Electrolux UltraSilencer Green canister vacuum cleaner

In August 2008, I reviewed an energy-efficient Eureka vacuum cleaner called the envirovac.

At the time, I gave the envirovac a thumbs up for performance, design and value. The bagless washable canister and filter meant that the vacuum wouldn’t have any obvious recurring costs beyond its ultra-reasonable $72.22 price (via Wal-Mart).

But not everyone likes an upright vacuum. You can be an upstanding citizen (or even a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade) and still prefer a canister vacuum for example. (Here’s a webpage by one canister-lover.)

So I was happy to have the chance to test the new Electrolux UltraSilencer Green canister vacuum that debuted in the US just a couple of months ago.

Although it sounds like some sort of weapon that 007 would use to dispatch his enemies in secret, the UltraSilencer Green is actually just a really quiet vacuum (maximum 71 decibels). If other vacuums sound like garbage trucks, the UltraSilencer Green is like a well-tuned Mazda Miata.

Electrolux UltraSilencer Green canister vacuum cleaner

The UltraSilencer is not only compact and nicely designed, it’s also lightweight and easy to transport around the house. The Electrolux website says the vac tips the scales at approximately 12 lbs. For comparison, Wal-Mart lists the shipping weight of the envirovac as nearly 20 lbs., though the comparison is obviously not apples-to-apples since packaging can certainly add to the shipping weight.

And while Eureka had packaged the envirovac in a recycled box, Electrolux goes one step further by reportedly using 55% recycled materials in the construction of the UltraSilencer Green, while making the vacuum itself 90% recyclable. I love the cradle-to-cradle design philosophy at work here, and Electrolux says that using the recycled materials in building the UltraSilencer Green saves 2 liters of crude oil and 80 liters of water per vacuum cleaner. ((Note that there are various UltraSilencers made by Electrolux. I presume that only the Green one has the recycled/recyclable characteristics.)

From a performance standpoint, I have to admit that I probably like the feel of upright vacuums a bit better, but I did appreciate the light weight and flexibility of the UltraSilencer Green’s long hose. With enough use, I’d probably get used to manuevering the UltraSilencer Green around the apartment. Suction was certainly more than adequate enough to pick up small debris from hardwood floors and low-pile carpet. (In fact, the suction was strong enough to lift entire unsecured carpet tiles right into the air!)

I only really have one major gripe about the UltraSilencer Green. Although the Electrolux UltraSilencer Green is advertised as being 1/3 greener than comparable vacuums (presumably canister vacs), its 1250-watt maximum power usage is still significantly higher than the 960-watt needs of the 2008 envirovac. Since I like to that that efficiency marches hand in hand with progress into the future, it would have been nice if the UltraSilencer Green had used fewer than 960 watts, but perhaps canister vacs just have higher power needs (and better suction?) than upright vacs…

Electrolux UltraSilencer Green canister vacuum cleaner

Where to buy:

You can buy the Electrolux UltraSilencer Green online through Bed Bath & Beyond for $299.

Disclosure – Electrolux lent me an UltraSilencer Green vacuum to review.

Vintage re-worked Schiaparelli print silk bag by Esther B

UK based designer Esther  Burdett has created this collection of exquisite ‘eco must haves’ using vintage Schiaparelli news print silk . Each bag is completely original, made from limited edition silks and frames, and  are fully-lined and  hand-stitched by  Esther . Each bag is a limited production piece.. Her work is inspired by the idea of transforming and reworking beautiful – perhaps forgotten – fragments of the past into new forms, to be treasured all over again.
With a long-standing passion for collecting, Esther carefully selects staple elements of couture such as fine antique and vintage silks, laces and other precious found objects. Whether it be 19th-century hand-worked lace, an exquisite piece of printed silk or a beautiful antique bag frame, each piece is chosen for its exquisite quality and intricate detail.

Esther B’s style of work embodies the quintessential glamour of  the great Hollywood screen sirens. Esther says “the glamour of the 1920s and 1930s and Hollywood starlets of the 50s are all inspirational to my designs”. LOVE the use of the Schiaparelli pink for the lining…..

www.estherb.co.uk

Add a little pizzaz to your holiday attire with orGLAMic baubles from handmade jewelry line Elva Fields.  Since 2003, designer Emily Wheat Maynard has scoured local and far-flung markets, auctions, and shops for unusual vintage and antique pieces.  The treasured finds are then reconfigured and incorporated in unexpected, timeless designs that are sure to make any orGLAMic reader squeal with delight.  The earrings pictured above are made of faceted vintage brass beads clustered together to create a big and bold look to any outfit.  Personally, I think they would look great with a black cowl neck sweater and jeans combo and hair in a casual, messy updo.  Click here to browse the collections for orGLAMic finds, or here to locate a local retailer near you.

