eco-chic design

high style, low impact

Need a change of scenery? You might want to consider these amazing three-dimensional Wall Flats by Inhabit. There’s nothing flat about them. Inhabit was founded by the husband & wife design team Mike & Jennifer Tuttle. Both have a background in graphic design that shines through in the bold yet simple designs of their wallcoverings.

I love that their embossed designs are a modern take on wallpaper. Currently they come in five different patterns: ARC-Architect, CHY-Chrysalis, SS-Seesaw, BRA-Braille, and SHAN-Shangri La. All Wall Flats are made from 100% bamboo pulp, which is one of the most rapidly renewable resources and one of my favorite eco-friendly materials. All tiles are 100% biodegradable at the end of their life cycle. You can use the tiles in many different ways since they are designed to be modular through the repeating pattern. My favorite use is to cover one wall in an otherwise stark room for maximum impact. I love high impact design solutions with little impact on the environment. And watch out: changing your environment might change the way you think about the environment.

closing the loop in green office design

How do you improve on a design classic? By getting Cradle to Cradle Silver certified by MBDC. Herman Miller introduced the iconic Aeron chair designed by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf in 1994. Since then it has been famous for its ergonomic design features, that adopt naturally to all different kinds of people performing any type of tasks throughout the day.

As if this wasn’t enough starting this week all Aeron chairs going into production will be Cradle to Cradle Silver certified. The philosophy behind Cradle to Cradle Design invented by the architect William McDonough and the chemist Michael Braungart stands for a closed-loop system with the end goal of no waste. The Aeron chair was already 94 percent recyclable and made out of 64 percent recycled materials, assembled with 100 percent renewable energy and is GREENGUARD certified. Now it also has PVC-free arm pads among other eco-conscious improvements. And the best part is that your lower back might thank you as much as the planet. Who says you can’t teach an old dog a new trick?

a modern toast to mother nature

The first time that I saw these minimalist looking coasters by modern-twist was at the store of the Museum of Arts & Design in Manhattan. It was the perfect introduction, since the designs inspired by nature are stunning with their clean and modern look.

The founder and creative director Kat Nouri developed them in collaboration with a group of independent designers mostly based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Modern-twist has a whole collection of coasters, stem markers and table placemats but my all time favorites are their Coaster Notz with the zen-inspired pebble design. They are made of FDA grade silicone and you can actually write on them with a ballpark pen. You can use them as placecards, take notes during a wine tasting or simply doodle if you should feel bored over a cocktail conversation. Modern-twist believes in responsible manufacturing and has a “no sweatshop” policy. The company is a member of One Percent for the Planet, donating one percent of sales to non-profit organizations working to protect the environment.

for earth-loving babies and moms

It was inspiring to hear Erbaviva’s co-founder Robin Brown speak with so much integrity about USDA certification at the speaker series about sustainable design at NYIGF. I always loved the modern eco-design of their products and you can even download his presentation. Erbaviva is a USDA certified organic personal care line that has always been organic. It became USDA certified in 2007, which is mostly only given out to food. That’s quite impressive.

Erbaviva balances its carbon footprint through the purchase of renewable energy certificates to offset 100% of the electricity used by their offices and manufacturing facilities. All products are handmade and packaged in earth-friendly recyclable, eco-friendly bottles and containers. I love the company’s social responsibility that’s reflected in the packaging of their baby soaps, baby washbags and milk bath pouches. They are made by the Pwo Karen Hill tribe in Thailand and Burma that also hand-weaves their baby baskets. The pouches travel down the mountain via elephant back and are shipped down the river on a raft. You can’t get more energy-efficient than that! Plus it makes for a great bedtime story.

shopping bags with a conscience

You might not shop much these days because of the economy, but you can still buy groceries in style with these reusable shopping bags designed by Two Loops owner Nadia Bizzotto. The Toronto based textile company introduced a new product line at NYIGF last week benefiting initiatives by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to fight hunger in India. These fun and colorful WFP grocery totes come in three different designs, “Beanstalk,” “Rice Flowers," and “Plates,” each in two different colors. I love the more muted colors for winter and I can’t wait to bring the lighter ones to the beach during the summer. They all have a little pocket with a zipper on the inside for your change or keys. 40% of the revenue from each bag sold will go to WFP, enough to provide nutritious food to 50 young children in India. Two Loops as well as the factory that produced the bags in New Delhi donated the design and manufacturing process. Kudos to both! Last season two Loops sold enough WFP totes to provide almost 300,000 healthy meals.

giant green knitting

These gorgeous hand-knitted wool poufs by FLOCKS caught my eye right away at the sustainability display at NYIGF in Manhattan last week. They are the brainchild of Rotterdam based Christien Meindertsma who works with a knitter, a graphic designer, spinners, farmers and felters from all over the world. She uses extra-large knitting needles produced specifically for her business to create her large-scale knits.

I love how she turns the traditional craft of knitting into these stylish urchin poufs. They come in black, brown, gray and white, the colors of the sheep themselves as well as five bright colors dyed with plant ingredients. Each pouf has a certificate that traces its wool back to a specific crossbred sheep in New Zealand from which the product originated including its name and flock. A 100% cotton lining keeps the polyester fill in place. The urchin poufs come in three different sizes. They are perfect as a seat, ottoman or coffee table by simply placing a tray on them.