When most people hear the words "global" and "fashion" in the same sentence, places like Milan, Barcelona, Paris, New York, and names like Lagerfeld, Armani, Versaci typically come to mind. What they won't think of: Uganda. Nepal. Madison, Wisconsin. But say hello -- in whatever language -- to the world of Apolis Activism. Started by three brothers from Santa Barbara, Shea, Stenn and Raan Parton are re-designing the way fashion works from the ground up by connecting it with a global community. For example, their Philanthropist Briefcase, currently blowing up the menswear press lines: designs in their studio in L.A. prompt the need for cotton, which they source from Jinja, Uganda, which gives villagers there a chance to own and operate their own means of industry they never had before. It goes to classic American outdoor wear providers C.C. Filson Company in Seattle to be assembled and sold in boutique menswear shops, like Madison, Wisconson's Context Clothing. And done. They've created more work for the world in places it couldn't before. And it's great stuff. To get a better idea of how it works, and how it's going to change the way we wear our lives, Shea Parton, 25, gave us a worldly schooling in the business of Apolis Activism.

Green technology and socially conscious living being hip is nothing new. These ideas have been fueling the sales of Priuses and their celebrity owners, along with their houses, their nightclubs, and often, their art. So why would it come as any surprise that it's trending in fashion? And sure, hemp clothing and sustainable shirts have been around for a while--American Apparel's been doing this kind of thing forever--but now's when they're hitting high tide. Two recent examples? The Apolis Activism Philanthropist Briefcase, and the Miguel Adrover-designed shirt Whole Foods is slinging.