Non-toxic – Fabulously Green

Tag archives: Non-toxic

Fab Green Deal: THINK Chair

01May07

The Steelcase Think Chair is about as close to perfection as it gets in an office chair. From now until May 15, Fab Green readers can get a 10% discount.

Praised for its sleek design, cutting edge ergonomics, and environmentally conscious materials, the Think chair is so comfortable it just might give you the extra boost you need to get through the workday.

Awarded the 2006 Business Week Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award, Steelcase partnered with William McDonough’s design group MBDC to create one of the first “cradle-to-cradle” chairs in the business (meaning eco-friendly from birth to rebirth). It’s beautifully crafted from 44% recycled materials, 99% recyclable, and produced with no PVCs, lead, mercury and other known toxins. Designers and architects will be happy to know the Think Chair qualifies for LEED credits as well.

I “test-sat” the Think Chair last year on one of my visits to the Steelcase showroom, and dare I say my back was so happy I think it smiled. The chair conformed perfectly to my body and gave me firm yet forgiving support unparalleled in any other chair I’ve tried. Now that I’ve reached that age where I find myself regrettably complaining about lower back pain and overload of computer work, I recently came to the conclusion that it’s worth swapping my $30 Office Depot chair for something healthier. It’s not cheap, but pretty reasonable as far as high-tech chairs go.

If you want one for yourself or your business, e-mail the Steelcase Store and ask for the Fabulously Green 10% off Think coupon code. The chair lists regularly from $649-959 depending on custom features.

Thanks to Matt Lindstrom for contacting us with this offer.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Lifestyle Tips, Office Style, Refashion+Refurb, Sales+Shopping| Tagged Cradle-to-cradle furniture, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable, Steelcase, Think Chair | No Comments

Designers' Challenge: SIGG Art

30Apr07

sigg_bottles
Remember these? We’ve declared our love for SIGG last September for these sleek, customizable bottles designed for style-conscious, earth-friendly people on-the-go. With over 144 designs to select from, coffee lovers everywhere could find a fun, expressive alternative to the impersonal, disposable paper cup.

Now your chance to design your own SIGG has arrived. SIGG is calling all creatives to design a new bottle expressing your eco-values with style of course. The winner will receive 100 printed bottles to share with family and friends, limited edition bottles sold exclusively through Patagonia. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Surfrider Foundation, a not-for-profit organization committed to protecting our oceans and beaches.

If voting for the winner is more your thing you can rate the entries here. Submission deadline is June 1. For full contest details check out SIGG Art. Good luck!

Filed under Gourmet, Lifestyle Tips| Tagged Competitions+Contests, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable | No Comments

Guest Blog: Sephora's Green Turn

27Mar07

So what is a girl to do when, as she makes more “green” beauty choices seems to give her fewer options? Slink off to the local co-op to buy patchouli-smelling hemp shampoo and soy chapstick?

Fortunately Sephora now carries a great selection of earth friendly, vegan skincare choices that will help you feel as good on the inside as you look on the outside.

LUXURY ORGANIC SKINCARE
Stella McCartney’s EcoCert Certified CARE Skincare line means you can pamper yourself while respecting the environment. Fabulous benefits include: 100% of active ingredients are certified organic, and free of petrochemicals, silicones, chemical preservatives and genetically modified ingredients. Products are never tested on animals and fragrances come from 100% organic essential oils. CARE offers a selection of gentle cleansers, soothing elixirs or soft and luxurious moisturizers.

Another luxe brand to try is L’Occitaine. The Shea Travel Treasures Set offers a sampling of products and are definitely worth a try. L’Occitaine is known for their essential oils locally derived from the Provence region.

FRUITY + FLORAL SKINCARE
This line of skin products from certified organic Juice Beauty taps the goodness of lemon, grape and apple juices to make you pretty inside and the outside. Like this Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer ($43).

For the urbane girl who also loves the Earth, Phyto has long been recognized as a source of active plant botanicals (with rosemary, lemon and cypress oils) to make your hair soft, shiny and nourished. Naturally derived, cruelty-free formulas are packed in 100% recyclable containers.

If you have sensitive skin, Boscia is a must have. The line was created in Japan and is preservative-, fragrance-, and color-free.

