WOW, I love these cloths!  The day I received them in the mail it was a Friday and that night my husband and I were having a small dinner party.  After a glass of wine, I started telling everyone about these "great paper towel replacements called SKOY cloths" and how "One SKOY cloth saves 15, yes 15, rolls of paper towels!"  I then added that they were biodegradable, natural, reusable, machine washable, and they soak up messes in a jif leaving no trace of a spill.  People got very excited, and they wanted to see this miraculous product.  So, I got them out.  Oooohs, and Aaaaahs rang from the women, "how cute, with the flower on it", said my friend Cassie, then she reached across to grab one, and woops, accidentally knocked over the bottle of wine we were drinking as she went for it.  

Everyone stood up, I tossed the SKOY cloths around as everyone chipped in to clean up.  Cleaning up the wine took only a few seconds as the SKOY cloths soaked it up so fast that within half a minute you couldn't even tell there was a spill.  I quickly rinsed out the cloths and squeezed out the excess water and placed them across my dish rack.  I thought, perfect, that was a perfect test of this great product, and you can see, it passed with flying colors!

SKOY is made from a blend of natural cotton and wood-pulp cellulose, so it is completely non-toxic, and the flowers on the cloths are made from a water-based ink!  And unlike a yucky sponge, it is 100% Biodegradable, you can put in the dishwasher to clean, or toss in your microwave (although we don't own one) and micro on high for 1 to 2 minutes to clean.  I used it with my organic glass cleaner to clean my windows, and it worked like a charm!  This is a great alternative to paper towels, it is inexpensive ($5.99 for 4, especially when compared to the price of buying paper towels over and over) and it is great for the environment, seeing as with over 90% of US households taking advantage of the convenience of paper towels we produce over 3,000 tons of waste each day!

www.skoycloth.com

 

 

 

It is time to ditch the disposable to-go containers, brown bags, plastic bags and plastic lunch boxes for sustainable & healthy lunch containers for your kids school lunch.  I have searched hi and low to find the best in environmentally friendly containers for lunchtime and picnics. As the company "To-Go Ware" says, "Reduce your forkprint!"

 

Lunch Bots

I found this product through a friend of mine who, just like me, had been searching for a plastic bag replacement for her children's lunches.  These stainless steel containers are perfect to hold a sandwich, some chips or fruit.  They come in Uno (to hold a large sandwich or bunch of grapes) or Duo (to hold crackers and cheese, or any other two foods that need to be separated.)  They are super cute, coming in blue or orange colored tops, and the kids loved the bright colors.  They are completely safe, free of chemicals, BPA and lead, and Stainless steel is one of the safest materials for food storage and handling!  I also like the fact that these can double as food storage containers for left overs, as I have rid my kitchen of plastic, I am short of containers, these work perfectly!  

Each box is approximately 6.25″ x 4.5″ x 1.75, Visit http://www.lunchbots.com to buy one or both today! $14.99/each.

To-Go Ware

I absolutely love this Lunch set.  It is a 2-tier Stainless Steel "Tiffin" Set, it includes two stainless steel containers that stack on top of each other and then latch together.  It comes with a carrier bag that is made from recycled cotton scraps and natural dyes, as well as a bamboo utensil set that fits inside a very sweet utensil holder that was produced in Delhi, India made entirely out of recycled discarded plastic bags!  You can also get a "side kick" which is a small stainless steel container that is perfect for holding salad dressing or other liquids.  This is the perfect waste-free set, and easy (and rather fashionable) to carry because of the carrier bag it comes with.  Great for kids and adult lunches alike, great to take along with you when you are going out to eat, so you can pack those left overs and not partake in those awful to-go containers that most restaurants carry!  

 

"Eating Sustainably goes beyond just eating Organic.  Each year Americans throw out enough plastic forks, knives & spoons to circle the equator 300 times!  Feed yourself, not the landfill."

-To-Go Ware

LifeWithoutPlastic.com

This is a wonderful website.  Not only do they offer many options of stainless steel food storage containers, in all shapes and sizes, but they offer cups, mugs and children's tableware, lunch boxes and bottles.  Their products are made with the highest grade of stainless steel (304), which is the highest quality around.  You can read more about Stainless steel and how you know your getting high grade stainless products by clicking here:

Learn about Stainless Steel

The thing I liked most about lifewithoutplastic products is the diversity.  They offer so many sizes and options, as well as cups and food storage containers that have a fold out handle so you can use it to re-heat food (since we all know the microwave is not OK)!  You can take these containers camping, or your kids can use to pretend play, the options are endless!

