eco-chic design

NY NOW 2014: my top 5 sustainable and contemporary designs

At least once a year, I try to visit NY NOW (formerly NYIGF) to check out new sustainable products. My first stop is always the sustainability display near the entrance area. It showcases environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible products and companies. The amount of curated designs seemed smaller than previous years but I noticed that many sustainable products were manufactured in the USA. I hope that this trend will continue since I try to support local designers as much as I can. Buying local cuts back on energy for transportation and supports local economies. As always, it was fascinating to meet the designers and learn about the stories behind their products.

Following are my favorite eco-chic finds:

1. The Giving Bowl - handmade by Lorraine Oerth & Co.

All colorful and cute mini-bowls (about 2” in diameter) are handmade in Virginia of earthenware clay with very little waste. They come in a hand sewn muslin bag that’s printed with low-VOC screen ink and 10% of the profits support animals rescue charities. Every tiny bowl has a word glazed inside like 'breathe', 'thank you', or 'it is what it is' as a way to express a sentiment.

2. Stuffy Historical Figures - created by Late Greats.

A big collection of fun and sustainable pillow dolls features historical figures such as Frida Kahlo, George Washington, or Coco Chanel and is handmade in Massachusetts. The whimsical and super cute illustrations are created by the owner Chen Reichert. They are printed with water-based inks on a cotton/linen fabric and come with a recycled polyester stuffing.

3. Horizon Birchwood Coasters - designed by LUprints.

These modern and bold looking coasters are made from FSC-certified birchwood from Scandinavia. Other eco-friendly Horizon designs by LUprints include contemporary looking pillows, placemats, and teatowels made of 55% linen/45% cotton. The styles are inspired by Scandinavian designs that are then hand screenprinted with eco-friendly inks and sewn in Canada.

4. Nested Hens - crafted by GreenTree Home Candle.

Every charming beeswax candle is hand poured from 100% pure beeswax at the design studio in Central New York and comes with a gift box made of recycled material. Other spring themed candles include sets of eggs in muted colors like robin’s egg blue, celadon, butter cream and caramel. These clean burning candles are part of the vintage inspired collection and add warmth to any home décor.

5. Fantastic Beach Toys - designed by Ceci Gomez and manufactured by Zöe b Organic.

The colorful beachtoys are made in the USA from Mirel bioplastic. If the toys are left on the beach and washed out into the ocean they will fully biodegrade (as you can see in the picture) in 2-3 years. That’s because they are made from plants and not petroleum like conventional plastic. The 5-pieces set includes a bucket, sifter/lid, shovel, and 2 cups and comes in turquoise/lime or pink/orange colors.

celebrate a green Easter with soft organic bunny toys

Last time I was at a christening the parents received some super-cute gifts from Apple Park. The eco-friendly toys came in a pretty red box made of 100% recycled paper printed with soy ink. It had a die cut that revealed Apple Park’s Picnic Pals (Ducky, Lamby, Bunny, Cubby and Monkey) as part of the organic blankie collection. The adorable pals have safety eyes made of recycled and non-toxic plastic and their fur is 100% organic cotton. All eco-friendly toys for babies and children by San Francisco based Apple Park are naturally hypoallergenic, made from 100% certified organic cotton, free from chemicals and carcinogenic materials. Not a small matter when it comes to the health of little ones and our planet. Now with spring season arriving Apple Park  offers the cutest Mommy & Baby Bunny made of soft organic cotton and the Birdie Crawling Critter Teething Toy. The organic bunnies make cuddly companions for all ages. It’s a nice touch that their pink nose and long ears are made of a natural silk and hemp blend. The interactive teething toy has an environmentally friendly rubberwood ring that can be pulled. This in return causes the critter to crawl up the branch towards the silk leaf. And of course Birdie is made of 100% organic cotton and filled with corn fiber. Even that I would prefer that these adorable toys would be manufactured locally, it’s great that Apple Park is China’s first organic soft toy factory certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).

have a creative and healthy New Year with natural art supplies

During my studies for sustainable design at MCAD last year I was building 3-D models to understand Buckminster Fuller’s philosophies a bit better. To build my models I used bamboo skewers and play dough which led to my discovery of the natural art supply company eco-kids. Their eco-dough is a green alternative to conventional play dough and great for small or big model makers alike. It’s made with plant, fruit and vegetable extracts and has no chemicals, artificial dyes or metals. Each cardboard tube contains five canisters of eco-dough in yellow, green, orange, blue and red. The packaging is super-cute. You can also extend the life span of the all-natural sculpting dough by adding a few drops of olive or flaxseed oil in case you forgot to put it back into its container. The rehydration process only works for the first few days and you still need to knead it like real dough. But this way models can evolve with kids’ growing imagination. Or survive my changing design explorations of course. The containers for the eco-friendly play dough are made from cornstarch and are fully compostable.

