Biodegradable – Fabulously Green

Tag archives: Biodegradable

All Sewn Up: Knit Furniture

10Jan07

There’s much to appreciate about these knit furnishings by designer Emiliano Godoy. First up, the concept: fabric fashioned from rope and scalloped wood.

In detail, it inspires the feeling of crafted baseball gloves (ok, I’m waxing nostalgic here).

The innovative fabric is then used to construct a collection of furniture and accessories.
Knit Chair by Emiliano Godoy. Available in FSC-certified beech or white oak. Which means the wood comes from a sustainably harvested forest.

Piasa Screen by Emiliano Godoy.
The scaled skin of the mythical PIASA dragon-fish inspired the movement and shape of the wooden pieces. The room divider can be made in any length and is shipped folded, therefore minimizing the packaging size. Because of the knit structure, you can mold it into various shapes. Made from FSC-certified beech, maple or pine. Woven using cotton rope.

The Fab Factor: Besides being sustainably made, they are designed to be biodegradable after their useful life.

Godoy’s pieces are exclusively available in the U.S. and Canada at Branch.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly | No Comments

Eriko Horiki: Washi Paper Interiors

05Dec06

Thanks to fellow StyleHiver Julie3Jax I’ve fallen madly in love with Kyoto-based Eriko Horiki and her company’s stunning washi finishes for modern interiors. The piece above, called Sun, was actually created as one piece (gasp) and it took 12 people two months to complete. Mulberry stems (the raw material of this washi) were embedded to create the contoured lines across the piece. Eriko also innovated a technique a splashing water droplets on the surface to create varied textures and shade.

here’s the Moon…

Washi “Tatewaku water” motif set between glass for a Kyoto office building.

Light wall dome made from washi and a steel frame for public exhibition.

Feature wall for Abbey of the Good Shepherds in Osaka

Washi window treatments for a residence. Eriko’s Shimus Collection features 10 material finishes, available here.

Feature wall in a gallery. Would be gorgeous as a feature wall in my apartment! Hmm…

The Fab Factor: Washi paper is derived from various plants and grasses such as bamboo, mulberry, hemp and others, making it a sustainable choice for design.

DIY: You can buy washi papers from a local art store and adhere it with simple flour and water to windows for diffuse light, tabletops, walls–wherever your creative heart takes you. If you like to change things up like I do, the paper can be easily removed using water. Here’s a great article for inspiration and more on the washi decor trend.

Live in L.A.? Hiromi Paper in Santa Monica is having its annual paper sale. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Filed under Architecture, Handmade, Interior Design, Materials+Finishes| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Handmade | No Comments

FLOR Holiday Sale

13Nov06

FG favorite FLOR is having holiday sale–15% off of everything in their collections. We love them for their mix-and-match potential, easy breezy installation, and eco-friendly leadership in the carpet industry. Simply type in FSH1506 before Friday November 17 to take advantage of the discount.

Some budget-style options:

Fedora Carpet Tiles by FLOR
Fedora is truly an example of eco-modern style. You can design-your-own pattern from six contemporary colors. Plus it’s made from 80% post-consumer content and feels like brushed felt. $5.94 a tile ($2.21/sf) after 15% sale.

Heartfelt Carpet Tiles by FLOR
Heartfelt is a clean, minimalist take on the textured felt trend made popular by Ill-ustration, nani marquina, and Anne Kyrro Quinn. We love felt because it’s a natural fiber (no chemicals), it’s tactile, naturally fire-retardant and biodegradable (interior designers have health and safety issues to consider for our clients). Since it’s a tile, I personally recommend the darker colors if you want a clean, uninterrupted surface. $10.19/tile ($3.79/sf) after 15% sale.

Terra Carpet Tiles by FLOR
A playful take on neutrals, Terra offers another opportunity to get creative and mix and match your own pattern. It also takes advantage of textiles made from corn (in this case PLA to be specific). Considered green because it’s natural and renewable, though some eco-purists question possible downsides depending on how the corn is grown. Read more about corn-based textiles here. $11.04 /tile ($4.10/sf) after 15% sale.

