Who doesn’t love a baby? Even if you’re pre-procreation or just undecided in the “bringing a human into the world” department, it’s hard to resist the soft skin and fresh smell of a little bundle.

When my sister-in-law gave birth to my nephew I wanted to steal him, I mean buy him...every outfit on the rack. But the green in me screamed “don’t do it”. Babies are bundles only for a moment, quickly growing into little adults who walk and talk. So instead I bought three organic and unisex “onesies” from Little Lark, which she reused when my niece was born 2 years later.

Little Lark is a mother-owned and operated company based in Portland, Oregon. (Yes, another fabulous momtrepreneur!) They sell unique, hand printed baby and toddler clothes made of 100% organic cotton. Their designs are “modern, hip, fun and non-gender specific…exhibiting simplicity and style with a sophisticated edge”. They aren’t kidding, as you can see here and even better here.

Available in sizes 3-6m and 6-12m for $24 (and tax free) at fawn & forest, each onesie comes in a printed, reusable muslin bag - perfect for gift-giving.

Now that my brother and sister-in-law have confirmed “two is enough”, they’re giving their onesies and more to friends and family still in the baby-making mode. Hand-me-down has never been greener.

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I’m a giver. Finding an item that seems perfectly suited for a friend is like happening upon a buried treasure - I can’t pass it up! I buy and give and it doesn’t have to be any one’s birthday or anniversary. (This in no way makes me immune to the talent of taking, by the way).

As an example, this t-shirt designed and made by Supastarr, my newest Etsy find, has "man" written all over it. Four forks. No hidden meaning, just four pieces of flatware printed on a sweatshop free, 100% organic cotton t-shirt. It is hand silkscreened using water-based textile inks. Fabulously original and just the thing for my friend, John.

Supastarr is a husband and wife team - they run a small fair trade coffee shop during the day, and create the green-stuff of their Etsy store at night. The Forked Mens Organic Tee is available in S, M, L, XL for $22.

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I’m a big believer in Mies van der Rohe’s dictum "less is more". I’d much prefer that you use what already hangs in your closet. And as much as the lesser green in me would love to encourage you to buy a newer, cooler version of this or that, the greenest me would never do such a thing.

But, if you happen to be in the market for a weekend bag - meaning, you’ve never owned one or yours is on its last thread or doesn't match a thing you've bought in the last 2 years - then have I got the bag for you.

This isn’t your “travel to Europe for two weeks” bag, but rather your “sneak away for two days and hopefully no one will notice you’re gone” bag. More specifically, it is the Kantha weekender bag by Rising Tide Fair Trade (RTFT).

Each bag is hand-made from cotton kantha textiles. Any fabric with embroidery stitching that forms or outlines decorative motifs is considered a kantha textile. Traditionally kantha is used to make saris and quilts.


RTFT chooses its kantha fabrics which are then woven into colorful, geometric patterns and made into bags by artisans in a fair trade women’s’ cooperative in West Bengal. The bag trim is cruelty-free dark brown suede or canvas.

And the result is a uniquely rich and sophisticated, not to mention, sturdy bag that measures 12” x 20” x 8” with two 12” suede straps.  The RTFT weekender isn’t cheap at $220, but for a piece of luggage that is sure to last a lifetime and not go out of style? You can’t get much greener than that. They now have coin purses ($24) as well, which couldn’t be cuter.

Go ahead, I trust you to tread and shop wisely.

I enjoy the occasional controversy. Not the "throw one below the belt" emotionally-charged controversy, but the intelligent discussion chock full of thoughtful comments and ideas even-in-the-throes-of-opposing-views controversy.

And I especially enjoy them when they’re eco-related. So, here goes. Yes, I covet the new faux leather bag by Stella McCartney. (And word has it a certain editor totes her Mac around in a recycled number by said Stella.) It's colorful without being gaudy and extra roomy without looking larger than life. But does faux leather equal green?

Not that Stella is touting eco-friendly on her website. She’s an animal lover and member of PETA - hence her refusal to use any real leather in her designs. She works with organic and recycled goods - there's no denying that. But as I peruse the fashion-filled blogosphere, I can’t help but notice that "eco" and "friendly" have begun to appear before "faux" and "leather".

