SF Green Labs

Patagonia, going, gone!

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The always thoughtful and sustainably-minded geniuses who run Patagonia have just put the future ahead of profits in an especially creative and brilliant way. (Did I get enough superlatives in there?) This is something that most green-minded designers wrestle with. My work is designing stuff, and I like things, but the truth is, reducing consumption is probably the biggest change we can make. Patagonia clothing is made to be super durable, and often outlasts any one person's desire to own it.

So they've partnered with eBay's green team:

"Keeping existing, perfectly functioning products in use, rather than in the back of a closet, reduces the demand on our air, water and land to create new ones. Each American throws away about 65 pounds of clothing and textiles per year, according to the EPA. And demand for textiles, like polyester, made from petroleum has almost doubled in the last 15 years. So using clothes that already exist, and selling what you’re no longer using, is a simple yet powerful act...."

The Common Threads Initiative is an eBay storefront where you can buy and sell gently used Patagonia branded gear. This is one more example of the company making it easier to keep their products out of the landfill.

Images from Patagonia and current (as of post time) eBay listings. Via ecouterre.

Ear-ringers

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tricia has been working on a new jewelry project, and she finally agreed to let me show you. Aren't they great?

So when your earbuds finally bite the dust after one too many iPod drops, you can send them to Tricia, and she'll re-craft them into awesome earrings with wood inserts. Then you can wear a set in your ears and a second set on your ears. Just don't get them mixed up. These look awesome, but they don't sound that great.

In other news, Tricia's M.O.C. brooms were just selected for Apartment Therapy's Design Showcase. If you've got a minute, click on over to AT and drop three stars on our friend. Congrats, Tricia!

Images from Tricia Wright

The Pantone colors of bananas

2011-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just spent a couple of days working on colors for a project, and I had all those little Pantone chips spread across my desk. I wasn't picking yellows, but Dole was. Check this...

"Speaking of fruit, you may think a banana is just a banana, but it's not. Dole and other banana growers have turned the creation of a banana into a science, in part to manipulate perceptions of freshness. In fact, they've issued a banana guide to greengrocers, illustrating the various color stages a banana can attain during its life cycle. Each color represents the sales potential for the banana in question. For example, sales records show that bananas with Pantone color 13-0858 (otherwise known as Vibrant Yellow) are less likely to sell than bananas with Pantone color 12-0752 (also called Buttercup), which is one grade warmer, visually, and seems to imply a riper, fresher fruit. Companies like Dole have analyzed the sales effects of all varieties of color and, as a result, plant their crops under conditions most ideal to creating the right 'color.' And as for apples? Believe it or not, my research found that while it may look fresh, the average apple you see in the supermarket is actually 14 months old."

Read more of Martin Lindstrom's article here: Fast Company

Banana image from Flickr user Design-Dog (aka Ian Ransley). Via Fast Company.

Willow Ship

2011-09-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

Our dear friend Blake writes to tell us about her new venture....

After a bit of a breather, I've turned my ship in another direction. I've been wading through mountains of linen, blockprinting by hand, and doing quite a lot of sewing to boot. A bit of a change you could say. Yeah, I'm loving it.... And so, as of earlier this month, it's all come together. My Etsy shop is live! I invite you to stop by and see what I've been up to.

It's all designed, printed and sewn in San Francisco, and, just like Blake herself, the work is lovely.

Images from Willow Ship.

#uck #ast #ashion

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just came across Holstee, which is a dude company, in the best possible way. They make the Holstee, which is a T-shirt with a holster sewn in for your electronic gear. See? Dude company.

They are also awesome, not because of the Holstee, which isn't quite my style (and doesn't suit my girly frame), but for two other details you'll find in there if you poke around on their site:

Awesomeness #1: Their #uck #ast #ashion T-shirts, which are reclaimed T's overprinted with their FFF slogan. They have a full line of upcycled tees, all sold out now. Too bad, because I'd buy these for all my dude friends.

Awesomeness #2: Their manifesto, which, not to be too mushy, is quite simply inspiring in a "get out there and kick some a$$" kind of way.

My latest lab crush. Too bad they are in Brooklyn. We could be friends.

Images from Holstee.

Measure twice, or maybe even more

2011-09-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Designer Karen Johnson specializes in mosaic mirrors. I love glass mosaics, and her pieces are lovely and sophisticated, with an attention to detail that's admirable. But her glass mosaics are not why she's on this blog. She's here because of her School House series of mirrors, like these with rulers,

or pencils.

or pink pencils (note the little bits of glass to bling it out)!

Now Ms. Johnson's angle isn't recycling or green, per say--her work features the repetition of singular objects and a strong understanding of color. Her style could easily be adapted to reclaimed materials.

Images from Mosaic Works. Via Design*Sponge.