3 things:

Tomate d’epingles

Real butterfly gifts

Diane Burko

3 links:

In praise of Phil Spector’s (utterly fantastic!) 1963 Christmas album

When cash-strapped magazines merge

Something different for Thanksgiving dessert: Gourmet’s fig crostata

‘Cortica’chaise Longue by Daniel Michalik

Brooklyn based New Yorker, designer Daniel Michalik, has made this textural, ergonomic, undulating, chaise longue from pure cork (reclaimed waste material from the bottle-stopper industry), non-toxic marine-grade adhesive, and a small amount of polyurethane.

Cork has tremendous potential to perform in ways unlike any other material, as well as being an environmentally responsible material. This piece shows the material’s ability to bend in two directions simultaneously, creating complex three-dimensional forms laminated from a flat sheet. Cork being a renewable material, it is both  lightweight and naturally waterproof , and resilient to rot and mould, and therefore  can be used indoors or outdoors. The balanced form, along with the pliability of the material allows one to rock gently from side to side with a great degree of stability. The result is a  floating sensation , weightless yet totally supported…… presumably could float in a pool……the ultimate eco lilo….don’t try this at home!!

www.danielmichalik.com

CEO of Recycling Zychal, Taryn Zychal with her fiancee Aaron Stampa at the Sonia Rykiel Fashion Show Friday at Recess Lounge.

by Erik Levin, AP, EFPD

PHILADELPHIA PA November 23, 2009 — Navigating through a windy, stormy rush hour in any city is probably at the top of most of our pet peeve lists, but not for Philadelphia entrepreneur and broken umbrella connoisseur, Taryn Zychal who says that those are the days that have provided her with the inventory she needed to turn trash into treasure with her successful upcycled umbrella fashion accessory company, Recycling Zychal.

Recycling Zychal officially launched in April of this year, but Zychal says that she’s been ‘rescuing’ broken umbrellas for several years before she knew exactly what to do with them. What started off as a bit of an obsession has now blossomed into something we don’t often hear about these days, a successful and sustainable business.

Recycling Zychal came up on my radar about 3 months ago when she was named one of the Top 25 Recycling Twitterers. I started following her and the exceptionally interesting stories of dumpster diving, product development, fashion shows, television shows and photo shoots she would share with the world. Here at EFPD, we were wow’ed by her activism and involvement in promoting stylish and functional upcycling, (something that she refers to as “Sexy Upcycling”) which is the complete opposite of the over-branded, impractical upcycling that most of us are turned off by.

Louie, a Samoyed from LA modeling a Recycling Zychal Upcycled Umbrella Dog Rain Coat

I had the chance to sit down with the broken umbrella bombshell this past Friday at Recess Lounge where she been invited as a VIP guest among many of Philadelphia’s fashion elite to the Sonia Rykiel Fashion Show presented by Philadelphia’s new ‘go-to’ marketing agency, The Nouveau Image. We were among many familiar faces that included Steven Ward, host of VH1’s Tough Love and Philadelphia’s own Arthur Kade, which barely seemed to faze Zychal who mentioned to me early on that if it had been raining that night, she probably would have been able to score a broken Burberry umbrella.

“I am always thinking about my company, it’s my baby, it’s my life, it’s my full timer, and it’s working”
said the 25 year old as she sipped a special Sonia Rykiel cocktail designed especially for the event,
“do you really think I’d be here right now if I didn’t work hard to meet the right people?”

Winter HOOD promotion

The transition from a drinking PBR from a straw in bar a dive to sipping a swanky cocktail among celebrities at a fashion show has been quick for Zychal and is just one indication that Recycling Zychal is starting to branch off into bigger and better things. With the recent success of her Winter HOODs, which are modern day babushkas made from salvaged umbrella fabric and the highly anticipated launch of her newly expanded upcycled umbrella line, Recycling Zychal has won over the media with her dedication to animals, the environment and her couture sense of design. Chloe Jo Berman, founder of Girly Girl Army, celebrity green consultant and cruelty free advocate recently gave recommendation and praise to the company in an article entitled,“The Girl Who Loves Broken Umbrellas”, while one of Philadelphia’s most talked about internet sensations, Karina Bradley, sent out a shout out to Recycling Zychal to all of her fans on her YouTube channel.

