Maybe I love Alton Brown because we both have degrees in Theatre, although I’d have to say he’s probably putting his to better use than I am. He’s got the ability to make the audience chuckle, and he’s not afraid to don a cowboy costume or talk with a funny accent for an entire episode to further the cause.

In addition to his show, he’s also done a couple of mini-series called Feasting on Asphalt. Nerds, food, and motorcycles…what more could you want? In the first season, he actually wrecked the bike and ended up in the hospital. Honestly, I would have thought some of the crazy Southern food he was eating would have put him there first, but what do I know?

Alton Brown has also had some success as an author. A couple of his titles include several takes on I’m Just Here for the Food, and Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen. He’s also done some videos for GE that go out to their wholesalers to better explain their products. These are done in the same style as Good Eats, and I have to think that those are the most entertaining instructional videos the appliance store employees have ever seen.

I didn’t set out to make this a whose-who of Iron Chef America, but like Bobby Flay and Mario Batali, Alton Brown is also involved in the show. He’s the commentator, and he knows so much about so many different foods that he really does make the show that much more interesting.

OK, I will stop gushing about my celebrity chef crush Alton Brown. (Call me!)

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Before we all get carried away, I will admit right up front that Rachel Ray is not actually a chef. I’m not telling any tales out of school, as the popular cook has been pretty clear about that herself, telling the New York Times “I have no formal anything. I’m completely unqualified for any job I’ve ever had.”

She is, however, a part of this celebrity chef culture, and I didn’t want to leave her out of the lineup. While she doesn’t have a chain of restaurants or her own line of seasonings, Rachel Ray has definitely created her own celebrity businesses for us to check out. For one, she got Queen Oprah (and I say that with reverence) behind her to start her show Rachel Ray in 2006. It’s already won two Emmys. Of course, this came after a slew of other successful shows like the Food Network’s 30 Minute Meals, $40 ad Day, Inside Dish and Rachel Ray’s Tasty Travels.

Rachel Ray has also released a number of really successful cookbooks including Just in Time, 30-Minute Meals, Express Lane Meals, Yum-O! the Family Cookbook, 365: No Repeats, and a bunch of others. Her foray into print media doesn’t stop with cookbooks either, as she is also involved with the production of the magazine Every Day with Rachel Ray.

She may not be a trained chef, but there’s definitely something about Rachel Ray that keeps us interested. I know I feel like I could sit down and have a chat with her over a cup of tea any day of the week. (Don’t tell Anthony Bourdain I said that, though, ok? I desperately want him to think I’m cool.)

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I want to talk about Bobby Flay today, but let’s just do a little recap first.

So, where were we? Ah, yes. Celebrity chefs. Not only is it amazing to me that chefs are becoming such celebrities, but I also can’t believe they’re so well known by people who have never even tasted their food. I mean, what kind of chef do you have to be in order to be adored by people who have never even eaten anything you’ve cooked?

I suppose their are some exceptions, though. While most people have never tasted Emeril’s gumbo, for example, a lot of them have tried his special seasoning called “Essence.” Many celebrity chefs have restaurant chains, too, so the masses can at least sample something the chef has had a hand in
creating.

Bobby Flay falls into both categories. He has two lines of rubs and sauces for meat, seafood, and poultry called Mesa Grill and Bobby Flay Signature. He also has a variety of product endorsements with the retailer Kohl’s. These include everything from plates, to cutlery, to bar towels, of all things. If you can use it in the kitchen, Kohl’s has managed to slap Bobby Flay’s name onto it. To be fair, there does seem to be a good sense of cohesion to the entire line with the Southwest-y colors and such.

Unlike many of his celebrity chef counterparts, Bobby Flay’s food is actually available to a fairly large number of people. Of course, you won’t likely have Bobby himself grilling up your steak at the Mesa GrillLas Vegas, you know that he has had a direct hand in creating the menu. Other Mesa Grill restaurants can be found in New York and the Bahamas. Additionally, Bobby Flay is owner of Bar Americain in New York, and Bobby Flay Steak in Atalanctic City.

While all of this is well and good, I’m most familiar with Bobby Flay because of his participation in Iron Chef America. Just like our previously-highlighted Mario Batali, Bobby Flay is on of the American Iron Chefs, even after creating a bit of controversy on the original Japanese incarnation by staning on his cutting board.

