Anyway, wine is a multi-billion dollar, global industry, and anything that big generates a LOT of waste.  So I thought I would share some of my favorite sustainable goods made from the remnants of the wine making process…

Elegant curves define this beautiful folding chair from Whit McLeod.  Made from used oak wine barrels – many of them decades old – this chair is surprisingly comfortable and very chic.

Here on this Fontenay coffee table, it is easy to see how the type of wine, and the length of time a barrel is used, provide a rich variation in staining.

That beautiful variation is also evident in this richly patterned “barn door” by master furniture maker Cliff Spencer, also made of reclaimed oak from wine barrels.  I so wish I had a place in my house or studio to put one!

And of course, the oak can be used to create a stunning floor, like this custom one, also by Fortenay.

There are other great materials to be reused too.  For instance, wine corks make a terrific flooring, as these sweet round tiles cut from surplus wine corks show. And yes, that’s a picture of a shower floor.  Believe it or not, these tiles install just like regular ceramic tiles, with standard thin set and grout.  The only difference is the water based urethane you finish them with once they are installed.

Yemm & Hart has gone so far as to collect used wine corks, reprocessing them into 3′ x 3′ tiles, that can be applied to floors, walls or even as a surfacing material for furniture.

And of course, no post would be complete without things made from wine bottles.  Now, I could write an entire post on lovely vases, glasses and decorative items made from bottles, and maybe I will someday, but for now I wanted you to see a couple of more unusual applications.

Here are some marvelous color block pendant lamps by Jerry Kott.  Handcut from recycled wine bottles, and then reassembled, they would look striking suspended over a kitchen island, or a stylish wet bar.

Another piece I just love is this sideboard.  Designed and handcrafted by Blue Moon Bottles from recycled steel, glass and wine bottle punts (the bottom end of the bottle), it looks so pretty and yet truly useful at the same time.

To really appreciate how pretty the punts look in this table though, you have to see them with a little light coming through.  It reminds me a bit of the stained glass windows made from cut bottle bottoms that were at a Mexican restaurant I ate at as a kid.  They absolutely fascinated me.  Ah nostalgia… I have a sudden craving for cheese enchiladas now!

So, do you have a favorite piece of furniture, decorative piece, or building material you’ve seen made from the remnants of winemaking (and drinking!)?  Please feel free to share it in the comments below.

Meanwhile, just so you know, I’m on vacation.  Not a “throw all cares to the winds, sipping margaritas by the pool, can’t be reached by cell phone” type of vacation, but a little time off nonetheless. So I hope you won’t mind the brevity of my writing for the next several days.  I have some serious relaxing to do.  Maybe with a glass or two of wine in hand…

Now, I’m not usually a big fan of shocking pink, but this rug is just the sort of cheerful detail that can make a room.  Using technology to cut crisp, whimsical designs out of thick wool felt, Selina Rose has taken an ancient material and given it a new, playful edge.

For her 2010 collection, UK based designer Selina Rose has continued her exploration of striking colors and nature inspired designs in new rugs, throws, pillows and even coasters.  The wool felt’s bright colors come from environmentally friendly dyes, making them safe as well as sustainable.

I love the clever butterfly cutouts on these pillows.  They really seem to invite you to peek beneath the wings to see what’s hidden there.So if you need a little cheer around you home, or are just curious to see more of her lovely designs, click here.  All of the products are designed and produced in the UK, but can be shipped worldwide.

Mosaic “wallpaper” by Trend USA

1.  Recycled glass takes only 50% of the energy to produce that virgin glass does.

Oceanside Glasstile

2.  Recycled glass  can be made into any form, color, or shape you can imagine.

Bedrock Industries

3.  Glass is truly recyclable, meaning it can be recycled over and over and over again without losing quality.  Paper and many metals can only be recycled a certain number of times before they become unusable (in their original form) due to contaminants or loss of structural integrity.  Plastic is even worse, as it can only be downcycled, meaning it must be converted into a lesser form from the very beginning.

Stone & Pewter

4. Recycled glass is versatile.  It can be used anywhere that ceramic tile can be used, such as walls, countertops, showers, fountains and pools.  It can even be used for flooring.

Hakatai

5.  Every ton of 50% recycled glass saves 250 tons of mining waste.  Imagine the savings when it’s 100% recycled!

Sandhill

6.  Recycled glass is inert, meaning it won’t affect indoor air quality, or add contaminants or chemicals to the interior environment.