Eco-kids is a family-run company and based in Portland, Maine. All products are made with the environment and safe playtime in mind. I can’t wait to check out their Easter egg coloring kit and sidewalk chalks for spring. Here’s to a colorful (including green) and imaginative New Year!

gorgeously green toys made from 100% recycled plastic

Saddened that my favorite Barnes & Noble location closes down I discovered this great recycling truck by Green Toys next to a beautifully designed bamboo plane by Hape on their shelves. I’ve always been surprised how few recycling bins are made of recycled materials and was thrilled that the recycling truck is made of recycled HDPE plastic. Besides that the design is super cool of course. The more plastic we can keep out of landfills the better. And that’s why I love Green Toys’ range of upcycled products made from recycled milk jugs or plastic bags. All Green Toys products are 100% made in California to keep the manufacturing process local including milk container recycling, toy production and assembly. I applaud companies that consider the full supply chain of their products to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The recycling truck teaches eco-kids about recycling through its three compartments that let them sort little scraps of bottles, cans and papers. It has a movable recycling bed and a rear door that swings open. Plus it’s free of BPA, phthalates and lead paint.

Another product I love is the indoor gardening kit that makes a great educational toy for eco-kids or a fun house warming gift for eco-friendly homes. It’s a playful way to grow your own flowers or herbs in your kitchen. And since I enjoy playing frisbee I just found a new eco-toy for myself: the ecosoucer flying disk made from 100% recycled plastic grocery bags.

modern decor for eco-friendly nurseries and homes at NYIGF

You don’t need to have children to fall for Petit Collage’s modern designs with a vintage twist. They make great home accessories for eco-minded kids and grown-ups alike. I’ve always admired the folksy yet modern look of their bamboo mobiles through Branch and was thrilled to see them in person this week. The sustainable mobile designs range from farm animals to owl families and are laser-cut from sustainably harvested bamboo plywood. The latest addition is the forest friends mobile that includes a squirrel, a fox, a deer and a bear with her cub. And of course, bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource. Petit Collage produces additional eco-friendly product lines with  the same playful sensibility. It’s no surprise since the company was founded by San Francisco based artist and designer Lorena Siminovich who has illustrated numerous children’s books. Other products that caught my eye were the collages made from found, vintage, and painted papers applied onto FSC certified maple plywood that’s formaldehyde-free. All designs are limited editions and hand made in her studio. The colorful collages are incredibly charming with simplistic animal characters or nature themes. Then there’s the eco-friendly animal alphabet poster collection printed with soy-based ink on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The posters are a fun way to learn the alphabet and come in multiple color schemes to complement any eco-modern home. And since the designer knows that moms are busy there’s even a key on the bottom that displays the animal names.

organic baby bedding for sustainable baby showers

This weekend I’ll be at a baby shower and I was thrilled to see that the parents mostly picked eco-modern gifts for their registry. Since they are very popular parents most of the items were already taken. But I was able to secure some super-cute crib sheets made of 100% organic cotton by Q Collection Junior in Roxy. They combine my love for sustainability with great design through their contemporary elephant parade pattern. Q Collection Junior is the latest addition to the family tree of Q Collection and has the same sustainable values. As it so happens with younger members of the family they are simply much cuter. Q Collection Junior offers an entire line of eco-modern children's furniture and bedding that are safe for people and the planet. Each of their products is made from non-toxic materials and manufactured in a sustainable manner. Their children’s furniture uses only zero or low VOC, formaldehyde-free materials as well as water-based, non-toxic glues. The baby bedding is only made of organic cotton printed with low-impact, non-toxic fabric dyes. All this is especially important since babies spend most of their time close to ground surfaces. With this knowledge I hope that the soon-to-be parents will be able to get some sleep. Well, most likely that won’t happen with their new eco-chic baby.

safe playdates for modern eco-kids

As a big fan of bamboo and modern eco-friendly design it was great to see the Kumo Friends organic pillows from Jaya Love's Tekeko at the sustainable display at NYIGF this summer. I’ve always loved the designs, but was surprised how soft these eco-modern pillows were even that I knew that bamboo fiber can be super soft and similar to silk and cashmere. The benefits of the rapidly renewable bamboo fiber are endless since it’s also highly breathable, antimicrobial, hypoallergenic and biodegradable.

