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The Alternative Consumer
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The Alternative Consumer provides product reviews, green news and info to the next wave of smart consumers - fresh thinkers who consciously style their lives with their health and the health of the Earth in the forefront of their mind; chic, savvy shopper
Recent Posts Tagged With 'design'
Space Baby Beebo sculpture – recycled stuff
Ah…an eclectic assortment of funky recycled objects converge to become art. Here’s a new member of Reclaim2Fame’s Tin Type Robot series made from recycled and salvaged items, including: in Space Baby Beebo’s case, a vintage ...
Pelcor – cork goes high fashion
Cork may be one of today’s most under-utilized renewable resources for creating home goods and fashion. Under the umbrella of parent, Novacortica S.A., (a company which produces natural cork disks for Champagne), Portuguese-based, Pelcor, has ...
amenity – decorative hemp pillows
I love nature-inspired accents in my home, they soothe my soul and keep me in touch with my surroundings. As the seasons change, I like to make little changes in my space. Throw pillows are a simple way to alter my perspective and perk things up. ...
A New EV Family is Slated for our Future
Last week, the world class Frankfurt Motor Show served as the proving grounds for a line-up of efficient electrics. And topping the list of glitzy unveilings with four, all-electric cars was none other than Renault, Nissan’s sister company, with th...
world’s first electric tandem bike
Innovative electric bike maker PEDEGO has gone and made electric bike riding a communal endeavor by creating – what they claim is – the world’s first tandem electric bike. The electric two-seater, which will feature a 750 watt mot...
PNC Unveils Largest Green Wall in N. America
Financial services company, PNC, has found a way to save energy and make a big green marketing statement with a massive green wall installation on the south-facing wall of One PNC Plaza at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street in downtown Pittsb...
fall for eco chic thigh highs
Based in a tiny village in France, eco lingerie maker, g=9.8 manufactures these sexy thigh highs for slipping under our fall skirts. Created from recycled white pine tree pruning (ahh, the white pine, my favorite), you’ll be amazed by how sil...
recycled keyboard key ring
Do you hate being away from your computer? Now you can take a chunk of it with you, by sporting one of these unique rings made from recycled keyboard keys. The ‘edit’ key is affixed to an aluminum ring by Italian designer Cecilia Fell...
Eco Fashion’s Night Out - NYC
NYC is aflutter with all sorts of Fashion’s Night Out special events and activities designed to give shoppers an incentive to spend some time and money in retail shops. If you’re looking to perk up your fall wardrobe, it’s a good ...
recycled wine barrel stave bench
The reclaimed white oak of French wine barrels has been skillfully transformed into this very handsome, Emperor’s Bench, by StilNovoDesign. Measures approximately 12″x16″x14″ $120 @ stillnovodesign’s etsy shop ...
Dahon’s Biologic FreeCharge - pedal-power your iPhone
The folding bike specialists at Dahon have come up with an energy efficient way to charge your iPod, iPhone, MP3 player or handheld device - bike power. The FreeCharge transfers power from a bike’s generator hub to a high-capacity battery, whic...
EcoSmart Fire’s - Mini T ethanol fireplace
It almost feels like fall here in NYC - time to start thinking about extending our alfresco dining and outdoor socializing as the temps take a dip and the autumn leaves begin to fall. One solution - an eco friendly designer outdoor fireplace. The...
NovoThink Surge - iPhone 3G solar charger
This new Novothink Surge solar charging case slides neatly over iPhone 3G and 3G (S) phones. The slim hybrid charger can store power from the sun or through your computer’s USB port (from which you can also load tunes from iTunes.) Features a...
crate & barrel edging toward eco consciousness
If you love furniture made from wood, investing in pieces that have been slightly used and not abused usually deliver great value. Antique shops, estate sales and flea markets can be bonanzas if you’re setting up home for the first time, or m...
