It’s February and love is in the air. Maybe there’s a big event in your future. Need a way to make your special day a little more special? Well look no further because Celia Grace is here; a brand new company that makes eco-friendly wedding dresses.

The Silk

By using green fabrics like natural silk rather than petroleum-based polyester, Celia Grace makes dresses that are not only beautiful, but will also match your values on your wedding day. The silk is hand-made in small Southeast Asian villages by women working on large wooden looms. Some people think the fabric cannot be eco-friendly if it is shipped all the way from Asia, but unfortunately there are no silk manufactures in America, so the fabric must be shipped. Their silks include:

Light As Air Silk Organza ~ This uplifting silk flutters in the breeze. With a gentle luster and a touch of texture it gives an ethereal quality to your wedding dress. As a natural, heritage, hand woven silk it not only makes you look radiant but also makes the weavers and the planet smile.

Sumptuous Cambodian Silk ~ This fabric seems to glow from within. Soft against the skin, it also has the integrity needed for beading and more structured/architectural dresses. Hand spun and woven by a fair trade producer, this fabric is a beloved member of the Celia Grace family.

Silk Organza ~ This crisp fabric is translucent and elegant. Light and mild to the touch, its weave is visible on close inspection. Hand spun and woven by a fair trade producer, this fabric is a beloved member of the Celia Grace family.

What They Don’t Do

Polyester fabric is avoided because it is made from petroleum and has many pollutant by-products. These pollutants can be dangerous to people as well as the environment. However, despite these negative effects, polyester is used in most other wedding dresses. Furthermore, only non-toxic dyes are used on the dresses when needed.

Socially Responsible

As well as being an eco-friendly company, Celia Grace is also very concerned with workers rights. By giving fair wages to women in poor communities, Celia Grace hopes to help alleviate poverty in some areas of South East Asia. When women earn a living wage they invest in the health and education of themselves, their family, and their community. This empowers women to help the entire community break the cycle of poverty. The women who work for Celia Grace are given health care, ongoing training, housing if needed, and pay well above the minimum wage. They work in safe, fair, and empowering conditions.

Code of Conduct

Celia Grace has 8 principles in their Producer Partner Code of Conduct to make their standards clear:

1. Ensuring the Rights of Children: We do not tolerate child labor.

2. Supporting Safe Working Conditions

3. Developing Empowering Work Conditions

4. Providing Equal & Fair Employment and Advancement

5. Paying Fairly and Promptly

6. Ensuring Freedom of Association

7. Preventing Forced Labor

8. Cultivating Environmental Protection

This code is updated as needed and is the basis for a more detailed document used with producer partners.1

So when you are picking out your wedding dress, look more beautiful and feel more joyful with a wedding dress that protects the environment and helps women around the world.

Image Credit: Celia Grace

1 . Celia Grace. N.p., 20123. Web. 4 Feb 2013. < http://celia-grace.com/collection/exclusive-fabrics>.