Urbanites like myself appreciate the Skyn Iceland line, made to specifically treat stressed skin and replenish moisture, nutrients and oxygen. I was unable to independently verify their animal testing policy so until then, consumers may wish to keep that in mind and inquire at their retailers.

TEEN SKINCARE
For young girls starting a skincare plan try TESS (Teen Everyday Skincare System) at Sephora. Tess was “Created by two caring, creative mothers and their teenage daughters, TESS products are formulated with the purest, most natural fruit and botanical extracts, essential oils, and vitamins to cleanse, tone, moisturize, and protect teenage skin.”

PLANT A LITTLE LOVE
Lastly, to give your healthy glowing skin a pop of color, try Cargo’s Plant Love Botanical Lipstick, exclusively at Sephora. The tube is made of corn (biodegradable) and the outer carton is paper with flower seeds in the packaging itself. Plant the package, water it regularly and get some lovely flowers come spring!

[Note: Thanks to guest blogger Suzi Smith for the fabulous eco-beauty finds!]

Filed under Skincare+Beauty| Tagged Non-toxic, Organic, Vegan | 4 Comments

A2adesign: Cardboard reDesigned

22Feb07

Thanks to Design Milk I now know about A4a Design, an Italian company who turns its love affair with recycled cardboard into functional furnishings and art.

These Mobiles by A4aDesign not only lend visual interest to a room, but lend evolving light compositions throughout the day and evening.

The Spot-tondo and Spot-quadro Tables are each punctuated with a brightly colored laminated wood top. Slotted construction means they arrive in a space-saving package and can be put together in minutes, or put away when not in use.

Street Benches are made of recycled-honeycombed-board and available in four lengths. The laminated wood top is available in bold-colored solids or graphic patterns.

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Refashion+Refurb, Small Space Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Recyclable | No Comments

Fashion Debut: '108' Collection by Under the Canopy

29Jan07

Allison Lebross at Under the Canopy sent over some images taken of their new collection of womens wear called ‘108′ ready to debut this spring:

Behind the Number ‘108′
Named after a sacred number representing a “roadmap to the human soul,” the collection has been designed using soft, sensual, sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, bamboo, soy, organic linen and organic linen.

A pioneer in eco-chic fashion since 1996, Under the Canopy pieces are made without pesticides, which promotes health for you and the planet. Simple, sophisticated style.

Special thanks to Allison for the spring sneak peek!

Filed under Fashion - Women, Indie| Tagged Eco-friendly, Indie, Non-toxic, Organic | 1 Comment

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

24Jan07

I can hardly contain my excitement that amenity bedding has gone organic. I fell in love with their botanically-inspired duvet covers last year but reluctantly held off three times from buying one because I was determined to find an eco-modern alternative. Turns out it was worth the wait: amenity designers Nicole Chiala and Kristina de Corpo are offering organic options of two of their designs available in March. Available for pre-sale only directly through amenity.

Willow duvet by amenity, $325/385 (queen/king)
Available in Cocoa + Cream, or Cream + Sienna. Dreamy!

Bloom by amenity, $325-385. A groovy take on nature.

Both duvets are made using 320 thread-count organic cotton (certified by Dutch standard known as SKAL). Each duvet is printed individually using water-based, chemical-free dyes.

Fab Green also recommends modern zen style bedding at Gaiam, or for ultimate luxury check out pamper worthy organic duvets at Luma and Anna Sova.

Filed under Bedrooms, Interior Design| Tagged Eco-friendly, Linens, Non-toxic, Organic | No Comments

From Tabletop to Walls

18Jan07

Loyal FabGreen readers know what a huge fan I am of Sarah Cihat’s refashioned dishware. I’ve been on the hunt for a photo showing how incredible her dishes would look on a wall. Thanks to the L.A. gang at Apartment Therapy we’ve got one. Shown in the advanced copy of the Brocade Home catalog.

Thanks too to the AT gang for slinksn-ing Fab Green earlier this week!

Filed under Art+Graphics, Handmade, Indie, Interior Design, Multifunctional Design, Refashion+Refurb, Small Space Style, Urban Style| Tagged Changeable Style, Eco-friendly, Handmade, Indie, Non-toxic, Tabletop | No Comments

Walls and Wares to Die For: Lily Yung

11Jan07

My fetish for felt furnishings continues with a look at the sinewy, die cut furnishings and jewelry designed by Toronto-based mixed media artist Lily Yung. Made from industrial wool felt, the pieces are dyed and hand assembled by Lily into gorgeous webs for wall panels, pillows, rugs and runners.

