eco-chic design

organic and fair trade chocolate that’s deliciously good

There’s a cute coffee place in Lambertville NJ called Lambertville Trading Company with shelves full of interesting chocolates. I left the store with a big can of theo's 'chiplotle spice' sipping chocolate since I was really intrigued by the flavor. It’s organic, fair trade and has a gorgeous logo design made out of dripping dark chocolate. The taste is inbetween sweet and savory making it perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or after dinner treat.

Theo is the first and only organic and fair trade chocolate factory in the US and was founded by Joseph Whinney in 2006. All ingredients are carefully screened for social and environmental practices. Sustainable growing methods include shade grown cacao that allows for biodiversity and offers habitat for many species. The ‘fair for life’ seal on the sipping chocolate ensures that human rights are met at every production stage. Workers are treated under fair working conditions and farmers receive a fair share. It’s quiet eye-opening to hear Debra Music from theo mention during her talk on ted that a lot of farmers have never tasted a chocolate bar. No wonder that theo is committed to support local farmers through education. Another example of theo’s transparent business practices are the factory tours in Seattle as part of their educational vision. I would love to go if it wouldn’t be on the West Coast. But luckily it’s easy for me to support this amazing USDA organic certified and fair trade company by sipping another cup of their amazingly good chocolate.

green your life with eco-smart accessories

Just recently I rediscovered Econscious Market, a fantastic e-commerce site based in Boulder with a great selection of eco-modern designers. The company sells a mix of eco-friendly or socially responsible products and donates up to 10% of every purchase to non-profit organizations of your choice from their website. And there are many great causes to choose from. 

One of their eco-modern designers that I love is Josh Jakus at FUZ. The sustainable felt designs for his handbags and home accessories are super-smart and playful. I’m sure you have seen his clever napkin hugs made out of 100% recycled black rubber or 100% wool felt in various bright colors before. His handbags made from factory excess felt are created from a flat surface with the help of a zipper. The contrast of the grey industrial felt with the accent colors of the zippers in orange, green, or blue looks modern. There’s a really fun animation on his website that you have to check out. With the click of a mouse all five UM bags transform at the same time from two-dimensional shapes into structured bags. The efficiency of FUZ’s designs results in the reduction of energy-consuming machine time. Plus everything is manufactured locally in California. Somehow I like the simple elegance of FUZ’s protective wine pocket or media pocket pouch even more. Both make great green gifts for house warming parties or work related events through their sleek designs. Giving never looked better.

chic and compostable dinnerware made from fallen palm leaves

It was great to see VerTerra’s products mixed in with reusable dinnerware at the St. Julien Hotel in Boulder during the LOHAS Forum last month. I've always loved the elegant design of the disposable plates, bowls and trays but never had a chance to use them. They are made with fallen palm leaves, steam, heat, and pressure only. You can’t get more pure than that. The idea originated during a trip to India where VerTerra’s founder Michael Dwork witnessed a local woman pressing leaves fallen from trees into plate like objects that were used to serve food. Now fallen leaves that otherwise would get burned are collected from plantations, then cleaned and pressed into contemporary looking dinnerware at local factories in India. Over 80% of the water used during the steam process is recaptured and reused. Even the waste products are powdered down into fertilizer that’s returned to the farmers who supply the leaves. I love eco-friendly products that close the loop like that. 

The results are organic looking plates and bowls that are non-toxic, biodegradable and even compostable. The great thing about being compostable is that these sustainable products will not only break down within 2 months after use in home or industrial composting but also release valuable nutrients into the soil. VerTerra’s dinnerware is intended for single-use and a green alternative to plastic and paper plates. Something that certainly comes in handy these days for eco-friendly BBQs, beach parties or rooftop gatherings.

the perfect blend of sustainable cuisine with green decor

One of the advantages of spending summer weekends in the city is that hard-to-get reservations at restaurants are available. That’s how I got a table at ABC Kitchen without reservations. And not just any table but a table made from salvaged wood since ABC Kitchen is committed to sustainable décor as much as sustainable food. All food is prepared with organic and local ingredients whenever possible. None of their produce uses pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides or GMOs and most meat, fish and dairy is locally sourced. The same commitment to sustainable cuisine can be found in their selection of beverages such as tea, coffee or wine that are organic or fair trade. The restaurant’s location close to the farmers market at Union Square doesn’t hurt either. 

