LouLou Magazine, Canada’s source for great fashion finds and tips, always treats its readers with party finds and last minute holiday shopping in their December issues. This past December’s issue is no different. Amongst the dozens of suggestions for shoppers, one can find a variety of products, including stationary, home decor, makeup, and clothing.

Going all out for this holiday issue, one excitedly notes Valérie Schiltz’s two-paged spread of eco-friendly and sustainable products. One of such products listed is the original JUZD shirt. Highlighted as a “fashion favour,” Schiltz suggests the designer bamboo tee for the “fashionista who makes a point of encouraging the work of local artisans and takin care of Planet Earth.”

Exclusive online dating service, BeautifulPeople.Net, is available in over 16 countries. Picked up for a television show by the Slice Network, “Beautiful People” follows Greg Hodge and Robert Hintze as they launch BeautifulPeople.Net in Canada.

In an episode aired this past fall, lead designer of JUZD, Jing Liu, pitches his shirts to Greg and Rob, who both loved the feel of the bamboo fabric as well as the designs on the shirts.

Seems as though the word about JUZD is getting out!  With success in Holt Renfrew, GotStyle and Green is Black more and more people are quick to grab the one-of-a-kind JUZD t-shirt.  The fashion world is seeking new, innovative and eco-friendly designs and being the planet’s first bamboo designer label, it’s hard to avoid getting JUZD…

Take a look below to see how JUZD was featured in MSN.ca’s Green article section. The article featured JUZD as one of today’s top Canadian green designers.

Original Article http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/article.aspx?cp-documentid=672500

Written by Liz Metcalfe

Hot looks, Cool for the planet

JUZD (short for Juiced) was the first bamboo designer label. Said to be inspired by the legend of 1898, when the African Mountain Gorillas were discovered, each shirt in the JUZD collection has an exclusive design and is made from organic bamboo fabric. All JUZD T-shirts, such as the ones above, retail for $100 at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. You can also buy their shirts directly from their website at www.juzd.com.

Original post: http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/24hrstoronto/20080730/2008072901/21.html

Original article written by Tanya Enberg, 24 hours

Fashion bits…

So you’ve been holding onto your favourite bra for years even thought it’s fraying at the edges.  Time to find a new support system, don’t you think?

Give your undergarments a pretty boost with luxury labels like Betsey Johnson, Vera Wang, Carole Hochman, Spanx and Prima Donna, and get up to 70% off at Linea Intima (1925 Avenue Rd.) to help clear out some space before the flagship Toronto shop undergoes renos!

The pre-reno sale on bras, panties, hosiery, robes and swim and sleep wear runs from Aug. 5 to 20.

Almost Naked

Pull your pants back up.  On second thought, you may want to pull ‘em down.

Featuring walls full of fantastic skivvies, Queen St. W. addition, Almost Naked (479 Queen St. W.), is bringing colourful focus to what lies beneath.

With collections from Diesel, Calvin Klein, Shultz, Ed Hardy and the oh-so provocative Netherlands label, Marlies Dekkers, you could soon find your under-layers turning into quite the conversation pieces.

For more info visit almost-naked.ca

Bamboo first

Holt Renfrew keeps sharpening its edge.

The retail chain, which gives great play to Canuck clothing labels, has gone one step further by bringing on a largely unknown Toronto designer. 

His name is Jing Liu and if you’ve never hear of him or his JUZD (pronounced joost) Bamboo streetwear collection, don’t’ be surprised.  After all, he has never been trained in fashion design or cut his teeth at a design firm.

That, however, hasn’t stopped Holts from taking the unusual step of bringing the newbie designer’s graphic-laden garb-the world’s first designer bamboo label-to its high-end department stores.

The collection was delivered to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver earlier this month.  Check out Liu’s work at: juzdbamboo.com

Swag Hag

Nathalie Atkinson, National Post  Published: Wednesday, September 10, 2008

THE TASTEMAKERS LOUNGE

The theme of this year’s Tastemakers Lounge at the Inter-Continental is Ohhh Canada!, and stars sip libations from Northern Quebec (ESKA spring water) and British Columbia (fair trade, organic and carbon-neutral Salt Spring Coffee).

The Good Hipster design gallery-boutique Ministry of the Interior (ministryoftheinterior.net) provides furniture from Montreal collective Samare for celebs to sit on. It’s babiche that’s woven onto the geometric welded frames by one of the few remaining Huron tribes who practise the traditional technique (originally used for snowshoes).

The Bad A psychedelic, berry-flavoured energy drink called The Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience ($2.99). Inexplicable.

The Out of Place T-shirts featuring YTV’s resident cute cartoon goth Ruby Gloom (developed in Canada by Nelvana) are for PG-13 tweens and nieces (and Dakota Fanning), not grown-up stars.

The Potential Haul The 10-foot wall covered in hand-flocked wallpaper from Scottish studio Timorous Beasties would run you $5,000; Trollbeads charm jewellery ($300); a Juzd Originals printed T-shirt made from organic bamboo by Toronto’s Jing Liu to wear on the red carpet like Darren Hew-son did ($100 at Holt Renfrew).

On Monday August 4, 2008 Jing was featured on Edmonton’s EZ Rock Morning Show. 

Take a listen to hear about all the many benefits JUZD bamboo has to offer!

