It might take a fair bit of infrastructure and some celebrity sponsorship, but green dressing on the red carpet is on the rise.  At last night’s Oscars, several big names sported sustainably made dresses to which no critic could dare apply the adjective “crunchy.”

Missi Pyle, in her Red Carpet Green Dress gown, on the red carpet at the Oscars.

First, Missi Pyle, of the night’s big winner, The Artist, sported a dress made from cruelty-free silk and designed by Valentina Delfino, the winner of this year’s Red Carpet Green Dress contest.  The organization, founded by Suzy Amis Cameron (James Cameron’s wife) seeks to promote sustainable dressing by employing its techniques in gowns worn at the Oscars.  Pyle phrased the mission well, noting that “It was such an honor to wear this dress – to be on a carpet that’s all about glamour, and have that glamour be sustainable.  To have so many people watching, and encourage them to question the purchases they make, feels relevant.”

Meryl Streep accepts her third Best Actress Oscar.

Meanwhile, Livia Firth’s organization, Green Carpet Challenge, succeeded in working eco-friendly fabric into several designers’ dresses.  Firth herself wore Dolce & Gabbana crafted from polyester made out of recycled bottles, while Best Actress winner Meryl Streep was wearing eco-certified fabric from Lanvin.

It seems pretty safe to say that if Meryl Streep is on the eco-friendly bandwagon, the trend could become an institution.  Should we start placing bets on who’ll be sustainably dressed at next year’s Academy Awards?