Wednesday, November 28, 2012
A good quality bamboo chairmat is a great way to protect your office floor covering while adding to the overall aesthetic of your personal office space. Whether you're sitting on industrial carpetingor hardwood, chair casters are quick to leave scratches, dents or grooves with frequent use.


Naturally elegant bamboo is more durable than a plastic mat and adds a charming organic touch to any area. Our bamboo mats, which are manufactured by Anji Mountain, are kiln-dried to the optimum moisture content to minimize cracking and warping and finished with a premium eco-friendly, UV-cured coating for ultimate protection and durability.



The 5mm and 8mm thick models feature felt backing with non-slip gripper dots to keep the mat firmly in place, along with rounded edges for easy access on and off the mat. The 12mm thick model features a non-slip natural latex backing for optimal sticking along with beveled edges to make it easy to roll on and off of.  



If you're wondering which thickness to buy to cover your industrial carpeting, it's easy. Simply get out a paper clip and follow the instructions below: 


  • Straighten the end of a paper clip.
    Straighten the end of a paper clip.
  • Push the straightened end into the carpet and through the pad until it hits the floor.
    Push the straightened end into the carpet and through the pad until it hits the floor.
  • Grab the paper clip where it’s flush with the carpet and measure the distance.
    Grab the paper clip where it's flush with the carpet and measure the distance.
  • If your carpet is 1/4" thick or less (without a carpet pad) we recommend a 5mm Roll-Up Chairmat.
  • If your carpet and pad is 3/8" thick or less we recommend a 8mm Deluxe Roll-Up Chairmat.
  • If your carpet and pad is 3/4" thick or less we recommend a 12mm Tri-Fold Chairmat.
  
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Experimenting with layers is a great way to create fall and winter looks that are both fashionable and climate appropriate. Although it may take a little extra effort, it is possible to look good without freezing your buns off.

Jonano's turtlenecks (available in chili red, cloud white, midnight black and navy blue) are a great place to start because they're form fitting and easy to match. 


Made from a machine washable viscose from an organic bamboo and spandex blend, they fit as though they were tailored specifically for your unique shape.



Throw on a chunky belt to add definition to your waist or opt for a more casual look by wearing it under your favorite hoodie or cardigan sweater. You can also jazz it up by adding a loosely draped scarf or chunky necklace and pairing it with a sleek blazer for a look that's great for the office.



Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The most important feature of active wear should always be comfort, but let's face it - there's nothing wrong with looking good too. This is why I'm so excited to announce the addition of 4-rth's stylish line of yoga gear for women to our eco-fabulous collection of active wear!

All of the fashionable items displayed below, including the Sustain Sports Bra, the Sustain Yoga Halter, the Sustain Yoga Pant, the Sustain Yoga Short, and the Sustain YogaHoodie, are made from super soft ProModal, a combination of Modal and Tencel (from the birch & eucalyptus trees respectively), so you know they'll be comfortable and extremely durable.

They're also eco-friendly and budget friendly. Designer yoga pants can run you anywhere from $80 to $120 but these designs have all the quality and style for just a fraction of the price.

Just in time for the holiday season, these sustainable styles are the perfect excuse to get moving and beat the January gym rush. 

*Don't worry guys, we didn't forget about you. Check out our post on yoga gear for men here.

Product Features:

  • Designed with your active lifestyle in mind. Go straight from your morning walk to your yoga session, slip on the Sustain Yoga Hoodie and head for a late brunch in eco-style before running your daily errands.

  • Made from highly sustainable, organic ProModal (derived from beech wood and eucalyptus tree). This fabric is softer, more durable and colorfast than cotton with 50% more moisture-wicking.

  • Attention to detail with a focus on classic lines and colors. No unnecessary stitch work or embellishments to ensure your ultimate comfort. This eco-friendly active wear is made to feel like a 2nd skin.

  • Versatility is the name of the game. 4-rth's clients aren't just yogis – they're actively involved in spinning, kick-boxing, running, hiking, soccer, tennis, and you name it! Thanks to the natural stretch and breathability of ProModal, this work-out gear is great for just about any sport.

Sustain Sport Bra 
(available in black, tangerine, or plum)

Sustain Yoga Halter 
(available in black, tangerine, or plum)

Thursday, November 08, 2012
We recently added several new colourful styles of earrings to our collection of handmade jewelry that I'm very excited about!  All of the designs featured below are made from natural materials, such as coconut shell and calabash gourd, so they are lightweight and easy to wear.

We purchase all of our jewelry from a great company called Revy Fair Trade. Revy works with artisan coops in El Salvador to produce all sorts of unique jewelry designs and accessories for women, all of which are handmade in fair trade facilities.  Their products are also eco-friendly, so when you purchase these items you're not only doing something good for the environment you're also doing something good for the people of El Salvador.

If you're starting to think about stocking stuffers, a pair of these earrings are a great choice.  They also make fun birthday presents or thank you gifts.