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Mario Batali is the first celebrity chef to be included in this little series. He’s been working in kitchens since he was in college in the early 80s, getting his start as a dishwasher. Boy, has he come a long way since those humble beginnings.

Best known for authentic Italian-style cooking (he apprenticed in Northern Italy after an already successful stint as a chef in both the UK and the US), Mario Batali has become a household name due to his numerous television shows. These include Molto Mario, Mediterranean Mario, Mario Eats Italy, and Ciao America. He is also one of the Iron Chefs on Iron Chef America. Apparently, he’s also got an upcoming series on PBS with Gwyneth Paltrow called Spain…On the Road Again.

Like so many of the celebrity chefs today, Mario has also penned several books with long titles, including Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages, Mario Batali Holiday Food: Family Recipes for the Most Festive Time of the Year, Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home, and a few others.

While the general public has really been introduced to Mario through his television and literary careers, he is actually highly though of in the culinary world, too. He and his business partner Joseph Bastianich are owners of several restaurants. Some of these include Lupa, Esca, Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, Casa Mono, Bar Jamon, Bistro Du Vents, Del Posto, Enoteca San Marco, and B&B Ristorante. For a full list of his resturants, check out his web site.

But wait, that’s not all. With this croc-wearing redheaded chef, you also get a line of kitchen tools and cookware. I am not even joking when I tell you that there are even Mario Batali toys! This guy is more than a chef, and he has really learned to leverage his celebrity to the nth degree.

I actually kind of like some of these folks, and you certainly can’t fault them for using their fifteen minutes in the spotlight to make a little extra coin. Some of them have practically built empires on cook books and grilling spices.

Over the next week, we’re going to take a look at some of the big names in celebrity chef-dom. We’ll also look at what they’re doing outside of the kitchen that qualifies them for inclusion on a blog about celebrity businesses. I’ll admit to having my favorites, and there are a few that sort of annoy me, but I’ll try not to let that bias my opinions too much.

Bon Appetit!

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One of the hardest things about “reporting” on celebrity clothing lines is determining if they’re still around. In the last week, I’ve tried to tell you about Pamela Anderson’s “The Pamela Collection,” Kylie Minogue’s “Love Kylie,” and Ryan Seacrest’s “The R Line.” It seems that all of these clothing lines were announced with much fanfare, but have so much more quietly disappeared. (I suspect that Love Kylie is still around, but it’s sure hard to find . . . not the best marketing ploy, IMHO.)

One person who has never really had much trouble getting his name out there, however, is Justin Timberlake; and that holds true for his clothing line, as well. Granted it’s only a year old, so who knows what the future holds. In the meantime, we can take a peek at the William Rast line by Justin Timberlake and his best friend Trace Ayala.

I’m guessing that the other celebrities were expecting a lot out of this line because tons of stars were their first runway show, including Patrick Dempsey, Nicky and Paris Hilton, Wilmer Valderrama, and (of course) Cameron Diaz. The focus of the collection really seems to be on jeans, with a number of hip-hugging women’s styles and some options for men, as well. There are a few v-necks and t-shirts with the William Rast logo, and what I can only hope is supposed to be an ironic camouflaged baseball cap.

The hook for William Rast clothing – besides Timberlake’s involvement, of course – is touted to be attention to detail and high-end production. The outcome is knits and denims that are made to be especially comfortable. Oddly, many of the styles have a note encouraging customers to buy a size smaller than they usually would. Not sure what that’s about . . . Must be an attempt to avoid some sort of “wardrobe malfunction.” (C’mon, it’s a post about Justin Timberlake and clothes; I had to use the phrase at least once!)

Anyhow, the prices are a little high with jeans averaging about $220 and t-shirts priced around $57. The jeans especially, though, are going to get you noticed, and most likely in the “good” way.

I’ll admit it. When I first heard that Reba McEntire had her own clothing line, I couldn’t help but think of the sequins and big hair that sort of defined her look in the 80s and 90s. What on earth was this lady going to be able to offer the every day woman, I wondered.

It turns out that her down-home charm extends beyond the friendly twang of her accent. Her clothes are actually quite cute and accessible. I imagined something you would expect to see on the character from her song “Fancy,” but what I found was actually much more of what you would see on a 30-something mom who was still making an effort on her appearance.

