Archive for the ‘Fun Products’ CategoryYou’ve never seen rubber inner tubes look so chic. Kathleen Nowak Tucci of “My Sister’s Art” creates unique, striking, elegant wearable works of art out of recycled rubber. Her sister, Margaret Nowak Dobos, promotes her work and represents it to clients from all over the world. From their website: “She makes all of the jewelry by hand, and her necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are crafted meticulously. For Kathleen, creating is a necessity, not an option. Her line of eco-art rubber jewelry is constantly expanding as her creativity knows no bounds.”
A Gulf Coast resident, My Sister’s Art’s jewelry was featured in an oil spill-themed spread in Italian Vogue in August 2010. Their line of jewelry includes necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
Are you thinking about redecorating your child’s bedroom or play area, but worried about the cost of paint, carpet and new toys? Don’t worry about painting murals with toxic paints; there are more sustainable ways to create a world of imagination for your little one! Add new playhouses out of recycled cardboard boxes. While such creations can be purchased [$35 each from Way Basics], you can instead take this opportunity to have a craft day and spend some time with your children.
Things you’ll need: Instructions: Here at Verde Lifestyles, we believe in making every aspect of your life eco-friendly. With our products, you can throw some life into your home decor with environmentally-friendly products. We frequently post other places and products that will keep you living green.
Another important form of expression [outside of home decor] is the way you present yourself. That’s why we often post eco-friendly fashion designers, accessories, beauty products and more. But we also think it’s important for you to do some research on your own and define your own personal style. To do this, we recommend visiting Eco Fashion World. Equipped with daily “blog” posts, tips and tricks to finding green vendors, and a list of eco chic fashion designers, Eco Fashion World has it all. It’s the perfect place for green fashion expression because you can check out designers similar to your tastes in fashion.
More than a list of designers and places to shop, Eco Fashion world provides a glossary of eco-friendly terminology and information regarding “environmentally-friendly standards.” More than a fashion database, it is filled with tons of information of green products, the requirements to be green and ways to stay green through daily living. Basically, this site can become any eco-friendly fashionista’s bible. Take a step in the right direction and start doing some green fashion research! Find those designers that fit your standards of eco-chic fashion and that exemplify what you want from your clothes. Explore environmentally-friendly guidelines, terms and ways to shop. The green fashion world is waiting: what are you waiting for?
Every college student knows the feeling of dread when that time of year rolls around again: time to buy another semester’s worth of textbooks. Buying textbooks new often costs hundreds of dollars, hours of your time waiting in lines at crowded bookstores, and frantic nights of catch-up reading because the books that you ordered online arrived late. In short, it’s a nuisance, but there isn’t really a way to get around buying textbooks for class–those 200 page readings are just a part of the college experience. In an attempt to cut down on waste, energy, and publishing costs, Arizona State University is partnering with HP to run an on-demand textbook printing technology, along with only two other schools in the country (The University of Kansas and Portland State University). According to an article from ASU’s website: “HP has developed new technology that can print a perfect-bound book, with a laminated color cover, within minutes, and is rolling out the concept in a pilot program with three universities.” “What we’re excited about is that we’re literally never out of a book if we have the digital file,” Mekelburg noted. And, he added, the “print a textbook on demand” process is very ecologically sound. “The books aren’t printed on the East Coast, stored by the publisher and shipped here.” In the article, Thurman Holder (director of new business for HP’s Imaging and Print Group), states that on-demand printing can reduce the publishing industry’s footprint by an estimated 25%. The cuttings from the printing process are even collected and reused to make note cards. What do you think of this technology?
Looking for the perfect pair of fall shoes? Stay away from brands that are doing damage to Planet Earth and take a look at an amazing and sustainable pair of shoes, instead! Coclico is a sustainable shoe brand that is designed in New York City and made in Spain. The shoes are beautifully designed and incredibly well-crafted. The fall line is absolutely gorgeous; you’ll certainly be catching some eyes! Take a step in the right direction, and put some sustainable shoes on your feet. Some of our fall favorites:
Odanak Tupelo
Sep
15
Fresh-Wave.com
We’ve blogged about eco-friendly cleaning products before, but this time we’re highlighting one company in particular that makes excellent green cleaning products: Fresh-Wave.com. From the website:
Not sure where to start? Check out the “odor guide”, which will tell you which products to use depending on what stinks. For example, the Soy Candle is recommended for “Kitchen” “Basement” “Skunk” and “Smoke”. Fresh Wave’s sprays are particularly versatile, effective on odors ranging from “Athletic” and “Bathroom” to “Upholstery” and “Nursery”. They also carry Vacuum Pearls, Multi-Purpose Additive, Carpet Shake, Pearl Packs, and Pet Shampoo. If you’re looking to make a gift of green cleaning products to a particularly smelly someone, they carry kits: particularly, the Stinky Dorm Room Kit and Green Home Kit.
