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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While living in Cape Town, South Africa, Be Sweet founder Nadine Storyk Curtis became smitten with the creativity and beauty of the handcrafted goods she found there. Determined to bring these products to a wider audience, and create economic opportunities for these talented women, her colorful and compassionate business was born.

EcoSalon: I read that you were living in South Africa when the idea for Be Sweet was born, why were you living there and what was the evolution of Be Sweet?

Curtis: I married a South African and three weeks after our wedding, 9/11 occurred and we soon decided it was an opportune time to go to Cape Town for a year. We downsized our interactive design company and moved six months later. As soon as I got used to driving on the left side of the road, I became enamored with the innovative craft and design movement that is so prevalent in South Africa as well as the way that soulful men and women are empowering previously disadvantaged people to produce products. I was inspired to be a part of it all and bring wearables to the U.S. marketplace.

Who taught you to knit? Do you still knit? How does your own artistic expression inform Be Sweet?

My mother taught me to knit. She went to RISD for apparel design and has always designed and made clothing and textile products for a living. Absolutely I still knit - more than ever although I am a very basic knitter. Hats and scarves are the extent. My goal for the year is to learn how to crochet. My creative expression drives Be Sweet. I not only choose products that have a positive ethos behind them but that are beautiful and fun and innovative and will inspire others to be creative.


It would seem to me that it would be really difficult to do business in South Africa. What have been some of the challenges?

South Africa has first, second, and third world aspects. I am lucky to have a fabulous network of family and friends that help with some of the challenges of trust and communication. An unfortunate challenge for me in the beginning is when a group would hear my American accent, they would quickly raise the price quote for goods and services.

How has working with these women changed you? What have they taught you? What have been some of the biggest surprises?

My whole life has changed because of Be Sweet. I have learned so much about how difficult life can be and what the basic needs are of people. I am reminded of how important education is to improve the world. The women I work with in South Africa are so creative with materials. They are able to create things out of the most basic recycled objects - like a chip wrapper for filling in our Heart Brooch Pins or left over yarn that goes back into the production cycle to make our Knobby Balls.


The yarn is so beautiful and I was struck by the unique colors. Do you leave it up to the artisans to create the colors? What are the dyes and paints made from? Are they made from supplies indigenous to the region?

Yes, for the most part the artisans come up with our color palette. Sometimes I request a specific color or Magic Ball color combination.

For all of our yarns, we use the highest quality low-impact dyes that are imported from Germany.




In a way, you have created a global knitting circle with these women. How do you communicate this global approach in your everyday life?

I love that Be Sweet is an international company. We are supporting artisans in South Africa and inspiring creative people to be a part of the story around the globe. We just started exporting our yarn line to a store in Sweden and Austria.

Be Sweet is a dream project of yours and I am curious how you work to help these women reach their goals and their dreams?

Every year I visit South Africa and visit each of the groups that I work with. I have done a series of interviews to find out what their dreams and goals are. With the increase in sales we are creating more and more income that is directly helping our artisans better their lives. And we donate 3% of our proceeds back to a local school in the rural region where our mohair is produced to help fund educational programs that helps uplift the community.

Be Sweet donates 3% of proceeds to The Shaw School which has provided computers, paint and a new floor to the classroom. How is the school doing now and what are the latest improvements?

The school has four new computer systems and a new copy machine. Recently, we were able to provide keyboards for helping the younger children learn how to type before they are on the computers. We have also been able to fund and facilitate the final classroom improvements including security bars on all of the doors and windows to prevent theft of supplies. Our goal for the end of this year is to start a lunch program for each student.

Is there anything we can do locally to help provide for this community or others like it in South Africa?

Be Sweet has a Shaw Park page on our website - Be Sweet Products - where we accept donations for the school.  All is much appreciated and goes directly to the principal of the school to pay for programs we have assigned.

Lastly, what are some of your eco-friendly habits or anything that you are doing in your community to spread the eco-love? And do you have any guilty eco-oopses that you can't live without?

