As a teenager and well-into my 20s, I concerned myself with anything but fashion; I liked what I liked and tended to recycle a few staples as I flitted between hang-outs and concerts.

I still do my fair share of flitting, but I’ve developed an affinity for quality, mindfully manufactured and aesthetically pleasing items to drape on this living, breathing clothes tree of mine.

While the choice to be a more responsible consumer comes with a price tag, I find the peace of mind is well-worth the investment; however, finding clothes that land confidently at the cross-section of these evolving priorities can be a challenge, to say the least.

Enter lur. apparel: sustainable, socially-conscious and eco-friendly fashion.

When I accepted the offer to test out the lur. Passion Flower Poncho, I hadn’t heard of the company. Not even a blip on the fashion-radar. I did research on their site before the poncho arrived and felt secure in my choice to doing the review—the company screams Sara-friendly.

The package arrived, I tore right in and wore the charcoal grey frock everywhere. And I haven’t stopped since.

The cut was unique (alright, adorable), giving me a feeling of fun, free-spiritedness generally unavailable via a clothing purchase.

What I’m even more satisfied with is the level of commitment the company has to social and ecological concerns (a shared interest of mine).

lur. vows to select manufacturers that uphold their detailed (and rather impressive) Code of Conduct which includes: non-use of child labor, nondiscrimination, fair compensation, proper health and safety standards and a commitment to minimize environmental impact (among others).

lur. also upholds a level of commitment to environmental sustainability that is sadly unavailable with mass-produced apparel.

What I loved about this piece and the company in general:

• the cut and fit of the poncho is wonderful, adorable, insert-any-awesome-and-positive-word here
• the thin, breathable material is ideal for east-coast transition months (yes, I’m a Pennsylvanian and I love transition months most of all)
• the poncho has a hood that makes me feel like a wood nymph in the best possible way
• eco-friendly
• socially responsible
• commitment to high quality standards
• friendly, warm staff—I was treated with kindness and respect when exchanging emails with the company
• wide-range of apparel selections to accommodate almost any taste
• a selection of warm, earthy tones for nearly every available piece of apparel offered

“Cons” (a term I use with hesitation):

• I have a bit of difficulty with the poncho’s zipper; it sometimes sticks when I unzip
• the material could be a tiny bit softer—this is obviously personal preference, I happen to be a big baby about tactile input

The only ‘cons’ I could come up with hardly impacted my overall impression of the company and their products. In fact, my experiences were positive enough that I have already selected two additional pieces to add to my personal Christmas list.

Like conscious consumerism on Facebook.

Ed: Bryonie Wise

Photos: courtesy of the author

Note: elephantjournal.com received these review items for free, in return for a guarantee that we would review said offering. That said, we say what we want—good and bad, happy and sad.