It’s a pretty exciting time for Fresh Wave–their Continuous Release Crystal Gel recently won the iParenting Media Award for excellent products in the housewares category! In addition, in accordance with a recent agreement between OMI Industries and the Chicago Bears, Fresh Wave products are now being used in all luxury skybox bathrooms and suites at Soldier Field. Head on over to their website to learn more.
Sep
6
Eco-Friendly Day SpasThe weather is beginning to turn and it’s back to school for all, so why not plan a day of relaxation? There are hundreds of award winning Green Day Spas in which one can relax without doing damage to this planet we call “home.” Check out some of our favorite eco-friendly day spas, and feel free to some exploring on your own. After all, nothing says “relaxation” like an environmentally friendly day at the spa. Spa Eastman, Quebec: Spa Eastman is an award winner in the “Sustainable Tourism” category. Its waste management program diverts over 23 metric tons from landfills, which is equivalent to an 81% recycling rate. The implementation of the Reduction, Reinvestment, Recycling & Validation program [3RV] is done systematically and yields impressive results. Spa Eastman prides itself on paying particular attention to the source of food products: majority of the products are organic. Also, spa’s gardens provide the kitchen with organically grown herbs, edible flowers, sprouts, veggies and even berries.
Golden Door Spa, Scottsdale: The Golden Door Spa at Scottsdale’s Boulders Resort recently further expanded its menu of organic spa services to include new Eminence Organic Skin Care. This line of revolutionary products is created from all natural, organic ingredients. Some of the new and most popular organic services include a variety of organic scrubs with seasonal body soufflé “flavors” such as Pear & Green Apple (fall), Cranberry & Pomegranate (winter), Blueberry Soy (spring), and Cucumber Mint (summer). Nothing sounds more relaxing than a body scrub with nature’s natural scents!
Crystal Mountain Spa, Michigan: Crystal Spa has elevated the model for a green spa to a new level: the 18,500 square-foot facility was designed and built to minimize its impact on the environment while maximizing its efficiency and relaxation. The technologies and materials used in the process have enabled Crystal Mountain’s Crystal Spa to be the only LEED certified spa in the Midwest, and one of only six in the U.S. Talk about a step ahead!
For a complete list of some of the world’s most eco-friendly spas, click here. And don’t hesitate to do some research on your own: responsible relaxation is worth a little bit of work!
Kiss My Face is an all natural body care line made of organic products that ensure the best for you and Mother Earth. Kiss My Face proudly states their use of the purest ingredients, leaving no room for artificial colors, chemical additives, animal ingredients or the process of animal testing. For hair to feet— and everywhere in between— there is a Kiss My Face product to leave you sparkling and refreshed. For more information on the company and it’s products, store locations, coupons and online ordering, check out the Kiss My Face Web site. Treat yourself [and our planet] to a special treat and start using environmentally responsible beauty and body care products!
Australia’s leading fashion brand, Cylk, collaborated with such luxury retailers as Henri Bendel and Fred Segal to prove to the world that high-end fashion can be eco-friendly. Started in 2006, Cylk initially made clothes composed of 100% silk. Now, they have an entire ready-to-wear collection made of luxury blends that include super fine bamboo, silk and modal. While bamboo is a more well-known fabric, modal is made from the cellulose of beech trees. The most unusual aspect of Cylk’s designs is their brilliant take on the current cut-out trend and fabric removal. This unique dress draws attention to the shoulders by removing fabric from the sleeves. Cylk has the perfect combination of eco-friendly and unique, designer fashion.
Cylk is the leader in seamless eco-chic bamboo fashion, and “combines high-end fashion with environmental awareness. With an aim to promote fair trade practices and discussion of sustainability issues, the Cylk philosophy is about caring for others, respecting nature, and working together to make the world a better place.” For more information regarding their environmental awareness philosophy and to view the whole collection, check out the Cylk Web site.
If you missed the opportunity to use our previous coupon, don’t fret–we have a new one! Use the coupon code verdedecor at checkout to get 15% off of an order of $150 or more! Here are a few great products to inspire you:
Sustainable Wood Stools. This 23″ Double Twist stool is beautiful, elegant, compact–and eco-friendly! Our stools come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, so there are plenty of opportunities to incorporate one into your home.
Natural Wood Benches. Great for indoor or outdoor use, this natural teak wood bench is the perfect size for kids and adds an elegant touch to a patio, porch, hallway, or bathroom. It is finished with natural teak oils and needs very little maintenance.
End Tables are extremely versatile and come in many varieties. Ours are natural and made from extremely sustainable, fast-growing woods. This coupon is only available for a limited time, so don’t hesitate! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or issues with using the coupon. |
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