Not one to waste good material, Lily takes the remaining die cuts (the cut outs) and uses textile techniques to create masterful pieces of jewelry:

Lily’s personal favorite? The blue Boa FB1:

“I think the blue boa is very successful. It is simple but dramatic on
the body and fulfills my goal to incorporate the closure mechanism in
the piece and it is also adjustable to fit different neck sized and
can be easily reconfigured to be a collar or a bracelet.”

The Fab Factor: Lily’s pieces are simply stunning and beautifully crafted. Wool felt as a material that is landfill-friendly and naturally fire-retardant (goodbye to chemically-based fire-proof treatments). We love that Lily sources her wool and cutting services locally (conserves fuel/transportation), and transforms otherwise wasteful leftovers into beautiful pieces.

You can meet Lily and see her work in person at:

Virtual/Tangible v2.0 Show
@ Velvet da Vinci, San Francisco
January 24, 2007

Interior Design Show 2007
@ Direct Energy Centre, Toronto
February 22-25.

If you’re planning on attending either event, we’d love to have you share your field report with Fab Green readers!

You can see more of Lily’s work here. If you’re interested in buying or sourcing her pieces feel free to contact Lily directly.

Another entry on Lily’s beautiful wire jewelry to come later this week. Special thanks to Lily Yung for answering our many questions and sharing your work with Fab Green!

Filed under Art+Graphics, Handmade, Indie, Interior Design, Jewelry, Materials+Finishes, Multifunctional Design| Tagged Biodegradable, Changeable Style, eco-chic, Eco-friendly, felt, Furnishings, Handmade, Indie, indie fashion, Jewelry, Lily Yung, modern style, Non-toxic, Recyclable | No Comments

Transformative Furniture by Akemi Tanaka

01Dec06

I’m a veritable addict for convertible, collapsible, multifunctional pieces (like the modern murphy beds we all went crazy for last month). So falling in love with designer Akemi Tanaka’s furniture collection was inevitable:

The Tagei is available only through the designer. Personally I love the striped fabric she’s chosen for upholstery, but it can be upholstered using other custom fabrics if you request it.

Some photos of the Tagei “at home” [via Inhabitat]

And a glimpse of Akemi Tanaka’s Futaba coffee table-loveseat that debuted last year:

Futaba by Akemi Takana, available at inmod

The Fab Factor: Akemi Takana’s collection is hand-crafted from renewable bamboo plywood and finished off with an eco-friendly non-voc danish oil. The three standard upholstery fabric options are sustainable too. An elegant example of space-saving, versatile design.

Via Design Milk

Filed under Furniture, Interior Design, Multifunctional Design| Tagged Changeable Style, Eco-friendly, Non-toxic | No Comments

A Fabulously Purple Party Dress

17Nov06

According to Tim Gunn of Project Runway purple is “in”. So why not forgo the traditional red or black dress and opt instead for a purple frock by enamore this season.

First up is enamore’s Pansy Shift Dress, an adorable vintage-inspired little number. Each dress is made to order by hand in the UK, and designed using a gorgeous organic cotton sateen print called Graceland by Harmony Art. Designers and sewing divas may want to check out our previous writeup about FG fave Harmony Art textiles and fabrics for your own collections.

The Plum and Pansy Day Dress is made from organic cotton sateen with a plum-colored hemp and tencel bust detail. This dress is also made to order by enamore. All handmade dresses requires 21 days from fabrication to delivery.

We’ve covered enamore’s line of eco-glamourous lingerie before, which would look stunning under these dresses. Sexy and sustainable, their French-inspired undergarments are made from hemp, a renewable plant fiber proves appealing for hippies and fashionistas alike.

The Fab Factor: enamore’s clothing is made from organic or sustainable materials including hemp (feels like linen), bamboo (simply silky), cotton and silk (though there is a healthy debate about the “eco-friendliness” of silk).

Filed under Fashion - Women| Tagged Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Organic, Sweatshop-free | No Comments

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