Designer Sarabeth Chambers of Saffrona Classics created her collection around a revolutionary new seaweed-based fabric known as Seacell. Developed in Germany, this fabric is made of Lyocell (100% wood-pulp fiber) and seaweed, with about a 5% seaweed content overall. The vitamin- and mineral-rich Seacell has a microscopic silver content, rendering it antifungal, antimicrobial, and antibacterial (which don’t diminish even after repeated washes in the washing machine). The fabric also “breathes” with the wearer, and is lightweight and soft. In her collections up until now, Sarabeth has always used silk for her simple yet elegant party dresses, but in this S/S ’09 Collection, all the pieces are done in Seacell, lined in organic cotton. She found that since Seacell only is manufactuered in black or white, she had to get creative with it to create colors in her collection. The Crayola palette of her dresses was achieved with numerous dying in baths of beets and Kool-Aid. Comitted to local and eco-friendly business practices, she sources all of her fabrics and contracting in the U.S., mostly from Northwest suppliers. She says the woman who wears her clothes is someone who has a good sense of humor and someone who wants to make a statement. To see more and buy direct, visit the Saffrona website.
-Carly J. Cais
