Decorating & Design
March 17, 2022
The Healthy Home: 45 Eco-Friendly Products We Love
Every month in House & Home, we share our favorite products that are good for you and the planet in our regular column, The Healthy Home. Scroll down to see a complete list of these finds.
Bosch’s 500 Series Washer & Dryer
The hardest working room in the house is now more adaptable than ever, thanks to the latest wave of laundry essentials. Last year, the 500 Series from Bosch received Energy Star’s most efficient rating, operating on about 50 per cent less energy than conventional models. The pair can be placed side by side under a counter or tucked away in a cabinet.
Surrey Laundry Drying Rack
Favored by designers for its classic good looks, this drying rack can be raised to keep floor place clear, and is available in two lengths with four or six rails.
Savon Noir Liquid Black Hand Soap
At The Soap Dispensary and Kitchen Staples in Vancouver, you’ll find refills on more than 800 bulk products, plus ingredients for making your own cleaning essentials. This hot-find hand soap does the job of a dozen household cleaners in one.
King Home Multi-Surface Cleaner
Bottled in a container sourced from reclaimed ocean plastic, this cleaner is made with aromatic peppermint and tea tree essential oils.
Concentrated Cleaning Vinegar
This unique product from Toronto’s Pretty Clean Shop is a disinfectant and fabric softener in one!
Swedish Sponge Cloths
Ten and Co. is a haven for eco-friendly household staples. Pictured is shop owner Christen Irwin with the Swedish sponge cloths that started it all. A single cloth can replace upwards to 30 rolls of paper towels.
“I wanted to make sustainable products really accessible, attractive and not overwhelming,” says Christen. Favorite finds include recycled blankets handwoven in Mexico by Indigenous artisans, biodegradable brushes from Germany, enamelware dishes are more.
Two-tone Cork Trivets
New Zealand design company Città’s two-tone cork trivets are water resistant, wipeable and bring a hit of texture to the table.
Cork Made Modern
The resilient combo of oak and cork in DAM’s Alice Cork dining chair and marble and cork in the Celeste Cork side table make these pieces from Portugal especially hardworking.
The Ombré Blue Glassware
Through a collaborative process, each piece of this collection is made in a family-owned workshop in Hidalgo, Mexico.
The Grey Otomi Sublime Framed Print
The symbolism and iconography in this textile design reflect time-honored traditions and beliefs of harmony with nature.
The Red Clay Decorative Pitcher
Red clay, or barro rojo, from the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico gives this piece its deep-red pigment.
The Strata Linea Tile Collection
Ten types of salvaged natural stone make up this stunning collection by Clé, including Carrara, Crema and travertine, that combine for a chic, patchwork look.
The Cosmos Lightning Tile
An answer to the love of geometric, black and white tiles in the design world, this tile is full of details, texture and contrasting color combos.
The Honeysuckle Tile
This PaperStone tile incorporated recycled paper, recycled melamine and non-petroleum-derived resins that are heat-pressed to form a durable, vividly patterned surface.
The City Bricks Tile Series
This collection by Walker Zanger remakes the classic subway tile, mixing heavily textured clay with one-third recycled content from manufacturing processes.
The Waste-Free Wrapping Paper
Reducing single-use paper has brought new attention to furoshiki, the Japanese tradition of wrapping gifts in reusable fabrics. Toronto-based Wrappr commissions original artwork for its vibrant silk, cotton and satin gift wraps.
The Muscle Salve Made From Organic Oils
Pá7pawtn Nettle and Arnica Sore Muscle Salve is formulated with organic olive oil, arnica oil, nettle oil, beeswax and peppermint essential oils, and comes in a brass-toned tin that slips nicely into a stocking (hint, hint).
The Vegan Pet Accessories
With its vegan leather and classic details, the Walker Black + Leash Small set takes dog walking in a stylish direction.
The Minimalist Incense Holder
This Flat Burner incense holder is made from recycled brass, lending a refined presence to your coffee table.
The Multipurpose Candle
These refillable candles feature soy wax and wooden wicks, and come in a handmade concrete vessel that’s designed for a long, multipurpose life. Pro tip: the repurposed vessel makes a great planter!
The Fossil-Fuelled Seed Resin Bowl
Resin from a byproduct of the oil industry form the basis of these catchall dishes available in various sizes.
