5 Eco-Favorites for the Holiday Season

The Eco-Modernist Presents:
5 Eco-Favorites for the Holiday Season

1. Peace Card
Eco-chic customizable holiday cards. Cards are printed on paper stock derived from 60% recycled pre-consumer waste pulp with the remaining 40% from sustainable managed tree plantations. Vegetable based inks. Printed in USA by an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified facility.Plain Jane's Season's Greenings.

2. Garden of Eve Skin Care
Made from 100% natural ingredients including organically grown and wildcrafted herbs and aromatic essential plant oils and unrefined butters and beeswax, this wonderful skin care line is whipped up (literally!) by herbalist Eve Stahl. Custom formulations available. Garden of Eve.

3. Nurturing Beauty Body Souffle
This Body Souffle comes in four "flavors". I tried the luscious Mango Souffle and it was absolutely heavenly. Not only does it smell fabulous, the combination of shea butter and mango butters plus avocado and sweet almond oils does wonders for dry winter skin (even feet!). Shea and mango butters are solid at room temperature but melt when they come into contact with your skin. Now that's a scrumptious beauty treat! Nurturing Beauty.

4. Hybrid Wall Clock
Made from recycled bike and computer parts like sprockets and hard drives, this wall clock is both minimalist and green. 7 in. diameter. Made in Oregon. Delight.com

5. SKN Designer Reusable Tote Bags
Last but not least, here is one of our favorite bags (tomato design shown here). Whether it's a trip to the farmer's market, bodega, or corner store, these tote bags are durable and practical, yet hip. Organic cotton. Made in the USA. Choose your fruit or veggie.

P.S. - Until December 22, get 20% off. Just enter "happyholidays" in the coupon code box when you check out. Plus get free standard shipping on all orders until December 22. Happy shopping! GetSKN.com

Sunlover Glass Lamp

Simply called a "glass lamp", it's made from pieces of small glass left over from glass workshops in India. Fairtrade, Made in Indonesia.

www.swallowtailhill.com

Monkey Pod Rocket Stool

This super cool stool is made from monkey pod wood, an extremely dense, sustainable fast growing wood. The wood is termite proof and naturally water resistant so it can be used outdoors as well as inside the house.

www.choffdesign.com

Eco-Smart Vision Fireplace

The Eco-Smart Vision is a fireplace I can relate to. A piece of "smart" eco-friendly furniture with clean lines, and no mess or fuss. what's really cool is that you can place this fireplace wherever you choose. Rectangular in shape with a flueless burner fuelled by denatured ethanol. Height: 990mm Width: 1190mm Depth: 536mm. Compact Eco-Smart Fusion fireplace also available for smaller spaces.

www.ecosmartfire.com

Kids Indoor Gardening Kit

This kid-friendly gardening kit is made from recycled plastic milk containers. No phthalates or BPA to worry about plus it's eco-friendly! Contains 3 bright yellow flower pots, apple green tray, orange trowel, soil pellets, three organic seed packets, and planting instructions. Ages 5+.

Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit

Animal Alphabet Puzzle

This colorful puzzle is made from eco-friendly plantation rubberwood. Great way for kids to learn colors, animals, and letters! Hand painted with child-safe paints. Ages 3+

Animal Alphabet Puzzle

Olivewood Coffee Scoop

I don't now about you, but I've had my plastic coffee scoop forever and I think it's time to switch to a more sustainable--and elegant--version like this one made from Kenyan olivewood. Wood is sourced from a cut a tree, plant a tree forest. 6 inch long handle.

www.greenmountaincoffee.com

Meditation Chair

This rattan meditation chair is perfectly contoured to fit your body, making your meditation practice as comfy as possible while providing ergonomic support where you need it. Kapok filled cushion with natural cotton cover is machine washable. Chair measures 34"W x 25½"D x 19½"H; Seat height is 8"

Gaiam Rattan Meditation Chair

Syndcrete

Syndcrete is a pre-cast lightweight concrete material derived from natural minerals and recycled materials from industry and post consumer goods including include metal shavings, plastic regrinds, recycled glass chips and scrap wood. Invented by architect David Hertz, Syndcrete contains up to 41% post-consumer recycled materials.

www.syndesisinc.com

Dinner Napkins

These gorgeous 100% cotton dinner napkins are bleached by the sun.The designs are printed by hand using a carved wood stencil dipped in ayurvedic dyes derived from plant roots, pulverized rock, and earth. Each napkin is unique, taking as long as 40 days to create. Set of four.

www.beachdwelling.com

Coir Doormat

This natural coir or coconut husk fiber doormat uses natural, eco-friendly dyes to create a beautiful pattern reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement of the early 20th century. Measures 29.5 in. x 17.75 in. Made fade in direct sunlight.

www.acaciacatalog.com

Recycled Rice Bag Wallet Purse

These colorful fair-trade wallet purses are made from recycled rice bags. Fully lined with five inner compartments, zippered, and six for credit cards. Made in Cambodia. 9.75 in. x 12.5 in. x 3 in.

