Memorial day rings the bell for summer recess and also kicks off the road trip season. Save on gas and emissions by taking a visual road trip with this bamboo fiber and spandex tank dress from Dream Nation’s PLAN collection which is a take on American themes. The digital print on this dress is inspired by the classic American highway – Route 66. The dress is super light and soft – perfect for the beach or a summer soiree. $79

If your style tends to trend a smidgen toward ‘edgy’ this upcycled bullet ring (above) might complete your look. £143.00 @ moorbi.com – purveyors of sustainably produced fashion pieces  created by indie artists and artisans from around the globe.

Eye-protection is a key component of any summertime outdoor activity. With that in mind, Kaight NYC just got in a new batch of eco-friendly shades that sport both visual pizzaz and a bunch of love for the planet – these eco-sunglasses from Eco Modo (above) are made from 95% recycled plastic and feature polarized lenses. More green — Eco Modo plants a tree for each frame sold. Other styles are available. $160 @ kaightshop.com

Rising summer temps will make t-shirts a fashion necessity. Keep your casual wear meaningfully green by wearing one of these organic cotton tees with a message (above) from Ban T-Shirts. They feature a great selection of organic cotton t-shirts with a balance of snippy and important messages. Most shirts will run you $24 @ bant-shirts.com

For you vegan barefooting fans, these Barefooters Kilkee sandals may be just what you need for to complete your summer casual wardrobe. This women’s fisherman sandal features a CorksLite upper. CorksLite is crafted with environmentally friendly material that combines the physical properties of cork and silicone so that you can walk naturally with both protection and flexibility. The shoe also features a removable insole and CorksLite outsole. $85 @ Planet Shoes which has a great selection of vegan footwear.

The new website Moorbi.com has created a shopping destination for consumers seeking sustainably designed and produced fashion and home decor items created by talented independent designers. The London-based site (launched in December 2012) features over 500 OOAK and limited edition items.

Moorbi’s goal is to feature a broad spectrum of international designers focused on creating the highest quality upcycled products with the lowest environmental impact. Products are chosen that reflect conscious design and character that will endure throughout the item’s lifecycle. The site features creations that might otherwise be only available in local shops or galleries.

The site is constantly searching the global design community for designers of unique, sustainable creations. If you’re a designer concerned about the environment, that uses upcycled, recycled, salvaged or reclaimed materials in your design process and are looking for a global showcase for your work, Moorbi might just be for you – contact them.

Pictured items top to bottom:

Rawation Box by Adi Zaffran – features bark, reclaimed tree branches and recycled plastic (Israel)

Benedetta Zebrano Wood Bag and the Laura Eco Bag (in beige) by Embawo – created from sustainably harvested wood (Italy)

Star Belt and Abi Bag by Katcha Bilek – made from recycled bike tires and inner tubes (UK)

ReCrate Desk by K3 Urban Design – features upcycled pallet wood (UK)

Shark and Squid pendants by Oliotto – sustainable cherry wood veneer (USA)

The Australian furniture maker GHIFY – Gorgeous Home Interiors For You – makes sustainable, handmade home furnishing from reclaimed materials. The pieces featured in the ‘Mint Edition’ line – above and below – are made entirely from scrap hardwood timber salvaged from old Queenslander houses. The pieces – an elegant dressing table and stool, media unit / console and hall table – have angular, minimalist tapered legs, Florentine brass hinges and understated, modern drawer handles.

The pieces are the definition of ‘rustic modern’. Raw materials include salvaged old floorboard, ceiling beams and battens … all given a second life as modern rustic furniture. Each plank is sanded and painted with care to reveal the timber’s inherent, original grain structure, but retains all the historical character – including the original nail holes, knots and imperfections – of the reclaimed timber.

This set is available as individual pieces and also comes in a distressed gray/blue color.

GHIFY ships internationally via Fedex. Find more of their fine handcrafted furniture at the GHIFY Etsy shop.

As we await the iWatch and the next generation of watch-related gadgets, we thought we’d feature a line of timepieces that are both conventional in form, and unconventional in production process and execution. A while back, we reviewed WeWood’s handsome wooden watches, but a little company called lolly, has taken wooden watch design to a new level by creating eco-friendly, wood-based, scented watches. Lolly creates its watches using a naturally sustainable polymer, sentanite that’s derived from softwood processed from fast-growing, renewable trees.

The company’s featured line is the Juice Collection – available in 8 vibrant colors that embody the following scents, orange, apple, black currant, pineapple, grape, blueberry, coconut and strawberry.

Sentanite™ is made from 100% softwood material, compounded with permitted additives and uniquely treated to ensure constant emission of a variety of  ‘tantalizing fragrances’. No petroleum-based materials are used in the sentanite production process, it’s BPA-free and hypoallergenic.

Lolly states that they are committed to making watches from sustainable eco-friendly materials – they are a “Plant-A-Tree Partner” with the Trees for the Future non-profit organization. Lolly plants a tree for each and every watch they sell. Take a moment to check out their tasty collection of scented, non-plastic watches – $85 @ lolly.com

related: more green gadgets

Spring has sprung and many of our fine-feathered-friends are looking for quality housing. A great functional and visual solution for both your backyard and your avian buddies — the architecturally tasty birdhouses created by Ted Freeman and his Roundhouseworks’ Shop.

Ted creates his whimsical, architecturally detailed birdhouses from vintage wood, tin and metal roofing reclaimed from deconstructed old farms and homes in his local Midwestern area. The eclectic, odd pieces of wood and hardware are transformed into birdhouses of architectural beauty and distinction, featuring metalwork flourishes and styles that evoke Art Deco, Tudor and medieval times.

Each birdhouse is handmade and designed to serve the needs of small backyard cavity-nesting birds – chickadees, wrens, titmice, nuthatches, finches – and meets the ornithological recommendations of The Audubon Society and The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in regard to interior dimensions, materials, ventilation, predator guards, and clean-out access.

Freeman prides himself on the fact that each birdhouse features a distinct architectural style and aesthetic appeal – exhibiting a balance of architectural sophistication, utilitarian value and a visual appeal created by the rustic materials and their weathered textures and patina.

How do you price a handmade piece of art? The birdhouses range in price from $120 to $250

full disclosure: we received a free lumbar pillow for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review.

I’m a linen lover … everything from tablecloths and napkins to bed-linens, placemats, table runners and decorative pillows. Cricket Radio is a Vermont-based company hand-printing pre-washed and pre-shrunk linens in their own home-grown studio. They use eco-friendly, water-based inks to silk-screen their unique Indonesia batik meets vintage Americana designs onto sustainable, 100 percent Italian linen. When we opened the box, what did we think?

(above) Just one touch, and I knew I would absolutely adore this sweet new pillow. There’s nothing better than lovely linen for a touch of luxury in the home, right? In aqua & white, the Ship’s Wheel nautical theme totally livens up my den. The lumbar shape is comfy, practical and versatile – it can support the back, head or arm – or simply look smart.

Bonus points – it’s part of their Montauk collection (ahhh Montauk – where I’ve spent many a summer and fall – a beautiful spot to explore, relax and be one with the sea). Makes me daydream about mouth-watering lobster rolls, tall grassy dunes and tangerine skies. (more…)