In addition to cute tops, jackets, and jeans, she has some really cute skirts and dresses.

The line is really one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen so far, and it’s definitely one of the most affordable for us mere mortals.

I’m in love with this $58 shirt, for example:

It turns out that cute clothes aren’t the only trick the country star has up her sleeve, as she’s also rolled out a line of shoes, as well as a line of home decor called Harmony for the Home”.

All three lines can be found at Dillard’s stores.

Hey, I’m getting distracted!

In the last few years, Paula Abdul has branched out to become a designer. While many celebrities have their own clothing lines, Paula’s is actually highly focused. She designs cheerleading and dancewear for her own line called Skirtz. Of course, Paula was actually a cheerleader herself as a Laker Girl in the early 1980s. So, wait, I guess that was her first career . . . After that, she went on to choreograph for big stars like Janet Jackson.

So, the first career was as a cheerleader, the second was as a choreographer, then she became a singer, then an American Idol judge, then a designer, then a reality television star. So, that technically makes the whole designing thing her, um, fifth career, right? I am so confused.

Anyway…

In addition to designing her dance clothing, Paula Abdul also designs jewelry based on the dedication of contestants on American Idol. The line is called “Innergy.” Many of the pieces have charm tags on them with messages like “Sing your heart out as if no one’s listening” and “When you wish upon a star you just might become one.” She’s even been known to give out various pieces of her own jewelry designs to contestants on the show.

No matter how many different ways Paula Abdul reinvents herself, she sure seems to stay pretty near and dear to Americans’ hearts.

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Ask just about any university-level drama student, and he or she will tell you that you can’t make a living as a playwright these days. Having been a university-level drama student who wrote plays, I happen to know first-hand that very few of us ever expected to get rich and famous.

Fortunately for him, Tyler Perry had a lot more faith in his abilities. While you may be most familiar with him from his role as “Madea” in movies like Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Tyler Perry has built himself quite an empire on his ability to spin a yarn.

He is one of those really inspiring celebrity entrepreneurs because he truly had to persevere in order to succeed. In 1992, he saved up $12,000 so that he could mount a production of his first play, I Know I’ve Been Changed, a musical about adult survivors of child abuse. The show totally tanked, but Perry kept after it. Six years later, the play hit it big at the Atlanta House of Blues and kept going from there.

Today, Tyler Perry is a household name. Much of this is due to the exposure he received by being on Oprah . It’s quite fitting, as it was an Oprah show that first gave him the idea to deal with his feelings about his own childhood abuse, and this is where he got the material for many of his future scripts.

In addition to writing plays, he has also written and produced a number of movies, in addition to producing the television show Tyler Perry’s House of Payne on TBS. In 2006, he even came out with a book called Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings.

When we think of “moguls” these days, we generally think of real estate or the recording industry. We don’t usually picture some guy sitting at a computer writing.

Remember how I said you won’t get rich and famous as a playwright? Well, Tyler Perry estimates he’s made $50 million dollars from writing and producing plays alone. And, well, he’s famous enough to get mentioned here.

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There were probably never two little girls worth as much money as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Starting out playing the adorable Michelle Tanner on Full House all those years ago was just the beginning for the twin stars.

Mary-Kate and Ashley have pretty much become their own brand. A string of straight-to-video movies has kept them going and in the forefront of the tween girl market. In addition to their acting, however, the marketing machine has been pumping out products for 15 years.

It wasn’t all that long ago that we hadn’t even heard of the term “tween,” a description of kids who are past middle childhood but not yet quite teenagers. In fact, it seems like the term was created specifically so there would be a new demographic to market to.

And Mary-Kate and Ashley were the perfect face to sell to that new market. Their products include fragrances, clothing, books, and – of course – videos. The company is called Dualstar, and it’s been estimated to bring in more than one billion dollars annually. Not too shabby, ladies!

The coolest thing I ever heard about the Olsens: They’re not actually identical twins. You could have fooled me!

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When you look around, you realize that there are several rap stars who have branched out into all types of businesses. One great example is Jay-Z.

His earlier business ventures included being the CEO of Def Jam Records and an owner and founder of Roc-A-Fella Records. Roc-A-Fella Records also spawned Rocawear, a clothing line that helped bring a bit more refinement to hip-hop fashions. Jay-Z has moved on from all of these businesses, however, and is involved in a completely different, and very cool, venture.