Spotted on BART

2011-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Holy Helvetica! After several weeks of weekly BART protests, I was happy to find a bright spot in my commute last week. Super stylish young thing was ahead of me on the escalator. The whole outfit was great, but it was the crazy handbag with the Crate & Barrel ruffles that caught my eye. I snapped a photo, but she got on the train before I got a chance to ask her about it. It looked like it must be made from recycled materials, but it was really nicely done.

Anyone know what this is? Stylish SF girl, where did you find this awesomeness?

Image from Katie

Chandelini

2011-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

That last post got me thinking about spheres of things, and I ran across this chandelier made from wine glasses. It's lovely, but in its original designer form, probably a little "design out of reach."

If you want to replicate it on your own, possibly with glasses salvaged from your local Thrift Town, check out this awesome how-to from DIY diva Lisa of Condo Blues.

Image from Touch Design.

iVictrola?

2011-09-07T06:00:00.001-07:00

How genius is this? Green, artsy, unplugged, and unexpected, the iVictrola isn't a new product, but I missed it the first time around (in 2009). With no electronics, this is a simple block of wood with a vintage Victrola horn attached. The amplification is old-school. This year, there seems to be a new iPad version-- coming to DWR in the fall.

So the iPhone one is long sold out, and the iPad one isn't available yet. You'll just have to admire them over the interweb, or make your own (if you have a spare Victrola horn lying around).

Images from Uncrate and Made-Craft. Via NOTCOT.

You got to know when to fold 'em

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nick Sayers has that obsessive thing I so admire in artists. He makes spheres. Lots of spheres. He makes them from everything--hats, coat hangers, and in this case, playing cards. Check out his Flickr stream or the inhabitat article for more awesome spheres.

Images (c) Nick Sayers. Via inhabitat.

Recycled banner placemats

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Miss R and I went wandering through CB2 on our lunch hour and we discovered these (and these). I know, placemats aren't super exciting. What was exciting is this: here's a big, mass-market company making mundane consumer goods from recycled materials.

So what's the deal? On one side, there's a simple Pollock-esque paint splatter design, but if you flip it over, you can see the graphics from the original advertising banner. The stencil version is the same concept, but with lettering instead of paint splatters. This is so simple--they're not really doing much to rework them other than cutting to size and adding the paint/stencils.

CB2 has been playing in the eco-sandbox for a while. They have several seasons of interesting designs using reclaimed materials (some more successful than others). Their parent company (Crate and Barrel) has a good reputation for incorporating sustainability, especially in their furniture design. It's not clear whether they are truly trying to be green or if their customers are demanding it. I'll take the win either way.

Images from CB2.

Turbulance, not stirred

2011-08-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Skypak rescues airline serving carts and refurbishes them as home bars (or media carts). I especially like the added wooden drawers. They'll put a new skin on the outside, but you have to provide your own tiny bottles of gin.

Fair warning--these are really spendy. It would be cheaper to buy a plane ticket.

Images from Skypak. Via NOTCOT.ORG.

Reanimation

2011-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tricia and I have had lots of conversation about how to make reuse modern and hip and palatable to people who would rather not buy their clothing at a thrift store. Design duo Schmidttakahashi have launched a line of reworked clothing with a tech twist. Each item in the Reanimation line comes with a QR code that links to the garment's past and allows the current owner to contribute to the store. For me, this lets a deterrent for many people ("Ick, people wore this before?") become an asset ("Ooh, where has this been!")

Lots more on the the designers and their big idea here, with slideshow.

Images from Schmidttakahashi. Via Ecouterre.

Chandelicious

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Designer Thomas Feichtner has reinterpreted the chandelier for Lobmeyr as a minimal black tube with a single LED spotlighting a single crystal. I love the modern take on this. The original is billed as an "entry level chandelier." Possibly this is a commentary on opulence in general or a reaction the current economic condition, or maybe it's just a really nice light fixture.

It would be interesting to see a more industrial version of this using salvaged tubing (or recycled aluminum) and vintage crystals. What a great way to repurpose a dated chandelier!

Images from Thomas Feichtner. Via Core77.

Mad(off) props

2011-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Maybe you know that a few months back, the US marshals auctioned off some of Bernie Madoff's personal belongings. On NPR yesterday, I heard a story about where they ended up. Frederick James scored some pants and sweaters and turned them into iPad covers. You can get the pants version here for only $350. I've scoured the intertubes for photos of the Dior sweater one, but no luck. It was part of the first batch that sold out within a day, for $500 each.

Let's see if we can follow this: Madoff scammed a bunch of money, bought fancy (and not-so-fancy) clothing, got caught, and the US marshals sold his stuff to help repay his victims. Savvy guy buys the clothes, sews them into high-priced iPad sleeves, and sells them back to overpaid Wall Street types, who are currently using their Maddoff-clad iPads to figure out new ways to scam money.

Mad props to the entrepreneur who sneaked into the middle to get his cut. I hope he invests it wisely.

Images from Frederick James. Tip via NPR.

