To be or not to be organic cotton

Calls for a definition of what organic cotton products are may have success! At least in Japan.

According to numerous sources on the internet, the Japanese government has issued a series of guidelines covering the labelling of organic cotton products distributed and sold across the country.

Fashionista has not yet seen the guidelines but it seems that they allow for the labelling of full organic content as well as partial organic content. Sources are divided as to whether the use of chemicals at the processing stage is also being considered with some sources claiming that the guidelines provide a fibre only standard while other sources claim that the guidelines do address processing input. Fashionista will be looking out for the guidelines and will report again.

See 'A new dictionary for green fashion?'

Oily Boy

What's in a name? The Washington Post provides "Fashion Guidance for Aging Japanese Lads", reporting that the latest fashion magazine for "elder boys" intended to encourage expenditure on male fashion in an ailing market is called Oily Boy. Some mistake surely? But then the first choice, "Old Boy" was not available for trade mark reasons. So will "Oily Boy" appeal to the aging male population with savings to spend? The thinking is that it will because "Oily Boy" is the nickname of the late Jiro Shirasu, once the coolest guy in Japan - who made news by allowing himself to be photographed in jeans, stained with oil. Fashionista hopes that 50+ male market will remember Jiro, but is not sure the magazine will catch on here.