So have I got you interested?  Good!  Now, here are a few more things you should know before you run out and replace that grubby old bathroom countertop:

• The post consumer recycled content of glass tiles can vary anywhere from 100% down to about 30%.  Most companies make the information available to you on their website or in information sheets and catalogs, but if you don’t see it anywhere, don’t hesitate to ask.
• Even though recycled glass takes a lot less energy to produce than virgin glass, there is still a significant amount of heat and energy needed to reform it.  Check with the company you’re considering to see if they have any programs in place to either reduce or offset the energy they use in production.
• Recycled glass is BEAUTIFUL.  That being said, it’s typically made using processes that allow for some flaws, bubbles and other quirks of production, so you should enjoy a little “character” in your tile.
• All of the recycled glass tile companies I have highlighted above are located in the United States, although a few of them actually manufacture in other countries.  If you are in another country and know of a good local source for recycled glass tile that you would like to share, please let us know in the comments below.  I love hearing about new sources for good things.

Fez carpet tiles are made of 85% post consumer recycled PET (polyester) fiber, and are designed for medium traffic residential use.  The 19.7″ square tiles come in seven different colors, as well as pre-designed rug kits ranging in size from 3′ x 5′ to 8′ x 10′.  Individual tiles are on sale for $7.99 (reg. $9.99), and a 3′ x 5′ rug can be had for only $47.94.

Best of all, when you are done with the tiles, FLOR will send you a pre-paid pouch to send them back so they can be recycled into new rug material!

At only $2.97 per square foot, how can you go wrong?

100 years ago, before “sustainability” became a concept, before the word “recycling” even existed, a traditional American craft embodied both: rag rugs, the art of creating rugs from worn clothing & cast-off textiles.   Across the country housewives melded thrift and creativity, beauty and usefulness into functional works of art.

At Lark Textile Design owner/designer Janet Thomas builds on this legacy.  In her hands, the unintended sustainably of yesteryear has become a directed goal in the production of custom hand-woven and constructed rugs.

“Although I use new materials now for my rugs,” she says, “they are industry 2nds and cast offs.  Perfectly good for walking on but not good enough for your window coverings or upholstery.  I am a scavenger at heart and that mindset makes it really easy to fit into the context of today’s sustainability concerns.”

Textiles were an integral part of Janet’s life growing up, to the point of obtaining a degree in textile design from the University of Washington – afterward, she began making rugs for galleries and shops, then began working with designers and the wholesale market of custom home furnishings.  Of central importance to her are projects that highlight the hand-woven quality of the rugs and develop a mood and atmosphere in a room specific to each individual client.

There is little waste in the studio, for use is found even for the “leftovers” from larger projects, which are turned into smaller area rugs and sold.  The carbon impact of the business is reduced by the simple elimination of excess shipping: the rugs are made here in the United States and sent directly to the customers.  For Janet, sustainability is a natural offspring of long-term thinking that goes far beyond business practice:

“Working in a sustainable fashion just makes sense to me,” she says.  “It is not an effort, more a design challenge. Anyone who has ventured into the world of trying to make a living weaving will tell you that innovation is a must.  It is my hope that by looking at all aspects of my business in a sustainable way is not only good brain exercise for me today but helps generations to come by reducing my baggage that is getting dumped on them.  Everyone has to figure out their own way to make a difference.  What I consider to be the most important aspect of sustainability is education. There are millions of great people out there that just need to be informed.”

Lark rugs are available in high-relief or flatwoven style, of which many choices are available for viewing and order at the “Portfolio” section of the business’ website.  Along with the traditional wool, cotton, and synthetic yarns, her work may also include fabric ribbons and even suede and leather, which is particularly interesting worked into a high-relief rug.  (The latter are works of art in their own right and would make striking wall hangings.)  With custom projects Janet works closely with each client, working up a Colors For Approval card from the fabric & paint samples provided by the customer and then – if the client wishes to do a more in-depth evaluation – for a charge creating an optional 16” x 16” square sample which be used to determine how well the finished rug suits its intended environment.

The practical beauty of Janet’s work can provide the opportunity to engage a larger audience in the ideals of sustainable interior design, and perhaps further along into the ideals of mindful living.  How better to begin such a conversation than the furnishings of one’s daily life?

Lark Texile Design may be visited here.

Queries may be directed to:

Janet Thomas

Lark Textile Design
720 Sunset Pond Lane #2
Bellingham WA 98226

PH 360-527-0305
FX 360-527-0306

The U.S. based company Air Dye has managed to do exactly that, by creating a new technology that can dye fabric without using a single drop of water!  This is an amazing advancement, and one we desperately need in the textile industry.  There is one problem though – other than getting the word out and encouraging fabric companies to give it a try…

The Air Dye system can only be used on synthetic fibers, such as polyester, nylon and acrylic.  That being said, with synthetic fabrics so prevalent in the interior design industry, the water and energy savings alone make looking for the Air Dye label a new must for designers.  And what are those savings you ask.  Well, according to Air Dye’s website:

“Synthetic textile-dyeing consumes 2.4 trillion gallons of water a year, enough to fill 3,700,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. AirDye reduces water use up to 95 percent, (Percentage include the production of raw materials used in our process).

