The first day of September may trigger a mourning period for the end of summer, but for the fashion crowd it is only the beginning of a month of catwalks, couture, and ready-to-wear clothing to lust over until it has hit the racks. Kick off the fashion festivities on September 8th with Fashion’s Night Out, a worldwide party to celebrate all things wearable. Keep your night eco-conscious and celebrate fashion you can feel good about, with this list of offManhattan’s recommendations for sustainable, locally-produced clothing lines, jewelry designers and furniture artisans, all found only a subway ride away along the L to Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.
Churoncalla
While the typewriter is more than a bit outdated, Fredy Roncalla has made it and other household items relevant again with his beautiful, repurposed pendants, bangles and baubles. From forks to license plates, Roncalla’s Churoncalla line has turned unused materials into unique creations. “Working with recycled materials adds a second life that permeates the original,” said Roncalla. “If they are common things with a minimalist twist that gives people a touch of humor, all the better.” Churoncalla will be on display at the Artists & Fleas presentation from 6p.m. to 10p.m. With so many precious metals to choose from, walking home empty-handed won’t be an easy task.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out via Artists and Fleas- 70 North 7th Street
Nightwood Furniture
Spruce up your living room with a sustainable sheen, courtesy of Brooklyn-based Nightwood Furniture. Tables, desks, textiles and more, Nightwood is Williamsburg’s go-to spot for home furnishings that are stylish and eco-conscious. Take a look at their inventory: salvaged wood, placed in a patchwork formation, makes up an end table and recovered muslin, linen and denim serve as upholstery for a circular chair. Myriah Scruggs, half of Nightwood, said, “It is important to us to offer one of a kind pieces with an intrinsic originality. It offers an alternative to mass produced goods for the thoughtful consumer looking for something with a live edge, so to speak.” Celebrate Fashion’s Night Out as a housewarming of sorts for the young store, and stop in to enjoy discounted furniture and refreshments from 6p.m. to 9p.m.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out Williamsburg- 111 Grand Street
Scosha
Australian-born Scosha Woolridge’s eponymous hand-crafted jewelry line is a sustainable force to be reckoned with, available via prestigious, online retailers such as Net-a-Porter and making the must list of magazines like Vogue and Nylon. Bearing hand-forged metals and recycled fibers, Scosha’s jewelry is an attempt to incorporate her travels and spread the word of a noble mission.”In today’s market there is so much waste, mostly due to laziness, so this in turn effects our environment. If we could all be a little more conscious and create new ways to use the things we have, or use already recycled materials, it would help our world,” said Scosha. Stop in to her workshop for some sweet and soothing treats, from mini vegan desserts to complimentary, organic skin care facials.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out Williamsburg RETREAT- 64 Grand Street
Antoinette
While Lexi Oliveri might not give you the clothing off of her own back, she will surely pass along some of her mother’s. Named in honor of her very giving mother, Antoinette offers up stylish vintage clothing, accessories and gifts straight from the namesake Antoinette’s closet. At Oliveri’s mother’s insistence, the store was founded with the idea of renew, reuse and re-wear, allowing eager shoppers access to Antoinette’s chic closet, dating back to the ‘50s, and allowing Antoinette the ability to share her beloved threads with fashionistas of a new generation. Keep her fashion legacy going and support the salvaging of used goods by stopping into Antoinette for some champagne and a sweet soundtrack courtesy of DJ Chris Love.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out Williamsburg- 119 Grand Street
Evolving Habitat
Meri Vallo and Jenna Derosa’s Brooklyn-based apparel and accessories brand operates on the philosophy of “Reclaim, reuse, relive,” and their nature-inspired, salvaged styles (like vibrant, upcycled pillows made from Mexican coffee bean bags) more than live up to their motto. For Vallo, “It’s important to me to find a new purpose for organic materials left behind, and I enjoy reshaping their original story. Whether its abandoned, lost or broken, there is always a way for them to become anew.” One of Evolving Habitat’s offerings, naturally-shed deer antlers mounted on salvaged wood to serve as an eye-catching centerpiece, is a perfect example of Vallo’s mission. Stop by for the grand reveal, as Evolving Habitat debuts new designs for their hand-made women’s Warrirohood collection as well as a men’s collection as a vendor at the Artists & Fleas Market.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out via Artists and Fleas- 70 North 7th Street
Handmade on Peconic Bay
Naturally-oriented through and through, Matt and Cynthia Shapoff’s line is built on the premise of renewing the artistic innovations of 19th century printmaking made modern with the help of 21st century design technology. The result honors the past and the present, in a collection of photographic prints, hand-made paper products and screened silk scarves and other accessories that shoppers with a yearning to be one-of-a-kind will snap up. With single and limited-edition amounts of products being released, Handmade on Peconic Bay ensures individuality while championing sustainability. Visit the regular purveyor of the line’s goods, the Artists & Fleas Market and get your hands on an old-school artifact.
Event: Fashion’s Night Out via Artists and Fleas- 70 North 7th Street
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram