Hippyshopper

Tavelland River Table

Containing a tiny, perpetually moving river running through the center of it, the Tavelland River Table is a stress-defusing device that provides the gentle babble of water. (May not work so well if you have children as they'll probably try to do anything from drown themselves in it to fill it with Pot Noodles.) [GT]

Tavelland River Table

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Aladdin footlights from vintage glassware

Designer Stuart Haygarth has collected inexpensive glassware from jumble sales and thrift stores and assembled it on black-sprayed MDF light boxes to form glowing, semi-museum-looking footlights called Aladdin. The glass has been separated by colour, and the colour of the box is solely derived from the glass. A limited edition of 10 available in green, amber, purple, red, blue, green/blue, rose and clear. Size varies from 674 x 674 mm to 1282 x 1282 mm, with the height tending to be about 45 cm. [Gabrielle Taylor]

Aladdin

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FlexibleLove chair seats one, two, eight?

The FlexibleLove chair starts out small - a modest shape that could fit in the tiniest flat. But given need and opportunity, it can accordion out to accommodate as many people as you're likely to want to sit that close to. Weighing only 10 kilos, it supports up to 1900 kilos and is made entirely of post-consumer goods. Video after the jump.

While the pressboard look of the sides does detract from the aesthetic somewhat, it could easily enough be decoupaged into stylishness. £420. [Gabrielle Taylor]

FlexibleLove 16 Folding Chair [via TechEBlog]

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Reddish cross-stitched breadboard

Adding a sweetly traditional touch to a very modern looking shape, the Cross stitched bread stand has a nice lip at each side to turn the standard board into a tray, and some delicate cross-stitch embroidery going into the actual wood. 47L X 17W X 5H cm [Gabrielle Taylor]

Cross stitched bread stand

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Lluna coatrack brings the trees indoors

The Lluna coatrack by Alex Selma is a combination of modern aesthetic with a rugged, organic sensibility, with the tagline, "new resources, new ways". Available in lacquered earth-tone or cream. [Gabrielle Taylor]

[via Design Spotter]

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Haworth Zody recyclable Aeron contender

There are two distinct things about the Haworth Zody chair: at only $700 it's a lot more likely you can afford one versus the Aeron (and trust me, a good chair is the second best investment you can make, behind a good bed) and, it's made from 51% recycled content, is 98% recyclable at the end of its lifespan, and is made from 100% green wind power. (Third, it looks pretty cute.) [Gabrielle Taylor]

Haworth Zody [via Cool hunting]

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"You are here" recycled tyre welcome mat

Do you know where you are?  For sure?  If you're ever in doubt, the You Are Here doormat can set your mind at ease.  Likewise balmy for the soul is knowing it's made entirely from recycled truck tyres, like the Solio TREAD cases, which means there's no chance for them to end up in decades' long fires.  $28 USD.  [GT]

[via Great Green Goods]

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Adagio sustainable Umbila wood tub

Feel good about lolling in Adagio's limited edition Umbila wooden bath.  Umbila is layered and carved into this distinctive yet classic shape that really lets the beauty of the wood do the talking.  Since wood doesn't get cold the way porcelain or metal do, you'll also get better bang out of putting hot water in it, and won't get frozen toes from walking in an empty one.  [GT]

Adagio's limited edition Umbila wooden bath [via Trendir]

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Green Tea and Silk from Dreamsacks

Could you ask for more than handsewn Habotai silk in delicate tea green from Dreamsacks?  How about a Green Tea and Meadow Green Habotai silk coverlet on sale?  The coverlet is huge (94" x 98") with one side the lighter green and the other the darker.  Matching shams also available.  Cotton fill.  $350 USD.  [GT]

Green Tea and Meadow Green Habotai silk coverlet

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Tufenkian child-labour-free rugs

The fine detail and enormous work involved in creating hand-woven rugs makes it a prime area for child labour, so it's important to know the ethical background on one before buying it.  Not only does Tufenkian Outlet vet all their products before selling, they let you do the same: pay the shipping and you can "test drive" their rugs for up to two weeks before making a final decision.  This is also time for their semi-annual display model clearance with rugs at up to 75% off.  [GT]

Tufenkian Outlet

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A Maibaum of your own

Traditionally, a maibaum is a tree placed in the center of a village and then reshaped in a ritual at the end of April.  Building on the idea, this Claasen & Partner Maibaum is bark shaped into organic storage shapes which can be stacked atop each other.  Get tired of it?  Throw it in the garden, it'll compost itself.  [GT]

Claasen & Partner Maibaum

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Barier: The Football House

The Barier house is a prefab shaped like an ovoid football (that's egg-shaped for you non-eggheads). It has great natural temperature control in its design, keeping cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It also floats, making it suitable for quick setup in flood zones, isn't subject to damage by earthquakes, and is resistant to snow damage. Naturally a dull metallic colour, it can be painted any shade you like, and the panels replaced with windows to give as much natural light as you want. Available now! [GT]

Barier prefab house [via Treehugger]

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Polar Bear Bottles show their vanishing future

Tiffany Burnett did a pretty and telling piece of art showing the future of polar bears. She sandblasted polar bears onto antique blue medicine bottles, showing the ratio of bears now, to 2036, 2066, and 2106. How many in 2106? None.  [GT]

Future of polar bears [via Treehugger]

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Delight Shade casts shadows of spring

Look closer at the seemingly random cutouts on the Delight Shade: they're butterflies! Made from 100% natural felt and available in the most melting pink, sky blue or cream, the Delight Shade is made and designed (by Nahoko Koyama) in the UK. Be sure to use only with an 11 watt energy saving bulb; a 60 watt bulb will scorch the fabric. £65. [GT]

Delight Shade

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Moppels: lovely LED lights

Moppels, while competely adorable, should not be mistaken for pets. They are, in fact, lovely LED lamps which give low-energy light either from 3 AAA batteries or a USB port.

Bendable, you can position them any way you want and shed light in a variety of settings - in the car or in bed, perhaps.

They come with either suckers or magnets, and I want one to sit on my iron bedstead and illuminate my bedtime book. Just $25 from here.

[Via UberGizmo]

Related stories: Recycled lamp | Flower lamp | Sven Table Lamp

Upcycling: Yield Shelving

Reminiscent of the Lago Tangram shelves from last year, Chris Burton's Upcycling exhibition used construction waste as the basis for his art and craft pieces.  Burton said: "Despite construction and demolition debris being the highest percentage of waste entering landfills today, there is a lack of effort by residential contractors and construction companies to take responsibility of this growing problem." Burton hopes his exhibition will create social awareness, encouraging individuals to act locally and think globally when it comes to finding ways to divert waste from landfills.  [GT]

Chris Burton's Upcycling exhibition [via Inhabitat]

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Save water - install a urinal at home

Why not install a urinal at home? After all, they don't take up much room and use less water than a toilet. Clark Sorensen has even gone to the trouble of designing pretty scary models, so you can have the weirdest nicest bathroom on the block.

Alternatively, you can save even more water by installing this waterless urinal from Duravit.

Okay, if you're female, you may need to practice a little, but still...

[Via Treehugger]

Related storie: Ecocube | Save water, world, money

Hemp curtain panels from DOC

These curtain panels from DOC (Draper's Organic Cotton) are made from hemp and have a natural, uneven weave which filters sunlight gently into your room.

The tabs feature pretty embroidery and there are four colours available; natural (pictured), deep olive green, aubergine or duck egg blue.

The curtains coordinate with DOC's matching hemp table linen and cost £40 a panel.

Related stories: Hemp Hoodies | Sexy sexy hemp panties | Armani's hemp clothing

Lisa Solomon repurposes paint chips

The controversy on Lisa Solomon's pieces involving point sewing on paint chips isn't about them being witty or pretty or charming (which they all are) - it's about the price, which is $400 USD each. Some at design*sponge thought this was nuts and some said, what price beauty? Solomon herself appeared to point out that she is a professional artist with a studio to pay for - and also that professional galleries wouldn't let her charge the $100-$200 she actually wanted to. I grew up an artist so I know what she means; price is complex and perverse and maddening. When all one really wants is to give everybody something nice it's hard to factor money into that in a sensible way. If you want enough you have to charge too much or you won't get any. And then you get too much, and it gets distracting. And then you sit in your office with your MacBook and your Maine Coon and wonder why you don't quit your job so you can finish your novel. I feel for you, Lisa. [GT]

Lisa Solomon [via design*sponge]

Related stories: Origami paint chips into business card cases | Indie Craft Documentary | Affordable art at design*sponge

The Contour Crafting appliance that makes your home

Going one step beyond designing a house for your virtual reality avatar to live in, Contour Crafting lets you develop a virtual version of your house, then hire a robot to build the shell in 24 hours. It uses a lot of ceramics, which not only will reduce problems with offgassing and termites and dust mites, but let you feel like you're living in a giant, pleasantly-warmed teapot. (If living in giant teapot is your thing; realistically it'd let you have any kind of house you want without worrying about the construction guys snickering that you want the loo covered with swarovski crystals or your bed stuck to the ceiling.) [GT]

Contour Crafting [via Treehugger]

Related stories: Sybarite's sprawling concept prefab | Dubai Tower Solar Powered | Roll your own house with the Snail Shell System

Twist Coatrack: single material elegance

Simple and sculptural, the Twist Coatrack is still sturdy and able to hold a pile of coats and hats in a minimum of space. Designed by Burtscher and Bertollini, it's also satisfaction guaranteed and comes in at $278 USD. [GT]

Twist Coatrack [via Better Living Through Design]

Related stories: Neues Licht uses glass fibers instead of LEDs | Sustainable chair made from human hair | Eco-friendly Umbrella Stand

The green welly brigade

There are over 50 groups of plastics, each with hundreds of different varieties, and knowing how to dispose of them ecologically can be daunting. But the good news is that all types can be recycled, and few have made this point more strongly and creatively than Smile Plastics, whose recycled plastic sheets are being turned by designers into stylish, everyday objects as well as stunning works of art.

Technology has a lot to answer for when it comes to our heavy reliance on plastics, and many of Smiles' materials are derived from the increasingly colourful (and shiny) world of computers, personal stereos and mobile phones. But it's their latest sheets, made from shredded kids' wellies that really caught my eye. Showcased at last year's [re] Design exhibition at London's Truman Brewery, the squishy, tactile 'wellie sheets' look a bit like abstract impressionist paintings, bursting with colour. They can be used to make table cloths, bar coverings, bathroom mats and even flooring. Personally, I'd rather like one on my wall...

If you want to know more about how and where to recycle plastics, Waste Online have a no-nonsense guide here.

We covered Smile Plastics about this time last year, but they were too good to let you forget about.

Neues Licht uses glass fibers instead of LEDs

The UFO Neues Licht pendant lamp provides a floating wheel of illumination with a bright white stripe not unlike the spaceship it's named for. Instead of using compact bulbs or even LEDs, though, it has the lighting system built right into the lamp, having light forming and broadcasting from the glass fibers comprising the spokes. Beautiful, but beyond beautiful, it introduces a new way of thinking about how we're going to light objects in the future. [GT]

UFO Neues Licht [via Cocolico]

Related stories: Flower Lamp: Rewarding Energy Behaviors | Lumen shadow oil lamp | Brilliant glowing brick

Bamboo Countertop - sustainable and harder than maple

Now instead of stone (expensive to ship and requiring special technique to install) you can have formeldahyde-free countertops in form of bamboo sheets from Totally Bamboo. 16% harder than maple and growing like - like grass, which it is - bamboo countertop sheets are available in 4' and 8' and four different grains. The vertical grain looks remarkably like a standard hardwood but is much more sustainable as well as lighter to ship. Also available for backsplash decoration. [GT]

Totally Bamboo countertops and backsplashes [via Trendir]

Related stories: Bamboo carbon does, well, everything | Bambu SnapStix | Bamboo towels at Nigel's Eco Store

Bic Ballpoint Pen Chandelier

Involving hundreds of cheap, disposable Bic pens and arranging them in four layers, the En Pieza Volvik lamp is an interesting statement about both modern values and modern chic. Inevitably commenters complain that they "could do that myself" (to which the counter is: but you didn't!) but the point is more that it can lead to design choices that can be executed without recourse to rare and expensive materials. (Plus, uh, you never need to look for a pen again.) Available in transparent and opaque orange. $1000 USD each, in a limited edition of 30. [GT]

En Pieza Volvik lamp [via Inhabitat]

Related stories: Green light for Ecocentric | Flower Lamp: Rewarding Energy Behaviors | Kwytza Kraft recycled chopstick furnishings

Call for proposals for six art gardens in Quebec City

Quebec City's 400th anniversary occurs in 2008, and part of the celebration involves six Contemporary Ephemeral Gardens. Each garden will be designed by a living artist, to be established in the heart of the festivities, and to live only so long as the celebration does, from June 10 to September 28, 2008. Each garden should address the three major themes of the festival:

Where the river narrows;
Your history, my history, our history ;
and Sowing the seeds of culture.

[GT]

A Call For Creation Of Contemporary Ephemeral Gardens [via Land+Living]

Related stories: Iota garden decor | Joan Baez braves bulldozers for LA organic garden | Barnet Garden Project provides chemical-free veg and a hand up

Sven Table Lamp - stylish energy saving

The Sven table lamp by Lucesco is stylish as well as energy saving. I love the retro feel and the attention-to-detail; like the rotary switch in the base with its red LED that glows to help you to find it in the dark.

