New From Soy Genius! Insect Repellent & Sun Protecting Clothing For Kids

Child Mode reports: Soy Genius recently teamed up with Insect Shield to develop the first and only line of apparel for infants and toddlers which is insect-repellent!

Organic cotton and soy fibres make up the new Buggies Collection which is durable and naturally wicking. Not only does the fabric provide a UPF 30+ rating, it is also antimicrobial and features the innovative Insect Shield® Repellent Technology, providing protection from a variety of bugs – including those that can carry West Nile virus, Lyme disease, malaria and other insect-borne diseases!

"Insect Shield apparel lasts through 70 launderings: the typical lifetime of a garment. Insect Shield’s EPA registration does not restrict use of the apparel. Products can be worn by infants, children of all ages, and women who are pregnant or nursing. Wearing Insect Shield apparel reduces the need for topical repellents. "

Buggies clothing collection consists of Bodysuits, Warmers, T-shirts, Shorts, Skorts, Capri Pants, Cargo Pants, Hats and Long-Sleeve Hooded T-Shirts with sizes for infants and toddlers up to 4T. They are available to purchase now in select REI stores, and at Buggies Clothing.

Amazing technology! Read the rest of the article here.

Organic Cotton & Hemp Dresses For Girls

How cute! These dresses from ecoLoveOrganics's on Etsy are handmade from organic cotton and hemp blend jersey and also hand dyed with low impact dyes. The cute dragonfly print is screen printed on to the fabric.

I love how the dress will become a shirt as they "grow into" their clothes allowing for years of use.

The listing is for a Sage Green dress in size 5 however the dresses are available in different sizes (just convo the seller).

Price: $50.00

Eco-Friendly Waldorf Wooden Toy Kitchens

We are loving these eco-friendly, custom-made play kitchens from Imagine That Woodshop on Etsy. Imaginative play is at its finest!

Each kitchen is painted or stained with AP certified non toxic paints and stains. If an item needs glue or filler, we use Elmer's products that list "no known hazardous substances in product" in their MSDS sheets. Every products is then finished with beeswax and mineral oil (optional if you prefer it to be left unfinished).

One of our favorite of the many models available is Melissa's Waldorf Style Kitchen With A Pull Out.

Features:

Large upper shelves complete with plate grove to display plates on side if they wish.
Stainless steel sink
Faucet and cooking knobs turn for realist play.
Stove has 2 large 4 7/8" and 2 small 3 ½" burners.
Easy grip handles on bottom doors.
Bottom doors feature hinges with extra mounting points for increased strength.
Oven door feature high strength plastic insert to view oven contents.
Has a pull out on the side.
Edges are rounded for safety.
Unit are finished in a child safe finish.
All wood construction using ¾ inch Northern Pine.

Approximate Dimensions:
35” tall
12” deep
25” wide

"We sell more custom units then standard units and each item is made in the USA as the order is received. Each kitchen is hand crafted by one woodcrafter and he puts a high level of craftsmanship into each unit. It could take up to 4 to 6 weeks depending on the volume of sales."

Price: $194.99

Be sure to check out the Imagine That Wood Shop on Etsy for more wonderful wooden toys! They currently have a sale on their Wooden Irons ($5 each).

Eco-Friendly Plantable Valentines

If you are looking for an eco-concious solution to paper valentines why not try these adorable cards from girlingearstudio on Etsy! Made from plantable paper, these unique cards are completely biodegradable.

Each mini-valentine measures 2 1/4 x 3" (standard business card size) and come with a mini envelope and heart stickers. is made from plantable paper.

These adorable mini valentines measure 2-1/4" x 3" (just like a standard business card) and come with a mini envelope that is perfect for including a gift card too! To finish it all off, 20 mini heart stickers are included to seal each envelope.

Once planted you've given the gift of a bouquet and card all in one!

Price: Set of 20 for $15.00

Eco-Buy For Babies: Twirls & Twigs Recycled Cotton Baby Blankets

Eco Baby Buys has an fabulous sale on today for Twirls & Twigs recycled cotton baby blankets. Cuddly & fleece-like, these eco-friendly blankets are made of 100% recycled cotton and fabric remnants. Piped edges are trimmed with designer leftovers & appliqués are made from designer leftovers also. Each one is unique with slight variations. Double layers will keep your little one cozy and warm. Each blanket measures 34 x 28 inches and is machine washable. On sale for $33.00 (regular $60.00).

If you haven't signed up for Eco Baby Buys newsletter yet, please do! Their "one deal a day" format allows you to receive a minimum of 40% off regular retail prices on amazing eco-friendly dealers. Each sale begins at 9 am EST, however it is first come, first serve. Once the deal is gone, its gone!

Eco-Friendly Reusable Cotton Makeup Removing Pads

We have cloth diapers to replace the disposable diapers, washable pads and panty liners - but how about those cotton pads for removing make-up? 2KuteKreations on Etsy makes beautiful crocheted pads out of cotton especially for removing make-up or for exfoliating your skin! They are machine washable, last for years and eliminate wasteful disposable pads.

Each crocheted pad measures about 3.5" in diameter and are extremely affordable. A set of four will only cost you $4.oo US!

Eco Orbis & Eco Case: Environmentally Friendly Luggage From Heys

Heys, one of the leading luggage manufacturers has come up with an eco-friendly way to pack! Their EcoCase™ and Eco Orbis™ are made from 100% Recycled ABS plastic.

