Last year while searching for eco-friendly men’s clothing to wear on my television show, I fortuitously stumbled into Topo Ranch’s storefront on Abbot Kinney BLVD in Venice, CA. At the time, I was trying to cultivate a fashion look for the show that we had dubbed “Urbiana Jones.” You know what I mean, Urbiana Jones is the urban adventurer, the fashion-forward (but not too far forward) man who always keeps his passport on him – just in case. The man who goes nowhere without his ultra-portable laptop. The man who admires other men who carry fishing rods and possibly hunting rifles instead of ultra-portable laptops, but knows deep inside that that will likely never be him. The man who looks comfortable heading off into the forest on a five-day camping trip to hike mountains and bathe in rivers but truly prefers to spend five days at a hip, boutique hotel kicking it poolside on the hotel’s roof.

That man is Urbiana Jones. And finding Urbiana Jones fashion in eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton is no easy task. Enter Topo Ranch, a company that at its core is precisely about proving that you can simultaneously look good and respect the planet and do it a respectable price point.

Here are my three favorite Topo Ranch shirts for the fall that I’m sporting around town. All three are made of 100% organic cotton. The fit is more refined and tailored than previous versions and the hand is outstanding.

Nolero Shirt (100% Organic Cotton) – $68

Late Night Weave Shirt (100% Organic Cotton) – $68

Boulder Shirt (100% Organic Cotton) – $68

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As the weather changes, the best investment piece a woman can have is a versatile skirt. In warmer weather, it keeps the bottom half of your body cool (both temperature and style-wise) then it easily transitions to a smart fall piece when worn with print or solid tights.  A few no-nos to keep in mind are not too short (a finger tip test with your hands hanging by your sides is a good length for a min-skirt), no sweat suit skirts, and if you wear a print, make sure it flatters your body. In other words, if you are a bigger bottomed woman, look for a larger print that is proportional to the surface area it covers.

Duex FM’s Indigo skirt captures two major trends transitioning wardrobes into the fall and winter: a high waist and pencil shape. This 98% organic cotton skirt has a bit of spandex (2%) for added clutch and comfort, and makes every woman’s waist into the perfect hourglass shape.

A tulip skirt, like this one by Emily Katz, is a great way to dramatically play up volume on the bottom while streamlining the top. Pair this organic cotton version with a tube top or body hugging tank to rock the proportions just right.

Instead of slacks for a Sunday picnic, why not go with a skirt?! Ibex has created a 100% organic one that anchors most any top you can think to pair it with. So, get as creative and loud as you want with an unexpected blouse pairing and some funky jewelry.

Instead of a dress for your next cocktail party, find yourself the perfect skirt in a metallic color, like this bamboo blended Christin Michaels piece. Whether yours is in a shiny silver or perhaps a more subtle gunmetal color, the light will catch the separate just right and voila! A modern look that is yours and yours alone.

As far as comfort goes, you’d be hard pressed to beat this 100% organic cotton striped skirt by Pi. The wide elastic waist band cinches the otherwise loose fitting garment and should be worn at the navel or just a bit above for optimum style and fit.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission vehicle powered by an internal combustion hydrogen engine.

In a bid to curb carbon emissions from one of the most trusted vehicles for city commute in India, Mahindra & Mahindra have launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered three-wheeler. Dubbed Hy-Alfa the vehicle boats a 396cc engine that is capable of generating that is capable of generating 4.5KW of power at 3600rpm.

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Eco Factor: Mini-planetarium made from recycled materials.

Graduates from the California Institute of Arts have designed a mini-planetarium in a geodesic dome that is made from salvaged materials ranging from office waste that is glued together using a paste made from rice. Dubbed as the Reclamation Project, the mini-planetarium shows a starry night sky in a white papered dome.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission aircraft designed to run on muscle power.

At an age of 16 when many would just sit back and admire aircrafts fly over their rooftops, Jesse Van Kuijk thought to take on to the skies in an aircraft that he will design himself. The dream took three years to realize and at the age of 19 the inventor finally designed an aircraft that runs on pedal power.

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Eco Factor: Mixed use tower incorporated with sustainable features.

Spanish architecture firm Moho Architects are planning to build a sustainable mixed used tower in San Jose, Costa Rica that will feature a set of sustainable technologies to reduce the dependence of the tower on grid electricity. The architecture is driven by a progressive environmental strategy that is expected to establish a new benchmark in the region.

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Eco Factor: Concept car designed to be powered by a low-emission hybrid engine.

This year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September will be hosting BMW’s latest concept car the Vision EfficientDynamics. The low-emission hybrid car is a 2+2 sports car which features lightweight and the use advanced aerodynamics to limit the consumption of fuel

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Eco Factor: Self-sufficient outdoor habitat for camping industry.

Mostly all campsites are far from cities and require fuel-eating generators to bring illumination after dark. Industrial designer Benjamin Charles is out there to help the camping and the hotel industry with semi-nomad structures that are almost self-sufficient.

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Eco Factor: Odorless composter to aid the green drive.

We all know that recycling the waste we produce each day is important, but some people just want to work with a conventional composter and simply throw all waste in normal trash bin. Industrial designers Julien Bergignat, Cecilia Jia and Johnny Chen are trying to make the process of composting easy for everybody with a product they call the Braun Envi.

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Eco Factor: Sustainable building designed to reduce energy consumption and generate renewable energy.

Rothe Lowman Architects have planned out the first true high rise residential building even built in Coburg, which in addition to housing 259 apartments will also include renewable energy generation systems and other features to reduce the overall energy consumption of the building.

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