Oh what to do with reclaimed architectural veneer offcuts.... what to do.... Thanks to the clever minds at Contexture Design, they came up with the perfect solution. Make them into a beautiful bracelet that you can easily slip off your wrist and use as a sleeve for your coffee cup. Fashionable, practical and very GREEN.
Perhaps I'm a dork for finding office supplies exciting. I blame the Trapper Keeper for the birth of that obsession... but I think your head will turn when you take a gander at these eco-friendly office products from ReBinder. All their products are made from FSC or SFI certified sources and assembled by a local, AbilityOne certified disabled workforce. They are practical, no frills darn good office products. And they have a quote on their site from an art director at Anthropologie who uses the rebinder and then adds fabric, silkscreens and even sews them. See, told you they were cool.
Napa Style is known for their kitchenware and gourmet pantry supplies but you might not know that they have a pretty interesting selection of repurposed and reclaimed lighting. They have pendant lights made from old chicken feeders, burlap coffee sacks and antique key plates. A conversation piece for sure.
My jaw hit the floor when I saw these baskets and read that they are made from old telephone wire by women in South Africa. Amazing. Ananse Village sells these gorgeous baskets among other fair trade treasures. They work directly with artisans and craftsmen in various communities in Africa, ensuring that a fair trade environment is in place. A portion of the profits goes back to these same communities to provide medical care and education.
If you live in Australia, you're in luck. If not, you can at least browse through the Eco Chic, the best eco-friendly furniture and housewares site I have seen in a long time. Every single one of their products falls into one of the following green categories: 1) Made from renewable resources, 2) made from recycled and recyclable materials, 3) made from non-toxic and non allergenic materials, 4) made in Australia, 5) fair trade certified or 6) GECA certified. Wish they were local....
Felt is renewable, recyclable and reusable which makes it the perfect GREEN material. The Etsy shop Feltplanet uses 100% Virgin Merino Wool to create their felt wares. The coasters, which are SUPER thick are a steal at $15-$16 per set of 4. I have purchased felt coasters from some mainstream retailers and paid over $30 for a set... I'm having buyer's remorse. Feltplanet's coasters come in 23 different colors and you even have a few shapes to choose from. An ideal hostess gift.
Packing lunches used to require lots of brown bags, ziplock plastic bags, juice boxes and individually wrapped serving sizes of chips or fruit. Thanks to the Goodbyn Bynto Kit, you can take the money you save from baggies and upgrade the grub! The 5 compartments keep all the foods separated so you won't have fruit juice on your pretzels and a sandwich that tastes like a banana. It's made from all FDA approved material and no more plastic baggies end up in a landfill.
We are all at fault for using too many paper napkins and paper towels. I have hundreds from Costco in my basement. I will go through them (may not use them all until 2012 but hey) and then I will commit to using cloth napkins going forward. Made In The Red Barn is an Etsy shop out of Seattle that sells the "unpaper" towel. Made from birdseye fabric, the weave and texture makes them super absorbent and easy to launder. They have hand dyed towels in colors like cranberry, avocado, mustard, spice, peacock and Caribbean blue. Set of 12 costs $20. But just think, you will never have to lug a pallet of paper home from Costco ever again.
TEN is a collection of ten designers that have spent the last few years focused on sustainable projects. In their fifth year, this group of designers is presenting Ten Plan, a collection of ten projects that you can make on your own. You can download the plans for free, but they do suggest a donation. So if you are feeling crafty this weekend, download a plan and make anything from a bike rack to balloon bowls to a coat rack picture rail.
Quick post just to catch up... Velocity Art & Design has all of their Coyuchi products on sale through January 31st. Coyuchi makes organic bedding and bath linens that are gorgeous.... my favorite shower curtain on earth (yes, I covet a shower curtain) is the Coyuchi rustic linen curtain in gray with mustard and ivory stripes (made in India from flax grown in France and Belgium). It is on sale now for a mere $153. Oh, rustic linen gray shower curtain, I will continue to admire you from afar. SIGH.