The restaurant was co-created between ABC Carpet & Home with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Phil Suarez. It perfectly fuses a pre-dominantly white and sustainable décor with seasonal produce to create a pleasantly airy atmosphere. I’ve always loved the sustainable products at ABC Home & Planet and it’s great to see them utilized in a restaurant. The food is served on handmade porcelain dinnerware by local artisan Jan Burtz. Each piece is hand-built and hand glazed. The bread baskets are handcrafted by the indigenous mapuche people of Patagonia and are part of the ABC Goodwood Collection that also includes Jim Denney’s dining table made from salvaged wood. If you happen to be in town I can highly recommend the peekytoe crab toast appetizer.

green your lunch with hand embroidered reusable snack bags

Packing my own lunch for work has been an ongoing battle for me since there’s great take-out in the city everywhere. But when I look at the statistics that almost 1/3 of waste in the US is produced through packaging there’s really no excuse. Especially if there are such cute lunch bag options as BleuRoo’s reusable snack bags with hand embroidered designs. I had discovered them on Green Depot’s website and finally bought a bird design after seeing them in person. Of course I love the fact that the outer shell is made of 100% unbleached cotton. But what really won me over was that they are really well-made with their inner liner of water and stain resistant nylon and the double stitched side seams. The velcro closure sealed the deal for me. All eco-friendly designs are hand embroidered and you can choose your own colors.

The designs for BleuRoo’s reusable snack bags include birds, stars or even customized lettering. You can choose from several different typefaces and then create your own personalized message. I’m toying between my first name or “mine” since it’s my snack after all. Or simply “bon appetit”. Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions.

colorful glass cups with a social conscience

As a fan of design that not only looks good but also does good I love glassybaby’s hand-blown votives that give back to the community. I found the colorful votives that double as glasses or vases while looking for additional ways to give to Haiti besides traditional donations. Glassybaby’s blog mentioned the option to donate 10% of any glassybaby purchase to the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti through the end of February.

It’s no surprise since the founder Lee Rhodes started the company in 2001 while battling cancer. Her glassybaby goodwill program supports cancer related causes and designated colors of her gorgeous glass cups are dedicated to different charities. I love that glassybaby supports the local economy and craftsmanship since the beautiful and colorful cups are hand-blown by glassblowers in and around her Seattle studio. Glassybaby votives have been produced in over 450 different colors and come in opaque, translucent, and deeply colored hues. They add color to any room, dinner party, or even fireplace mantel and look stunning as a group. The inspiring votives are a great way to remind ourselves that we’re all connected and to hopefully keep on giving. Thanks to their timeless design they are the perfect housewarming gift for green homes. The company strives towards an eco-friendly status. Currently all product boxes are built from recycled material and glassybaby donates excess glass created during production to a local artist who transforms it into glass art.