Well, my family and I are landscaping our yard and we have opted to plant low water usage plants like thick grasses and succulents to limit the amount of water we have to use. I'm a big water drinker and so we just installed a water filter on the kitchen tap to cut down on plastic bottle usage. I'm afraid to say that I'm terribly guilty of forgetting my to-go cup at the coffee shop. I look forward to that morning ritual of a stopping for a cup of joe.

Thank you for stopping by, Nadine!


Note: Be Sweet has been accepted into the Fair Trade Federation.

Images: Be Sweet

Is there such a thing as copying nature a little too closely?

You're looking at the remarkable work of Julie Roberts, a designer from the UK. She's hand-fashioned these lampshades from recycled paper and natural textiles, in varying colours and to order. And her inspiration?

Yes, well, there's the rub. Good decor is all about stimulating the imagination, and...this lampshade certainly does that. It screams "recently vacated cocoon", and brings to mind a host of creatures from spiders to Aliens. (Perhaps that's just a guy's perspective). There's no denying its unique beauty, but neither its slightly creepy air - Ecofriend were similarly bemused.

If you want to go for a cocoon-style eco lampshade that won't have you checking under the furniture with your shoe in your hand, try this square lamp from Kwytza Kraft. It's made from recycled chopsticks, in a range that seems inspired by moth cocoons.

Textile & Paper lampshades via ProductDose; image from Pure Design.

Remember when everyone was clamoring to be the new Martha? Instead of just one uber-maven of the domestic and decorative arts, we’ve seen a whole plethora of talented designers, chefs, sustainable lifestyle guides, and experts come to the fore with aesthetic gifts and business smarts.

In the design realm, Kim Parker is one of the best. A classically trained musician turned textile designer, Parker aims to help you create an “interior garden” with her graphic, modern floral pillows, rugs, dinnerware, fabrics and prints.


Kim Parker Home offers a window into the design process - she improvises with water-based paints, and the freedom and joy of her method are evident in the results - and are completely contagious. Parker also makes brilliant and liberal use of flea-market finds, recovering, reclaiming and boldly mixing cultures and eras. This book is a must-have if you love intoxicating, pretty floral print and textile design, if you’re looking for inspiration for flea-market and thrift-shop decorating, or if you simply enjoy reading about how successful artists find their creative spark and thrive.

It seems the whole world is trading in industrial, factory-made conformity for artisan style. “Many of the pieces at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair . . .felt more artisanal than manufactured,” wrote the New York Times on May 22. So, how do you get the look without breaking the bank? Just as you can build a wardrobe based on great neutral basics and unique accessories, you can build a home with strong, well-made neutral furniture enhanced by artisan pieces you love.

Natural materials and multicultural influences are a starting point for the artisan home, and while sophisticated artisan style can be eclectic and loaded with character and color, you'll want to avoid anything too crafty or homemade-ish. Here, easy ways to add the artisan look to your décor:

Rugs. Whether you opt for traditional Oriental-style rugs or contemporary designs, rugs add instant drama, color and pattern. Look for handmade natural fibers and make sure you're buying from a company with the highest ethical labor standards (look for the Rugmark designation on design companies like Odegard or support a socially responsible, fair trade-focused nonprofit like Arzu Rugs).

Glass. Glass can add color and light to your home in many forms: contemporary stained glass, mosaics, or blown glass accents. Art glass is collectable; focus on a color or style. Look for local glass artists or shop online from well-known studios like Orient & Flume of Chico, Calif.

Textiles. Pillows, throws, table linens, quilts and wall art - these are some of the ways you can use artisan textiles to add texture, color and tactile beauty to your home. Look for handwoven fabrics, traditional or contemporary quilts, or currently fashionable hand-knit home accents in chunky yarns of organic or hand-dyed wool or cotton.

Ceramics. Functional ceramics -  dinnerware, vases - or ceramic art pieces add earthiness and substance to your room. Handmade artisan tile can be incorporated into a kitchen splash, or individual tiles can be used as trivets or accent pieces.

