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Tag Archives: eco design
Funky Cardboard Speakers bring music to our ears!
Despite the privacy earphones provide, sometimes you just want to enjoy playing music or listening to a podcast out loud. If this is the case, what do you use? Whether your device of choice is an iPod, Smartphone, MP3 player or a notebook computer, you will be able to create decent sound with one of GrupoVibra’s funky, recyclable and incredibly portable cardboard speakers.
The SPACK speaker
Cardboard speakers are not a new concept. Over the past few years we have seen various plain cardboard designs introduced to market. But these artistically printed speakers raise the bar somewhat. Packaged in sturdy cardboard, the first limited edition SPACK features striking designs by 3 Chilean and 1 Colombian artist. Strikingly simple to use, the SPACK requires you to insert just one 9 Volt battery, then plug it into your device. That’s it. There are no knobs, switches or buttons required, as everything can be controlled directly through your device!. Perfect for taking on picnics, out camping, strutting down the street with it on your shoulder, or simply as an artistic and functional addition to your workspace.
The SPK - mini speaker fits in your hand!
If you need to go smaller still, the soon to be released SPK mini speaker can fit in your hand! Charged by a USB device, you can plug it into your computer, and when it’s time to move on, toss it in your backpack, briefcase or handbag and use at your leisure!
Thanks GrupoVibra - your designs are music to our ears!
~~ Cardboard speaker design – GrupoVibra ~~
Posted in eco brands, eco design
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Mingus Designs will get you sorted!
Are you sick of losing things in the bottom of your bag? Phones, Pens, lipsticks, hair bands, business cards, Mp3 player, other bits and bobs ….. We’ve just come across Mingus Design’s new range which just might help you get sorted!
Forest series
Treehouse Flat Purse
Mingus Design is a small independent business run by Dear Songsuwan. Embracing sustainable design principles, she uses natural fibres – hemp, organic cotton, linen and up cycled leather – and makes every piece by hand using 100% green energy in her local studio based in Melbourne.
If you also like the personal touch and prefer putting pen to paper rather than tapping out an email, her new carbon neutral prints on 100% recycled card stock are pretty cute too……
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Lighting design uncorked
In the 1970’s – 80’s we used to see cork products everywhere – in wine bottles, coasters, hanging off hats, and even used as flooring. After a lull of sorts for two decades, we are now enjoying its’ resurgence in a range of new applications – including lighting design. In particular, we covet this very cool Float Light by the young, internationally acclaimed British designer Benjamin Hubert.
The Float Light
Hand turned, these Portuguese agglomerate cork lamps are made from waste product derived from wine stopper manufacture. Being made from a natural material, they are also biodegradable and are fire resistant too. We think these lights would look great suspended above a kitchen bench, or hung as a trio (three different sizes available) in a cozy reading corner. The Float lights are available internationally or if in Australia, you can purchase them from Great Dane Furniture.
TOP 3 Eco Design articles of 2011
It has been a top year here at State of Green. We have very much enjoyed sharing with you all some fantastic sustainable and eco design finds from Australia and its surrounds. As the year comes to a close, we thought we would share with you the TOP 3 “Most Read” articles this year – Read on to see what floated your boat in 2011!
No.1: Grown from the ground up - The Ajiro Velomobile
Local Industrial design student Alexander Vittouris wowed us all with his design of the Bamboo Velomobile. Grown over a skeletal structure, the natural energy of the fast growing bamboo plant forms its shape, and challenges the very basis of future product design. Read more about the Ajiro Velomobile here.
No. 2: Cardboard Furniture by KARTON
Flat pack cardboard furniture by KARTON clearly struck a chord! Offering an economical but ever so stylish solution to many of our furnishing needs, it has so many practical applications – student desks, guest bedroom beds, first share house – and so portable and biodegradable too! Read more about KARTON here.
No. 3: The Worlds greenest restaurant? - The Greenhouse Restaurant, Sydney
Joost Bakker has the greenest of thumbs, and the opening of the pop-up Greenhouse Restaurant in Sydney created quite a buzz about town. Drawing on the talents of various local talent, the restaurant attracted worldwide attention as it showcased how “green” design can be funky, edgy, functional and oh so very cool. Read more about GREENHOUSE here.
Wishing you all the most marvellous 2012 – If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see on State of Green throughout the year, please get in touch!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Posted in eco design, eco living
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Support Australian design this Xmas!
Are you looking to support Australian design this Xmas? We have put together a look book below of some unique products that our talented countrymen and women have designed, which we currently stock at out online store State of Green, and can send to you toute suite!