Without further ado, here are some of the latest styles that we've added to our stylish collection:

Pink Coco Gem Earrings
Green Coco Gem Earrings
Polished Calabash Earrings
Tuesday, November 06, 2012

If you're in the market for baby shoes or toddler shoes then you're in luck! We carry an impressive selection of styles and sizes that are absolutely adorable and 100% kid friendly (as in free of harmful chemicals or substances such as lead). I think you'll also appreciate that they're reasonably priced and eco-friendly to boot!

All of our baby shoes are made by Pedoodles, an American company that specializes in eco-friendly footwear for young children. According to the experts at Pedoodles, young feet are incredibly soft and pliable; therefore, any footwear you put on them should be the same. Pedoodles have designed their shoes to be soft and flexible, with plenty of wiggle room for developing toes and feet.


With this in mind, their sole mission (pardon the pun) is to “create soft, comfortable, quality footwear that kids really love to wear.” From the sounds of the customer testimonials which are featured on their website, they've achieved this goal and then some. Check out what these moms had to say about Pedoodles:

Tamara wrote:

“My 15 month daughter and I love her shoes. She has Ruby Janes and the pink and white Runners in her current size. She had the Kimberly Kitty crib shoes in her previous size. They are flexible, breathable, and comfortable even in hot weather. The shoes hold up far better than any other brand I've purchased. Even when she was crawling and wearing the shoes the toe box showed only minor wear after months of use while other more expensive pairs were scuffed or damaged in minutes. Mud and grass clean right off the surface so the shoes look nice even after they're too small. I just ordered the Cotton Candy shoes in her next size for Christmas.”


Dame's Rocket


Yael wrote:

“My 19 month old son loves his red bowlers. Seriously. He adores them. I have to hide them when I take them off to bathe him or put on his pajamas and if he falls asleep wearing them, I have to leave them on or he'll get annoyed in his sleep.”




Blue Bowlers


Michelle wrote:

“Your shoes make great gifts. I stumbled across them while shopping for a friend's shower and fell in love. They were all so cute that I had a hard time deciding what to buy. Needless to say, they were a big hit and now I'm back for more.”




Green Zoomers


Patricia wrote:

“I am so happy that I found Pedoodles! My 2 year old wears her Princess Pedoodles EVERY DAY! They are perfect for every occasion. I recently bought the Flower Power shoes for both my 2 year old and my 4 year old and they both love wearing their shoes. I also get lots of compliments on the shoes, even from perfect strangers. My 2 year old recently lost one of her Princess shoes, so if it doesn't turn up soon, I will be back getting another pair since I don't think I can go very long without those shoes. They are so easy to put on, for me and for my girls. What a great shoe!”




Java Jumpers


Monday, November 05, 2012

The holidays are coming up which means extra spending for a lot of Canadian and American families. All of the gift giving and entertaining can really put a dent in the old wallet so why not try and save a few bucks on your next utility bill?

For starters, did you know that it can be cheaper to do your laundry and to run other appliances such as the dishwasher during off-peak hours? In my area we have the option of signing up for 'time-of-use' pricing which means that electricity is essentially 'on sale' during periods of infrequent use. In many regions this includes weekends and weeknights any time after 7 or 8 pm until around 7 am in the morning. I strongly urge you to do a bit of research on what options are available in your neck of the woods so that you can start saving too.

Another way to keep a little more of your hard-earned money is to unplug your appliances when you're not using them. This could be anything from your computer to your DVD player to your electric kettle. All of these things suck up energy even when they're not in use. I'll admit that it can be a pain to go around unplugging everything one by one, so one solution is to to hook up your appliances into a power bar that can be switched on and off with the click of a button.

If you're wondering exactly how much your household appliances are consuming, Engergy.gov provides a good resource here. Chances are unplugging your appliances won't amount to much in terms of dollars saved on a monthly basis, but if you're diligent then you could walk away with a couple extra hundred dollars at the end of the year. And don't forget that by using less energy we're also doing something good for the environment!

Friday, November 02, 2012


I've written about the importance of supporting the organic cotton industry before, but my recent discovery of the Organic Cotton Initiative has reminded me of one very important point that I failed to elaborate on. Organic cotton is great for the environment and great for our health, but it's also great for putting the power back in the hands of the farmer.

It's very simple, really. Organic farmers don't use genetically modified seeds which means that they have the power and freedom to choose sustainable farming methods over conventional methods which rely heavily on chemicals and pesticides.

Here's what the folks over at the Organic Cotton Initiative had to say:

“Organic cotton production never uses GM seed. The small-scale farmers who produce the majority of our cotton need reliability, not high risks. Using low external inputs that are locally available, organic allows farmers to work within their limits and with their environment, in a sustainable way. Organic cotton puts choices in the farmer's hands.”

Just one more reason to support organic cotton production. For the Organic Cotton Initiative's full briefing the benefits of organic cotton click here.