Stone. Stone can be part of the “bones” of your home, with a flagstone floor or a stone fireplace. If that isn’t an option, stone accents such as these towel hooks and spa mats from EcoSalon sponsor VivaTerra can bring the cool, clean, timeless quality of

Image: *susie*

Strong, versatile, highly renewable hemp fiber can truly be a “straw into gold” story in the hands of a talented textile artist and designer like Anne Kirk of San Francisco.

Anne Kirk Textiles specializes in custom hand-dyed and handprinted fabrics for interiors, and while all of her natural-fiber fabrics are gorgeous, her “Diamonds” pattern on 100% hemp truly outdoes any hemp fabrics I’ve seen. The pattern is sophisticated and modern yet has an old-world decorative feel, and the hemp base means the fiber required minimal or no chemicals on the farm. Anne Kirk Textiles was named Best Custom Fabric by San Francisco Magazine in 2004's Best of the Bay Area issue; her scale of production ranges from a few yards for a lucky homeowner to 2,000 yards of hand-painted muslin for the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.  

Summer seems to call for clutches, diminutive bags that rest ever so lightly on our laps at the Hollywood Bowl or on the side of our chair at a favorite outdoor cafe.

With all the hype about the dangers of resting our hefty handbags on the ground (a filthy habit when you think about what collects on that floor) the strapless little clutch is the way to go when paring down for hot weather. Raffia is becoming a popular fabric for green designers producing decorative bags. A trend is to pair the organic raffia with wood, tiger's eye, crystal or other jeweled adornments that really stand out against the understated canvas.

A great example are the raffia cuties from Mad Imports. (Sara, Kim and Larkyn are major fans.)  I'm truly mad for the site's stunning assortment of clutches like the GiGi design which comes in seven amazing shades with cotton lining and a highly tactile, oversize wooden button accent ($69). The yellow bag is to dye for!

A bit more dressy are the hand-embroidered Heather bags ($79) featuring wildflowers and a snap enclosure, available in four shades. Or go totally groovy with the Opal bag ($75) in a rainbow of pretty colors and adorned with a massive oval wooden button.

More upscale but still green is the Eco-Clutch from Simply Soles, a chic little black number forged from recyled water bottles. The darling clutch ($195) even has a detachable black and white silk floral pin to add or subtract panache.

Even more delicate, the Franchi Rue Raffia Floral Flap Clutch ($97) of woven raffia with a lacy macrame trim in either pink or blue from Zappos. This is a great choice to pair with a cotton dress for an afternoon event.

If you have a big budget for a swank event, splurge on the Raffia Clutch by Anya Hindmarch ($385) at Vivre. It's studded with faceted tiger's eye and a gold diamante snap. The same designer makes a similar raffia clutch with crystal adornments and a tassle.

If you have no budget, fool them with the Limited Edition Straw Wristlet Clutch from standby source, Target for a mere $10.49. It's black and tan and pretty darn chic with a little flower in the corner so you still come out smelling like a rose.

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 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.

Being somewhat crafty, highly resourceful, and always fashion-forward, I look for ways to differentiate myself from the pack. It all started in high school when I took several sewing classes so that I could make my own designer clothes. Thanks to these classes, I created looks along the lines of Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. I also took hand-me-downs and clothes I thought of discarding, chopped them up, and rendered entirely new styles.

Now, I’m sure you’re starting to ask yourself, why do I care about this? My discovery of the SF-based Stitch Lounge is the reason. Stitch is a modernized sewing circle where you can either make your own clothes or refurbish old ones. And we all know that transforming the old to make it new again is as eco-friendly as you can get.

Stitch was started in 2001 by three friends who thought that the community could benefit from the fun times they had sewing and bonding together. In a city where there’s not a lot of room to set up a sewing station in your own apartment, there now exists a space where you can indulge your creativity in a social environment. Take classes, private lessons, or do your own thing. Go ahead - dust off that fabric that’s been sitting in your closet for ages and join me at Stitch.