Their prices are reasonable, ranging from $14.95 to $27.95 (for 3-tier container), and the kids three piece dish set for $19.95, superb pricing!

Go to  lifewithoutplastic to order your set today!

 From top left to right:  Greentoys tea set,  Memory game, natural school bus, Greentoys dinner set, wood cup and saucer set, wooden puzzles, nature kalidescope,  wooden rattle, tree branch blocks, stacking nesting blocks, play silks

        With the toxic scare around plastic toys, many parents are turning to toys made with natural materials like cloth and wood. Nothing turns a party in to a flop more than the toxicity factor that may be lurking behind wrapped gifts. Because of millions of lead paint recalls from Diego to Elmo, parents are becoming sick to their stomachs and looking for alternatives to these cheaply made and produced and now toxic toys. Finding toys that are hand-crafted, sturdy and can be past on to future generations are becoming more and more appreciated and demanded today. “The customers who shop with me are picky about the items they buy and the items they want in their homes. My prices are fair but when some handcrafted or wooden items cost more than similar plastic toys, my customers value what they are getting and are willing to pay the difference,” says Sonya Bingaman, owner of the online natural toy boutique A Toy Garden. Many of the toys found on her site and others like hers find crafters from around the World that use recycled and organic materials like waste wood and organic wool. “I have spent nine years searching the World for crafters and companies that I want to work with. It is an ongoing process, like a perpetual scavenger hunt, but is also very rewarding. I love work-from-home crafters and small family businesses,” says Sonya. Sonya started her business by making her own Herbal Play Bean Bags, Apron and Tablecloth Sets, and Play Silks, which she still makes and sells today.

Another online educational healthy toy retailer is Harrisville Designs, which sells supplies for the historic craft of looming and knitting. Knitting is a great learning tool for children in lots of ways, like developing familiarity with natural fibers, dexterity, math skills, design skills, spatial recognition, etc. Patricia Colony, owner of Harrisville Designs says, “We use wood instead of plastic. We use 100% Virgin Wool (which we spin in our mill) in our children's kits or in our potholder kits, we offer 100% Cotton Loops and we are the only ones to have 100% Wool Loops. Our products are made to last and therefore can be passed on to other children for a long time. Our yarns are all natural - no synthetics.” She also noted, “We have definitely been getting a much stronger reaction to our products this year and much of it seems to be from parents who are worried about all of the problems with toys coming from China .”

The physical environment is so important to young children. Through the senses children take in all the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of the world. This is why today’s toys (plastic), with all the blinking, talking, and overall chaos, are a bad idea. They take away from the otherwise beautiful natural environment, which is why toys that blend with our natural environment will help children develop physically, socially and spiritually, and allow them to use (and need) their imagination.

I have discovered a couple websites and unique natural toys that have been tested (by my kids) and approved (by me) for the eco-family, so without further ado, here are the top toys I recommend (and they are affordable)!

Natural School Bus 

Crafted from responsibly harvested unfinished hardwoods, this toy is as natural as it gets. The top is removable so your child can get to the 10 little wooden riders and play with them as well. Hours of fun, non-toxic and a great value! $40.00 

maplelandmark.net

Nature Kaleidoscope Kit

This is a great kit to have around the house for when your child comes to you (and you know they will) and says, “Mom, I want to do a craft!” This kaleidoscope kit is full of beautiful objects found in nature (and you can add your own found nature treasures as well), with an easy to put together design, and the contents can be easily changed, so it is craft you can do over and over again! $12.95  atoygarden.com

PEGLoom

This “Toy” is a great way to introduce your children to the art of weaving. Easy to use, made out of wood and comes with 100% wools, this is a great project for children to create gifts or just keepsakes and occupy and stimulate their wonderful minds. $19.95  harrisville.com

River Barge with String

My kids have just adored this barge. Playing with it in the swim pool, by the river, in the bath, in the kitchen in my pots, dragging it along the floor, oh, the places this boat will see! This Barge is made from old Organically raised Walnut trees planted 150 years ago by homesteaders in Northern California and were only cut down when they had lived long full lives and no longer were producing fruit and needed to be cut. $17.50  atoygarden.com

