Eco Friendly Product Guide

A handbag is an important accessory to have. As many will tell you, one can never have too many purses. There are ones to go with different outfits, ones for different occasions and handbags that were simply impulse buys while you are walking around the store.

In keeping of the tradition of unique bags, there is also one that is made from recycled material, and looks really cute, too. The Hand Bag available from Chopstick Art is (as the name may lead you to believe) made from recycled chopsticks. In addition, the lining and strap are both made from hemp, making this bag a nice, eco-friendly way to carry all your stuff.

This bag available from Chopstickart.com will only set you back $32, which is a small fraction of the price of some of the purses you see being carried around these days.

No, you’re not on a cosmic trip. This is actually one in a set of greeting cards available from Aurora Visionary Art that are sensitive to the needs of the environment and give back to the world as well.

The cards are all printed on recycled paper, and the ink used on each card is soy ink. Keep in mind the greatness doesn’t stop there. A portion of all of the proceeds are donated to an organization that feeds children in India through the website Hamsa-Yoga.org. There is commentary on the back of each card describing the imagery and the artist responsible for said imagery.

The cards are available for purchase in a variety of ways, including by the dozen ($36), the half dozen ($18), a gift set ($20), and wholesale ordering if you are looking to purchase a mass quantity of orders.

The wine bottle is commonly welcomed as a gift with open arms at many social events. I’m not going to lie to you, if I see you show up at my door for a dinner party and you’ve got the trusty wine bag in your hand it means you have come bearing gifts…and ultimately, found the key to my heart.

Nubius Organics sells these Vintage Sari Wine Bags by Kismet, which win on many levels: they meet fair trade standards, are recyclable, and reusable. Not to mention, all Kismet products are handmade with eco-friendly items (stuff that is recyclable, vintage, you name it). This means that you also get a unique product each time you purchase one.

Each bag is made from a vintage sari by hand, so you are guaranteed a unique wine bottle bag every time.

In addition, it’s reusable, so you can think up all sorts of clever uses for the bag after the bottle of wine is out. This is one gift people will be ok regifting.

So going for $9.50 each, you get a one-of-a-kind bag that holds a standard bottle of wine, and is good for the environment. I’ll toast to that!

Picking out a shower curtain can be somewhat of a tedious undertaking. There’s a matter of sifting through dozens at the big box stores that can be tacky, and then there’s the time it takes to find one that will be stylish and unique to fit your home bathroom.

However, Gaiam makes a wonderful eco-friendly shower curtain made from long-staple, flax based linen. This is nice, because not only does it look great, but flax based linen is grown without any pesticides, it’s all natural.

Available in a “natural” finish, it is a versatile shower curtain to fit any bathroom.

In addition, the shower curtain is quite durable, and at $59, it’s good to know that you won’t be needing another shower curtain for awhile.