But it’s really the fun and whimsical designs that makes these pillows great companions for eco-modern kids and cool home décor for eco-conscious parents. You don’t even need kids as an excuse to keep these eco-fabulous pillows around. The assortment of characters includes professor acorn, eggboy, hedgehog, leafgirl, owlie and raindrop. Every single one makes the perfect green house guest. I love their names as much as the hand-drawn quality of their designs. The colorful pillows are made of organic bamboo and organic cotton, printed with non toxic, waterbased inks and stuffed with a kapok insert. In case you didn’t know what kapok is like myself: it’s a natural vegetable based fiber that’s very sustainable and a great green alternative to down. And last you might rest more peacefully knowing that Jaya Love's Tekeko donates a portion of their sales to Planting Peace that provides sustainable initiatives for the protection of the environment and humanity.

a rebel approach to green design

You have to be a little rebellious to be a part of the new green revolution and Rebel Green certainly gets that with their edgy eco-friendly designs of their reusable bag system. Their retro-inspired graphics created by hip design company Wink are a big departure from traditional green granola designs.

Green Rebel makes packing your own eco-lunch or bringing your own produce bag to the grocery store look cool. Their designs are sophisticated yet edgy and I love that you can get the lunch bags in black as well as pink. But most importantly all their products are made in the US to cut back on unnecessary carbon emissions and are specifically designed to minimize waste. The eco-friendly bags are made from 100 percent certified organic cotton and printed using low impact inks. Green Rebel’s mission is to create a shift in awareness to buy locally but think globally. The company donates a percentage of their sales to clean water initiatives and the fight against hunger to such organizations like Charity Water, Great Lakes Water Institute and Growing Power. Their apparel line appeals to small and big green rebels alike as with their eco-friendly bibs. It makes it so much easier to get your eco-kids to eat their green veggies if they can feel rebellious while eating something that’s actually good for them.

the ultimate eco-modern dollhouse

One of my favorite designs at NYIGF this week is the Bamboo Sunshine House by HaPe that’s also part of the sustainable display at the show. Not only is it made out of the rapidly renewable resource bamboo but it actually features a working solar rooftop panel to teach kids about alternative energy in a fun and entertaining way. The eco-modern dollhouse comes with fully operational solar panels that absorb light energy and transfer it to four rechargeable batteries through wiring in the walls. It has a red button on the orange wall of the second floor that can be pushed by eco-chic kids to light three LED lights in the media room and two on the first floor. How genius is that. It’s a really fun and interactive way to teach your kids about renewable sources of energy at an early age.

The design of the Bamboo Sunshine House is sleek and modern with its bamboo flooring, contemporary furniture and freestanding staircase. I love how the natural look of the bamboo is accentuated with the brightly colored walls and furnishings. And in case you want to educate your kids about sustainable farming it even comes with a Bamboo Greenhouse that includes four hydroponic water trays for growing real herbs. It makes for a fantastic toy to teach your eco-modern kids about a healthy green life-style.

imaginative eco-furniture for kids

Greenplay’s caterpillar activity bench extension peeked my interest at ICFF last week right away with its playful approach to green design. In fact it was hard to ignore the two eyes starring right at me. It’s part of the Group Loop series and designed by Joe Fiacchino for Skyline Design. The eco-friendly children table is a creative introduction to nature for budding treehuggers. It comes in different configurations to match the size of your family or green living space and is available with or without eyes. I love the bright green color of the tabletops. But I love even more that they are made of post-consumer recycled plastic (HDPE) such as detergent bottles that are chipped up and heat-pressed to form sheets of material. The base is constructed from urea formaldehyde-free MDF with FSC-certified birch veneer. It contains no or low VOC finishes. Another favorite of mine was the submarine activity station with its big round windows that are easy to climb through for adventurous eco-kids. It’s great for future explorers or aspiring marine scientists that might help to preserve our oceans one day. The tabletops are made from 100% post-consumer composite wood. All Greenplay items are shipped flat to reduce their carbon footprint and all packaging is 30-40% post consumer recycled.