Reusable – Fabulously Green

Tag archives: Reusable

LIFE.STYLED | Hotter than Paper or Plastic

02Mar08

I confess that despite having a mad green streak, I’ve only been able to remember to “B.Y.O.B.” when my “B” is functional and pretty. Maybe you’ve got the same problem? If so I’ve created this groovy guide to fab shopping gear: for guys and gals, in lots of styles. Face it: it’s hotter than plastic and cooler for the planet.

FOR THE ASIAN POP PRINCESS

Cute as Hell Tote at Perpetual Kid, $11.99US

FOR THE GLAMOR GIRL

Hot and Flashy Tote at Hippychix, $15US

FOR THE NEO-GREEN BADASS

Xposed Bag at Perpetual Kid, $11.99

FOR THE URBAN NOMAD

Trek Interchange Grocery Bag clips right to your bike, $69.99 at TrekBikes

FOR THE MINIMALIST

Bag the Habit Tote, $8 at Nubius (left)
ACME Bags™ – EarthTote™ Reusable Shopping Bag, at Reusable Bags (right)

FOR THE FLOWER GIRL

Reisenthel Bag packs away in a clip-on pouch, $9.99 at Reusable Bags

FOR HER ROYAL HIGHNESS

Catherine and Victoria Totes by b.happy bags, $19.99

FOR THE RETRO HIPSTER

Graphic Series bags by Envirosax stow away into a glove box, $37.95 for set of five

FOR THE GIRL WITH SOMETHING TO SAY

This is Not a Plastic Bag by Anya Hindmarch, $28.99, at Luxury Divas

See more bags in our previous post on Posh Grocery Gear. Happy shopping!

Filed under Bags, Lifestyle Tips, Sales+Shopping| Tagged Anya Hindmarch, b.happy bags, Eco-friendly, Envirosax, grocery gear, Reusable, reusable bags, shopping bags | No Comments

Felt Furnishings from Illu Stration

10Nov07

It’s always exciting to see what’s new at Illu Stration, Mary Ann Williams’ German-based design studio known for innovating exquisitely tactile felt furnishings and accessories.

Mary Ann sent me these photos earlier in the summer (oops) but aren’t they perfect for late fall? Oak Leaves is a modular system which are either available assembled or as a do-it-yourself kit in a box for your own inspired creations.

Oak Leaves interlock into virtually any size or shape. Some suggestions from Mary Ann include shaping them into pendants (like the hot scarlet number shown above), rugs, wall panels, cushions, lampshades.

Softer and more enduring than a crunchy pile of freshly raked leaves…perfect for jumping on and rolling around in.

A snow white cushion, adds form, function and fun to any living space.

Like the pieces we’ve showcased before, these felt-Flokatis are made from renewable, biodegradable wool. Their interlocking nature means you can create and recreate to your heart’s content. For more information, visit the Illu Stration website.

Filed under Furnishings, Handmade, Interior Design, Lighting, Rugs+Carpet, Small Space Style, Wallcoverings| Tagged Biodegradable, Changeable Style, cushions, design, DIY Style, Eco-friendly, Furnishings, Handmade, home, Illu Stration, interiors, Mary Ann Williams, modern decor, Reusable, style | No Comments

Holiday Style File | Modern Green Christmas p.1

09Nov07

My family is coming out to me this Christmas so I’ve started thinking about how to deck out the apartment – in a fabulously green way of course! So I’ve been on the hunt for decorations that serve double duty for the festive season and beyond (restyle is the Fab Green motto). Will post them as we find them — if you’ve got a few fab green ideas to share, bring them on!

PRETTY AS A PARTRIDGE

These ornaments are perfect for the winter holidays or year round, depending on how you play with them. You can hang them on your tree, over a doorway or mantle for a modern, Christmasy effect. In the new year why not let these flocks take flight as a focal point in a room? Suspend them like a chandelier or an art installation. These are made in Germany from certified eco-friendly and biodegrable wool. Spotted at Branch Home, $18/pair in red and white, or light and dark green.