Carbon Pulse makes iPhone a little greener
For $2.99, eco-techies can now fight global warming directly from their iPhones. The new app, called Carbon Pulse, was developed by Sevencord Studios. The green application is now available on the iPhone App Store. Press release: Carbon Pulse users...
Perfectly Imperfect - eco hip simplicity
Why am I so drawn to this crew neck top? Aside from the beauty of its quiet French Blue color, it’s the inherent details that deliver a dose of understated elegance in this casual wear. The snug fit and organic cotton waffle weave afford ext...
Nau - fall coats for eco men
This one’s for all you fashion conscious eco hombres out there. Lately, we seem to have featured a bunch of women’s fashion on altCon, so I thought I’d post something from Nau’s fall line for dudes - cause guys have to look g...
Feuerwear - recycled firehose bags
Still recovering from the cliffhanger ending of last night’s “Rescue Me?” (you know they can’t kill Tommy off -they’d have no show.) Well, continuing with the fireman theme we present the German sustainable fashion lin...
db clay eco-conscious Broadway wallet
An eco-friendly wallet that can communicate many messages, metaphors and musings. Ideal for cynical thespians, fashion hipsters and attention seekers of all ages. Whip this out at your next book club party, H&M shopping spree or community the...
Green Eyed Monster - funky reusable bags
Ah…unique reusable bags featuring eye catching designer graphics that deliver fun eco messages - each Green Eyed Monster tote is made of 100% post-consumer recycled cotton fabric and recycled plastic bottles by a cool, woman-owned company in Ne...
RESTORE Clothing - fashion & function
Celeste and Anthony Lilore, founders of NYC-based, RESTORE Clothing are on our eco radar. Having recently met them at a green gathering, they do walk the talk. Their active wear, RESTORE, spells out all that a conscious fashionista could want: Re...
a new electric scooter hits the pavement
Well, it’s not a Segway. In fact, it doesn’t even look as cool as a Segway (my vote is not to opt for the detachable front basket, despite its practicality). But it’s new—and it’s about five times cheaper—than the original “ultimate” ...
itHouse - off-grid prefab with style and substance
The sexy itHouse is a design system created by L.A. based, Taalman Koch Architecture. The eco-friendly home is comprised of a series components manufactured off-site. The home, which is designed to be flat packed and easily shipped, is prefabrica...
ABOVE Magazine
We just got our hands on the first issue, (summer ‘09) of the reborn ABOVE Magazine and it’s a beauty. Nicolas Rachline has transformed the former glossy fashion mag into a stylish statement on sustainability - with a focus on eco-friend...
Don’t Be Trashy cork necklace
This two-piece cork necklace with a message is made of sustainably harvested cork, from Spain or Portugal. Comes in its own test tube. Uncorked also makes necklace and earring sets in several other patterns and designs. Message in this bottle: ...
golf refugees - fun, carbon neutral golf shirts
Here’s a U.K. company with a sense of humor. We all know most golf courses aren’t really green in any way except for the color of the grass - but some folks still can’t (moi) give up the game. Throw on an organic cotton, carbon ...
the eniCycle - a gyroscopic electric unicycle
The eniCycle is a rechargeable, zero emissions, gyroscope-controlled means of transport that’s probably best suited for circus performers, individuals who are strapped for space and those determined to risk their lives making a statement about ...
a lot to say on a little tee
Wear a tee with “virgin” scrawled across the top and you might garner some attention—or cynical stares. Either way, that’s the point, because below those bright, bold letters is smaller type that reads: [virgin] plastic is what most shampoo a...
Enamore’s 2010 eco undies
Enamore has unveiled its 2010 collection of pin-up inspired and vintage styled eco lingerie and accessories. The collection is created using soft blends of soya, organic cotton jersey, bamboo and organic or herbal-dyed and printed silks. English la...
Eco Pens - the biodegradable ballpoint
A Tried and True, Green Product Review New on the eco scene are pens made of cornstarch, which, when disposed of properly, will biodegrade within a year. When I saw these nifty Eco Pens, I had to try one. They’re lightweight, bright, happy ...
