The Green Piñata

Venetian Blinds Find (Fashionable) New Life

2010-06-01T09:57:00.003+01:00

Taken from Harper's Bazaar Online

Bet you never thought you'd buy Venetian blinds again. But Ilaria Venturini Fendi (yes, she of those Fendis) has thought up a neat new way to recycle the dated '80s window treatment — as stellar, sexy clutches under her Carmina Campus label. She's designed them exclusively for Yoox.com's new eco-conscious Yooxygen, which launches today in honor of Earth Day next week. The sleek bags, which can be had for $500, are made from the aluminum slats cribbed from the dated window treatments. They're available in seven eye-popping colors, and the interiors are personalized with vintage fabrics. We especially love the lacquered look in blue.

The ELLE/Portable Light Project

2010-06-01T09:45:00.004+01:00

Taken from Elle Online

Last September at Elle we came across an incredibly cool invention: a messenger bag outfitted with a small, flexible solar panel, an HBLED light, a rechargeable battery pack, and a USB port. Called the Flap Bag, (short for “Flexible Light and Power”) it was the brainchild of the brilliant architect Sheila Kennedy, who directs the Portable Light Project, a non-profit initiative that provides solar textile kits to empower the world’s poorest people who do not have access to electricity. Kennedy’s team works with nongovernmental organizations, providing training to women so they can integrate the technology into local textile materials using commonly available materials and their sewing and weaving skills. The results are surprising: a culturally diverse range of blankets, bags, and clothing that generate clean, sustainable energy and light, while supporting local economies.

For those who live far from power lines in Africa, Central America, Haiti, and beyond, a Portable Light Kit can charge a cell phone, so a shopkeeper can order supplies and transfer savings to a bank account, or provide light for children to study at home. Without this small portable source of clean energy, women and their families would be literally living in the dark with little chance of breaking out of an endless cycle of poverty. Reading about this gave Elle an idea. We called Kennedy and asked if the Portable Light team would collaborate with major fashion designers to make one-of-a kind solar-powered bags, which we would then auction, with the proceeds benefiting Portable Light’s charities. We called designers and asked the same question. Everyone replied with an enthusiastic Yes, and thus was born the Elle/Portable Light Project.

Designers at Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger, Loomstate, Loeffler Randall, Lutz & Patmos, Rogan, Vena Cava, and Zero + Maria Cornejo worked with Kennedy and project leader Charles Garcia, creating the eight amazing solar bags that you see here. You can bid to own one, and also another we’ve added, made by an African tailor who works with the Kenyan organization Ushahidi (check back for the link to the auction!). You’ll be the coolest girl on the street, and you’ll be helping these charities get transformational technology into the hands of those who need it most. To read more about Kennedy and the incredible work of the Portable Light Project, please visit www.portablelight.org.

EDUN Kicks Off the 2010 World Cup with New Tees

2010-06-01T02:51:00.005+01:00

Taken from Vogue Online

Who doesn’t love a great summer tee? And a tee that benefits African schoolchildren with supplies, hot lunches, and teacher salaries? Even better. In honor of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, Ali Hewson, founder of the environmentally and socially conscious label EDUN, is celebrating efforts in Africa (even though her home team, Ireland, won’t be on the field this year) with four inspired T-shirts. “We asked children living in the Kibera slums of Kenya to draw something that represented Africa,” says Hewson. “The results were everything from produce in a market to African wildlife.” These 100 percent–organic-cotton shirts represent EDUN’s belief in the possibilities that lie in Africa. “The tees are an example of how trade can provide assistance,” says Hewson. “It’s also exciting for the children to understand that they can directly affect their own education.” Score your very own for $60 at Barneys New York, starting June 1, as well as at EDUN, from June 8.

by Chelsea Zalopany

Over the Top Recycling

2009-07-01T00:05:00.005+01:00

Gary Harvey's collection for London Fashion Week in 2007 was inspired by the silhouettes and techniques used in vintage couture and made entirely from recycled materials. The result was a stunning display of fashion.

