A wind-up lantern is the perfect eco-accessory for the garden
For eco-friendly light on the go, use a Freeplay wind-up lantern. Perfect for camping, travelling, or even just in the garden, this is a perfect eco-friendly source of light and requires almost no effort to run – as little as 60 seconds winding gives you up to three hours light. This portable lantern is fitted with a dimmer switch so you can set it to your perfect brightness – maximum light if you need it, or a more subtle glow. The Freeplay wind-up lantern doesn’t need batteries or replacement bulbs so is cheap to run and environmentally friendly – no toxic batteries to dispose of and no mains electricity needed. It also has a cluster of ultra-bright LED lights as a primary light source but a second, single LED bulb to use as a directional light – so you can use it like a torch if needed. When fully charged the light gives you around three hours of bright light but lasts an impressive 70 hours at the lowest setting – perfect for lighting on the go. (You also get 40 hours of directional light from a fully charged lantern). Pleasantly retro looking in design, this lantern in fact utilises modern wind up technology to create the perfect eco-solution and to give you the light you need anywhere, anytime.
Stylish recycled designer lightshades are perfect for your home
Light up your home with Use UK’s range of beautiful recycled designer lightshades. These eco-friendly lightshades are handmade from 100% recycled cardboard – consisting of 80% post-consumer waste and 20% post-manufacture waste – and are available in a range of styles to complement any decor scheme. These include the beautiful regency black, spiro and art deco style Taj oblong as well as a selection of other styles. These recycled shades are designed to fit both pendant and UK standard lamp bases, with the smaller BC (29mm) lamp holder ring inside (this is unsprayed). The lightshades are available in two sizes (small is 17.5 x 20cm and the medium is 20 x 30cm) but, as each shade is made to order, the wider European lamp holder ring is available on request. Because of the recycled material used in the lightshades, each is slightly different and may have minor imperfections, as is characteristic of recycled products – which just adds to their homemade charm. In buying one of these stylish lightshades, you are not only supporting British trade and design, you are encouraging the use of recycled material and preventing waste going to landfill – so this really is a greener way to light your home. Just make sure you use an energy efficient lightbulb to really maximise your eco design credentials!
A solar powered security light helps keep your home safe
The recession has seen a steep increase in the rise of burglaries, so being security conscious has never been more important – and with this Proteam solar powered security light you can safeguard your home and the environment at the same time. This easy to install dual headed light is suitable for your home, garden, garage or shed. It comes with a wall mount bracket and 1.8m of cable, so that you can choose the best position to place it and it can be corner mounted or flat mounted against a wall. Featuring dual adjustable heads, LED bulbs, a solar panel and motion sensor, the Proteam security light is environmentally friendly and inexpensive to run, as it requires no mains power. It features a distance and timing adjustor and can be used to detect motion up to 10 metres away, depending on your requirements. The lights are also easily pivoted to give you the best coverage. As research repeatedly shows that all but the most determined thieves are deterred by even basic home security measures, this solar powered security light is an inexpensive way to help keep your home safe. In these dark months, it is also useful if you live in an area with poor street lighting – no more fumbling for your keys in the dark! Best of all, you can be sure that in protecting your home you are also protecting the planet by choosing this environmentally friendly system.
Shed some light with a lovely lentil design lamp
If you are looking for a stylish and environmentally friendly lighting solution, this recycled lentil design lamp could just be the perfect choice. Designed and hand-made in London, this stylish lamp utilises eco-friendly materials and contemporary design to create something that is both chic and ethically sound. Because it is made in the UK there are no air miles to worry about, and the recycled lentil design lamp is made from recycled paper and porcelain clay, which is cleverly infused with lentils, which is what gives the lamp its beautiful finish. The lamp gives a lovely warm glow so is ideal for living rooms and bedrooms, especially on these cold, dark nights! Measuring 48 x 16cm, when turned off the lamp has a neutral, ceramic colour, plain enough to complement any decor, but is transformed to this lovely shade when switched on. So you can enjoy the best of British design while safe in the knowledge that you are not only investing in style, but in sustainability and the environment. So switch on a recycled lentil design lamp today, and shine a little light into these grim winter evenings.
Stylish and chic eco-design with a recycled glass grape light
Much like the sustainable coco tooth light we featured in an earlier post, this recycled glass grape light proves that green design doesn’t have to look ‘rustic’ or ‘hippyish’. It is a perfect example of how eco-friendly and ethical designers are taking green principles and using them to make some of the most cutting edge interiors products around. The recycled glass grape light is made from 100% recycled glass, and is available in a range of colours. You can select turquoise, amber or clear glass, depending on what best complements your decor, and the light would make a beautiful and striking addition to any home. Although the design may look hi-tech, it actually utilises traditional skills, with each bulb in this recycled glass grape light handmade by traditional craftsmen on the souks of Damascus and Aleppo. Recycled glass is gathered from the local area, brought to the workshop and then crushed and melted before being worked into this stunning design, making the light a perfect combination of age-old skills and modern design. The light comes in three sizes – small, medium and large – depending on your living space, or you could buy a range of sizes and colours for a more dramatic effect. Whatever your choice, this recycled glass grape light allows you to support environmentally friendly producers without compromising your aesthetic standards.