Jay-Z is a co-owner of an upscale sports bar called The 40/40 Club. It started in NYC, but there are now locations in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, with new clubs planned for Tokyo, Japan and Macau, China.

When they say “upscale” in the descriptions of this place, they are so not kidding. The clubs are absolutely lavish. According to the mega-star, “I love sports and wanted to create an environment that is conducive to my lifestyle, while being able to watch the games at the same time.” Let me tell you, if this is his lifestyle, we should all be so fortunate.

The New York location has 23 televisions (LCD and plasma, of course) and is something like 8000 square feet. There are all different sizes of rooms for private events, and the furnishings alone are enough to make me willing to sit and watch golf, if that’s what it would take to hang out in this sports bar.

The name 40/40 is an allusion to the exclusivity of the club and comes from baseball. To get in the 40/40 Club, a player has to have 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season. Only four baseball players in history have managed it. Fortunately, it sounds like the bar lets in a few more than that on a Friday night.

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As a writer, I have much affection for authors. As an occasionally snarky person, I like some good dark humor. As a human being, I like to eat. Combine all of these attributes, and you have one of my favorite celebrities: Anthony Bourdain.

I first discovered Anthony Bourdain as the host of The Travel Channel’s No Reservations. This guy is not your average fluffy-bunny celebrity. He drinks like a fish, he smokes like a chimney, and he’ll eat just about anything. (Actually, I recently heard him in a question-and-answer session, and he revealed that he quit smoking after his daughter was born.)

Still, the guy is rude, crass, and totally, totally cool. In fact, I’ve been told that his show No Reservations came about because the folks who gave him his first (very similar) show called A Cook’s Tour on The Food Network found him to be a little too, um, perverse for their audience. The Travel Channel show airs with a parental warning.

Tony Bourdain is first and foremost a chef, and it is entertaining to note that he has a whole lot of criticism for celebrity chefs like Emeril. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em . . . or in his case, keep beating up on them anyway.

In addition to being a semi-big TV star and a very big chef at New York’s Brasserie Les Halles, Bourdain is also a hugely successful author. His book Kitchen Confidential pretty much launched his whole non-cooking career, and it has been followed up by five more non-fiction books, including A Cook’s Tour, The Nasty Bits, No Reservations, and Bone In the Throat. There was even a FOX Television sitcom called Kitchen Confidential that was loosely based on his experiences.

One of the coolest aspects of this ultra-cool guy is the way he travels around the world for his current show. He is almost painfully aware of the cultures he visits, and it is obvious that he strives to be as respectful as humanly possible in a variety of situations. When he’s visiting a village where there is little food, he graciously accepts whatever is offered; and it’s clear that he is truly moved by the gesture.

That’s amazing for someone who is pretty like to tell you to go *censored* yourself just for grins!

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If you grew up around the same time I did, then you probably remember Justine Bateman as the air-headed Mallory on Family Ties. Wow, I haven’t thought of that show in a while. Before the Huxtables came along, it’s sort of what every family wanted to be, wasn’t it?

If you’re growing up right now, you might know her as Gabby’s drug-dealing boarder on Desperate Housewives. Oh, and you’re probably too young to be watching Desperate Housewives.

Justine Bateman actually went on to live out her most famous character’s fantasy. Mallory wanted to be a fashion designer, and Justine actually is. Her creations tend to center around her hobby and obsession of knitting. She started out by knitting stuff for friends, but as her ideas began to take on a life of their own, and in 2000 she started to get downright serious about it. Her little hobby turned into Justine Bateman Designs.

She creates some of the typical knitwear you would expect, like hats and such:

But some of her creations are a bit out there, like these boy briefs:

Bateman has even designed for some big names like Courtney Love, who got a sweater similar to this one:

Other famous clients include Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

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Seriously, is there anything that Jennifer Lopez cannot do? She sings, she dances, she acts . . . and she owns a restaurant.

Back in 2002, J-Lo opened a Latin restaurant called Madre’s in Pasadena, California. The food was inspired by J-Lo’s Puerto Rican grandmother’s cooking, and the decor reflects this heritage, as well, with lace curtains and hardwood floors. Lopez even hand-picked vintage china to get just the right feel for this gathering place.

And, boy, have people gathered. There were more stars inside than out on opening night, with Nicole Kidman, Jay Leno, Christian Slater, Ben Affleck, Dave Navarro, Carmen Electra, and Kobe Bryant all in attendance.