Recycled Rice Bag Wallet Purse

Recycled Carboard Room Divider

Interlocking units that you can mix and match to create a screen or room divider for your ultra mod apartment or industrial loft. Part of the Nomad System, each 24-piece set makes a wall 3 feet x 4.5 feet in size. Multiple sets make bigger walls of course! Color choices include olive green, grass green, forest green, white, slate grey, dark grey, ochre, orange and red. Made from recycled Kraft paper in the USA, locally sourced.

www.mioculture.com

Rubberwood Dollhouse

Made of recycled rubberwood, this contemporary dollhouse is the ultimate in eco-friendly, both in the materials it's made from and it's design like the two skylights. Opoen interior and moveable staircase allow easy access to the interior. Rubberwood is the tree that produces latex and is one of the most eco-friendly sources of lumber used today.

www.momastore.org

Bamboo Coffee Canister

Made from our favorite sustainable material, this bamboo coffee canister is a "must have" for the coffee lover. The airtight canister has a removable food grade polypropylene liner. Hand wash. Holds 1 lb. of your favorite organically grown, fair trade coffee.

www.greenmountaincoffee.com

Parrot Planters

This colorful parrot planter is made from recycled tires.If you don't care for the red parrot, you can ask for a blue parrot or a blue & gold macaw or a black toucan. It's up to you! Weighs about 15 lbs., and in my humble opinion is really quite a clever idea!

www.ponyswings.com

Slate Dice Paperweights

Don't let the picture fool you. These are not giant dice, they're only 2 inches square in size. Nonetheless, they're quite nice. Made from polished slate, the paperweights are available with gold, silver, or white dots.

www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk

Miss Rio Ottoman

I just love this crazy, mod creature, er stool! It's bright, colorful, firm, and it's environmentally friendly because it's made from EVA strips from recycled flip flops. From Brazilian artist Karin Wittmann Wilsmann. Measures 14 inches high, 24 inches in diameter.

www.dwr.com

EcoDomo Leather Flooring

If you like the classic look of leather, then check out this beautiful flooring made from 65% recycled leather, 20% natural rubber, and Acacia tree bark, a natural binding agent. Resilient and durable, these tiles develop a wonderful patina over time. Can be used towards LEED certification.

www.ecodomo.com

Save a Coffee Cup Clock

Recycled coffee cups from vending machines are the raw material for this classic clock, which is part of the Recycled Range collection. The coffee cups are recycled as part of the UK Save-A-Cup program. Wall mounted, indoor use only. 200 mm x 200 mm.

www.timeinthegarden.co.uk

Timber Tags: Wood Labels

These charming wood labels dubbed "TimberTags" double as place cards, favors, or gift tags at weddings, dinner parties, birthday parties, or informal gatherings. Made by UK artist Charlie Artingstoll from recycled wood or from certified renewable resources.

www.timbertags.com

Circuit Board Pendant Necklaces

I never thought I would use the words "chic" and "circuit board" in the same sentence, but I think it applies here. In fact, these circuit board pendant necklaces almost have an Art Deco look about them with their geometric patterns and machine age look.

www.thinkgeek.com

Recycled Aluminum Garden Furniture

This stunningly beautiful garden furniture is made from reclaimed ingots of industrial aluminum to be exact. Choose from loungers, chairs, and tables. Detail pictured here is from one of the tables in the collection. Rust proof, rot proof, weather proof, and tastefully designed in the traditional English garden style. What more could you ask for?

www.tredecim.co.uk

Recyled Copper Fire Pit

Fire pits are one of the hottest (pun intended!) trends in outdoor living these days, and here's one made from recycled copper. Great for chilly fall evenings or summer fun. Legs and grill are wrought iron. Burns wood or charcoal. 24 in, 30 in, and 36 in diameters available. Safety screen sold separately.

Recycled Copper Fire Pit

Eco-friendly Plant Labels

I recently featured these lovely plant labels at The Daily Dirt, my environmentally friendly gardening newsletter & blog, but felt they'd fit right in here as well. A great gift for gardeners, the plant labels are made by a London artist. The designs are hand-foiled on pine "popsicle sticks". Package of 10, 15 cm. long.

www.themoderngardener.com

Bentwood Coffee Cuff Bracelet

Now this is what I call transferable eco-chic! Based on the concept of the cuff bracelet, these cuffs, which are made from reclaimed wood veneers, double as coffee cup jackets. From Vancouver-based design firm Contexture via dailyartmuse.com. 2.25 in. wide in ebony or bird's eye maple.

www.contexture.ca

Glass Ribbon Necklace

This lovely deco-inspired necklace is made from recycled glass (including the rondelle beads) and finished with a satin ribbon bow clasp or traditional clasp (your choice). 20 in. long.