Ethical, sustainable and stylish - the coco tooth light
Many people here the words ‘ethical design’ and it conjures up images of cheesecloth or tie-dye, but this stunning coco tooth light illustrates that ethical, sustainable design can also be the epitome of contemporary chic. Proving that being green doesn’t have to mean ‘hippy’, this coco tooth light is designed to show that you can be ethical without compromising on good design. Handmade in the Philippines, this beautiful light is made from coconut shell slivers sourced from ethical growers. These shell slivers are cut, bleached and drilled and then sewn onto a wire frame to give this striking fluid effect that is both modern and natural. The coco tooth light is not only stylish it is sustainable: the coconut shell slivers are a sustainable by-product of the food industry, so using them in this way not only provides an extra source of income for the growers, it reduces landfill and is an innovative way to use what would just otherwise be waste. 27cm in height and with a diameter of 45cm, this light looks like it has sprung from the pages of a design magazine and would make a perfect focal point to any room. Who says ethical can’t be cool?
Light up your Christmas with this charming fair trade Nativity tea light holder
The beautiful fair trade Nativity tea light holder is ceramic and depicts a lovely Nativity scene. Made in Manos Amigas in Peru, the Nativity tea light holder is made by Tearcraft, a company that specialises in beautifully handcrafted fair trade products. Their home wares, gifts and novelty items are sourced from around the world and all of the producers are paid a fair price. This means that those craftspeople – like the makers of this fair trade Nativity tea light holder – are able to invest in their own communities, and keep traditional crafts alive. Tearcraft also emphasises the importance of good working conditions, encouraging good practice amongst its suppliers. Tearcraft also believes in sustainability, so many of its products are made from recycled or eco-friendly materials, making them both planet and people friendly. The result is a range of fair trade goodies that are well made and lovely to look at, but also leave you with a clear conscience that the people who made such items are not being exploited. This fair trade Nativity tea light holder would make an ideal table centrepiece, adding rustic charm to your Christmas decor, and you know that by lighting up this tea light holder, you are investing in traditional crafts and better conditions for workers – and that really is in the spirit of Christmas!
Relax this Christmas with a domestic goddess aromatherapy candle
We’re all so busy these days that there never seems to be time to relax, but this gorgeous domestic goddess aromatherapy candle aims to help you unwind. This scented soy wax candle contains essence of sweet orange, which helps maintain calm, and essence of frankincense to keep the mind elevated – so whether you are having people round to dinner or just trying to get all of your Christmas chores sorted, lighting this domestic goddess aromatherapy candle will help you remain unflustered. The candle is 100% natural and is eco-friendly, as soy wax is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and burns cleaner than paraffin wax, being virtually soot free. The candle’s soy wax is made from soybeans, which are a renewable and sustainable resource, as well as being biodegradable. Even the wicks are made of soy! Containing natural essential oils and fragrances and hand poured in the UK, each candle offers about 50 hours burn time, so they are excellent value for money. As well as the domestic goddess aromatherapy candle, the range includes a love potion candle – perfect for Valentine’s Day! - which contains jasmine, a proven aphrodisiac. Or if you feel you never have enough hours in the day, can choose the 25/7 aromatherapy candle, which contains stimulating essences of basil, sweet lemon and grapefruit. So unleash your inner domestic goddess today with an aromatherapy candle – and you can be a green goddess at the same time!
Sparkle with solar powered Christmas lights
Solar powered Christmas lights are a great way to add some festive cheer to your home without any green guilt! Normal Christmas lights use both energy and create CO2 emissions, but you can still light up your life with these solar powered Christmas rope lights. Made in Germany and created for the British climate, they are designed for both outdoor and indoor use, though they do work better outdoors where, on clear winter days, they should be able to store enough power to work for around two and a half hours every evening. Stylish and simple, these solar powered Christmas lights can actually be used all year round as beautiful garden decorations, but are particularly lovely at this festive time of year. The solar powered Christmas lights are available with yellow and red bulbs (or you could buy two sets for a mixture of both!). If you don’t trust the British winter to deliver enough clear light to charge these over the whole of the festive season, you can always use these to complement your existing traditional tree lights, only switching on the electric lights if your solar powered lights have not fully charged – you’ll still be saving energy and money, and doing your bit for a greener Christmas. And probably impressing the neighbours more than having a giant glowing Santa on the front lawn…
Electrickery and Revolve turn old circuit boards into great gifts
We live in a world where we are constantly encourage to upgrade our electronic equipment to something newer, smaller, shinier – and that can have a terrible impact on the environment. Waste from electronic and electrical equipment is growing year on year as we replace items faster and faster – an estimated 50,000 tonnes of printed circuit boards alone are scrapped every year. One company is helping reduce landfill by using old circuit boards and recycling them into unusual and stylish gifts. Electrickery are based in Fulham, London – so no air miles to worry about! – and have been recycling circuit boards since 1999. They produce a range of fun products including recycled circuit board cuff links, recycled circuit board lamps and recycled circuit board business card holders, and because they use such a range of boards, no two items are the same – ensuring completely unique gifts. Meanwhile, on a similar theme, Revolve takes items destined for landfill and turns them into fun and contemporary gifts. These include recycled circuit board coasters, recycled circuit board notebooks, and recycled circuit board mousemats. Like Electickery, Revolve is a UK company – they are based in Huddersfield – so as well as ensuring that you are saving items from landfill, you can also be assured that your products don’t clock up the air miles. Also like Electrickery, Revolve create products based on their supply of destined-for-landfill circuit boards, so every product is different, giving each its own unique charm.