Fortunately for Jennifer, things continued to go well after the big grand opening. The restaurant has been featured in several magazines and has made a lot of “best” lists, including best Latin cuisine by Sky Radio and best celebrity-owned restaurant by City Search.

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It is amazing how many pies one supermodel can dip her well-manicured fingers into. Heidi Klum, who you probably know from various Victoria Secret commercials, has more going for her than a rockin’ body and rock-star husband Seal. This talented lady has surpassed her roots as a modeling contest winner to become one of the most well-known faces in the world.

Of course, with her work on Victoria Secret campaigns and the cover of the Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated, no one would blame you if her face wasn’t the first thing you’d ever noticed about her.

These days, though, you should probably pay attention to her business savvy. In addition to her role as a top print and runway model, Heidi Klum has also been the spokesmodel for companies as varied as McDonalds, Volkswagen, Braun, and Jordache. She has appeared in several movies like Ella Enchanted, Blow Dry, and The Devil Wears Prada, among others; and has done small parts in the television shows, including Spin City, Malcolm in the Middle, Sex and the City, and How I Met Your Mother. (It seems she could have a side business just doing cameo appearances as herself.) Apparently she liked talking on camera enough to produce a little show known as Project Runway.

I keep trying to deny that I like reality television – and in my defense, the stuff that happens on Project Runway isn’t exactly “reality” – but I love the drama and glamour of the show. In addition to her role as producer, Heidi Klum is also a judge and the hostess. The show has been nominated for several Emmys and won a Peabody Award in 2008. As if doing all of this on one continent wasn’t enough, Heidi Klum is a co-producer, judge, and hostess of Germany’s Next Topmodel in her country of origin.

But wait, there’s more . . . Heidi Klum is also a fashion designer, and even has a line for babies. Her swimsuits have been seen in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 2002. It’s sort of a full-circle thing considering her history modeling for the same magazine. Her design skills haven’t been limited to clothes, either, as she has also created shoes for Birkenstock. Her jewelry designs have been featured on QVC. She has even produced her own perfumes called “Me” and “Heidi Klum.”

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Is anyone else out there a fan of Gene Simmons Family Jewels? I tell myself that I don’t like reality television, but that’s not completely true. I am somewhat chagrined to admit that I started watching reruns of this show during late nights up with the new baby, and now I actually record it on the DVR so I won’t miss episodes.

There are several interesting aspects to the show, I think, but the most fascinating to me is Gene Simmons as a businessman. The guy is nuts-o. And brilliant.

It seems that nearly any topic of conversation can be turned into a business idea by this man. So far I’ve seen him invest in bull semen, open a nail salon for men, do a special Vegas show with Royal Crown Revue, and sponsor Indy racing as a project of his Simmons Abramson Marketing business. Apparently he also owns a record label, a book imprint, and a pop culture magazine called Gene Simmons’ Tongue.

And that says nothing about the 2,500+ product licenses for KISS products ranging from baby bottles to caskets.

Gene Simmons was born in Israel, and he is excessively proud of the fact that he has been able to live the American dream by becoming a self-made man. Honestly, I think he goes a little overboard, but it obviously makes him happy. When I watch him start up some new business, it really does inspire me. I figure that if this guy can juggle that many businesses at once, there’s no way I won’t be successful with my current venture.

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I actually saw No Doubt in concert several years ago, and it was clear that Gwen Stefani had her own sense of fashion. It turns out that a lot of other people appreciate her style and want to get a little piece of it. Stefani was able to bring some of her style to the masses when she launched her own line, called L.A.M.B. in 2003.

The line includes clothing, accessories, and even a perfume called “L.” My cousin got a bottle of it for Mother’s Day today, and it smells pretty nice. I had a hard time distinguishing exactly what floral scent I was smelling, and now I know why. Apparently it includes hyacinth, violet, freesia, rose, lily, jasmine, orange blossom, and sweet pea, in addition to some fruits and musk. Somehow, it seems to be both light and heavy at the same time.

The fashions aren’t exactly my style, but they are definitely fun and unique. There’s a lot of black and white and checkers. With products as varied as Rasta hats and track suits, the line is really eclectic. Apparently Nicole Kidman and Teri Hatcher both think it’s pretty cool.

