If you’re in the middle of planning a wedding and want to go as green as possible, one easy area to implement your green attitude is in your attire. The right dress should make a statement about who you are, so by wearing an eco-friendly gown, you get to express your taste, personal style and committment to the Earth.

While I’ve never purchased a wedding gown myself, I have trekked to all kinds of bridal boutiques with my girlfriends in search of the perfect dress. In doing so, I’ve seen how difficult it can be to find a dress that is flattering, affordable, stylish and produced in an environmentally-friendly manner. Because of this, I’ve taken some time to research eco-options for wedding dresses. Keep in mind that I don’t have any personal experience with the dress designers listed, so before you make any big decisions, make sure you do further research on your own!

Dubbed as “eco-couture” by the designer, the wedding dresses on the Annatarian website are custom made by Anna Mkhitarian. Working closely with her clients, and within the principles of “eco-effectiveness,” (the concept of creating industrial systems that emulate healthy, natural systems), the designer builds wedding dresses out of recycled, vintage and remnant fabrics including bamboo, organic cotton, and peace silk.

Designer Anna Mkhitarian encourages her brides to get involved in the design and development of their dresses, and is happy to incorporate a bride’s favorite fabrics into the the dress. Looking over the gowns on the Annatarian site, it’s clear that the designer enjoys creating gowns that are elegantly simple,? as the dresses spotlighted are all lacking in extensive ornamentation and embellishment. Photo by Annatarian

LA-based designer Deborah Lindquist has made quite a name for herself when it comes to eco-conscious wedding gown design. Designed using reclaimed, re-purposed and recycled fabrics, Lindquist’s dresses are both stylish and environmentally-friendly.

According to her website, Lindquist works with recycled cashmeres, re-purposed kimonos and saris, and vintage silk scarves to create gowns for her brides. With an eye towards all-things sustainable, Lindquist also uses hemp, organic cotton and organic wool in crafting her one-of-a-kind gowns. Lindquist’s dresses have a romantic, feminine air about them, with an emphasis on details. Lace, beadwork, and ribbons embellish her creations and give the gowns an air of elegance. Photo by Deborah Lindquist

If you’re looking for a custom-designed wedding dress, and you have strong ideas about the basic structure you’re looking for, you may want to consider ordering an Olivia Luca dress. Using the interactive website, brides-to-be design their own dresses online by working their way through the Olivia Luca dress design tool. Brides are presented with options as to the bodice, length, fabric, color, size and trim that they want for their dress, and the artists at Olivia Luca build the creation to order. In terms of ecological impact, the dresses are hand-made to your specifications, and Olivia Luca uses sustainable and organic fabrics including hemp, soy knit, silk, organic cotton and hempcel. Olivia Luca also uses fiber-reactive, low-impact inks and dyes that meet the Organic Fiber Association’s Fiber Procession Standards.

Because the dresses created by Olivia Luca are essentially made using standard patterns, the final products tend to be similar in nature. Have no fear however, the dresses on the designer’s site are all beautiful, and individually crafted for each and every bride. One thing I really like about the dresses I saw is that most of them have little bits of color incorporated into their designs. And if a bride wants to move completely away from a white gown, she can choose to have her dress made from any number of muted pastels. This site – and the concept – is different and fun – just make sure you leave at least 12 months before you need your dress if you want to have the artists at Olivia Luca design it for you. Finally, if you’re looking for custom-crafted bridesmaid dresses, Olivia Luca makes those too! Photo by Olivia Luca

Other sites that carry eco-friendly wedding dresses include:

The Bridal Garden offers pre-worn couture wedding dresses.

Fancy Wedding Center is a Brooklyn-based shop that rents wedding dresses and other wedding attire.

ANGeLRoX builds custom wedding gowns using sustainable and renewable fabrics.

Threadbare Creations offers handcrafted bridal gown and accessories made from all natural fibers.

CoutureSF is a San Francisco-based eco-friendly custom wedding dress designer.

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