Cushions handmade from upcycled burlap sacks by Sydney based Velvet Bean. Perfect for floor cushions, holiday houses, and areas where they’ll get a hard work out – These guys are tough (but not rough)!
These stylish placemats and coasters bely there original use! Made by Melbourne based Ruba from recycled tyres and shoe soles they will protect your table from hot scalds and glass rings!
You can’t go wrong with Sydney designers Polli! Their beautiful etched designs and colourful woven jewellery will delight anyone’s wife, girlfriend or sister! (Lots of new stock being added this week).
We all need a notebook, and Me and Amber notebooks printed with their unique designs and made from recycled paper fits the bill! The unlined pages are perfect for sketches, recipe notes, reminder notes and more!
Oh Harvest Textiles – how we love everything you do! Three crafty Melbourne gals based in Brunswick have incredible talent. Their screen printing prowess is second to none. From tea towels, to craft kits (great summer holiday activity) to duvet covers to die for (I covet all colours and styles).
Sustainable Moso Bamboo tableware by Dandi with quirky and ever so stylish twist- Cutting boards and bowls feature an etched Lorrikeet. And the those heart cut out kitchen utensils are a Best Seller this Xmas at State of Green – perfect pressie for those who love to cook!
The aromatic scent of these natural soaps created by Bird Textiles takes me to an imaginary relaxation spa every time I open the box … Not any ordinary soap, they are nothing short of divine – and comes in scents for the blokes too!
Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst from Sydney based Armadillo and Co know a thing or two about Bangladeshi Hemp. The Marigold Rug is on many a person’s wish list, and the set of thickly woven table mats set the scene for summer dining and barbecues.
That concludes our list of Australian design gift ideas, but is by no means exhaustive of what is available at State of Green – In fact, the above pretty much sums up my Xmas wish list this year – Shall pass on to my Dearest!
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Australian made sustainable design on show at Pure Pod’s Pop Up Shop
For those of you living in Northern New South Wales, you are in for a treat! Leading Australian eco fashion brand Pure Pod have just opened a “Pop-Up” concept store in Lennox Head bringing to you not only their beautiful classic fashion range, but also a collection of other quality Australian eco brands – Perfect timing for picking up a bevy of sustainable design treats!
Inside PurePod's Pop Up store in Lennox Head, NSW. Image: PurePod
Kelli Donovan and Sean Watson are the designers behind Pure Pod, who have already made their mark in the eco fashion industry both at home and internationally – not bad for a brand that is just four years old! Their Australian made garments made from bamboo, organic cotton, pure merino wool, hemp, soy, silk and linen have been exhibited at the Paris Eco Fashion Week, been listed as a finalist in the FGI Sustainable Business awards (twice) and were selected by the Australian Government to take part in the “G’Day USA” annual Trade mission in New York earlier this year.
Classic Sustainable fashion by Pure Pod Image: PurePod
The PurePod pop-up shop presents a marvellous opportunity to support local Australian businesses who are really doing their bit to produce well made products, that tread lightly on the environment. Other brands on show include ONE Organic Kids Clothing, Bird Textiles, Namaste Natural Bath/Beauty products, Wheel of Life Ceramics, Dark Horse Jewellery & Anne Leon Natural Dyed Silks – something for kids, mum, dad, Grandma, Grandpa and friends!
Treats in store ... Image: Pure Pod
Don’t despair if you can’t make it to the pop-up shop in person – Pure Pod is also online, so your new Xmas outfit could be on its way to your letterbox sooner than you think (pssst – they have free shipping until Xmas eve!).
17th Nov – 5th Feb, 2012
68 Ballina Street
Lennox Head
NSW Australia
Posted in Eco Events, eco living, gifts, sustainable fashion
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Sustainable Hoop pine collars by Polli
It’s a rare occasion that a design brand keeps coming up with one appealing range after another. Usually there is a little bump in the road along the way, but this is not the case with Sydney based Tess Lloyd and Maja Rose of Polli . Their latest jewellery collection moves away from their signature fine etched recycled stainless steel and brass range. In their place are pretty Peter Pan collars and Patchwork inspired designs delicately hand printed on sustainable plantation hoop pine.
Wooden Patchwork Beads - Flip to Colour by day, Neutral by night
Fundamental to Polli’s design philosophy is sustainable design, and they fuse this perfectly with unique jewellery pieces that you will not see elsewhere. The hexagonal shaped beads feature a colourful patchwork pattern on one side, and can be flipped over to reveal solid grey on the reverse – Flip all, or just one or two to transform the look!
Peter Pan Collar in sustainable hoop pine
We think the elegant Peter Pan collars will provide a fun and interesting addition to the little black party dress over Xmas too. Mmmm – think I’ll be adding a piece from this range onto my Santa list this year!