I’d be inclined to call her bags kind of-green - but what about the “dark khaki canvas interior with detachable blue pouch”. Is the canvas recycled? Reclaimed? Nope. Sometimes an item isn't purely green, but it still has eco merit. What do you think?

When I think of felt - I think of 5th grade. That’s the year my best friend, Eden, and I created a 2-foot-high UCLA basketball player out of papier-mache. We captured him mid-stride with an orange Styrofoam basketball hanging from his hand. The light blue and yellow uniform, socks and shoes were made with felt.

Back then, I had no idea I was working with an organic textile. (We won’t discuss the Styrofoam ball or the loads of toxic glue). I also didn’t think of felt as aesthetically pleasing in any way.

But times have changed. And Selina Rose has changed the way I see felt. The British designer runs her own design studio, working with industrial and 100% wool felt colored with environmentally-friendly dyes. Her intricately-designed textiles - rugs, window panels, table runners, room dividers and more - are created using an innovative watercut technology, non-PVC decals and water based non-toxic inks.

Check out her newest collections - Bloom and Botanica. Simply spectacular, stylish and chic. I adore the panels (available by commission) - I’d hang one or two to break up my open space plan apartment in a subtle way.


The bloom rug with floral cutouts measures 4’ x 4’ ($900). There’s also a 4’ round botanica rug ($900). See her cushions ($150), table runners ($195) and lampshades ($168) at the online shop.

Selina Rose textiles can also be purchased in person at Eco Age, the new London eco-shop owned by British actor Colin Firth, his wife and brother-in-law. Their online store is coming soon. Or order by telephone +44 (0) 7803 147898 or via email.

I've never felt so green.

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The summer before my junior year in college I dated a surfer - the real, authentic kind who lives, breathes, sleeps and eats waves. We worked nights at the Charthouse restaurant in Malibu, CA and lived the perfect surf-couple lifestyle.

75% of our time was spent outdoors; we ate little and drank a lot; we had few clothes and rarely shopped; we rode our bikes to the beach and his motorcycle to work; we slept under the stars more nights than not. Without realizing it at the time (this was 1987, kids), we were probably living eco-friendly. I simply thought we were living in heaven or paradise or something ultra-sweet and non-intrusive.

These memories came floating back to me when I stumbled upon Maku Furnishings, a sustainable outdoor furnishings company based in Carlsbad, CA. Their first collection was launched in May 2007 at ICFF, and they seem to be growing strong.

Johnny West and Mike Johnson, two “global surfers, travels, marketers and lifestyle enthusiasts”, started Maku after a trip to Indonesia introduced them to the country’s plantation grown raw materials and the artisan talents of its people.

All of Maku’s products are made using the reclaimed, sustainable teak that West and Johnson “discovered” on their travels. The result is a refined, high-quality product manufactured with barely an impact on the environment; furniture that communicates a way of life - organic, natural, contemporary and sustainable.

And that’s not all. Most of their products are shipped “flat packed” and require very little assembly. And Maku is a member of 1% For The Planet - so they give part of their sales right back to the planet.

I like the graceful lines of the Bench, available in two sizes from $629, as well as the gorgeous floral carvings on the Limited Edition Lounge Chair for $1499, add a cushion for an extra $299. Available for purchase online at Maku Furniture, Structured Green, 2Modern, Design Public, Mod Décor and Feel More Human. Check the Maku website for retail shops around the U.S.

Maku also has a blog updated every so often with cool green lifestyle and design tidbits. (You can also see their funky yet modern doors in this post by Tina.)

I spent most of my youth outdoors, either running around the neighborhood with friends or on the tennis court or playing after school sports. Needless to say, the harsh southern California sun had its way with my skin. Terms like SPF or UV weren’t on the tips of everyone’s tongues just yet. We preferred Baby Oil and Ban de Soleil!

There isn’t much I can do to remedy the sun damage done. Instead I take seriously the warnings of my dermatologist and am hyper-vigilant about sunscreen. I have tried them all. Who wants the oily residue or the strong fragrance or the anti-eco ingredients most sunscreens contain? Clogged pores? Ugh.

