eco-chic design

future-forward hot rods

No doubt the Roddler designed by Kid Kustoms is expensive, but even eco-chic moms and dads are allowed to dream. Joe Iacono and Jamie Coblentz founded the company with the goal to reinvent juvenile products like the traditional stroller. Their background is in the automotive and apparel industry.

The design and name of the Roddler is inspired by classic hot rods and looks incredibly cool with its retro inspired fenders. But that’s not all. What makes the Roddler eco-smart is that you can expand the life-cycle of a stroller by converting it into a tricycle once your kid outgrows it with the trike conversion kit. I love any type of multifunctional product especially if it looks this chic while saving material and space. In addition Kid Kustoms donates 1% to the planet.

sustainable seating

Woodloops is another great example of two different professions teaming up to create something truly unique like this gorgeous FSC-certified furniture. The company is the brainchild of product designer/carpenter, René Mueller and forester, Nina Griesshammer. It was founded in 2003 and is based in Germany as well as Spain.

Their designs range from stools, tables to benches with carefully selected age markings in warm colors. Each piece is finished with natural oil and wax. All products use the maximum amount of certified timber. Woodloops is a member of the German Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which promotes environmentally responsible management of the world’s forests. My favorite designs are the small table cube fume, the stool le petit p., and the simple yet elegant stool brancu_si. They make me want to spend more time outdoors.

the next generation of baby bottles

You can never start too early to live eco-friendly. In this case 0-3 months might do, thanks to Babylife’s mini wee-go bottles. They are the younger siblings to the original classic wee-go bottle, which has a modern silicone sleeve (patent pending) and is free of plastics and 100% non-toxic.

It comes in adorable colors like pink, raspberry, orange, yellow, sky and ocean and is easy to grip. The silicone nipple is latex-free and non-toxic and the bottle itself is bisphenol A, phthalate, PVC and polycarbonate-free. The plastic ring, plug and cap contain no polycarbonates and are food grade, FDA approved and recyclable. It’s great to see what can happen if a doctor teams up with a designer. Babylife was founded by the pediatric physical therapist Pam Marcus and the integrative designer Daren Edward Joy with the goal to make developmentally-appropriate and eco-friendly baby products. No wonder they are sold at the MoMA and sported by the coolest babies and toddlers.

organic winter essentials

My latest discovery to beat the winter blues is Aveda’s pure-fume singular notes. The tangerine oil derived from the ripe peels of tangerines and the vanilla absolute oil made from vanilla beans are my favorites. I love that you can use them separate or as a 50/50 combination that’s invigorating and relaxing at the same time.

Chief perfumer Ko-ichi Shiozawa has been the nose behind Aveda’s all-natural and botanically based beauty products. Under his guidance Aveda increased its percentage of certified-organic essential plant oils from 25 percent to more than 90 percent over the last few years. It’s the first beauty company to run on 100% wind power and has been mindful of reducing its environmental footprint with its packaging that also looks upscale. This already lifts my spirits.

jot it down in eco-style

Inspired by my last entry to keep a scrapbook I’m finally writing my long overdue post about ecojot’s great eco-friendly journals, notepads and sketchbooks.

All products are made from 100 percent post-consumer paper waste and certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. The mill used to make the paper runs on biogas. Most of the designs are fun and whimsical using biodegradable vegetable-based dyes and inks. I love the workbooks of their “Solids” collection that say “rethink”, “re-use” and “recycle” in poppy colors like sky blue, orange zest and beet pink. Or the smaller sized notepads of their “Organics” collection that has simple designs of pods or peacock flowers. They come in all sorts of sizes to easily fit into any purse or laptop bag, since you never know when an idea might hit you.

think outside the cardboard box

Who would have thought that scraps of corrugated cardboard could look this modern and beautiful? Meet the scrap lights designed by the two architects Seth Grizzle and Jonathan Junker of graypants.

I love the whole idea of taking something so mundane as used cardboard boxes and turning them into a functional piece of art that doubles as a light. My favorite design is the very symmetric and circular light entitled “disc” since I’m a big fan of anything simple and clean. Especially during the winter months it’s beautiful to watch the poetic play of light and shadow that these lamps create. So what makes them eco-friendly? Simple, all scrap light shades are made entirely from repurposed cardboard boxes. Make sure to check out their scrap chairs as well that are made out of wood, paper, and cardboard scraps. I think I just got inspired to always carry my scrap book. Thank you guys for that!

reclaim your environment

The showroom of Environment Furniture in Manhattan’s flatiron district is incredibly inspiring. Every piece of furniture tells a story through the use of reclaimed wood or other sustainable materials that you simply want to touch.

Consider the Peroba Collection for example, a blend of 100 year-old reclaimed wood from Parana, Brazil with responsibly harvested mahogany. It encompasses beds, tables and accent pieces. A lot of the wood looks beautifully weathered and mysteriously dark. I’m especially in love with their giant tables that are perfect for meetings or social gatherings and will make a green statement in any home, loft or office. The design is minimal and bold yet incredibly sophisticated and warm. It’s just another way how to make your own environment a little greener.

naturally luxurious

Frederik Fekkai has always been synonymous with luxury hair care for A-list clientele. I was delighted when he joined the green hair movement last month with the launch of his Fekkai Au Naturel hair product line.

The plant-based collection consists of shampoo, conditioner and styling gel and is free of sulfates, parabens, dyes and synthetic fragrances. Everything is naturally scented and infused with beneficial essential oils. Initially I bought the conditioner at Bluemercury, since I really liked the smell. All products have notes of citrus, lavender, ginger and vanilla. A few weeks later I purchased the shampoo as well while testing different natural products at Space NK. Both seem weightless, gentle and refreshing. The packaging is made with 40% recycled materials and looks as clean as my hair feels right now.

green fall shopping

Mayor Bloomberg just proposed that shoppers in New York will be charged 6 cents for every plastic bag needed at the register. To me that’s a great incentive to shop more eco-friendly and stack up on RuMe’s reusable shopping bags.

RuMe was launched on Earth Day 2008 in Denver, Colorado to give the eco-friendly shopper a stylish and functional alternative. The designs are unisex and modern. The handle is big enough to be carried over any shoulder so that you can bring them easily to the grocery store, gym, ski lift or beach. They come in 3 different sizes and the smallest one is great for eco-smart gift wrapping. The RuMe Bags are made from 180 denier polyester with water-resistant coating. I love the rich colors plum, mustard and espresso of the fall in New York collection. I’m planning to always have one handy, since they fold up to fit into any purse.