HEY BABY, LET’S CUT THE RUG

Felted rugs have been the rage all year, and Interface FLOR, one of our favored sustainable carpet companies, offers its own version for the holidays. Party Dress is a fancy cut rug made from the popular Fedora line of tiles. Or for the design-minded who are handy with a carpet knife, you could customize your own border. This modular, cuttable beauties boast eight contemporary colorways and are made from 80% post-consumer fibers. Oh the possibilities!

Filed under Multifunctional Design, Rugs+Carpet, Small Space Style| Tagged Biodegradable, Christmas, Decorations, Eco-friendly, Holiday Style, Interface FLOR, Ornaments, Reusable | 1 Comment

LIFE.STYLED | Fabulous Shopping Gear

28Jun07

Do you know long does it take for a bag to decompose? According to an article by Slate, scientists wager it may take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years. But since plastic grocery bags have only been around for 50 years, it’s anyone’s guess. They are the “mystery meat” of the landfill. All that plastic–not so fantastic.

But I bring good news: one of my favorite shop-n-carry bags has come to the states. Aussie company Envirosax has finally opened an online store for the US market.

The Monochromatic Series is a solid option for guys or gals. No blaring store logos. Plus, each bag allegedly carries up to two standard bags of groceries (will report back after I test them). They come with their own compact pouch for storage in your glove compartment–an important feature for the absent-minded folks like me. Five bags in all for $35. They can also be bought separately.

For more posh shopping bag options, check out this earlier post.

Filed under Bags, Gourmet, Lifestyle Tips| Tagged Envirosax, Reusable, shopping bags | No Comments

DIY Style File | Billy Gets a Makeover

30May07

Here’s a clever way to update this nondescript IKEA classic. All you need is a little planet-friendly paint like Benjamin Moore’s Aura or Yolo Colorhouse to give your Billy new life.

If a graphic look if more your thing, try lining the back wall with wallpaper. Some fabulously green options include: Baroque-gone-modern prints by Mod Green Pod made from organic cotton, vintage papers from Second Hand Rose, or retro vintage papers from 5qm.

Photo via Domino Magazine

Filed under Budget Decor, Furniture, Refashion+Refurb, Small Space Style| Tagged Eco-friendly, Reusable | No Comments

DIY Style File | Office Wall Art

03May07

Here’s a pretty resourceful design idea I spotted on Curbly: how to turn your collection of business cards into wall art. It’s an especially great project if like me, you’re in a design-related field and have collected bunches of stand-up-and-be-noticed cards. Or if you’ve abandoned your rolodex for a PDA.

READY, SET, DESIGN
* Sort cards by color, texture or theme. Look at them as a whole to see what kind of large scape print you can create with them.

* Turn them around. Some cards may have more designer appeal upside down, sideways, or on their backsides–begging to break out of the “same old, same old” mold.

* Cut, crop, or shred. Some cards exude more character when they’re cropped in dynamic ways. Think circles, lines, squares. Bring out your inner David Hockney.

BE DIFFERENT
* Consider designing a series of small pieces rather than one large piece.

* Mix the media. Admit it: you’ve been dying to do something with that new cover sheets on those pesky TPS reports. Ah, yeah.

* Layer it. Marker work on top could be fun–especially if you have a large number of white cards. Glue a few together to create some depth and pop.

* Get wordy. Arrange them into your favorite quote or word.

SHOW IT OFF
We’d love to see your designs or post your favorite office DIY project here. We won’t tell your boss. Really.

Filed under Budget Decor, Office Style, Stationery+Cards, Unique| Tagged curbly, Eco-friendly, Office Style, Reusable, Stationery+Cards | 8 Comments

A Quick Shopping Tip on Craigslist

17Apr07

Taxes. Work deadlines. Press deadlines. You get the picture…I’ve been trapped under something heavy.