The Second Life Vase
Large enough to accommodate long-stemmed branches, the rose-coloured Babylon vase is made from 100% recycled coated glass.
The Family-Friendly and Planet-Friendly Building Blocks
The pieces of this classic tumbling tower game are handmade in Vancouver using discarded wood and bamboo chopsticks.
The Recycled Throw
From the Canadian-owned brand meshing luxe and sustainability, the Siempre blankets are made entirely from fabric scraps that have been shredded and rewoven into new, luxuriously soft yarn.
The Woven Wild Nettle Pillows
French brand Mille et Claire’s minimalist throw pillows are woven on traditional looms in India from organic cotton or wild nettle, a material touted as an earth-friendly fibre of the future. Embellished with contrasting threads in graphic patterns, the pillows are a timely blend of age-old craftsmanship and contemporary style. Toss them on sofas and beds for an instant update.
The Recycled Brass Towel Ring
Mi&Gei has a knack for turning everyday items into artisanal moments that take rooms up a notch. The studio’s unlacquered Libre Forme No. 13 towel ring resembles a slim bangle and is hand-cast from recycled brass, giving it an artfully sculpted appearance.
The Vegetable-Dyed Rug
When temperatures dip, layer bare floors with Dash & Albert’s durable Kuba Black Woven Jute rug. Jute grows quickly without the need for pesticides, fertilizer or lots of water, giving it an appeal that reaches beyond its good looks. In ivory and black, this chunky vegetable-dyed flatweave reads like polka dots for a look that’s both playful and sophisticated.
The Responsibly Harvested Wood Furniture
Vancouver furniture maker Jeff Martin uses responsibly harvested lumber to create his wood furniture. Additionally, 300 trees are planted for each piece sold. Pictured is a selection of furniture by Jeff including his Shaker desk and Tuning Fork bench. The art is by Rubeena Ratcliffe and the floor lamp is from Lambert & Fils.
The Cast-Off Vessels
Jeff Martin also elevates production methods to high art, repurposing the material remnants, moulds and casts used for his custom furniture to create new pieces like his vibrant glassware collection, Excavated Vessels. “We recycle as much cast-off material as possible in order to extract the most use and beauty from it,” he says.
The Healthy Hand Sanitizer
Toronto company Dom launched with a product now in everyone’s purse or pocket: hand sanitizer spray. Made locally in two scents, Lavender and Rosemary, this product sets itself apart by being vegan and free of gluten, silicon, phthalate, paraben and sulphate. It’s also never been tested on animals, and the minimalist bottle design is made using post consumer recycled materials.
The Bee-Free Candles
Handmade in Ishikawa, Japan, using a century-old technique, Obakki’s Sumac candles are made from wax derived from Haze trees. Available in smooth or totem shapes that recall turned-wood spindles, their hollow wicks cast a long, bright glow.
The Vegan Design Brand
“Our wood stains, finishes and glues — which we apply by hand — are non-toxic and vegan, and we work with FSC-certified wood,” says Chelsea and James Minola of design studio Grain. Recently, the couple went a step further and is now offering vegan options for all of their designs. Grain’s shapely rugs can be created with fade-resistant Sunbrella yarn made from 50 per cent recycled content or 100 per cent undyed Canadian wool from Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce, Quebec. Likewise, its pillow inserts can be made from recycled PET bottles or standard feather and down fill. “There’s been a shift in how we live — I feel that conversation happening around me,” says Chelsea, who notes that Grain is in the process of becoming a Certified B Corporation. “We’re spreading awareness about the things we’re doing and why, and we hope it expands. We’re tiny, so our impact is nothing unless we do it collectively. There’s still so much to learn and improve upon.”
The Upcycled Denim Rug
The Upcycled Denim collection from Oliver Yaphe turns the textile industry’s leftover cotton into rugs and runners that fit into homes like a perfectly worn-in pair of jeans. Canadian designer Katherine Yaphe teamed up with The New Denim Project, a family-run sustainable textile lab in Guatemala, to source the salvaged yarn. It’s then woven into Katherine’s five designs by local weavers, who are able to earn a living from this traditional craft.