SmartShield is my new favorite. It’s waterproof, sweat-proof and made especially for the active and eco-conscious. Petroleum free, marine safe and biodegradable, it absorbs quickly into the skin and won’t stain your clothes or leave your hands slippery. Smartshield sunscreens are used by serious athletes and the US Coast Guard, as well as fly fishermen and scuba divers.

I tried it for myself to see if it was good enough for you, our eco-chic readers. My conclusion: an eco thumbs up. Reasonably priced in lotion, spray, gel and towelettes, they even offer a self-tanner and after-sun gel. Available at SmartShield.

Go ahead, have some fun in the sun…without the sunburn or the burn on the environment.

Want more? Of course you do!

Luanne's sun protection guide and report on coral reef devastation.

Sara's eco-friendly picnic essentials.

Sara’s shameless plug: Hi, it’s your editor. De-lurk, dear reader, and leave this fabulous writer a comment. (We love chatting.) You can also share this post with friends – just click your favorite social bookmark listed below. New reader? Be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter to win free eco goodies! You can also subscribe to any RSS feed your heart desires.

I’m all about sitting. I’m a mover and a shaker when the occasion requires, but when it’s time to call it quits I bet my butt finds a chair before yours.

How can I be so sure? Because I was master of musical chairs in kindergarten. I would somehow throw my little body into place just as the music stopped. Ok, I may have pushed or shoved a bit but I never left a bruise.

As you might imagine, I don’t play musical chairs much these days, but I do appreciate a good eco-chair when I see one. Check out this round up of funky, edgy designs:

Once a Door is a beautifully proportioned chaise lounge made from a reclaimed timber door - get it? British artist Claire Danthois cleverly creates wood furniture and names it after whatever it used to be in its first lifetime. Once a Ladder, Once a Gate, Grandma’s Bed, for example. She is currently working by commission only. Contact the artist for prices and more information.

Another eco-wonderful eye-catching chair is Stomach, designed by Bannavis Andrew Sribyatta for PIE. This bamboo beauty is sexy and simply stunning, as well as green. It measures 26.5” deep x 21” wide x 26.5” high and is available for $1,200 at vivavi.

This next eco-chair is oddly alluring - I couldn’t resist it. It’s called Inkuku (Zulu for chicken) and was designed by Ryan Frank, a South African now living and working in London. Inkuku is made from - are you sitting down? - plastic shopping bags and recycled aluminum. It might be a bit noisy to sit on, but more than likely it’s comfortable and definitely a conversation piece. Email the designer for prices and more information.

On a more conventional note, the Hollow Dining Chair by Brave Space Design is an eco-seat worth every eco-penny. It’s made of solid bamboo (amber and natural) and features a hollow storage space below the seat. It may be difficult to appreciate the elegant details from a picture - the shaped version features ergonomic cutouts in the seat and back with a contrasting grain direction in the bamboo. This style is available for $900; the flat seat and back version is $650.

Last but definitely not eco-least is the Droog Rag Chair by Tejo Remy for Droog Design. It may have been designed 1993, but this chair is as hot today as it was 15 years ago. Why? Because green isn’t trendy and eco isn’t going out of style. The concept is quite simple - the Rag Chair is made of rags. Recycle your own discarded clothes or rags to be included in the design, and get yourself a unique, personal piece to last a lifetime. $5,500 at greenergrassdesign.

Maybe it’s the way they can make or break a room, like the way the perfect accessory can pull together an outfit. Or maybe the whys don’t matter as much as the facts.

Eco-lighting is front-page news and everyone who’s anyone is making the switch to green. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve gathered a cutting edge list of green lighting fixtures. It’s amazing what designers dream up and build out of life’s scraps, like recycled paper, metal and glass, reclaimed wood and sustainable bamboo. There’s literally an eco-light for every style and occasion.

EcoSalon Guide to Eco Lighting (from top; left to right):

Red, yellow, Go. For the minimalist, there’s the Stoplights line of fixtures from Greenlight Concepts. Details here.