modern design for sustainable table settings

Soon I’ll be at NYIGF 2010 here in NYC to check out the latest sustainable designs in home furnishings. I can’t wait to see the PaperStone tablemats and coasters by Dinah Coops as well as her hemp/organic cotton tea towels that are part of the sustainable display. Her eco-modern tablemats and coasters use PaperStone that’s made from 100% recycled paper, non-petroleum resins and organic pigments. It’s a stone-like material and contrasts beautifully with her free-flowing and modern designs. I especially like Dina Coops’ designs for the triple seed pod coaster, the sea fan with trunk coaster and the little cone plant with squiggle coaster. The squiggles of her elegant compositions remind me of drawing with pebbles on slate as kids in Germany. No wonder Dinah Coops describes her PaperStone tablemats and coasters as a modern take on traditional European slate tableware. Each coaster or placemat is silkscreened by hand and treated with a protective coating of water-based polyurethane and silicone. They are backed with a thin layer of cork so that you won’t have to worry about scratching your favorite eco-chic tabletop. Her sustainable napkins and tea towels are made of un-dyed 100% linen or hemp/cotton blend with similar abstract compositions of nature silkscreened by hand with water based inks. Thanks to their neutral color palette the minimalist designs fit easily into any eco-modern home.

modern recycled glassware

Upcoming Thanksgiving makes me realize how grateful I am for everyday things like access to clean water. That’s why I love the sustainable concept behind the tranSglass tumblers that are part of the Design w/Conscience program founded by Artecnica in 2002. The program combines modern design with the traditional craft of artisan-made goods to promote self-sustaining communities in underdeveloped countries.

In the case of the tranSglass tableware collection designers Emma Woffenden and Tord Boontje collaborated with Guatemalan craftsmen through the help of the non-profit organization Aid to Artisans. The results are these gorgeous glass vessels made from recycled post-consumer wine or beer bottles. All bottles were collected from local restaurants or recycling plants around Guatemala City then cleaned, handcut into new shapes and polished. The collection includes eco-modern vases, carafes, tumblers and candleholders in different shades of green, clear and brown with a polished or satin finish. The sleek and sustainable glass designs are perfect for modern eco-homes. It’s no surprise that the sustainable tranSglass collection is part of the permanent collection at the MoMA here in New York.

bottled water design with an environmental cause

Finland has some of the world’s best water on tap and you might wonder why anyone who lives there would want to buy bottled water. Unless it looks as cool as the donut shaped bottle from Plup that donates 10 euro cents from every purchase to the Baltic Sea Action Group to help with the cleaning of the Baltic Sea.

The Finish company Plup was founded by designer, artist and director Stefan Lindfors. The innovative donut shaped design allows for the bottle to be stackable, durable and portable which makes it easy to reuse. Even that the 0.4L bottle is made from the highly recyclable plastic HDPE the company would rather see you refill and reuse it. The HDPE bottle looks modern with its clear round body and the starfish-shaped cap. It almost functions as a hip accessory so that you’re less likely to forget your reusable water bottle at home. An optional beltclip makes it easy to carry for hiking or boating. So far the Plup bottle is only available in Finland. Soon it will come in different colors and transparencies depending on other content such as juice. Plup is planning an expansion to other countries like the US and Australia and is on the lookout for charities that fight major local environmental problems. It might be worth checking out.

stylish and sustainable coffee sleeves

Occasionally I still use disposable paper cups for coffee or tea but I make it a point to opt out of the cardboard sleeves to reduce my eco-guilt. Megan Auman’s cozy/cuffs made out of wool felt are a great eco-modern alternative. Not only are they reusable and keep your fingers from getting burnt but they also double as eco-chic bracelets. I’ve raved about the sustainability of wool felt in pillows before and I’m glad to see the eco-friendly material used in a multifunctional application. It’s another way to reduce waste.

The design of the cozy/cuffs is inspired by Megan’s jewelry and sculptural objects that explore floral patterns found in textiles and decorative ironwork. They are laser cut and made of 100% wool felt imported from Germany. All designs are locally manufactured at her studio in Jonestown, Pennsylvania. I love the modern take on floral designs and the contemporary use of colors like light green, turquoise blue or simply grey and black. Not only can you color coordinate the eco-chic accessories to any outfit, but they also make a statement that you care about the environment. The eco-friendly cozy/cuffs are a great conversation starter about wasteful paper consumption. Maybe next time you’ll pick up more than fair-trade organic coffee at your favorite coffee shop.