When I look at this umbrella from A Lot To Say, I have high hopes that its cool factor will encourage me to remember to take it with me on overcast days.

Made entirely of recycled bottles, the line consists of not just umbrellas but t-shirts, pillowcases, undies and scarves (for people and pets) clad in hip messaging about conserving water, loving the earth and being aware of flushing and nuking things. Nothing like a wearable fact to keep the awareness.

Here’s one fact for you: The United States sends over two million tons of plastic drink bottles to landfills yearly. The bottles, identified by the number “1” in the recycle symbol we all know, are made of the plastic called PET, which A Lot to Say recycles into their products: “The materials saved from not having to grow, harvest and process the raw materials not only helped conserve our planet’s limited resources, at the same time, it also played a huge part in removing non-biodegradable materials from our landfills.”

Reuse alone is great, but the company also addresses a more sustainable approach to printing and dyeing that was lower in toxins and that consumed less water usage. Their solution is to use AirDye® technology from Colorep®,  a forward-thinking company that pioneered waterless technology in the application of color to fabric.

“If everyone employed AirDye® technology, it could save trillions of gallons of water a year around the globe that are currently used to apply color textiles. This preserved water could then be used to feed the world and provide a cleaner, safer environment,” says the A Lot To Say site.

Do you feel strong enough to shoulder this information and spread the word? If yes, then leave a comment below. Good luck!

(Legalese: contest rules and FTC compliance.)

The post A Lot to Say Umbrella Giveaway appeared first on EcoSalon.

Some say goodie bags are passé and I don’t blame them, especially those filled with lots of pamphlets and papers that you don’t even look at.

When we decided to offer the first 50 attendees to EcoSalon Shops! a goodie bag, we wanted it to be chock full of amazing products, and that’s just what we did.

Here’s our line-up, so get there on time. See you tonight!

Perfume samples from…A Perfume Organic

Like perfumes but hate all the synthetic notes that make your head ache?

A Perfume Organic is your solution, offering an edited line of organic perfumes that provide a healthier and much more interesting alternative to the traditional.

As a vegan, organic, local, and raw food advocate, A Perfume Organic’s founder, Amanda Walker, sought to create her line based on her own addiction to scents.

Hand poured locally in Manhattan, Walker imbues each perfume with a minimum of 14 blended notes which change on the wearer.

Delicious.

Zipper necklaces from”¦Tara St James

Tara St. James is one part my hero for realizing she could make fabulous jewelry out of leftover zippers from her collection and another part genius for minimizing waste in her collection.

I recently wrote about St. James, one of our EcoSalon Shops! vendors so go here to read more about her. In the meantime, start drooling over her zipper necklaces for you lucky first 50.

Divine Dark and Milk Chocolate bars from”¦ Divine Chocolate

Divine Chocolate is making strides as the only Fair Trade chocolate company which is 45 percent owned by the farmers. Pretty impressive. Their website says: “The overall strategic aim of Divine Chocolate is to improve the livelihood of smallholder cocoa producers in West Africa by establishing their own dynamic branded proposition in the UK chocolate market, thus putting them higher up the value chain.”

Want to know what the symbols mean on the packaging? Go to the site and check out Adinkra to find out.

Tins of tea from”¦Nourish Tea

Chris Draper, CEO of Nourish Tea, says of his reasoning behind starting the company: “On a personal quest to become healthier, I made the decision to start drinking tea daily. I quickly found that many teas were bitter and lifeless. Then one day, I had a cup of Darjeeling tea, served without milk or sugar “¦and my concept of what tea could be was changed forever.”

Herbal, red (black), green, white, blue and Matcha teas come in a delectable mélange of distinct flavors and have some of the best names ever created in the history of tea (Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls, Iron Goddess Of Mercy and my favorite, Cresting Cranes Of Legend).

Says Draper: “5% of Nourish’s proceeds go to providing nutrition and hydration to those in need (with an emphasis on the young) – wherever they may be. For this reason, AAH is a core partner for the Nourish tea team.”

Go to Nourish Tea’s site for a fantastic tea education and more information about the brand’s mission.

A mini bottle of nail polish from”¦Priti

Priti founder, Kim D’amato, conceived of the idea for her line during her pregnancy. Seeking to deliver a happy, healthy baby, she was successful in finding organic foods but had a hard time when it came to greening her beauty products.

In 2005, D’amato launched Priti NYC with one simple mission: “to support organic farmers and to decrease the amount of chemicals poisoning the earth- and it’s inhabitants-one manicure at a time.”

Priti NYC polishes are all completely non-toxic and made without toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DHB) and formaldehyde – all known carcinogenic ingredients. The luxury polishes are fast drying, chip resistant, contain a UV inhibitor, and are extremely durable and glossy. They are also completely safe for use on children and moms-to-be. Available in over 100 different shades including metallics, mattes, bright neons, rich darks, classic nudes, and everything in between.

Bars of soap from…Organic Pure Life

Calling themselves your “one stop shop for a purely organic life,” the company offers baby, body, house and home and pet products to keep everyone healthy.

Non-toxic sunscreens, organic cotton baby onesies, soy candles, dog shampoos and toys are just some of the products you’ll be able to view and buy at the site.

A Leaf Crystal Ornament from”¦VivaTerra

VivaTerra’s leaf ornament sparkles with genuine Swarovski crystals and naturally adds a warm glow of golden light to your home’s decor. Hand-dipped in liquid metal, every vein of the leaf stands out in nature’s own patterns as it dangles from a silk ribbon in a window, or if you want to put it away for the holidays, from your tree’s branches.

Vegan Lip Glosses from”¦Minepress

Etsy rocks, right? Thanks to a tip from Foundfuture’s Shannon Lorraine, we were able to get customized vegan lip glosses from Minepress.
Made with a natural soy base with vitamin E, aloe, safflower oil, chamomile & jojoba. Your bag could contain flavors including cherry, vanilla, original or mint and your lip gloss will say what else, EcoSalon!

An animal purse from”¦Dialog

Dialog’s signature style is based on a recycling technique from Malaysia that incorporates small origami folded squares of mixed scrap fabrics. (Trust us, the picture does not do these little cuties justice.)

Says Dialog: “To make the trim they work with charities within local communities such as drug rehab centers, women empowerment initiatives, vocational training and community development projects instigating workshops that develop skills, create income and lead to sustainable employment.”

They also raise funds for various projects around Asia by creating limited edition t-shirts called Hopetees. All proceeds go to charity.

Reusable bags from”¦RuMe

Colorado-based RuMe was launched on Earth Day 2008 “to meet the growing need of environmentally conscious consumers who don’t want to sacrifice style and functionality.”

Surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains and influenced by the environmentally-sensitive Colorado climate, the company has emerged as a stylish stand in for wasteful plastic bags accrued while shopping.

And thanks to their flat bottoms, packing groceries or new blouses into a bag has never been more statement enhancing. Choose from a multitude of colors and graphics.

A scarf from”¦ A Lot To Say

Founded by two sisters, A Lot To Say came up with a concept for a green t-shirt line that utilizes the power of the written word to educate people and help them embrace a new awareness of sustainability.

Everything in the line is made from recycled plastic bottles and sustainable dyeing is provided by AirDye® technology from Colorep®, a forward thinking company that pioneered this technology that uses no water in the application of color to fabric.

Every purchase you make from A Lot To Say (t-shirts, umbrellas, panties and scarves) gives to deserving charities including various cancer, green and animal foundations.

The post EcoSalon Shops! Presents: The Goodie Bags appeared first on EcoSalon.