Click to Download the JUZD Interview

Date: Wed. June 25 2008

Original article written by Jatinder Dhoot of www.toronto.cityguide.ca on Wed June 25 2008.

Ever wake up one morning and decide to create clothing line? It’s not an ordinary occurrence but Torontonian Jing Liu is not an ordinary individual. Liu, creator of Juzd clothing, which is promoted as being the first bamboo designer label, is the lead designer for the urban streetwear line. “I just woke up one day and decided start it up and just focus on doing this”, comments Liu on the origin of Juzd in April 2007.

The web designer amongst other things at the time, came up with the idea for Juzd–a name which had some influence from the much talk in the media of “juiced” baseball athletes doing steroids. Although aggression is part of the brand identity of Juzd, there’s an element of nature and environmental friendliness to the line. “Organic aggression”, comments Liu on what the brand represents—the bamboo being tied into the organic. “I thought about what would represent something natural and organic and I thought bamboo”, explains Liu. The choice itself was a natural one as the plant was a mainstay during Liu’s childhood years which were spent in China.

Despite the organic and environmental underpinnings to the line, Juzd isn’t spiritual retreat or vegan pot luck apparel. “I want it to be eco-friendly but not hippy”, comments Liu. The clothes are designed mostly for the fashion conscious 18-34 demographic of both genders, which Liu is passionate about channeling his creativity to cater to.

His enthusiasm for the line shines forth when he chats about the positive reception line has garnered and how he was an inch away from getting in Holt Renfrew; when he bounces off ideas with Deniz Reno, the model sporting his apparel in these pictures; and as he encourages me “Go Bamboo”, a personal catchphrase of Liu for his line. His excitement is indicative that his seemingly random decision that Spring morning in 2007 was a correct one.

If you would like to pick up some Juzd clothing and “Go Bamboo”, visit GOTSTYLE and Green is Black.

Date: Tues. Mar 25 2008.

In the spirit of the L’oreal Toronto fashion week Jing Liu our lead designer for JUZD Bamboo Streetwear was interviewed by Theresa Laurico of the new show Asian Inspiration. This fresh new show on Rogers TV airs this week 6:30 PM Thursday for people in Toronto. Times differ based on your region. The JUZD episode will air week of April 6th. The episode will feature two great Asian designers from Toronto, Andy the Anh and our very own Jing Liu.

While Theresa and the Rogers crew was impressed with the beautiful packaging, the talk of the night was the bamboo fabric. “..you have to feel this, this is so comfortable!” commented by our beautiful model Donna Milburnent.

by Danielle Wong of www.theGreenCity.ca- Toronto – Nov. 22 2007

Jing Liu designs clothes for the urban space, but his inspiration comes from nature.

Unlike Baby Phat or Sean Jean, this newcomer’s line of high-end street wear, JUZD (pronounced “joost”), is organic. The clothing brand, which is based in Toronto, uses organic bamboo as its primary material and also as inspiration.

The designer describes the theme of the brand as “primal energy.”

“We want to have a respect for nature and the individual,” Jing, who goes by his first name, said.

In contrast to the fashion industry at large, JUZD clothing tries to steer clear of materialistic, disposable designs. It’s anti-modern—it brings it back to nature, Jing said.

This philosophy is reflected even in the prints on JUZD T-shirts. As a conscious decision by Jing and his team, the designing technique is one without rigid patterns, but, instead, depicts random lines and unstructured curves. “It’s more organic… just like the way it is in nature,” Jing said.

JUZD, which was created in April, officially launches during the L’Oreal Fashion Week from March 17^th to the 22^nd of next year. The spring 2008 collection will be available online for purchase in March or April.

The brand is currently still in talks with boutiques, namely Over the Rainbow and Holt Renfrew about carrying their line of T-shirts. Other JUZD pieces are in the works for next year’s fall collection.

All brands, Jing said, go back to the vision of the brand’s creator. And the attitude found in JUZD echoes his, Jing said. “I have a lot of respect for nature.”

That might be an understatement for Jing — especially when it comes to the bamboo plant. This designer is a bamboo fanatic. Jing, who was born in China and moved to Canada when he was 8, said his love of bamboo might be ingrained in his subconscious because of his Chinese roots.

But whatever the reason, once he gets talking about the plant, he lights up and can’t contain his excitement for it. “It’s the most amazing fabric out there,” Jing said. For one, it’s eco-friendly because bamboo can grow anywhere and even enriches the soil it’s planted in, Jing said. Plus, a bamboo stalk regenerates itself even if you cut it down, he added.

Also, the plant, Jing said, can grow a few metres in just 24 hours and into its full size after six months.

As a fabric, it is odour-free, anti-bacterial and UV-protective. Not only that, Jing said, It’s insulating. “So it keeps you cool in the summer and in the winter it keeps you two degrees warmer.”

When worn as clothing, bamboo fabric has a silky feel, like cashmere. It is comparable to rayon. “My prediction is that in two or three years, it [bamboo] will be the next big thing.” Jing said.

And to those looking to become designers themselves, Jing has words of wisdom: “(They should) look inside and discover themselves.” And that will show them what they are really passionate about, Jing said. “Once you discover that, you discover the answer to your life.”

To find out more about JUZD clothing and view the shirts themselves, visit http://www.juzdwear.com/ and look out for it during next year’s L’Oreal Fashion Week in March 17-22.