Chemical Free Home

2009-06-30T22:24:00.006+01:00

Have you noticed how aggressive your cleaning products are? They promise you to destroy dirt with the power of shiny crystals or magic foam, but at what cost?
Eco-Me specializes in clean, natural, non-toxic, chemical-free products. And how? Well, they teach you how to do that using only natural ingredients.
You can clean your house with the same effectiveness, using all natural products that do not represent a threat to you or the environment.

Spice up your Home

2009-06-29T01:25:00.006+01:00

Labicer introduced a new concept in building materials, by reusing ceramic process waste to produce surface cladding tiles. Vitrakem is an amazing collection with a strong diverse colour palette that can take your home into a new level in an environmentally friendly way.

Floppy booky

2009-06-28T22:04:00.007+01:00

Seems to be impossible to store your documents in those old floppy discs again? Well, not quite.

Fresh Jewels

2009-06-28T00:32:00.008+01:00

Want to look elegant? This beautiful sparkly jewelry is an excelent choice to achieve that. It was, in fact, made of water bottles and ice cream cartons by Kumvana Gomani, an amazing designer that uses her multicultural origins to create these amazing pieces. Her work is extremely detailed and focused on recycling modern society waste materials.

From your Body to your Kid

2009-06-27T22:32:00.007+01:00

Did you know your old cashmere clothes can become a cute plush animal? They can be bought or made from your own sweater by Teddylux, a toy manufacturer that decided to turn into a sustainable strategy.

CD Case Chandelier

2008-06-26T00:31:00.010+01:00

Here's a thing for you to do with all those cd cases you don't really need. To get a really neat effect, use the boxes with coloured pattern papers.

Looking Good in Green

2008-06-24T23:38:00.007+01:00

The eco-fashion label Greenloop is here to tell you don't have to sacrifice your style to live the green way. They provide you colourfull, amazing fashions made by conscientious companies that really take sustainability seriously. They also garanty you that 1% of the profit is donated to suport environmental activism.
"Be good to yourself. Be good to your body. Be good to your planet."

Energy in your Pocket

2008-06-13T01:49:00.009+01:00

Hymini is a revolutionary way of capturing renewable power for your iPod, mobile phone, PDA, mp3 or digital camera. These universal chargers transform wind and solar power into energy for all your gadgets and fit in the palm of your hand.

Free Eco Homes

2008-06-12T01:22:00.009+01:00

Believing that green design should be available to all, FreeGreen gives you free, downloadable house plans that incorporate eco design principles. The detailed projects can be customized and offer an energy report specific to your town. You also get information about material manufacturers, the actual sponsors of this website.
Go there and start your plan today.

Green Laundry

2008-05-31T17:12:00.009+01:00

Wanna go green with your laundry? Get the Ecoballs and protect the environment while you wash your panties.
Inside these spheres there are dozens of tiny ceramic balls. They react with water, inducing molecular ionization that really cleans your clothes. It does not contain any detergents or harsh chemical additives, so it does not damage the rivers and protects bright colours and fibres. It is also adequate for sensitive skins, since its hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial.
Ecoballs protects the ecosystem and can be used for up to 1000 washes, so imagine how much you will save :)

Go Nylon

2008-05-31T02:11:00.011+01:00

Do you want to stand out from the crowd? The portuguese company Tela Bags re-uses PVC advertising banners to create hip and trendy accessories. If you want to show your irreverent side and individuality, get one of these amazing bags. They are one of a kind and prevent nylon waist disposal.

Hit the Piñata

2008-05-31T01:04:00.001+01:00

You can relish your life in an environmentally friendly way. You don't have to say "no" to the things you love, you don't have to pay a huge amount of money for those obscure alternatives. Just hit the Pinãta and enjoy the candy inside. You will see how fun and easy it will be.