Hello Doily Rug by FLOR
I love the Hello Doily rug for its ability to transform Victorian style into something urban and sleek. $322 after 15% sale.

Filed under Budget Decor, Interior Design, Rugs+Carpet, Sales+Shopping, Small Space Style| Tagged Biodegradable, Changeable Style, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic | No Comments

Vote for Interior Design's Products of the Year

03Nov06

For all you opinionated designers and design enthusiasts it’s time to cast your ballots in for Interior Design Magazine’s Best of Year Products. 13 contenders are vying for best Eco-Product but at least 10 other green style products are vying for top-nods in more traditional categories–indicating that eco-style is here to stay and not just for earth-friendly hippie mamas anymore.

FG doesn’t want to sway you too much, but I can’t help but share some of my personal favorite products of the bunch:

Inhabit’s Embossed Wall Flats. FG covered these fabulous wall flats in the You’re My Wonderwall entry. We fell in love with their looks, their content (bamboo pulp), and the affordable style. They’re as easy as painting a wall with extra Wow factor. You can tape them as is (or paint if desired) and voila–your space is transformed. Great for apartment dwellers and homeowners–my husband and I are getting some as part of our bedroom makeover. Up for best Eco-Product of the Year.

EcoSmart Fire
I fell in love with these hip, freestanding gas fireplaces when first researching fireplaces for a client last year. They’re sleek and smart–no flue or hard installation needed. These are freestanding move enhancers fuelled by a renewable energy (denatured ethanol) that burns clear. Up for best product Innovation
.

Angela Adams for Shaw Contract Group
Angela Adams has been the darling of the interiors world for years. Patterns like the Lulu rug we featured in our July 4th entry are newly minted icons that have popped up in all kinds of products from trademark rugs, to purses, stationery, and decorative tile. The Flaunting pattern designed for Shaw is up for best Soft Floorcovering .

Steel Tongue by PIE

Though we’ve seen tongue-inspired chairs before Interior Design called this one “pretty rebellious.” Designed by FG fave Bannavis Andrew Sribyatta for Project Import Export, Inc, it’s made of handwoven aluminum ribbons wrapped around a stainless steel frame. We love that it’s made from recycled and recyclable metal. Up for best Outdoor Furniture/Seating

Hollywood Hopscotch by Carolyn Ray Inc.
Zen meets a touch of Hollywood 20’s bling. Gold, silver and platinum rings are handpainted on 100% linen. The production process uses recycled industrial materials, self-sustaining fibers, and non-toxic inks. Up for best Residential Textiles-Sheers.

So what do you think? Hot or not? Or cast your votes at Interior Design now.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Rugs+Carpet| Tagged Biodegradable, Competitions+Contests, Eco-friendly | No Comments

New Designs from e-bella

21Oct06

Annie over at è bella designs wrote in to give us a sneak peek into their new line of rugs and bags. You may remember seeing their beautiful pieces here before.

Orbit (in gray), Barron (in chocolate) and Myriad (in blue)

Leila, Olivia, Myriad (in blue) and Myriad (in Chocolate)

Olivia Bag

The Fab Factor: These rugs are handmade by Peruvian artists from alpaca wool and other natural fibers, designer Nicole Linton has developed a seven-year relationship with her artisans and supports the Quechua communities who craft her pieces. For more visit è bella designs.

Thanks Annie!

Filed under Bags, Interior Design, Rugs+Carpet| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly | No Comments

Fabulous Felt: Ill-ustration

06Oct06

If you’re a fan of Nani Marquina’s Roses Rug, then you’ll undoubtedly go even more crazy for German designer Mary-Ann Williams felt rugs, wall panels and lighting. Her company Illu Stration has been credited for innovating the felting method that we’ve all come to love. The textures and colors are stunning–up to 1000 Pantone colors. Some FG readers have shared that the quality of these pieces is unparalleled.

