11 great green ideas

There are plenty of fashionistas peddling green garments these days, but you'll be hard-pressed to find many retailers trying to green the whole production cycle from sourcing to shipping. That's exactly what Nau, an activewear startup founded by a team of former Marmot, Nike, and Patagonia execs at a coffee-
house in Portland, Ore., is attempting to do. Shoppers can try on and buy items onsite, but they get a 10% discount if they make their purchases at the in-store computer kiosk and have them shipped. With less inventory to move and house, Nau expects a smaller environmental footprint. Sure, it could also mean higher air and truck deliveries. But as the company points out, even businesses that want to be green don't live in a black-and-white world. -- Julie Schlosser

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