Brooklyn's Common Good comes through with a biodegradable cleanser that'll have you feeling good when tackling the pile of dishes in your sink. Completely devoid of unnecessary phosphates, dyes, and fragrances, Common Good dish soap is powerful enough to rival any of the chemical-packed offerings on grocery store shelves. But the coolest part, for New Yorkers anyway, is that you can bring......read more
Worn out sneakers are some fairly nasty business, and not just 'cause they stink. Rubber, leather, and ink aren't the most compostable things on the planet. There's not a ton of options for recycling shoes either. Enter Dutch footwear brand OAT Shoes, which recently dropped a 100% biodegradable series of kicks that rightfully won the company a green design award at Amsterdam Fashion Week. Called......read more
Late starters, catch up on spring planting with this set of six EcoForms, made from compressed grain husks with natural, water-soluble binding agents. EcoForms are built to withstand extreme temperatures, with efficient drainage systems and insulation to keep plants happy and healthy. The manufacturing process uses no pollutants, all byproducts are recycled, and at the end of their......read more
If there was ever a consumer product that was ripe for a sustainable shift, it's conventional paint. Standard latex house paints are not only energy-intensive to produce, but also come loaded with toxic chemicals that make disposal a nightmare. Enter Unearthed Paints, a company producing biodegradable, natural paints using ancient recipes. Unearthed Clay Paints come in six options that are......read more
We're not into advocating for single-use anything around here, but there are some instances where disposable stuff is basically a must. And when it happens, you gotta do it right. Leafware brings sustainability, sturdiness, and leak resistance to the disposable dinnerware game, with a line of plates, bowls and platters made in India from fallen palm leaves. The leaves are pressed together using......read more
With June peering around the corner, it's time to get the wardrobe primed for the hot season ahead. And when it comes to footwear, nothing says summer sunshine like espradrilles. These entries from Industry of All Nations bring sustainability to the fore. The unisex Sport Espadrilles feature braided jute soles (stitched in a small Uruguayan town using century-old techniques), while the soft,......read more
We've made no secret of our love for Kikkerland, whose cleverly designed things have gotten plenty of shine in the SHFT Shop. And now we have another Kikkerland creation in the form of these paper straws, a perfectly sustainable alternative to common plastic straws. Made using wax-coated paper, the straws feature a lovely bamboo pattern printed using soy-based inks. When you're finished using......read more
Soma's game-changing water filter delivers pure, refreshing agua in a sleek, minimal design, with a simple subscription service that means you never have to deal with stickers or timers again. Nor will you have to face down the guilt that comes with sending spent filters to the landfill -- the Soma filter is 100% organic and biodegradable, made of a combination of silk, coconut husks and......read more
Sustainable designers Kenneth Cobonpue and Albrecht Birkner have joined forces to shape what's being touted as the world's first biodegradable car. The Phoenix is a superlight roadster built from rapidly renewable bamboo and rattan, along with steel and nylon. Borrowing design principles from Mother Nature herself, the exterior structure is built like a leaf and the interior is a single woven......read more
Having survived the Ice Age, the 270 million year-old Ginkgo tree is a classic example of a "living fossil," a lone hanger-on from a group that was far more diverse and widespread in the distant past. Taking its name from this remarkable tree, a new Italian footwear brand -- Forest of Ginkgo (F.O.G.) -- uses the Ginkgo as a metaphor for long-lasting, environmentally conscious......read more