Zychal said that she has a lot going on in the next few months including collaboration with Alexander Ciambriello for her Spring ’10 Collection, raising money to expand and collect broken umbrellas around the country through Indiegogo.com, a photo caption contest and HOOD giveaway through Better Off Soaked that is running right now, and of course preparing for the upcoming holiday season where she is offering buy one get one free HOODs and her infamous Upcycled Umbrella Dog Coat and matching HOOD special for $55 on her etsy shop from 12:01 am Black Friday until 11:59 pm Cyber Monday.

As we took our seats for the fashion show, I asked her what the next step for Recycling Zychal was and with a little hesitation and a laugh she said, “This right now was the end goal about 7 months ago; being here, in my element, among a good crowd, being interviewed by someone, this is everything I’ve ever wanted, the next step is to sustain it. It’s not about the fame or fortune, it’s about people rethinking the way they see a broken umbrella and once they know about my business and how I can recycle them into something beautiful, there’s really nothing stopping them from sending it my way”.

To learn more about Taryn Zychal and her broken umbrella business, or to donate your broken umbrella to her, please visit www.recyclingzychal.etsy.com or call the Recycling Zychal Headquarters in Philadelphia at: 1 (888) 472-2912

The Green Gift Fair was this past weekend in Minneapolis.  What a great time!  I did not get to look around, I would have loved to have taken an hour or so, but it was still great!  I was so happy to see so many people both producing and supporting green products.  Environmental issues have always been big with me growing up in the age of Woodsy, Smokey and the crying Indian.  I got to try out my new booth set up and learned even more than I did the last two shows.

I would like to share a couple green artists that I really liked.

The first KM STITCHERY is recycled, reused, and ethical!

Sylvia Plath

She used hand cut stencils and repurposed clothing to make great creations.  She works with famous women of history, another love of mine.  Woman’s studies in college opened my eyes to these great women and what they did not only for women but for mankind.  She will take custom orders and is in many shops across the country.  Stop by and check out her work.

Next is Mirasol Farms

Sweet Earth Soap

They do organic soap, creams and other great skin care items.  The sample soap I got has the most wonderful aroma and is one of the most incredible soaps I have ever used.  I will be stopping by their shop to purchase more!

My booth while closer to what I am looking for, I am only making a few minor changes before my next show.  Most of the changes are going to come with my product lines.  I am excited!

Slings

I love my new sling set up.  The addition of the hanging lady really helped.  People would come over to check out the bags.  The only change I will be doing with this set up is putting the slings on a waterfall hook, I hope that will free up some more room.

Stockings

The rack a friend made me worked great for my stockings at this show.  We painted it green despite the outrage of my friend.  And found out at this show that I can make it look how ever we need.  This show it worked best with just the two rails.

Time to get back to work.  I am working on some big changes for my shops and product line.  I hope to have the shops back open late tonight early tomorrow with a big sale!

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I have a dear friend. I loved his plaid shirt – it was oversized, cozy and reminded me of the laughs we shared while on our travels together. We met while working the press junket a few years ago and became fast friends.

He came to visit me in Toronto one year and left behind his plaid shirt for me. It was a nice surprise to find it nicely folded under my bed.
Although I loved the shirt, I never wore it.

What to do with it? Well, I decided to create an oversized stocking for my boyfriend. I think it turned out fabulous. I kept one side buttoned, and maintained the collar too. So I was able to create this great Christmas Stocking AND keep the memory of this shirt alive and make it part of a special time of year. It’s fun, it’s friendly and it’s got a lot of room for lots of stocking stuffers.
I think my good buddy would love what I made of his shirt. In a funny way.

This is the back of the Christmas Stocking

This is the front side of the Christmas Stocking

This is Mike's Stocking hanging

This Wrap Story is part of a mini-series, documenting every present I’ve wrapped since the launch of this blog. For more, click the “Wrap Story” link in the right-hand column!

We were invited to a church friend’s birthday lunch and G. kindly watched N. so I could go. I expected a small gathering, but to my surprise we filled two banquet-length tables on the patio of Daisy Mint!

I gave the birthday girl a notepad made with papers retrieved from the recycling bins of MOCA (by me, who else). I made it a card and gift in one by writing the birthday wishes on the first page of the pad.