360° Swivel Spinner wheels provide easy maneuverability and allow for effortless gliding in different terrains. Functionality can be found in its zippered expansion system which adds 25% more packing space. It features a Piggy-Back system, so that you can carry multiple pieces of luggage with just one hand. A fully lined interior with a built-in divider with a mesh pocket, and an internal telescopic handle system with a push-button locking system are also included.

Both frameless styles are available individually or in a 3 pc set (30", 26" and "21") and come with a 5 year limited warranty.

The only downside with Heys luggage is that the demand is so high its hard to get your hands on them!

Visit Heys for a list of retailers. The Eco Orbis is also available at Sears.

Sony Ericsson Introduces Elm & Hazel - Eco-Friendly Phones

The Elm will be available in "Metal Black and "Pearly Rose"

Sony Ericsson has just introduced two brand new "green" cell phones which are made to reduce the CO2 emissions. Aptly named Elm and Hazel, these devices are manufactured from recycled materials and are free from hazardous chemicals. The power adapter consumes less power compared to other chargers and the whole bundle comes wrapped in green packaging!

The Hazel will be available in "Passionate Rouge" and "Superior Black

Both phones are fairly similar and include onboard GPS, dual band 3G, 280 MB of internal memory augmented by microSD cards as well as a 5mp camera. The screen on the Hazel is 2.6 inches where as the Elm is a little smaller at 2.2 inches.

Pricing details have not yet been released however both phones will be available in 2010.

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Selena Gomez Introduces Her Eco-Friendly Clothing Line

Selena Gomez is best known for her leading role on The Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place, however the teen icon is now branching out into the fashion world according to WWD. Her new eco-friendly clothing line, "Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez" is set to launch in 2010. All of the fabrics used in the line are said to be recycled or eco-friendly in some way.

Selena said “With my line, I really want to give the customer options on how they can put their own looks together,” she said. “I want the pieces that can be easy to dress up or down, and the fabrics being eco-friendly and organic are superimportant. Also, the tags will all have some of my inspirational quotes on them. I’m just looking to send a good message.”

To manufacture the line, Melillo and Campos teamed with New York-based Adjmi Apparel and formed Adjmi CH Brands LLC, the holding company for the Dream Out Loud brand. Together, the partners hold the master license for the label and are in the beginning stages of meeting with licensees for products such as handbags, footwear and jewelry. To start, the company plans to launch a full sportswear collection for fall 2010 selling — Boho dresses, floral printed tops, jeans, skirts, jackets and some accessories such as scarves and hats. Most of the collection is made in an organic soft cotton and all fabrics are recycled or eco-friendly in some way, which was important to Gomez. All items within the collection are made to be mixed and matched, even with the ability to mix prints.

Its nice to see celebrities making a difference with their environmental and eco-friendly business ventures.

Clementine Art Creates Non-toxic Art Supplies

Clementine Art is a company who has created an incredible safe and non-toxic line of natural paint, glue, modeling dough, crayons, crayon "rocks" and markers!

All of the materials used in these products are recycled, reusable and earth friendly.

One thing I appreciated is that the ingredient lists are are nice and short and contain zero chemical dyes or other additives.

Natural Glue: Water, naturally occuring bio-polymer adhesives, potassium sorbate and boric acid.

Natural Soy Crayon Rocks "Perfect for young hands" and the regular Natural Soy crayons contain: Kosher Soy wax, mineral pigments, beeswax, carnauba wax, vegetable stearic acid, calcium carbonate (chalk), natural Brazilian rosin and titanium dioxide.

Natural Markers: Water, non toxic mineral pigments, vegetable glycerin, alcohol, propylene glycol and citric acid

Natural Paint: Mayan mineral pigments, water, pulverized cellulose, soy lecithin, citric acid, potassium sorbate, vegetable glycerin, calcium propionate and vegetable oil-based organic defoamer

Natural crumble free modeling dough in strawberry, lemon and fresh lime scents:

Flour, water, salt, soybean oil, cream of tartar, natural glycerin, natural scent extracts, natural colours (tumeric, carmine and spinach), potassium sorbate and citric acid.

For more information or for a list of retailers please visit
Clementine Art.

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FilterPave" Eco-friendly pavement made from recycled glass

Presto Geosystems, a Wisconsin-based company has created an eco-friendly pavement made from recycled beer bottles and other glass, provided by municipal recycling facilities. 70-90 bottles are used every square foot of pavement. This product has gained interest in architects due to the attractiveness provided by the various coloured glass.

This "FilterPave" is also 40 percent porous which means it can trap pollutants that are usually swept into drains and streams. It also has the ability to keep pavement cool as it retains water thus helping to combat the "heat island" effect.

"It's like a Rice Krispies bar," said Bill Handlos, director of Presto Geosystems, which started making FilterPave last year.

"It's very sparkly, very twinkly," he said. "It's quite attractive."

A 1,000-square-foot walkway was poured last week at the Morton Arboretum. They are in the middle of testing a few different types of eco-friendly pavement before making its final selection.

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USBCell: Rechargable batteries via USB

There are over 15 billion Alkaline batteries which are made and then thrown away, every, single year. This new eco-friendly alternative can be used hundreds of times and can be recharged by plugging into your USB port. The batteries can also be recycled. If you live in the UK just mail the batteries back to Moixa Energy they will take care of the recycling bit for you. The USBCell is available in AA format however will be available in the following formats soon:

*AAA Batteries

*C/D Size

*Phone & Device Batteries for PDAs, major phones and portable devices

*9V Battery Cell & other prismatic forms

The AA version runs for £10.83 (aprox. $19.50 CAD).

For more information or for a list of retailers please visit USBCell.