So as to not leave you empty-handed for too long, I’m passing on a tip I just discovered over the weekend. It will make your vintage, second-hand shopping much, much easier. And the reuse of pre-loved pieces is one of the best ways to express your personal style and go fabulously green. Are you ready?

Listpic.com – This is a real-time image browser of everything sold on Craigslist. Enter your location to whittle down the options. Choose your favored category like “furniture” and CLICK.

Drumroll please…

An instant feast of photos of sofas, chairs, sideboards, lamps each listed with a price and location. Mouse-over that Eames-period plywood chair and the actual text listing will pop up like a Pop Tart from a toaster.

This works everywhere…as an experiment I typed in “Israel” and in the Art category were some paintings.

You’ll never have to click through each little listing again. It’s like–magic.

Enjoy!

Filed under Budget Decor, Budget Fashion, Lifestyle Tips, News+Features, Sales+Shopping, Vintage| Tagged Reusable | No Comments

Arre: Stretching the Boundaries of Fashion

05Apr07

I am enthralled by these gossamer pieces of jewelry designed by Arre. Crafted from of all things–rubber bands. Whoever would have imagined that rubber bands could appear so delicate?

Arre’s debut Collection of necklaces, bracelets and earrings is based on the concept of notions stores, and the transformation of everyday objects into fun, wearable works of art. Rubber is considered a renewable resource, since it is a sap that is extracted from living trees. Available in five colors.

Arre is a Mexico City-based design workshop founded by long time friends Erendira Garnica and Regina Santos-Coy. Their pieces are surprisingly affordable (between $35-$65) and are available at various e-boutiques like stars+infinite darkness.

Filed under Budget Fashion, Handmade, Indie, Jewelry| Tagged Handmade, Indie, Reusable | No Comments

Fab DIY: Magnetic Spice Containers

07Mar07

Curbly has become my go-to site for inspiring DIY style projects for the home. Here’s one for gourmets looking to add some spice to your storage. Goodbye clunky, lazy Susan!

Amber of My Aim is True used watchmaker’s tins made from recyclable glass-topped aluminum. Some magnets and a hot glue gun and voila–sleek, easy-to-find spice containers you can store behind your stove top, refrigerator, or even on the wall if you have a magnetic strip…

Fab Green Tip: This idea makes for a great office organizer as well. Paper clips, rubber bands, magnets. You don’t need to be a foodie to have good looking storage for all those little things in life.

Thanks Amber!

Filed under Budget Decor, Gourmet, Multifunctional Design, Small Space Style| Tagged Recyclable, Reusable | No Comments

Fabulous Grocery Gear

19Feb07

“Paper or plastic?” That’s the proverbial question of our generation. I’ve run mental circles around it and have made attempts to bring-my-own-bag without much success. Perhaps it’s because it’s a “logo-ed” Whole Foods bag and I feel self-conscious taking it to Trader Joe’s. Or maybe because it’s a sturdier, unattractive plastic bag I have to remember to take out of the house with me.

Happily, some solutions for style-conscious eco-shoppers are now at hand:

Dottie, Lucy and Wilma shopping bags by b. happybags, $20
With over 15 designs in all, these upholstery-grade cotton bags are machine-washable, and sturdy enough to carry a load of bricks. A feel-good, do-good motivator for those lazy Sunday grocery trips. Made in the U.S.A.

Reusable Shopping Bags by Envirosax, $5.95 , via Haute*Nature

Each bag allegedly holds the equivalent of two supermarket bags worth of goods, and can be rolled away into a storage pouch when not in use.

Australia-based Envirosax uses solar hot water and veggie gardens, and participate in the promotion of teaching sustainability in schools.

Available online through Envirosax. Choose from the Floral Series of tropic-inspired prints, or from the Graphic Series to suit those with retro modern tastes.

Filed under Bags, Gourmet, Lifestyle Tips| Tagged Eco-friendly, Reusable | No Comments

Fabulously Green