Powered by 40 energy-efficient white LEDs, the Sven lamp uses only 22 watts of power and delivers the light of a 60 to 75 watt bulb in traditional lamps. The design keeps the LEDs cool and prolongs their life to around 50,000 hours.

[Via Apartment Therapy]

Related: Light Reading Book Lamp | Flower Lamp

Cocoa husk mat traps outdoor gunk

When cocoa beans are skinned to be turned into chocolate, the husks left behind can be made into extremely high-quality boot mats.  Instead of using plastic bristles, Musson Vinyl Back Cocoa Mats (not so green as we'd like because they do have vinyl backs) have husk fibers set in rubber which provide excellent brushing action to skive off and trap all your outdoor gunge.  Available in custom sizes.  Would love to see this concept combined with backing made from the same material as the PVC-free PrAna Eco Mat.  [GT]

Musson Vinyl Back Cocoa Mats

Related stories: PrAna ECO Mat lacks evil PVC | TAKEGTF2 SuSu Bamboo Speakers | Bamboo Towels from Ecocentric

The Jungle Book 2 grows on itself

While the insides of The Jungle Book 2 are readable in the conventional sense, the cover is embedded with seeds, and after it's activated it starts sprouting grass.  The longer it goes on, the more care it requires (but the more beautiful it gets) and the more difficult the book itself is to read (but if they can't get through it in a few weeks they're probably reading The Information and could use a cool green brain-rest anyhow).  [GT]

The Jungle Book 2

Related stories: Grass armchair from Purves & Purves | Low-pollution lawn mowers | Grow your own herbal beauty products

Tree House Fridge

I love this Treehouse fridge concept; although it is a little space-hungry relative to the usual monolithic fridge, it does offer some interesting opportunities to make use of unusually shaped spaces, plus, properly designed, it would allow one to simply insert extra cold storage as necessary. The engineering would be tricky - making things cold is a job and a half - but it's a wonderful take on new ways of looking at an appliance that's become stratified. [GT]

Treehouse fridge [via BornRich]

Related stories: Weekend DIY: Build a workbench from an old fridge | The frugal fridge | Love Eco Bottle Cap Fridge Magnets

Recycled Aluminum 20-06 Chair

At $400 USD each it's hard to say how many times you'll need to stack the Foster + Partners Recycled Aluminum 20-06 chair ten high, but you can if you like. 15% lighter than the original 10-06 Navy chair, it also makes new minimalist-chic function out of a resource-intensive material. Aluminum, like gold, is too valuable to leave in one shape too long! [GT]

Foster + Partners Recycled Aluminum 20-06 chair [via Inhabitat

Related stories: Making recycling sexy with the Binvention | Recycled aluminum foil from Natural Collection | itbox omnifunctional modular coolness

Charade Stainless Steel 800x800 LED Shower

Loaded with hundreds of needle jets and twenty gleaming LEDs, the Charade oversized LED shower head by Fornara & Maulini uses high pressure and low-energy light to create a completely decadent bathing experience. Mirror-shiny, the finish and nozzles are also designed for easy care. Who says you can't have flash and substance? [GT]

Charade oversized LED shower head by Fornara & Maulini [via Trendir]

Related stories: Oggz rechargable LED mood lights | Wrought iron LED candle lanterns | Green Building Company's one-stop shop for water saving

Solar Tube Skylights

That you don't have room for a window where the light happens to be is no excuse for not getting natural light.  With the Solatube, you essentially periscope light through a zigzag, highly-polished metal tube, to emit as a beam of sunny goodness wherever you like.  Natural light, being what our eyes were designed to appreciate, makes everything look better and makes you happier, and if you can buy happiness in a non-drug form, well, you'll be a man, my son.  [GT]

Solatube [via Inhabitat]

Related stories: Sunlight Direct Hybrid Solar Lighting | A window on ethical consumerism | Solar insect theatre

Durat - Recycled to last

Durat surfaces are 100% recyclable and made of 50% recycled material, which can be molded into seamless forms in 60 different colours. Suitable for constructing worktops and furniture, it could also be applied to any surface that wants something a bit sturdier than paint (think a bright red Durat ceiling fan, for example, to match the sink trough here) and peeled off for rendering when you get tired of, say, bright red. This ultra-flexible product was developed in Finland and is available in 2900 x 800 mm sheets or finished sinks. [GT]

