Sustainable is Good | Where design, lifestyle and packaging meet

icelandic angora socks

Icelandic Angora Socks

These socks are made from a blend of Angora rabbit fir (20%), lambswool (50%), polyamid (25%) and lycra 5%. Let me just say they are incredible. Being someone who appreciates socks especially ones that are well constructed and sustainable I am amazed by these socks. Warm and fuzzy, soft and hold their shape. I picked up a pair in Iceland and they have seen quite a fair amount of use here in the winter. The socks are Varma made by Glofi in Iceland. They are available through on the internet through Canada here.

Growing up I was aware through friends of people raising Angora Rabbits and making sweaters out of their fur but had actually never seen a product made from Angora so I was thrilled. The Angora is very very soft and really adds a nice element to the socks. They are similar to some of the Smartwool socks I have but the added Angora makes them even softer. I’d highly recommend them.

sturms organic oatmeal

Sturm's Organic Oatmeal Passes the Taste Test

   
Sturm’s organic oatmeal is a product to consider. I picked up a box of Maple Spice at Walmart of all places for about $2.50 for a box of eight packets, no question a good deal. The quality was excellent not too sweet, no sodium and very good maple spice flavor. Made by Sturm Foods in Manawa, WI. The company has a whole line of organic products and appears committed to expanding in this direction.

moosewood organic

Moosewood Organic Frozen Entrees

Moosewood organic frozen dinners are terrific, I highly recommend them. The recipes were created by the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Moosewood has been making vegetarian foods for over thirty years and has quite a following. They have also recently gotten into the foodservice business supplying vegetarian soups to colleges and universities. Anyway, Moosewood teamed up with Fairfield Farm Kitchens to produce these frozen entrees. Fairfield Farm is located in Brockton, MA and also produces the very popular Organic Classics line of frozen entrees.

The Moosewood entrees are excellent there currently Mararoni & Three Cheese, Farfalle with Spinach Pesto and Portabello Mushrooms, Broccoli and Pasta Parmesan, Moroccan Stew, Pasta e Fagioli, Spicy Penne Puttanesca and Southwest Red Beans and Cornbread. The quality and taste is just fantastic - I find myself having them at work, for a quick meal and for dinner.

The packaging is fully recyclable. This is a winning combination Moosewood and Fairfield Farms both have excellent histories - Fairfield Farms was an old daily about the close and when Fairfield Farms was created they saved the dairy and all fifty jobs their which was just terrific for the people involved

My personal favorite is the Broccoli and Pasta Parmesan its lite and creamy excellent taste not overly salty and tastes great. To find out where you can buy Moosewood organic entrees and soups as well as the Organic Classics entrees visit the Fairfield Farms website and check under store locater. The website also contains all the nutritional information for all their products. Another positive for the Moosewood frozen entrees is the price. They are available for less than $4 a piece, which compared to many other similar products is excellent.

direct recycling

surplus maps recycled into envelopes with lots of charm

This is a very interesting product made by  Direct Recycling I came across them in Paris and was intrigued when I returned looked into them more. They are envelopes made in a variety of common sizes, made entirely from surplus maps. The envelopes are 100% post consumer waste and are really quite charming. Sending people letters using these envelopes will generate notice for sure. They are very well constructed and of high quality. In France I was able to buy bundles of 50 for about 4 euros, they appear more expensive here in the US.

Anyhow I thought this was a really neat product and a great idea taking surplus paper items and making them into other useful products that are unique and innovative. Way to go Direct Recycling these are great.

muji socks

muji recycled yarn socks from japan

Check out these socks made from recycled yarn from Japanese company MUJI. These socks are really neat their colors are wacky and cool and they fit well. I had a pack given to me from the MoMA store in NYC and I wear them regularly - the socks are available @ MoMA or from MUJI stores on or online. MUJI is often described as a "Japanese IKEA" however they carry a wide range of men's and women's clothing. The company has many sustainable practices including using recycled cardboard in many of its products, using unbleached cotton and practicing sustainable forestry.

java log

java logs - firelogs made from recycled coffee grounds

Ok let me just say these things are cool.  Java Logs are a new product made from recycled coffee grounds - they are an alternative to other fireplace logs and wood for fireplaces. The packaging is also 100% recycled.

I bought a box of 6 of these logs recently at a Sams Club store they were about $14.50 - slightly more expensive than other similar products. They work great. The logs last about three hours they crackle and have a good sized flame and do not omit any chemical smell or anything like that. They are easy to use and light with one match simply by lighting the packaging (which is 100% recycled).

As a coffee drinker myself, I can certainly appreciate a product that recycles used coffee grounds. I end up dumping my used coffee ground outdoors in my flower bed or other place. Their product takes used coffee grounds and makes them into a useful item I think many people will enjoy. I am impressed with Java Log and will use them when I have a fire at home.