Who: Alkemie; Los Angeles, CA

What: Starfish Cuff

Where: eConscious Market – $190

Why We Love It: The detail and texture of this one-of-a-kind cuff is so lifelike that you can almost feel the delicate arms of starfish tentatively encircling your wrist. Reminds of us days at the beach and the magic of discovering an elusive starfish.  Love the way this oversized cuff manages to exude an organic, ethereal, art nouveau and rocker vibe all at once. Click to continue »

Have dreamed of salvaging retired lanes from an old bowling alley for the floors in our living room/dining rennovation, so no wonder that I love this coffee table from the Second Life exhibition of sustainable furniture design. Designer/artist/furniture maker, William Stranger’s collection of furniture is made from reclaimed pieces of hardwood from blown down trees, from construction sites and in this case salvaged from bowling alleys. Great example of what beauty can be created with wood and materials destined for landfills. Waste not, want not…

The “Second Life” exhibit can be seen at the Fifth Floor Gallery in LA  from October 24th – November 14th.

Who: Coclico; New York, NY

What: Kelp Clam Bootie

Where: Coclico.com; $350

Why We Love ‘Em: We are completely, completely obsessed with the entire fall collection of Coclico leather shoes. The collection is edgy, classic, fashion forward and timeless all at one time, if that’s possible. Was quite a challenge to choose just one to feature this week, but since it is fall we went with the lovely Kelp Clam Bootie. Love the creamy neutral color, the delicate perforations, the shape of wooden kitten heel and the detail of the curved footbed. A complete original.

Now you may be wondering how can we feature a leather shoe? Well, this is definitely a controversial issue for US. On the one hand, yes, there is no question that leather products are not animal-friendly and unfortunately in most cases the leather tanning process is incredibly toxic and wasteful.  But Click to continue »

Who: Peter Danko Design; Standardsville, VA &  J. Persing, Red Lion, PA

What: Arborline Benches

Where: Vivavi; w/back $1034 or backless $695; available in a variety of webbing & wood options

Why: Seat belts take on a whole new look with this pair of sleek, modern, minimalist benches designed by Peter Danko.

By design, the seat belt material is incredibly durable, fade-resistant and long-lasting, making it well suited durable and long-lasting furniture furniture. The webbed netting has been tested to hold up to 5000lbs without losing shape.

The use of post-industrial salvaged seat belts, PEFC certified european beech, non-toxic/water-based finishes and adhesives qualifies these benches for LEED points and serves as a great alternative for traditional urethane foam seating.

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Sheena Matheiken is the real life Amelie. Adorable and spunky and with a style that is uniquely her own.  For The Uniform Project, Matheiken has pledged to wear the same basic black dress (well 1 of 7 of the same dress) for an entire year wearing it in 365 different ways.  All to raise money for the Akanksha Foundation with provides education opportunities for underprivileged children in India. At the same time she is making a powerful environmental statement in sustainable fashion and that perhaps, we can, and should, make due with less. Click to continue »

Who: Vaute Couture; Chicago, IL

What: El Coat, Luxe

Where: Vaute Couture; $581 or $295.50 when you preorder by June 30th

Why: So yes, perhaps it is a bit odd to be thinking about winter jackets when you are just busting out your summer dresses, but  this soon to expire offer for a limited run (read only 24 other people will have a jacket like yours…) Vaute Couture coat at 50% off retail is too good to pass up. And, by the time October rolls around, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when your jacket arrives just in time.

Designed with  frigid Chicago winters in mind, the super soft “Luxe” fabric  is specifically designed to protect against wind, water and snow while retaining heat. The long slim fit bell shaped silhouette gently drapes to flatter the figure while the generous pockets and wide collar add to the warmth.  And you’ll get that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that your jacket is 100% vegan, uses buttons reclaimed from an old factory and is lined with windproof 100% recycled closed loop zero waste satin ripstop. Want a warmer and fuzzier feeling? Opt for the Recycled El made of 64% recycled fibers.

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