other organic fibers from Japan and Portugal.

Nicole: I’m interested in knowing an favorite sustainable fashion tips?

S + B: The best sustainable fashion tip we can give you is to conscientiously consumer and always be yourself! On a more specific note, mix and match vintage with current fashions, uniquely accessorize, and remember that comfort is king… if a certain look is awkward or uncomfortable then go back to the drawing board. We don’t believe in “form over function” but rather a union of the two.

Karissa: What have you learned being an eco-savvy company in a society where most citizens don’t think to look twice at the ingredients in the consumer products they use and buy?

S + B: Because there are people who do not conscientiously consume it only means we (me, you, and everyone else on “the green team”) have a lot more work to do in educating them as to why they need to get with the program and be part of the solution.

Sasha: What are the biggest challenges you have faced in producing products made out of eco-friendly materials that are manufactured in a sustainable manner, and how have you overcome these obstacles? (I LOVE your company!!)

S + B: Thanks for the kind words. To adequately answer your question we’d need to write a book and maybe we will someday. There are many, many challenges running sustainable sourcing and production programs. If there is any one thing that it always seems to come back to, it’s “money” or, in the case of the “sustainable supply chain” that we depend on. We are small-time operators and so are most of our vendors. No one we deal with is getting rich doing this and credit (the fuel of the business) is pretty much non existent up and down the supply chain. This makes it very difficult to operate and gives an enormous advantage to those companies that are well funded (the status quo) which also, in almost all cases, are the biggest exploiters of resources and labor (i.e. “the problem”).