Eco-Friendly Furniture Shopping

I never thought of buying pre-owned furniture and antiques as an eco-friendly way to shop until I bought into the idea after viewing the "1stdibs" website. This online company sells trendy home decor items for less the full price...and with the idea of "recycling" furniture as a smart way to home decorate!

Here' s the site: www.1stdibs.com

Men's Suits = Recycled Bottles

How many plastic bottles does it take to weave one tailored suit? Just 30 bottles says the Bagir clothing company.

For $200 you can purchase an EcoGIR suit made of100% recycled post-consumer materials made from PET bottles. It's an incredible concept and environmentally conscious choice. You can now literally wear your politics on your back to the work place and formal events. Bagir also offers a hybrid suit line which uses 55% PET bottles combined with bamboo and organic cotton. These casual suits have buttons made from palm tree seeds that are eco-consciously grown. Supposedly 1 in every 6 European men own a Bagir suit. They are becoming more visible around the world, and are leading the way in greening the fashion houses.

For more Info see:
http://www.bagir.com/?CategoryID=204&ArticleID=288

Best Water Bottle – Hydrate with SIGG Style

Thumbs up for these Limited Edition Asian-inspired reusable water bottles by SIGG ($22). SIGG, a 100 year old Swiss company, is known for its quality built products, garnering a consistent loyal base in Europe and Canada.

Four good reasons to buy a SIGG:

1) SIGGs are lined with ceramic leaving water tasting like water—not the plastic or metal container it’s in (FDA approved).

2) SIGGs are eco-friendly – Reusable, made from recyclable aluminum and 1% of every purchase goes toward environmental causes!

3) SIGGs are stylish – They come in 149 fun designs, 6 of them Asian themed

4) SIGGs are functional – They are well constructed and durable, noted as “the world’s toughest water bottle” (Backpacker Magazine), yet weighs almost the same as a plastic bottle.

Unfortunately, SIGG manufacturers are completely sold out of their products for 2008, and according to Hawaii store owners the Asian designs in particular are nearly impossible to find.

Island Secret - Where to Get It:

Lily Lotus Boutique, Kaimuki (only a handful of Asian designs left)
Online: REI and Patagonia (regular designs)