Happy Earth Day! A truly chic woman knows that being informed and conscientious is the most stylish way to live her life. What good is a closet full of haute couture if you don’t have a beautiful planet on which to wear your beautiful clothes? These days, being “green” is easier than ever and the general public has thankfully started to take a look at their carbon footprints and make changes in the way they consume goods and energy. On Earth day, I like to think not only about the planet I live on, but the people I share it with. Taking care of our planet also involves helping the millions of people who live in poverty and instability. As far as fashion is concerned, being environmentally and socially conscientious has become a huge trend. Remember the insanity over Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m not a plastic bag” bag? Unlike most trends, let’s not let our concern for our planet and the many people who live on it get pushed to the back of the closet as soon as the new collections hit the shelves.

Thankfully, doing good doesn’t mean you have to give up looking good, and many clothing companies have made helping people and the environment an important part of their business model. For example, Edun is a socially conscientious clothing line by Ali Hewson and Bono founded on the premise of trade, not aid, as a means of building sustainable communities. The company works on a micro-level to help build the skill sets of factories where the clothes are produced. This top is modern and chic, not exactly what you would expect to see on a tree hugger:

Ajna is inspired by nature’s beauty in design and striving to protect it. The line uses a mix of earth- friendly bamboo with cashmere for added luxury, and also lyocell—an ecological viscose that’s recyclable, biodegradable and made from wood pulp in an earth-friendly manner. Ajna also promotes fair labor practices and fair trade, encouraging a harmonious workplace. This wrap, made out of the aforementioned bamboo and cashmere, is a great piece that is both beautiful and ridiculously soft and cozy: