What: Nico Bottles

Where: TryCycle Glass – $14/pair

Why We Love It: If only we discovered TryCycle when we were on the hunt for a simple, functional, pair of rectangular olive oil and vinegar bottles which you’d think would be easy to find, but no…. TryCycle makes just the right pair for your olive oil and vinegar (or simple syrup or soy sauce or liquid soap… ) and it’s made of 100% recycled glass, 100%!

Inspired by a trip to Europe and the signature ‘green’ glass found there, TryCycle created a line of glass bottles, jars, carafes, tumblers and more, all with classic, simple silhouettes, all high quality, all affordable, and all handblown in Spain in one of the few factories in the world that can produce high quality recycled glassware. The glass itself is recovered from European recycling bins, and that signature, subtle green hue is a result of the recycling process.

Who:

What: UM Shoulder Bag

Where: Amazon
– $135 with your choice of blue, grey, green, orange or pink zippers (free shipping on orders over $50)

Why We Love It: We have long been fans of FUZ felt collection and had the chance to meet designer and felt-lover Josh Jakus, along with his new collection of home goods a couple of years ago at the ICFF show. Suffice to say this feature is looong overdue, perhaps because we have been coveting these sustainable, chic and totally practical felt bags all for ourselves…. apologies.

Love the blend of the soft, heather grey felt with brightly colored zippers that magically unzip in such a way that the bag can lie completely flat making it beyond perfect for travel. We often struggle with the dilemma of wanting to bring two purses on our travels to maximize outfit coordination, but being unable to fit two in our carry-on so inenvitably one boxy purse gets edited out. But this pack-flat bag is genius! Problem solved.

We are also big proponents of pale, heather grey felts, and were particularly  impressed by the sustainability of the felt by FUZ. They use an industrial grade felt made out of pressed wool felt from factory excess fiber often from the production of men’s wool suits that is soft yet rugged. The manufacturing process itself is pretty green too; machine cut to avoid waste, minimizing energy consumption and working with local craftsmen to hand sew each piece.

Who:

What: Everything Counts Poster

Where: Fawn & Forest – $50, 16×20 (mat & frame not included)

Why We Love It: This is just the latest fodder for our obsession with number and alphabets poster. Tara Hogan’s “Everything Counts Poster” blends delightful graphics and a fabulous color palette (love love love the blue and red!) with an important message that all things, big and small matter, reminding us to find joy and peace and reverence for the world around us. It reads: “One Earth, 2 pears ready to eat, 3 trees to plant, 4 peace symbols, 5 high fives, 6 bowls to fill with food, 7 happy days, 8 cupcakes made with love, 9 wind turbines conserving energy, 10 cans to recycle…”

Artist Tara Hogan practices what she preaches, designing with the environment in mind. The “Everything Counts” Poster is offset printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper with soy inks and packaged in a recycled kraft tube mailer.

Who:

What: Zen Wagon

Where: Kaiku – $319 w/free shipping

Why We Love It: The little red wagon gets a modern update with this hip design by husband and wife designers Scot and Amy Herbst. The updated design features ergonomically designed seats with a dip in the base for feet making rides to the market and to the playground more enjoyable and making the wagon a viable alternative to a stroller. Just chuck kids and gear in the wagon and you are ready to go. Ideal for beach trips!

This sleek ride is hand-built from formaldehyde-free Baltic birch bent plywood, natural rubber tires, weather and corrosion resistant hardware, and safe water-based, non-toxic finishes. And it’s built to last.  Also checkout the handy attachable accessories like the Lightship Basket – come on, how precious is that? A wagon with a basket….

Awards include a 2010 Red Dot Design Honourable Mention and a 2010 International Design Excellence Award.

Who:

What: Taylor Hat

Where: s u w h a -  $199 & 30% off all full-priced items through May 12th with coupon code “bonvoyage12″ (oh & this coupon is good for the entire bon voyage collection!)

Why We Love It: We can’t help but get wrapped up in the fantasy of this hat -  donning our Katherine Hepburn trousers and a crisp white button-up or wandering through the bodega in a long flowy white dress or leaning against a fence with a cigar, rolled up jeans and a v-neck tee or curled up on the beach with a colorgul tunic and a stack of trashy magazines….  all that from one single hat, and that’s what makes it the quintessential hat for summer.

Known for her immaculately tailored jackets, her smart hats and her eye for the details,  London based designer Suwha Hong,  adds her own unique touch to the classic trilby. It’s got all the elements of the traditional gentlemen’s hat  -  the narrow brim, the tall indented top and the impishly upturned back, and that inherent cool, but with a twist. The straw, the zig zags and and the wispy indigo ribbon give it just the right touch of laid back beach cool.

The straw hoods for the hats are hand-woven by village artisans in Ecuador, an art that has been passed down from generation to generation. The hoods are then hand blocked one by one in Luton, England,  an area which had been the center of English hat making since the 1600s until production was slowly out sourced to China. It is one of the few factories left in the area keeping the art of millinery alive in England.

Also available in navy, beige/navy & beige/ivory.

Who:

What: Vintage Grain Sack Pillow

Where: Etsy - $90 14″x18″ &  $120 20″x20″; or locally at Gray Mist Studio in Cambridge

Why We Love It: One of my favorite heirlooms is a handmade quilt my great grandmother made from sugar sack bags. It’s a tribute to her thriftiness and a time where nothing was wasted.  These pillows from Jill Bent remind me of that quilt. They are lovingly hand sewn from vintage grain sacks that were originally used by European farmers to carry their seeds and grains. The linen fabric is incredibly durable and surprisingly soft and each is filled with down feather inserts.

The pillows exude a laid back, casual vibe that makes them equally at home in a beach side retreat, a remote cabin, a modern loft apartment or an old Victorian (like mine). Love the idea of these hardworking fabrics getting  to retire on my couch…

Redesign your home on a dime. Right now save on all Home Accents from Burke Decor a nd get Free Shipping on orders over $50.

Who:

What: Cornered Coffee Table

Where: Exclusively Home – $1900 with free shipping

Why We Love It: So, apparently coffee tables are on the mind, but when we saw this one we just couldn’t resist particularly with our penchant for coffee tables that can tame our towering stack of magazines… (hazards of the job). One leg of this ingenious coffee table has been transformed into a cozy nook for your favorite books or magazine. All while staying in profile with the rest of the table – magic (well that and geometry).

Dylan Gold has a knack for taking the conventional and adding his own unique twist, and in this case, literally thinking outside of the box, but staying within it. His work is guided by three underlying principles: thought-provoking design, precision craftsmanship, and environmental awareness. Each table is hand-crafted from recycled MDF covered and an FSC certified veneer available in Maple, Walnut, Oak or Cherry

***$10.00 Off Modern Furniture with purchases over $100 at ExclusivelyHome.com Use Coupon Code:619001***

What: Ma Me Pa Pull Toy

Where: Dandelion – $28; Little Green Angels - £14; (see also the Tu Tu Turtle sold by World of Good – $16)

Why: Awww, Ma Me & Pa…. love this adorable family of three, with their colorful high-gloss finish and whimsical shells that swirl as the trio is pulled along. Such a cool looking toy, that, kids or no kids, it would make an interesting display piece recalling the quality craftmanship of wooden toys of the past and sure to be passed down generation to generation.

The turtles are hand-crafted by fair trade collectives in Karnatka, India using locally-harvested, sustainable and fast growing rubber wood. The rich colors are derived from vegetable dyes and finished with lac, an all-natural resin for a non-toxic finish. Even the packaging is eco-friendly, made of recycled paper.

Maya Organic is a livelihood development initiative that helps micro-entrepreneurs build a network of sustainable enterprises that makes impeccable quality products by collaborating and partnering with umbrella structures to manage supply, product development, design and marketing. Maya Organic aims to create wealth and build capabilities of poor informal sector workers and their families.

Note: there was a recall of these turtles in 2008 because small parts may pose a choking hazard to young kids. So, perhaps this is better suited for your mantel or for older kids.

What: Admiral Necklace

Where: Munted kowhai – $35, SOLD OUT, (see similar -  Admiral Returns)

Why: Asymmetrical vintage inspired, layered chain necklaces are all the rage right now and this is definitely one of our favorites.  And each one is a complete one of a kind.

Designer Puiyi Tiffany Pangs makes each one by hand with a blend of collected vintage items (in this case a vintage copper coated brass frame and vintage stamped chains) embellished with her free form crochet and tatted creations. Her designs work well with tee’s and cocktail dresses, a great finishing and romantic touch no matter how you choose to wear it. 

Who:

What: Ella Dress in Lemonade, Peashoot or Petal

Where: Urth Organics; $135.99 w/ free shipping on orders over $75 &  10% off through July 31st w/code “kiwi0709,”  5% off through August 3rd w/code “SummerBreakTake5″

Why: This breezy floaty sundress completely embodies those care-free childhood days of summer. Running barefoot in the park, dangling your toes off the edge of the dock, splashing in the ocean waves – all you needed was your trusty sundress and you were good to go. And with the loose fitting cut of the Ella dress, this one is to be a favorite for many summers to come as a maxi, a mini and a tunic…

So refreshing to see high quality, classic, well-designed organic clothing for young girls that has style and is free of bumper sticker slogans. The design and the eco-friendly manufacturing process is message enough. The Ella dress is handmade in the USA using 100% organic cotton voile lined with natural linen dyed with low-impact, plant based dyes. Even the button at the nape of the dress is made from recycled materials.

Studying children’s fashion is not the norm a Parson’s School of Fashion Design, but designer Sarah Waldo could not ignore her passion. She became the first student at Parson’s to persue a focus children’s fashion and is now in the second season of her eponymous line. Designed specifically with the mini-ecofashionista in mind, the line combines quality tayloring and design with environmentally and socially responsible practices. Based out of Providence, RI, the collection is hand sewn in fair-wage, fair-benefit factories in nearby Fall River, MA using only organic and natural fiber fabrics dyed with low impact dyes.