Flokati Rug or Wall Panel

Greener than Grass Rug or Runner

Hip Hop Light Strands

Xolo Pendant Lamp

Pendant Light

The Fab Factor: Handcrafted in Germany, these wool felt furnishings are biodegradable, naturally fire-resistant and recyclable. The felt is Wool Mark labeled, and dyes are chemical-free. Leftover scraps are incorporated into new pieces or donated to local schools for arts classes. The Atelier where Illu Stration rugs are made was designed with energy conservation aspects in mind.

See the whole collection here

Thanks to FG readers and Petra Stockinger and Kylie for the fab find! For more blogging on Illu Stration check out Design Milk.

Filed under Handmade, Interior Design, Materials+Finishes, Rugs+Carpet| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Handmade | No Comments

FLOR: Cute as a Button Rugs

26Sep06

Kudos to FLOR for their first foray into circular tiles! Our firm Sander Architects are tried and true FLOR fans. They’ve adorned our product library and reception area in three different offices (we’re in a never-ending moving pattern). But these new Button tiles are eye-popping, playful little things…dynamic eye candy for your floor.

The Fab Factor: Non-toxic, hip alternative to carpet (unless you like inhalants). They can be put down temporarily for apartment dwellers and reused when you’ve moved on. They inspire creativity – mix and match colors and rearrange to your heart’s desire. Perfect for folks like me who love to change my mind. When you’ve finished with them, FLOR will reclaim them for you instead of letting them go to a landfill.

Via Apartment Therapy

Filed under Rugs+Carpet, Small Space Style| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable, Reusable | No Comments

Emma Gardner Hand Tufted Rugs

13Sep06

I’m really drawn to these sumptuous hand-made wool rugs by designer Emma Gardner. Her eye for pattern and color is truly fresh, inspired and modern. Maybe it comes from her unique background: born in Japan, raised in New York City, transplanted to rural Connecticut. No wonder Emma Gardner’s designs are so eclectic.

The Fab Factor: 1) Besides being beautiful, every one of her rugs are Rugmark and Care and Fair certified–no child labor involved in the production of her pieces. 2) Emma Gardner also donates a portion of revenues to support the ending of child labor in the carpet industry. 3) They’re made from biodegradable materials like wool. Good for the land not the landfill.

Swirl Rug shown in Green

Stripes Rug shown in Chocolate

Spray Rug shown in Sea Blue

Rain Rug shown in Earth

Filed under Handmade, Interior Design, Rugs+Carpet| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Handmade, Sweatshop-free | No Comments

Funky Wall Coverage by Chiasso

08Sep06

chiasso_flow3d
Originally uploaded by fabulouslygreen.

If you’ve been reading Fabulously Green for awhile now you’ve noticed a preference for texture–be it wall finishes, rugs, clothing, etc. So when I saw these Flow 3D Wall Tiles by Chiasso I was definitely intrigued. Made from 100% pre- and post-consumer recycled paper, these tiles are shipped out unpainted so that owners can paint and mount them in any pattern they wish [all you need is double stick tape and a little imagination]. Which is perfect for apartment dwellers or folks who love to switch up their style (i.e. me).

I’ll admit that I’m probably more attracted to the V2 Tiles by Mio or the Inhabit Wall Slats featured in a previous entry You’re My Wonderwall. It’s just personal taste. But for those who prefer a little more funky and the opportunity to create your own masterpiece, these babies might just be up your alley.

Available for $40 (set of 12) at Chiasso

Filed under Budget Decor, Interior Design, Materials+Finishes, Refashion+Refurb, Small Space Style, Wallcoverings| Tagged Biodegradable, Chiasso, Decor, Eco-friendly, modern, Recyclable, Reusable, Wall Finishes, Wall treatments | No Comments

Posh Paper Vases

30Aug06

The professed paperphile in me loves these sculptural Paper Vases by Team, Inc. Soothing, organic shapes are formed by fanning pages of bookbound, recycled, colored newspaper around a recycled aluminum vase. The results are soft, stunning and refreshingly modern. A fabulously eco-design find. Affordable too!

Available at Plushpod.

Filed under Budget Decor, Gifts+Gifting, Interior Design, Refashion+Refurb, Small Space Style| Tagged Biodegradable, Eco-friendly, Recyclable, Tabletop | No Comments

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