Silks

Every Child should have a set of silks (or every parent because it keeps the kids so busy), they are the most amazing universal “toy” that will keep your kids busy. Weather it is to use for playing dress up or to be the river running through their stacking blocks, these are a must have. Home dyed and hand-hemmed, these are a steal at $5.50 each  atoygarden.com

 

Stacking (nesting) blocks

These colorful blocks provide hours of entertainment and many different uses. They could be houses, caves, tunnels, or just stackable blocks. My kids like to integrate these into a small town, using them as the little houses scattered around (these are great for the imagination!). Beautiful craftsmanship and dyed with non-toxic stain. $39.95  atoygarden.com

 

Tree Branch Blocks

And we thought blocks only came square, boy were we wrong. These are truly the center of our living room now. Great for stacking, creating, and bringing the nature indoors, my kids are head over heals with these blocks. Each set comes with various shapes and sizes as well as a few “Y” shaped pieces for ultimate stacking power. (Of course my kids somehow turned trees into a space ship!) CAD $39.95 anaturalpod.com

Wooden Cups & Plates

Great for indoor or outdoor use, your kids will love to pretend play with these beautiful wooden cups and plates. Great for play kitchens or any pretend scenarios (Cup of Coffee sir…sure madam. Would you like a scone…why, of course, thanks!) Comes with two cups and plates, CAD $12.97 anaturalpod.com

Natural Cherry Rattle

For the baby in your family, this beautiful hand crafted unique rattle is made from sustainable cherry wood, and each one is different. It is finished with an all-natural Polish, is easy for little hands to grasp and sooths baby’s gums. This is a great alternative to the conventional “teething toys” which are usually made from plastic. $14.95 www.palumba.com

All-Natural Beeswax

If your going to invest in natural toys, it is good to have some quality beeswax on hand to keep them looking and working well. In addition to toys, this beeswax is great for conditioning wooden cutting blocks, concrete countertops and for keeping hands soft as well. www.palumba.com

Beautiful Hand-made wooden animal puzzles

These puzzles are not only beautiful but lots of fun. Fun for children of all ages, choose from mama and baby ($30) puzzles or individual small animals (only 3 pieces, great for two and under only $10). Hand-crafted by a husband and wife duo in Oregon ’s beautiful Willamette Valley . $10-$75 www.dragonwoodarts.com

100% Recycled Plastic Green Toys

Beautiful good for the earth pretend play toys that your kids will absolutely love. Green Toys actually makes their toys for recycled milk jugs, they are completely safe and non-toxic, and they are made in the USA ! Choose from the Tea Set, Indoor Garden Set (which includes dirt pods and seeds), or the amazing Cookware and Dining set; all leaving your kids with hours of green fun! $24.99 - $34.99 www.greentoys.com

Wooden Memory Game

This is what I like to call the indestructible wooden memory game! This game comes with 24 wooden picture tiles depicting 12 different types of the cutest zoo animals and this game is fun for adults and for kids alike! Find this and other amazing eco-friendly toys on www.hazelnutkids.com $21.90

Mini Bus

This is the perfect little companion for your imaginative 2 and 3 year old. This mini beech wood bus comes with three wood passengers, giving your child a smooth ride to take them on. Like the picture shows, my child won’t go to bed without it! CAD $24.95 (Canadian Currency)  naturalpod.com

Mellow Monk is a very unique tea company, where all of their green tea comes from family-owned and operated tea farms in the Aso region of Japan, a very sought after region for farming in Japan because of the soil and the climate (think the napa valley of Japan!).  These farms are family owned and operated and are certified under Japans 'Eco farmer'  program by the Japanese government's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, whose goal is to promote environmentally responsible farming methods and in turn benefit their consumers and our environment.  Mellow Monk really captures what fair trade is, because all of their teas are made on these eco farms, where the workers actually live on the grounds, and devote their entire lives to living and making these exceptional Green Teas.  These farms are located in a region where there are the largest number of certified Eco Farmers in all of Japan (equalling 1/5 of the nations total), which goes to show that there is a high amount of pride in sustainability attached to this regions farmers.