++Polli ++
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Not just a pretty face–the sustainable timber Grandeliers have a story to tell
How many pieces of furniture/furnishings in your home have a story behind their very being? Did your chair once belong to grandma, or did a dear friend lovingly craft a table for you? When you purchase furniture from a store, do you know what inspired the designer – was it pure commercialism or did a depth of thought and emotion inspire its’ design? Knowing the story behind a product you introduce into your home, attracts a special warmth and meaning to the piece, and today Tasmanian designer Loz Abberton does just that. Visually, her new range of sustainable timber Grandelier lights under the Who Did That label are spectacular. But it is the story Loz shares with us, regailing the inspiration behind their design, that draws out their true beauty.
The Genie 1 & 2
Essentially, Loz says this range draws on her rural background, environmental conscience and long conversations with her dad who stills lives on the land. The first of the new range is the Genie 1 Bump and Genie 2 Bump, which feature smooth organic curves and draws on modernist styling. Hung as a pair they add a highly styled touch to the room. But the story behind their design goes alot deeper;
“My dad is still on the land and a handy water diviner – which sounds like dark arts, but works for him. We talk alot about elements affecting fresh water and arable land (plus my shoe collection). Currently, top of our dance card is dry land salinity and its management in particular. About 2.5 million hectares of land is affected by salinity and there’s industrial-strength landcare needed. The website that gives a good heads-up is saltland genie. Adding some magic to reality, I created the genies -their sultry curves calling on those great water storage trees, the baobabs”.
The Hoop
The spherical curves of The Hoop is quite mesmerising and evokes a sense of calm. The beauty of this piece was recently recognised at Workshopped Sydney 2011 , where it was selected to be part of an exhibition showcasing new and emerging Australian design. The tale behind the Hoop’s design is as compelling as the Genie. Loz says,
“The Hoop was created with a tree’s growth rings in mind – the impact that external forces like drought, fire & lightning have on these annual markers and the cellular chaos that results…a tree producing more than one growth ring in a year. So the hoop records the resolute symmetry of growth and the bedlam nature can bring thru an interference pattern of superimposed ‘rings’.
Both the Hoop and Genie are available in locally sourced and accredited Tasmanian Oak and Blackwood. And now for our exciting news – At State of Green we have received this new range in our online store! Do you have the perfect spot to hang one?
Posted in eco living, sustainable furniture
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Pedal power becomes even greener on a bamboo bike
How sustainable can bike riding get? No dirty emissions are released into the atmosphere, it’s great for your health and you rarely have parking issues! Melbourne based web designer come bike designer Mik Efford, has just taken the eco friendly credentials of bike riding to a whole new level with his Bamboo Bike designs.
Daisie - the lady's city commuter
Hand made from Australian grown bamboo, Mik has designed 3 prototypes named Daisy, Maisie and Panda. Not only are these bikes real head turners, but functional too – “Bamboo offers very good vibration dampening, giving a lovely smooth ride; it’s easy to work with; and enables a method of production that doesn’t require any welding” says Mik.
Panda – Sporty Road Bike with Campagnolo Veloce Groupset (smart Italian cycling components!!)
If you want to own one of these cool bamboo bike designs, you can sign up to the waiting list to be informed when they become commercially available. Alternatively, there are plans afoot to run DIY Bamboo Bike making workshops in the future!. Renewable. Beautiful. Functional – to a tee.
Photographs courtesy of Bamboo Bikes.
Posted in eco design, eco outdoor
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The Australian Timber Design Awards 2011 presents an impressive lineup
Be still my heart! Have you had a look at the entrants in this year’s Australian Timber Design Awards? Now in their 12th year, this annual competition encourages builders, designers, architects and engineers to showcase their outstanding uses of timber in both residential and commercial applications. To say the gallery is impressive is an understatement – it is jaw dropping viewing.
There is something about timber in architectural applications that makes me go weak at the knees. It evokes a sense of warmth, calm, relaxation and tactile beauty all in one. Mix in some natural stonework and I’m in heaven.
The range of entries in this year’s Timber Awards covers a wide range of applications. Equestrian Centres, concert halls, and outhouses (above) are just some of the entrants, amongst some spectacular residential houses, libraries, bars, spa retreats, retail shops and more!
You can vote for your favourite design in the People’s Choice Award – With just under 100 different designs submitted, you are SURE to find one that resonates with your sense of style. Now before you click on over, get yourself a cuppa and sit in a comfortable chair, as you’re going to be there for a while …….
Photographs Courtesy of Australian Timber Design Awards 2011.
Posted in eco awards, eco living, sustainable architecture
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