Carolina on my mirror....

2011-08-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

Found these lovelies in my inbox today. Sometimes my favorite things are the simplest. Jackie MacLeod of Spare Contemporary saw beauty in these rim spacers off 18-wheelers. Metal + mirror = eco-industrial high design.

Wish I had a spare $400 in my pocket. I'd happily throw some of it toward this North Carolina-based design team. They can include some Carolina BBQ and a Cheerwine with mine. We can't get the good stuff here in Cali.

If you're similarly inclined to put some big rig parts up on your walls, you can get one directly from them here, or for the next couple of days, via the Fab flash sale.

Images from Spare Contemporary. Via Fab.

And the dish ran away with the spoon

2011-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

At our farmers market in Oakland, Blue Chair uses metal spoons for tasting, which they collect and wash every week. (Side note, the Blue Chair preserves are really delicious--worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood). However, most of our favorite frozen treat shops still rely on the traditional plastic tasting spoon.

Enter EcoTensil, the fast-composting, flat-packed, paper spoon. It's not suited for your tomato soup and grilled cheeses at home. But it's perfect for tasters at the ice cream shop or anywhere there's a need for single-use spoons.

Business 101 lesson: I don't know the details of this "aha!" moment, but EcoTensil is pursuing a secondary market of prisons and psychiatric facilities. This is a problem I haven't really thought much about, but it makes perfect sense: In a place where even a plastic spoon can be shaped into a weapon for harming oneself or others, a paper spoon is a great solution.

Images from EcoTensil. Via Cool Hunting.

Cocktails, anyone?

2011-08-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Etsy does a How-Tuesday series of DIY inspiration and tutorials. I have a soft spot for tiny drink umbrellas, and this lantern caught my eye. It's kitchy, without being too tiki-riffic. You can buy little umbrellas anywhere, but if you want to be really green, you'll rescue them from coconuts at your favorite tiki hangout.

When you're ready to trade your Singapore Sling for a glue gun, there's a great DIY tutorial (with video). Or you can order a finished lantern directly from Zipper 8 Lighting. They also make some charming lanterns from book pages.

Images from Zipper 8 Lighting. Via Etsy.

Electric Love @ Grain

2011-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today my inbox featured another daily dose of awesome from the folks at Fab*. They highlighted a design studio called Grain out of the Pacific Northwest, with pretty robust sustainability credentials and some charming designs. The prices are pretty high, but there are some nice details here, from the wool felt and bamboo backing on their Bound mirrors to the sweet matchbox packaging for their Electric Love rings.

Now, if you want to make your own reclaimed wire ring, there's a great how-to @ Ecouterre.

Update 8/11: I just saw the rings on sale @ the SFMOMA gift shop. The packaging is just as cute in person!

*If you don't know about Fab, it's worth checking out. Flash sales like all the others (Gilt, etc.), but with a lovely high-design angle, and extremely well curated. You can Google "Fab" and go directly there, or you can click on this link. Full disclosure, if you click on my link, I get some kind of referral bonus.

Images from Grain.

Flotsam and Jetsam

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Discovered on Etsy, Laura Hebron from England is making thoughtful jewelry from salvaged objects. The ceramic tap rings are pretty fun.

But it's her line of necklaces made from beach finds that is most interesting. There are lots of artists turning bits of beach glass into frosted baubles. It's the little details that make these stand out--the varying weights of chain, the oxidized metals. I'm madly in love with this:

My birthday is coming up. Maybe I'll get lucky....

Images from Laura Hebron's Etsy shop..

Toro! Toro! Toro!

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

This isn’t especially noteworthy for its green-ness, but it meets all the basic hurdles of sustainable wood sources, plywood instead of solid block, etc. This is the ultimate goal, when products aren't particularly green, but that the eco-considerations just become another hallmark of quality.

I really like this design. Functional without being too serious. Charming without being unbearably cute. Cute without being overly saccharine. This is the kind of thing that makes me smile.

Images from Toro Legno’s Etsy shop

I'm exhausted!

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just a little bit of brilliance--pendant lights made from exhaust fans. These are super cool, and I'd totally make these if I had a spot for them. I love the look of them all in a row. There's a full studio remodel over on Design*Sponge, if you want to see more of this charming space.

Images by Kate Osborne and Yan Photography. Via Design*Sponge.

Castaways

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, wow, and more wow. Reclaimed clothing is soaked in resin and compressed into a simple, modern mold to create awesome chairs. I so want these around my dining table. Designer Tobias Juretzek is my newest lab crush.

The Rememberme chairs will be available this fall for ~$950 each. Love is cruel, and I will have to stalk Mr. Juretzek and his amazing chairs from a safe (and impoverished) distance. Check the designer’s website for more chair photos and pix of the design process.

If anyone spies these in the Bay Area, let me know where. I’d love to see them in person.

Photos from the designer. Via Co.Design