In addition to the outstanding high quality of Mellow Monks teas, they are unsurpassed in aroma and flavor.  The tea Mellow Monk sells is known as tamaryokucha, a type of sencha, and each infusion produces a subtly different taste from the last.  And...you can steep more than once, making it a very economical choice.  The tea is made by steaming instead of pan frying, which is another way of producing tea. But by steaming some say you are preserving more of the disease-fighting antioxidants than frying (which is a major reason why people drink green tea), and this helps to retain the teas natural earth flavors as well.

The two teas I tasted were, the Monk's Choice and the Top Leaf, both of which were outstanding!!!  If I were to describe as I would wine, the nose, mouth and finish were absolutely amazing.  I usually don't really like straight green tea, but this tea has such a fresh, subtle and almost addicting flavor. 

*they vacuum seal their tea in foil packets to help preserve freshness

Price:  $$

 $11.15 for 3.5 oz. (equals 40-50 cups of brewed tea)

Eco-friendly rating:  5

Sustainability rating:  5

www.mellowmonk.com

*Check out their "How to Brew' link on thier site it is very informative for the novice Tea drinker!

As stated on Mellow Monks website:

Mellow Monk's Green Teas is certified by Co-Op America as a green business and is listed in the organization's National Green Pages. This certification represents our dedication to dealing directly with family-owned and -operated growers.

Mellow Monk is also a certified green business under the San Francisco Bay Area Green Business Program. This certification reflects our dedication to environmental responsibility in our U.S. operations.

A beautiful Tea company that is extremely environmentally responsible, utilizing organic farms and environmentally safe products. In addition to their outstanding teas, they envelope their product in Earth-friendly packaging including post-consumer recycled and biodegradable materials and water-based inks, which makes purchasing it all the more worth while.  They company is based on a people not machine attitude, meaning they handcraft all their products, are socially responsible and do their best to educate the public on Organic teas offering tastings and lectures.

They offer Organic & Biodynamic Teas, and a large variety including:  Green, White, Black, Oolong, Blending, Chai Teas, Herbal Infusions and much, much more.  My favorite flavors are the All Spice Chai, the 'What a Pear' and 'Buccaneer' (Black Tea, Toasted Coconut, Chocolate, Vanilla & Rooibos).  You can taste the pure goodness in every cup, seriously!

Price:  $$$

Buccaneer:  $5.00 for 1 oz. tin

What a Pear! $14.00 for 4 oz box

Eco-friendly rating:  5

Sustainability rating:  5

Exotic. Unique. Inspiring.

This is what you see when you first log on to their website, and this is what you get when you taste your first whiff. Yes, that's right, you don't even have to drink their teas to know just how amazing they are, just stop and smell the air in which it encompasses. Their exotic blends like Pomegranate Green Tea, Lavender Earl Grey, Orange Rooibos, and my personal favorite Chamomint (Chammomile and Peppermint).

Their Teas come in loose leaf form, or soon to come Tea Sachets and Medleys.

Their Teas are:

Organically grown, Fair Trade Certified, and their vision states: "Tealandia aspires to be synonymous with superior organic tea and a catalyst for social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and a healthy mind, body and soul."

Price:  $$ 

Chamomint  $8.99 for 1.76 oz.

Green Pomegranate  $8.99 for 2.11 oz.

Eco-friendly rating:  5

Sustainability rating:  5

 

 

I chose this clothing company because they really believe in leaving the smallest footprint they can when producing their products.  Their entity works to provide artisans from around the globe with a better life while bring beautiful one of a kind articles of clothing to people who care about where the things that they purchase come from and want to make sure they were designed and manufactured under optimum healthy and beneficial conditions.  They go above and beyond "Fair Trade" because they work closely with 50 Fair Trade groups in 15 countries, from growing cotton, weaving, dyeing, embroidery, stitching etc.  which translates to helping reduce poverty in the world's most oppressed communities.  This makes their collection special and unique because of the hand woven fabrics, hand screen printing and hand embroidery, you would be hard pressed to find any garment similar to the ones found at People Tree.  I love their mission statement, "People Tree's aim is to use fashion as a tool to help the world's most marginalized people."

The use primarily Organic Cotton fibre in most of their products, as Organic cotton farming is not only less destructive to the environment, but provides better income for farmers and is sustainable long term.