Our one-step process cuts the energy consumption of dyeing by up to 86 percent.  That’s more than 2.8 trillion megajoules per year — enough to power more than 12 percent of the homes in the United States for a year.”

So who is using this new technology? So far in the interior design world,  Hunter Douglas Hospitality and FLOR carpet tiles have both signed on, and I’m sure many other companies will follow.  Particularly because the technology adds little, if any, to the cost of dyeing the fabric.  In addition, it is possible to do things such as print a different design on each side of a single piece of cloth, making for great possibilities in reversible draperies and other applications.

Imagine if all the plastic water bottles in the world (around 200 billion a year) were recycled into polyester fabric, and then dyed using Air Dye technology?   What a great step forward that would be.

100% recycled leather floors?  Totally sexy!

If you’ve ever wanted to impress your snooty acquaintances, surprise your treehugging friends, and talk your spouse (or client) into something they won’t think of as being too crunchy granola, TORLYS Leather flooring may be for you.

Made from the unused leather trimmings leftover from the manufacture of boots, jackets and belts, Torlys Leather flooring shows how elegant reclaimed materials can be.

Installed as a floating floor, the planks requires no adhesive to assemble.  That, coupled with their no added formaldehyde construction, makes them a good choice for better IAQ.  They have also met E1 Formaldehyde emissions standards, as well as California Public School Section 01350.

The individual planks of Torlys Leather are backed with a layer of cork, which assists in noise dampening and negates the need for an underlayment.   Don’t like the sound of the herd of elephants people walking around upstairs?  This might be the flooring for you.

Now you may be thinking that a leather floor sounds pretty delicate and easily damaged.  Well, while I haven’t reviewed the actual wording, Torlys does state that they give a 25 year warranty on their product.  Best of all, they have designed their floor to be reinstalled up to 3 times.  So if your love for leather ever wains, you can always pull the flooring out and give it a new home with someone else.

So what do you think?

People (from places other than Wyoming), let me introduce you to this amazing thing called a “snowfence”.  Apparently in Wyoming, the snow runs free across the prairie, and they have to put up fencing to keep it from roaming onto the highways, or some such thing.  I don’t know – I’m from Southern California.  I am officially clueless about snow.

In any case, this fencing is subjected to wind, rain, sun, snow and ice, so it surely qualifies as weathered!  Not surprisingly, it can only last so long before it needs to be replaced.   Thankfully, Centennial Woods has found new uses for all the old, discarded planks, turning them into beautiful boards and flooring.

Because these planks have never been painted or chemically treated, they are a more reliable source for lead and arsenic free reclaimed wood than barns or other structures.  And look at the lovely, natural variations in color…

This is an image I took of the samples sent to me last week.  The reddish plank with the knot, and the tan plank at the bottom have both been planed for use in flooring. Standard width is 5″, with lengths of anywhere from 4′ to 12′.  The other two samples are raw boards, straight from the Wyoming wildlands.  How raw?  Check this out…

This sample still has lichen all over it!  What amazing color and texture this piece has.

Best of all for the people of Wyoming, because Centennial Wood has built up such a good market for the reclaimed fencing, they are able to repair and maintain fencing along 270 miles of Wyoming roads at no cost to the state or local government.  They can also provide new, low-cost fencing, sourced from sustainably managed Rocky Mountain Ponderosa and Lodge Pole Pine.  From their website:

Before Centennial Woods began harvesting Wyoming snowfence, older boards were often left on the frame too long and burned or thrown in a landfill when replaced. In 1999, Centennial Woods discovered the strength and beauty of Wyoming snowfence and vowed to rescue and reuse it. By developing an international market for this untapped Wyoming resource, Centennial Woods has repurposed more than 5 million feet of snowfence, saving snowfence owners more than $9 million and avoiding emission of more than 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

I think this is a perfect example of a product that is truly well thought out, beneficial and most of all, sustainable.

According to Tandus, the company hasn’t sent manufacturing waste to a landfill since 1994.  Add all the carpet they take back through their Infinity Initiative to that, and as of now they have diverted over 155,000,000 pounds of carpet from landfills.  So where does all that carpet go?

Tandus collects used and reclaimed carpet from any manufacturer and then takes it to a sorting facility.  Then they take the raw carpet and chop it up into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually pelletizing it.  From there it is heated, extruded and processed into their 100% recycled content ER3 backing material.  Add a lovely carpet face material to the top and Tandus has something to brag about!

The use of recycled materials as backing material doesn’t stop there.  At Greenbuild 2009 they were showing their Ethos modular carpet backing, which is made from the film used on shatterproof glass.  Composed of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), the film had no commercially viable use after the end of it’s useful life, until Tandus found its calling during research into carpet backing alternatives.

To find out more about the sustainability initiatives at Tandus, click here.