www.somethingmooredesign.com

Beer Bottle Lanterns

A modern day twist on gas lights, these beer bottle lanterns are genius! Artisans cut the bottle in half and use both the top and the bottom to make the candle holder. Terrfic for intimate garden settings. Each beer bottle lantern measures approximately 62cm high and comes with a Citronella t-lite and gravel.

www.thegreenartcompany.co.uk

Recycled Glass Mosaic Tiles

Made from recycled glass, these environmentally friendly tiles are manufactured by the Spanish company Vidrepur. The mosaic pattern shown here is "Joy". 1 in. x 1 in. tiles on 12.5 in. square mesh backing. Indoor, outdoor, and swimming pool use.

www.vidrepur.us

Seagrass Handbag Tote

They call it a tote, but I think it looks more like a cute handbag. Either way, it's an eco-friendly alternative made from seagrass, a sustainable material. 8 mod colors, with wood handle and magnetic snap closure.

www.happydayshop.com

Water Hyacinth Placemats

Sturdy, durable, and gorgeous! These placements are made from woven water hyacinth, that pesky, invasive plant that's overtaken waterways and choked out native plants. Ok, rant over! Set of 4, green , brown, or red with screen print design. Each one measures 20 in. long x 13.5 in. wide. Made in Indonesia.

www.worldmarket.com

Bush Bark Wrapping Paper

This stunningly beautiful wrapping paper is made from the bark of the lokta, an evergreen shrub growing in the mountains of Nepal. The bark is harvested, soaked, cleaned, and dried before it is made into paper. A fair-trade product made from sustainable materials. 30 in. x 40 in. sheets. Folded or rolled.

www.nepalesepaper.com

Tree of Heaven Museum-Style Bench

This museum bench is like no other but you'd never guess it just by looking at it. What makes this museum style bench--perfect for you post-modernist garden, entrance hall, or interior courtyard--so unique is that it's made from Tree of Heaven. Tree of Heaven is anything but. In the US it's an invasive tree that has overtaken urban neighborhoods. You may have heard it referred to as "ghetto palm" or something similar.

Mitch Cope, a Detroit-based artist, harvests the wood from these trees from vacant lots around Detroit and uses it to make decorative or functional objects like these museum style benches.

www.treeofheavenwoodshop.com

Solar Flairs: Flower Power

Solar panels or flairs in the shape of flowers. Love it...or not? What's behind these flower petals of solar power, besides creating energy from the sun, is aesthetics. Instead of run of the mill solar panels you can have solar panel sculpture. Why not?

Lake Michigan Wind and Sun Ltd.

African Spirit Good Luck Charm

Made with recycled glass beads and raffia by Kukwa Arthur who works with a women's cooperative in Ghana. Raffia is thought to bring about good fortune. Each spirit is unique, about 6 inches high.

www.world-shoppe.com

St. Moritz Blanket

Cool, colorful, and eco-friendly. Just what we like! Made from 50% organic cotton and 50% bamboo fibers, the St. Moritz Blanket comes in three colors; Persimmon, Aegean & Sky. Perfect for your eco-mod apartment or house. From Yumi & Laurie, a family run business dedicated to ethical and organic design. Made in Turkey. Measures 6.6 feet x 4.9 feet.

www.yumiandlaurie.com

Juice Bag Solar Beach Tote

It may not be beach season where I live, but there are plenty of places around the world where it is. This ordinary beach tote is not so ordinary because it's designed with a thin film solar power panel insert. Perfect for charging your mobile phone, iPod, GPS, or camera--anytime, anywhere! Measures 19" wide x 15" high x 11" deep; 48 x 38 x 28cm.

www.rewarestore.com

Green Cube Chair

Nature's Cast products are made from the forest waste such as bark, leaves, and twigs that litter the forest floor in Compostela, Province of Cebu, The Philippines. The forest debris is shredded by machine, and using a water based binder, is shaped into furniture like the green cube chair shown here, decorative furnishings like vases, and interior decor including wall plaques, all of which are designed by local artists.

www.naturescast.com

Hybrid Solar Oven

For picnics, barbeques, and outdoor dining on the deck or patio, you can't go wrong with this hybrid solar oven. No propane to deal with, no charcoal or starter fluid, just an electric cord--and that's optional because the solar oven can run entirely on solar power. If you need to plug it in and use electricity, you'll be happy to know it uses 75% less power than a conventional oven.

www.permaculturetradingpost.com

Flip Flop Mat

The recycled flip flop mat. Yes, it's been around for a few years, but like all good things is worth mentioning again. Made from recycled rubber flip flops, it's colorful, eco friendly, lightweight, durable, and just plain fun. Small mat measures 15 in. x 26 in.

www.wetsand.com

Spa Ritual Aware Nail Lacquer

Yes, vegan fans, there is now a vegan nail polish (varnish or lacquer to some) available. It's from SpaRitual and is Phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene free. Not only that, buy a six-pack of the eco-color, Aware and 10% of the proceeds will go to the Go Green Initiative.

www.sparitual.com