Eco-friendly rating: 5 (made all around the world, not in China)

Sustainability rating:  5

Price: $$

www.peopletree.co.uk

 

This whole company started out of the back of a VW Van (hmmm sounds like Nike all over again, minus all the sweatshop labor).  They started by selling hemp T's to friends and family at local festivals and events and has morphed into a full outstanding line of comfortable, ethical, and natural garments that are perfect for the eco-parents!  One of the fibers they use that I thought was cool, is soy fibre.  Soy fibre is exactly what it sounds like, made from the soy bean.  It feels a lot like cashmere because it is soft, drapes and hugs the skin so softly but it is durable, easy to care for, and best of all, affordable.  Besides Soy fibre, they also use Bamboo, Hemp and Organic Cotton blends in all of their habiliments.

I would describe their clothing as comfortable work attire, that can transition to casual evening comfort attire.  As a working mother with a changing schedule I am always looking for clothing that I will look great and sophisticated/clean in but feel contented enough that when I am at home I don't need to change into something more comfortable.  They offer nice t-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, Tweed pants, Knit pants, jeans, blouses and hats for men and women.  They also offer  "Benefit Tees" where $2 of every t-shirt purchased goes to the 'War Child Canada' which assists tens of thousands of war-affected children each year, very impressive.

The shirt shown above is only $14.50 made from an Organic Cotton & Bamboo blend!

Eco-friendly rating: 4 (made in China)

Sustainability rating: 5

Price:  $$

www.htnaturals.com

*they now offer a 75% off section, great values, check it out!

ShariBe is a simple yet elegant line of clothing for the fashion forward woman who cares for the environment.  ShariBe has been making comfortable beautiful Organic clothing since 2004, and hasn't looked back.  The sheer flow and luxurious feeling these clothes give when you put them on makes them one of a kind sensuous garments.  They offer high quality absolutely designer quality "eco-chic" apparel that is made in the United States under a Sweat-shop-free philosophy, using organically grown fibers like hemp, cotton, bamboo and silk.  Their garments also integrate unique nature inspired buttons from shells, coconuts and renewable woods, and they use absolutely no dyes during the process of their production, alternatively they use water based inks and fiber-reactive dyes.  In two words I describe her clothing as elegantly earthy!

ShariBe also donates a portion of it's sales to organizations that support in the fight of global warming and the promotion of human rights.  They are also proud members of the Organic Trade Commission (OTC), Co-op  American Business Network (CABN) and the Organic Exchange Organization.

The picture above is of a 4-in-one dress off their website, that is a great value at $109, with so many different looks from one sexy super comfortable organic dress!

Eco-friendly rating:  5

Sustainability rating:  5 (made in California)

Price:  $$

They sent me a Bamboo/Organic Cotton blend shirt that felt like I was wrapping myself in sunshine.  I also love how their clothing would be great to buy when pregnant because you could wear many of their garments while pregnant and then still be able to wear them post-pregnancy and they would look beautiful. 

www.ShariBe.com

 

Sameunderneath makes beautiful, sustainable, and super comfortable clothing with a conscious.  They state on each piece of clothing that is sold that their "collection has been developed for conscious individuals that are aware of their personal effect on this planet through education, art, music, fashion and life."  The founder of sameunderneath originally started the company with visions of changing the world through education, him being the teacher of sameunderneath 101.  And I think he has done a great job, through these beautiful pieces of wearable art he has created a moveable and wearable teacher, because every time one wears an article and is asked about it, they can 'teach' the concept behind it's creation.

Cheers to the founder of sameunderneath, Ryan Joseph Davis Christensen
 for having the courage to start this company!

The fabrics they use are Organic Cotton; Sustainably harvested Cashmere that is sourced from China where the hair is removed by hand with a comb, which aids in the goat's natural shedding process; Bamboo, Angora Rabbit hair, and wool, which are all textiles that are kinder to the environment then oil-based synthetics.

I really love thier line of clothing because it isn't just T-shirts and jeans, it is uncommon jackets (that have cool individual patterns on the inside), pants, sweaters, button down shirts with attitude, beautuiful and incomparable dresses, which makes it easy to find a outfit to suit every personality.

Eco-friendly rating: 4 (made in China)

Sustainability rating: 5

Price:  $$$

www.sameunderneath.com