Durat - Recycled to last [via Trendir]

Related stories: Popoutz recycled plastic bird feeders in glam colors | Recycline's Preserve recycled plastic goods | Spacefruit recycled plastic necklace and bracelet

2006 roundup #13: Top eco-shop: EcoCentric

There's no doubt that Hippyshopper's favourite new shop in 2006 was Oliver Heath's EcoCentric.  Announced in April, EcoCentric carries products ranging from the Solar Powered Alien Robot Kit or Cue n' 8 Salt and Pepper to the more conventional Bamboo Towels or Swing bags.  Offering sleek eco-style at reasonable prices, EcoCentric is sure to be a green staple for years to come.  [GT]

Original stories: EcoCentric urban eco chic | Green light for Ecocentric | Solar Powered Alien Robot Kit | Cue n' 8 Salt and Pepper | Bamboo Towels from Ecocentric | Swing bags at Oliver Heath's EcoCentric store

2006 roundup #14: Support elephants, not breasts

Project Elephant, which is a charity designed to prevent elephants from extinction, is good.  The Bombay Bedspread Company gave a cut of their fair-trade Indian bedspreads to Project Elephant (and we're pleased to note that the mention of PE here at Hippyshopper helped generate a bit of that donation).  When you know exactly what's going on with the money, and trust the participants, you can hope to shop in a way that generates bonus dividends for charity.  GreaterGood, which lets you click to save rainforest, provide food, etc, is another fine example of socially-charged shopping.  But what about the pink-ribbon goods?  The Assertive Cancer Patient feels exploited, because often manufacturers stick a ribbon or some pink on a piece of gear and provide almost nothing in actual cancer support.  My personal observation as a disabled woman is, on top of that, that breast cancer is not exclusively a woman's disease.  All this pink is condescending as hell!  Plus, why is it cancer of the breast is the one getting all the attention?  We get strokes, too; shouldn't the problems with our brains be more important than the problems with parts of our body that we can survive without?  Or is there a suggestion that the breasts are so blasted important that they must be saved at all costs?  Toss the brain!  Save the boobies!  [GT]

Original stories: Bombay Bedspread Company: beautiful, ethical, affordable | Donate to Project Elephant via The Bombay Bedspread Company | Fair Trade elephant quilts | GreaterGood gives greater gifts | Yay or Nay: Boycott Breast Cancer month

Trannon Furniture by David Colwell Design

Sustainable is David Colwell's watchword when designing, and his philosophy in implementing. This shows in his Trannon Furniture, with its simple, clean lines that leave the wood and glass plainly exposed. His pieces are also designed for long haul usage at every step, to be "a delight to own", in all senses: comfortable, beautiful, practical. Shown here is his TS Series table in ash with a glass top. The glass is set on suction cups that are super-strong, but which allow the table to be easily dismantled for transport. [GT]

Trannon Furniture

Related stories: Plexiglass + lavender = table | Sunrise Outdoor Table | &made dual-purpose furniture

Castor Canadensis Credenza2

Castor Canadensis is a funky Canadian design company producing some sleek green work with Credenza2.  Made from a single sheet of plywood without a scrap left over, it ties together like the Dude's rug with two bright red ratchet straps with steel hardware.  Unlike most credenzas, it's easy to move: just unpick the ratchets and it falls down like a house of cards.  [GT]

Castor Canadensis Credenza2 [via Treehugger]

Related stories: Lago Tangram Shelves | Unto This Last flatpack wooden furniture | Pull up a paper softseat from Molo

2006 roundup #37: Pot de feu tabletop grill

Form met function with an eco-twist in surprising places in 2006, such as the Pot de feu tabletop grill made from old propane tanks.  If you combine it with some indoor fireplace technology you can do bannock right on your tabletop, too.  But mostly what John T Unger (who also did the Great Bowl O Fire last year) showed is that recycling and repurposing need creative thinking.  In this case, the results of that creative thinking can be yours for $75 USD ($80 in matte black). 

Original story: Pot de feu tabletop grill | Great Bowl O Fire

Striped Woolen Throw for whenever it gets cold outside

It's a bit hard to recommend a blanket, what with springy balminess going on despite it being practically Christmas, but the Striped Woollen Throw from EcoCentric is so soft and creamy looking that maybe it could just be a nice chair cover until winter returns. It's made in Denmark at a traditional yarn mill, with locally sourced Gotland wool (local to Denmark, of course) and comes in a natural blend of gray, cream and white. £90, which,