As you can see, I just tied a sheer ribbon into a bow around the notepad. I thought it might be best to keep it simple for a simple gift.

I love soft things.  Toys.  Cuddlesomes.  Here is Blueue:

Oz the cat and Blueue the teddy

with my cat.  I was 4 when Blueue came into my life, I found him at my school jumble sale and he’s been by my side ever since.  See – I was a second-hand shopper even then!  He’s had his foot eaten off by a hamster, been held over a candle by a very mental ex-boyfriend and accompanied me on many trips into hospital.  So as you can see, I’m a fan of the cuddly things.

So today I’m going to be blogging about plushes and softies made out of recycled materials – and believe me – there are a LOT out there.

Firstly the wonderful work of melbangel – the reason why I love her plushes is because they are so obviously made out of recycled materials.  The bold patterns and weird shapes make these creatures marvellous to behold – and I LOVE their names. Weirdoo Megan and Weirdoo Moochie are by far my faves – I LOVE Weirdoo Moochie so much!  SO CUTE!

Weirdoo Moochie

Weirdoo Megan

I really hope that melbangel makes some more of these as they really are so original and so adorable.

Leah Riley is a true inspiration – and is mostly the inspiration for this blog.  She’s apparently ‘embarrassed’ by the amount of t-shirt material she has built up, so she’s been creating a plush-a-day.  They range from skeletons to birds and each one is highly original and a great use of leftover bits of material.

Abigail the goth bunny

I guess I love this one because of the hidden goth within me.  LOVE the stripes (I love nothing more than stripes and polka dots) and bunnies just do it for me (although Anya may disagree – I’m SUCH a Buffy geek!)

I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with in her desire to use up all that material.  Leah – you are truly an inspiration to this hoarder of material!

Lucy Kate Crafts creates beautifully crafted and unique pieces.  I’m in total awe of her photostream and virtually drool over the plushy wonderfulness that abounds.  This little fox is one of my favourites.

Fox Softie

It’s unusual to see a fox – and I think that’s why I love it so much.

However – there is one of her softies that I would LOVE to have on my shelf.  As some of you know I LOVE peacocks, in fact I have an art deco style one tattooed on my back.  She has created this beautiful upcycled softie:

Peacock

How beautiful is this? I love it so much.   So gorgeous.

What I love about Loopy Dolls is that you know one of their pieces as soon as you see it.  I think that’s the strength of their design and imagination.  The faces are so cute – I could imagine a whole range of Loopy Dolls postcards, t-shirts etc.  They could take over the world!

Octopus

So there you go – some truly inspiring plushes/ softies that will hopefully inspire us all to go out and use up those scraps of material and create cuteness.  You can see my gallery of other cuties here – and I promise – that I am going to try this right now.  I have these two books (one I was given by my old school library when they were chucking out a load of books and one I got from Deptford Market for 50p):

Toy making books

and they have some great patterns in them so I’m going to try now to create some wonderful plushness.  In the meantime I’ll leave you with a family of plushes I created a long time ago called OOOOkies:

La Famille OOOOkie

created using upcycled velvet, buttons and t-shirts – however the felt and hearts were bought

Found this on the Herman Miller Discover blog this morning.

For the fourth consecutive year, Herman Miller employees are volunteering their time to make hundreds of Christmas stockings for the Holland Rescue Mission. And they’re using leftover fabrics and materials from the design department’s cutting room floor. What a great idea, and a great group of folks!

Many of us this Eco Christmas will give and receive new gadgets. Some of these with be eco and some not. The question we discussed in the BeMoreEco office was what is the best process of buying gadgets this year. What should our green eco gadget shopping tips be.

Well after some searching we found these Green Gadget tips posted by Plant Green.

‘UM’ bag by Josh Jakus

Josh Jakus is  a designer  based in Berkeley, California who is dedicated to exploring the connections between form and function. When people use one of Josh’s products, they experience the way his product was conceived and developed . He achieves this by using materials in their simplest form so their intrinsic qualities show through .

Josh founded his design practice in 2005 as a way of continuing his lifelong interest in the nature of structure, space, and materials. An architect by training with an M.Arch from UC Berkeley, Josh uses his understanding of the built environment and how it is inhabited , in the creation of his designs.