The Plant-Based Watch
Made from a mix of ceramic and plastic derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant, C-collection watches from Swatch mark the company’s boldest exploration of plant-based materials. The design eschews the brand’s familiar colors and patterns in favor of a dramatically outsized scale that highlights the ultramatte, almost powdery finish. Available in Black, White, Grey and timely pastel shades, Blue and Pink.
The Ethical Bicycle Basket
Kit out your sunny weather wheels with a bicycle basket that’s sturdy enough to carry picnic and beach essentials. Each basket is handwoven from vetiver grass in Ghana by artisans working with The Baba Tree Basket Company, an ethical business organization founded by Canadian Gregory MacCarthy. Adjustable leather straps and brass buckles secure the basket in place.
The Biodegradable Cooler
Toronto-based Greenlid is reducing throwaway designs one mindful home product at a time. Its compact EcoCooler is a planet-friendly alternative to Styrofoam versions or plastic cooler bags. Made from 100 per cent end-of-life recyclable and biodegradable cardboard, it’s leak-proof and holds up to 30 cans and a 10-pound bag of ice. Lightweight and strong, it’s designed with a lid and built-in handle for easy transport.
The Rug Made From Recycle Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles enjoy a second life as Article’s new Arroyo rug. Its graphic pattern of stripes and checks is handmade with polyester woven from recycled PET — polyethylene terephthalate, the same plastic used for drink bottles — making the rug suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Bring patios on trend with the Sonora Clay or Fulford Green colorways (shown), or stay neutral with Light Grey.
The Waste-Free Cookbook
Developed with chefs across the country including Trevor Bird, Andrea Carlson and Adrian Forte, The ScrapsBook, a free e-book cookbook from Ikea, will have you turning ingredients bound for the compost bin into flavorful, inventive fare. You’ll learn how to turn rotisserie chicken castoffs into an aromatic broth for ramen and transform nutrient-rich banana peels into a perfectly moist chocolate layer cake (above). Beyond the recipes, there are also practical ideas for putting food scraps to work around the house and garden.
The Upcycled Planters
Fresh flowers are the finishing touch for upcycling rubber tires into handsome made-in-Canada planters. The durable designs by Tierra Verde can withstand typical weather conditions and are a deep black shade that won’t fade in the sun. Plus, an interior water reservoir and bottom drainage hole ensure that even the most delicate annuals can flourish.
The Recycled Aluminum Stool
American heritage brand Emeco, famous for its iconic 1006 Navy chair, partnered up with Tokyo-based Naoto Fukasawa to create Za, a new family of stools in small, counter and bar heights that can be used indoors and out. The design matches the original Navy chair for simplicity and usefulness, but its smooth, circular shape gives it a cheerful character. Choose a natural brushed or hand-polished aluminum finish, or six powder-coat colors. Made from recycled aluminum with a minimum carbon footprint, the strong yet light Za stool (which means “a place to sit” in Japanese) is the antithesis of disposable design. “Design should not always create a strong impression. Sometimes, we just need pieces that are friendly for life,” says Naoto, who has worked with blue chip brands such as Herman Miller and B&B Italia.
The Air Purifier
Breathe easier with the turn of a dial on Ikea’s new Förnuftig air purifier. Three settings, including a whisper-quiet sleep mode, target pollutants in rooms up to 107 square feet. At all levels, a Hepa 12 filter cleans away irritating particles such as pollen and dust, while a carbon filter removes harmful gases like formaldehyde that can slowly release from plastics and furniture. The compact design can be hung on the wall or perched on a floor stand.
The Bamboo Tissues
Boxes in shades of Linen, Marine, Goldenrod and Blush hold 90 three-ply facial tissues made from unbleached FSC-certified bamboo, a fast-growing plant that doesn’t require fertilizers or pesticides.
The Nontoxic Cleaner
Each dissolvable tablet combines with water to produce 500 mL of natural, vegan, all-purpose cleaner in four fragrances — Lemon & Mint, Grapefruit & Mango, Black Spruce or Unscented. The compact, lightweight packets are compostable.
The Zero-Waste Toothbrush
The aluminum handle is designed to lay flat on the counter and comes with three replaceable brush heads (fitted with soft, plaque-busting bristles) that can be returned to be fully recycled.
courtesy of Bosch (feature image)