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It seems we are now at a  very interesting moment in the environmental movement meets green marketing, trend.

The cynics and skeptics are coming out of the woodwork and are ready to bash anyone who isn't thinking this thing through properly and merely trying to "Greenwash".

This isn't just coming from the expected sources.

This is from Core 77, yesterday.

"At first glance, Feel More Human seems to have everything for the conscious consumer with a modern design sense. The online store has an eco-friendly home and lifestyle section, with tables from Scrapile, sofas from Dutch designer Björn Mulder, and even a Buddha cat perch made from renewable bamboo plywood. There is a content section featuring interviews with inspiring eco-entrepreneurs, a classifieds area where visitors can buy or sell their pre-owned modern design goods, and the whole operation is powered by 100% wind energy.

Yet scratch beneath the surface and you'll find that even those with the greenest of intentions have a hard time making the most environmentally sound choices. Mixed in with all of the bamboo, reclaimed wood, and toxin free fabrics are not-so eco foams, lacquers, plywoods, and plastics, like the NotNeutral Melamine Snack Set for kids. How did a kid's dinnerware with melamine, a resin manufactured by mixing urea with formaldehyde, get onto a site devoted to sustainable lifestyles? Or chrome, a material known for emitting toxic elements into the air, land, and sea, which can be found in several items in the store, such as the Tokyo Shelving Unit or the Valis Chair. Jill Stalowicz, the company's founder, says, "smart design goes beyond aesthetics now, people are questioning how products are constructed."

The lesson here is that the practice of green is harder than the promise, and that Feel More Human might want to take a look at how all of its products are actually made."


Posted by Ed Cotton A few years back, the term BRIC came to the fore as the way to describe the emerging powerhouse economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

In the last few years, China has become the dominant story with the rise of Brazil ignored by most in the mainstream media.

One of the reasons for this is that Brazil’s rise to economic power is based on its massive base of natural resources and sophisticated agricultural systems, rather than the services of Indian or the powerful industrial transformation that’s sweeping through China.

In addition, the rise of Brazilian agriculture is not without controversy, especially with  the potential depletion of other natural resources, like the Amazon which is a contentious and symbolic of the powerful negative forces of globalization.

If you are a Brazilian furniture company, you have quite a lot of issues to contend with; you’ve got a lack of recognition of Brazilian design and all the environmental questions.

Brastilo is one such company that’s trying to meet these two challenges head on.

Its distinctive and unique furniture is inspired by the legacy of great Brazilian design and created by a highly talented team.

However, it’s Brastilo environmental policy that helps them to stand apart from other competitors in the space.

Its products are made from a sustainable wood called Taeda Pine produced in small batches in the North of Brazil. These sustainable forests mix native and  sustainable trees and leave the wildlife uneffected. The company also encourages its employees are to get involved with recycling and tree planting.

In addition, Brastilo parent company, Irani, is one of Brazil’s most progressive on the  environmental front, winning a host of local prizes for its efforts in 2007 and is only the second company in the world to receive carbon credits according to the Kyoto Protocol.

With Brazil’s rise as an economic powerhouse, we are going to see more and more of their brands make it to the US and Europe. When they export to these markets, it's  going to be critical for the brands to explain and translate the idea of what it means to be “Made in Brazil and its obvious that environmental stewardship needs to be a key part of the story.

 

Posted by Ed Cotton Donald Trump exemplifies the world of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”; a world of gold bathrooms and acres of marble.

For many, he represents the ultimate in aspiration, a world beyond reach, with the exception of those with a few billion in the bank.

He is what everyman wishes he could be.

However, thanks to a new deal with Lexington Home Brands, the taste of Trump is now available in your own home.


It’s just a matter of time before Trump tries to be the next Ralph Lauren,with a move into fashion. This would complete his quest to create a comprehensive lifestyle brand.

What’s so interesting is how Trump manages to play both hi-brow and lo-brow markets simultaneously.