He developed the UM bag collection through two  self imposed creative challenges: The first, to make use of the unique properties of 100% industrial pressed wool felt, which is made from approximately 85% factory excess wool and 15% mixed fibers. exploring its density, texture, pliability, and strength. And the second, to transform a flat surface using only the simplest of operations. When unzipped, UMs lay completely flat for dry cleaning, storage, or travel.

This ingenious design is the result of its simplicity , architectonic lines and elemental construction– the bag is nothing more than two layers of a cleverly shaped piece of felt and a zipper.

Definitely no wastage to be found anywhere…with this elemental, recycled, rationalised  design with minimal manufacturing process…..eco…practical and covetable….

www.joshjakus.com

Manly Mondays is in for a treat with Collection PAS.  C-PAS is the most orGLAMic  menswear line that I have come across.  While the Spring ‘10 Collection has already been released, the Fall ‘09 Collection does the trick at the moment.  All of the well-designed duds are made of natural, recycled and sustainable materials and are classic yet hip at the same time.  The Fall ‘09 Collection includes items are made from organic cotton, organic denim, and even re-used wool blankets.  And, if you are in NY, you can also go in for a custom suit (and bring in old t’s to be a part of the suit lining!)  Click here to browse the orGLAMic website.

For the past two years, founder Monica Ralli of UrthBags in California, developed strategies to inspire people. Her goal was to create a stronger sense of eco-consciousness on our overly-disposable planet.

Monica’s company handbag materials are milk cartons, juice boxes, telephone books, and newspapers. The craftspeople are artisans from across the globe. Designers are both staffed and sourced.

To seal the hip, whimsical, smart ‘n green image visioned, Monica adds salvaged items like seashells, fashion magazines and coconuts to her designs. Individuals can shop online and minimums are reasonable for small specialty boutiques.

Another company is English Retreads in Colorado. Founder and designer Heather English gained inspiration from floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube. One of her first bags produced in 2001 is still a classic: named Model T with seatbelt straps.

Relan is in Minnesota where they make the Elsie handbag pictured. It’s a precious small lined purse with a tire rubber handle. The exterior is made from a piece of billboard about the size of a tennis court. The billboard’s graphic pattern and colors are preserved in interesting and attention-arresting ways, then stitched together to create an innovative, functional bag.

Relan bags are designed for those who combine individual style with a sense of purpose. Companies are encouraged to reuse exhibition banners, billboards or vinyl signs. The PR program concept is for customers to place orders in advance when they see a banner they love.

This is a mini preview of many companies and methods to bag it with innovative eco style. Buy consciously, folks!

The recycled hand dyed yarn got a new life:) I’ve knitted a pair of mittens. Berries and chocolate:)

I made another Christmas tree ornament. I crocheted it with recycled wool and new acrylic yarn, added some beads and a ribbon. Cute:) It is difficult to take pictures of white yarn on the white background…

]]> http://efcteam.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/november-2009-challenge-entry-building-block-crayons-upcycled-recycled-in-two-tone-thankful-set-of-5-by-chasedreams/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:47:54 +0000 uniquegrabs http://efcteam.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/november-2009-challenge-entry-building-block-crayons-upcycled-recycled-in-two-tone-thankful-set-of-5-by-chasedreams/

I wish I had thought of this earlier! Fall/Thanksgiving color building block crayons for any Lego lover. Wouldn’t these be fun for doodling at Thanksgiving dinner? Everyone would want to sit at the kids table!

Made of recycled non-toxic crayons each crayon measures approximately 1.75″ x .75″ and is .5″ thick.

Set includes one: brown/red, red/orange, orange/yellow, yellow/green and green/brown. Colors will be as close to what is shown as possible. Some slight variations may occur in the melting process.

Please convo me with any questions or special requests. I can make an order of just one color or style if you would like (great party favors!). This set contains some small pieces which can be choking hazards.

100% of the sale proceeds will be donated to Etsy for Charity (EFC) Charity of the Month.

‘N3′ recycled zip dress by Sebastian Errazuriz

We’ve been used to the concept of modular furniture….. we now have modular fashion. Introduciong the  N3 Zipper dress.Designed by  installation artist/ product designer/ fashion designer Sebastian Errazuriz. The dress comes with 120 metal zippers. You can zip or unzip the garment to create an incredible collection of separate pieces according your favorite style or length.   Both eco, sexy, modular and fashion forward….the N3 dress is an entire collection in one piece. Definately a case of less is more……

www.meetsebastian.com