Ever since I heard about this line, I wondered if the name had anything to do with her baby – it’s not too far fetched – but it turns out that it’s from her first debut album, which was called Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (See, it had that word “baby” in it.)

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Back in 1974, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali put up their dukes in the “Rumble in the Jungle.” George Foreman also won the heavyweight boxing gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Forty years later, you can see Foreman on television nearly any night of the week selling some sort of device that is guaranteed to make your life easier, healthier, or in some way better than it is now.

I would have thought that Foreman’s business was manufacturing grills, but it turns out that he actually makes his fortune by endorsing and licensing various products. He is the President of George Foreman Productions, Inc., and when he lends his name to a product, he is adding his considerable clout to its reputation. Who would have thought that you could create a whole business out of just being yourself? Dude, I want that job description!

In addition to the incredibly popular George Foreman Grill, he also endorses a line of cleaning products called George Foreman’s Knock-Out, and he backs a line of clothing for big and tall men called – what else – the George Foreman Signature Collection. As Business Week Magazine says, “George Foreman is more than a name – it’s a full-blown brand.”

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When I first starting doing research for Celebrity Business, I expected to find that many celebrities had their own fashion lines. I was shocked, however, to discover just how many of them do! We already took a look at Bono’s super-cool EDUN line.

Well, I’ve also fallen head over heels for Milla Jovovich’s and Carmen Hawk’s adorable Jovovich-Hawk line. I think I would wear their little “Florence Dress” every day if I could! Except when I was wearing the “Katie Top,” that is. Or the “Ever Coat.” Or . . . you get the idea. This is seriously how I aspire to dress! I’m not even all that much into fashion until I start looking at stuff like this, and then I just get all giddy and full of “the want-its.”

The fabrics are vintage-inspired, and they make the prettiest little tops and dresses. It makes sense that a former supermodel would have such a good sense of what just looks nice.

Jovovich and Hawk have been friends for years, and they launched their line in 2003. According to their publicist, “Jovovich Hawk makes clothes that are relevant to the lives of independent, hard working, creative, funny, elegant and romantic women.” So, I think what they’re trying to say is that they make clothes for anyone who’s not a hermit. It definitely helps if you’re a girlie-girl, too.

Unfortunately for us mere mortals, you can’t just order these items online. They are only carried in certain stores like Fred Segal and Harvey Nichols. In 2008, however, they teamed up with Target to create a more accessible line that still encompasses the feel of their more high-end stuff. Check out this adorable babydoll dress, for example. I know I’d definitely wear this cute little lacy number all summer long.

I don’t want this blog to just be a shopping guide, though, so I’d like to mention the fact that, while supermodels don’t tend to get a lot of credit for being super-smart, Milla Jovovich certainly seems to have some good, solid business savvy. I’m sure she faced some resistance and obstacles because of people’s preconceived notions, but she went for it and created something really beautiful and successful. Good for her!

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There are many things that we love about celebrities, and fashion is one of them. Of course, they’re happy to indulge us, as it seems that many of them are quite infatuated with the latest trends. In fact, many celebrities have lent their names – and sometimes even their creative touches – to their own clothing lines. U2’s frontman Bono is more or less the epitome of cool, and his clothing line EDUN, created with his wife Ali Hewson, is everything you would expect.

First of all, the styles look great. For example, I absolutely love this men’s t-shirt depicting the Raven from Edgar Allen Poe’s poem:

But, because we’re talking about Bono, you know there has to be some sort of humanitarian angle to the whole thing, right? Well, just as you would suspect, the EDUN line strives to not only provide jobs for workers in poorer countries, but it also has the stated goal of bringing respect to those people.

From their site: “EDUN is a for-profit business – founded on the premise of trade as a means of building sustainable communities in developing countries to help foster economic growth rather than provide charity.”

While all of the line’s garments are not yet organic, the t-shirts are made from 100% organic cotton. They believe that this not only creates a more sustainable planet, but it is also healthier for the workers. EDUN uses locally run factories, rather than purchasing or building their own, and these places are audited by an independent non-profit organization to ensure good practices.

The price point for EDUN’s products tend to range from $25-100 U.S. Personally, I’d be willing to not only support the cause by shopping online, but also to own some of these really artistically-inspired pieces.

Oh, and EDUN spells “nude” backwards.