I love the clever Honeycomb Lamp designed by Kouichi Okamoto. Made of Japanese denguri paper, it measures 18” x 12”. This eco-lamp arrives flat-packed. Buy it for $52 at a number of online stores.

The Zooey mini chandelier by Amy Adams is perfect in a kitchen or kid's room. Its four hanging 4” ceramic balls cluster together to create this pendant, available in 7 gorgeous colors for $480. Amy’s ceramic is eco-friendly and manufactured at Perch. Details here.

Blue Marmalade, a Scottish company committed to sustainable design, has created Bloom, a pendant shade made from a single sheet of recyclable material. The simplicity of this design is evident in its graceful shape and light weight. It was made specifically for energy saving bulbs. $70 at TheGreenHaus.

Can cardboard be pretty? Graypants thought so when they designed their Scrap Lights out of recycled cardboard boxes. Each one is unique and hand-made. Details here.

Recycled white paper is used to create the Cloud Lamp Shade, designed by Yu Jordy Fu. Sustainable, simple and feminine, these are a definite favorite of mine. Shipped flat-pack, with an energy saving light bulb, available in five designs. $175-$500 (via productdose).

Benjamin Hubert uses reclaimed Styrofoam for his playful Candy Lamps and Twisted Floor Lamp. Details here. Take my word, Hubert is a hot British designer to watch!

Another minimalist design that offers versatility and allows for a longer product life span (two eco-ideas that we love!) is the LXL Lamp designed by Jaime Salm. The pendant is offered as a set of components that can be inter-changed to make it larger and/or change colors. Made in the U.S. from locally sourced materials. $195 at Mio.

If modern and understated is more your style, try the Nautilus designed by Rebecca Asquith of New Zealand. Details here.

Check out this 2006 Spectacle Chandelier from Stuart Haygarth. It’s made with several layers of plastic-framed spectacles linked together. Call me crazy, but I adore it. The price tag? You guessed it - available upon request.

The Chandelirium by ARTae (Aaron R. Thomas and Anne Ewen). Each pendant is hand-made of reclaimed clear and white acrylic strips and measures approximate 30” H x 20” W (or commission a specific size). It is available for a hefty $2,950 at artc, but what an impact it would make in a high-ceilinged living room!

What to do with Grandma’s out-of-date teacups? Domestic Construction made a chandelier (Ted Lights) out of theirs - I adore the cluster version. At fist it seemed too kitschy but it definitely has grown on me (via poppytalk).

Jerry Kott creates “hybrid bottles” out of empty wine bottles that he cuts, frosts and pieces back together again. He then turns them into his re-lights of various sizes, shapes and colors - mystical and organic in nature. Available in three designs, one of which holds an eco-efficient tubular compact fluorescent bulb. $126-$490.

And, because I can't pass up the opportunity to showcase something extraordinary and extravagant, here are my over-the-top picks: 

I’m in deep like with Hudson Furniture’s dining tables and benches, and I must spread the love to their lighting. Any of these Hudson fixtures could light my room and I’d be one eco-happy chica. Breathtaking in beauty as well as in price. Details here.

If all else fails, eco-light your room with illuminated wallpaper. Well, I hope we can, because this concept truly amazes me! Learn more about Jonas Samson’s innovative design.

And finally, what do you think about these cocoon mesh lights by UK artist Julie Roberts? They look awfully difficult to dust, but they are eco - and definitely over the top!

That sums it up - my cutting edge collection of eco-lights. What lights your fire?

It’s the name that grabbed me first. Hobknob just sounds so…catchy. But these precious ceramic cup-like containers made by Amy Adams stole my heart with their whimsical and eco-friendly attitude.

Use them to hold almost anything - or set them on a side-table to look cute and nothing more. I also think they’d make the perfect anytime eco-gift.

Hobknobs are handmade by Perch!, a Brooklyn manufacturer that uses only low impact materials and processes, as well as non-toxic finishes. Specifically, these charming pieces of pottery are made of low-fire ceramic and non-toxic glaze.

Measuring 4.5” tall by 2.5” in diameter and available in three colors - brown, turquoise and yellow - you can buy them at Branch for $32 each. There’s also a slightly sassier version in turquoise/black or brown/turquoise for $34 at Velocity.