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Name: Soy Miguel Scott
Owner: Chief Guffly Love Distributor, Chanell Scott
Birthday: May 4, 2008
Weight: 8.5 pounds
Favorite Snack: Chicken
Favorite Toy: Anything anyone else is playing with first!
Favorite Place Hang: Curled up under the covers at Chanell’s feet
Guffly Product Pick: Comfy Organic Pet Bed – it’s Soy tested and Pup approved!
Soy in a nutshell: At 1 year 5 months, Soy is the youngest (and smallest!) of the Guffly mascots. Don’t be fooled though, this little guy can hold his own and isn’t afraid to tell you about it! He likes to stay busy by patrolling the office, sitting on desks to look out the window, and finding the other dog’s toys to play with. At home, he enjoys watching TV and continuing his love/hate relationship with his grandmother. Believe it or not, this dog enjoys being rocked to sleep and willingly indulges his grandmother in this. Although Chanell is 99.9% sure Soy is a dog, we have yet to hear him bark – he attempts to speak English which comes out like a human saying meow. We’re glad to have the Soy dog with us to provide entertainment!
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What was once a fence taken down by Hurricane Ike in 2008 is now an incredibly unique, eco-friendly home décor product. This great product comes to us from James a talented craftsman that prefers upcycling, recycling and using reclaimed products. Oh does the team at Guffly love that!
His unique wood items are made from reclaimed wood with a special attention to preserving the rustic nature of the wood. There is a small LED push light that you can attach to the bottom for an interesting lamp effect.
We couldn’t be more in love with the way this product came to be. We think it’s the perfect adornment for any desk or a unique decoration piece in any room of your home. Shop the Daily Guff: http://www.guffly.com/
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Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave for a while you know that the it trend is to be green. Recycling, using less electricity in your home, and now buying clothing that doesn’t take a lot out of Mother Nature and still keeps you looking chic. The Spring 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week definitely took a new route this year. From September 11 through the 17th, many designers showcased their work; many of whom are taking that extra effort to find earth friendly materials at a cheaper cost. Designers are starting to show that anyone can dress green no matter if you live in New York City or the North Pole. Here were some of the big green trends that were seen at fashion week and how you can get them:
- The Throwbacks: The boyfriend blazer, the motorcycle jacket, the suit vest, and the garden party dress. The old school is always reinventing itself in the new school. The great thing about these trends is they were all in style 10-20 years ago. More than likely you still have these items in your house somewhere. So run up to that attic and shake the dust off of those boxes! If you’re too young to remember, what the ‘80s were like the nearest thrift store or second hand shop is only a hop away. Often you will find things there that still have price tags on them or have never been used.
- The Green Shows: A first for this year, fashion week held The Green Shows: Eco Fashion Week. This event was held for two days and only showcased designers that were 100% eco-friendly. Most of these designers are underground or new, which is great because you’ll probably be the only person in your office building rocking their stuff. New things that designers are doing are recycling old fabrics and patterns from previous fashion lines. The idea of using paint is old; to dye garments many are using fruits and vegetables. Checking to make sure that the production factories are doing their best to provide a safe and healthy environment for their employees is one of the many reasons to check out these fashion lines. All of these artists are taking the extra step to make sure that the fashion they give to you is made by honest companies who are working hard to preserve the earth. So next time you think about taking a quick run to the mall, shop with these designers and others who are going green.
- I Shop Green: So you’ve decided to shop green. Great! You wake up one morning, get ready, grab your wallet as you head out of the door; but wait! Where can you go to get green clothing that is fierce? Check out online eco-friendly retailers for fashions from around the globe. Also, not only can you shop with your friends but shop in their closets too. You might not have that animal print dress you’ve been searching for but your best friend might. Host a swapping party and bring things that you no longer want or need to trade with your friends for items they have that you want. Trade those out-of-date neon leggings for something you really want for free. It’s great for saving cash and still getting something new.
Guffly is a one product per day online store and community featuring eco friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. We know that people aren’t interested in ugly stuff, so you can bet Guffly’s green products are stylish, fun and attractive – eco stylish if you will. Shop the Daily Guff at www.guffly.com
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The chic, supremely functional and, of course, environmentally responsibly UV sunBrelli comes to the Daily Guff from Pam & Co. They are a hip New York company that was founded by Pam Zonsius. Guffly loves that Pam is concerned with treading lightly on our planet, which drove her to invent the Brelli.
The structure of this eco-stylish umbrella is sustainable bamboo and the canopy made of a patented biodegradable material that (with the sunBrelli) provides 99% UVA/B protection. Just a reminder, UVA is the stuff that can create skin cancer and UVB are the rays that burn your skin – neither of them are a good thing!
What we mean by this umbrella biodegrading is when you’re done (and not a moment sooner) and find yourself disposing of this umbrella, it will biodegrade in 5 years (not forever like traditional umbrellas) without producing harmful gases. In fact, Pam & Co say, “That gas released by each discarded Brelli in a conditional landfill can be harvested to generate enough electricity to recoup more than 90% of the energy that was used to create it.” Brilliant. Fantastic. And oh so chic.
Thank you Pam & Co for designing what could be called the world’s most eco-friendly umbrella! The UVA/B protection is really the icing on the cake. Protect yourself from not only the rainy season but also the sun’s harmful rays by getting your sunBrelli on the Daily Guff: http://www.guffly.com/
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The Bluebird of Happiness Necklace on the Daily Guff is handmade by 215 Design founded by Trudy, a 7th grade teacher in Missouri. In her spare time (what’s that right?!), she creates beautiful necklaces out of paper and various other components. We love that she uses this creative outlet to maintain her sanity and work with her love of paper – and can pull it off eco-friendly style.
The bluebird of happiness has roots that go back many moons. Essentially all feelings related to the bluebird are positive. Don’t believe us, check it out here!
Pass on some positive vibes, support a talented designer and get some brownie points by getting your favorite lady one of these necklaces on the Daily Guff: www.guffly.com
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The ecofabulous Nut Blob Ring comes to the Daily Guff from muichic (moo-ee-sheek) which brings Guffly natural, sustainable, and organic jewelry, which is designed and handmade in Columbia. Natural, sustainable and organic jewelry is music to our ears but once you look at the great pieces you will just have to have one in your collection – it’s eco-stylish to say the least!
Each of muichic’s pieces is made from Tagua nuts which are handmade into a botanical alternative to ivory (they call it vegetable ivory). What’s especially great about what they’re doing (as if you needed another reason) is stimulating the local economy in the region by providing an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming!
Each of the nuts used to make these rings has its own distinctive shape and grain. The grain is highlighted by the use of all natural dyes. Each of these rings is one of a kind! The team here at Guffly is wowed by muichic’s efforts to create something very stylish while being incredible conscious of the product’s environmental impact. Be the hip one in your group of friends and get your Nut Blob ring (and now you know why we call it that) on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
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The Woven Rattan Fair Trade Bag on the Daily Guff today comes from Start Naked. This company was founded through a desire to contribute to the world, experience the refreshingly unfamiliar tastes, sights and sounds of other cultures while embracing the spirit of entrepreneurship. Start Naked co-creates handcrafted products with artisans in several countries by actually going to their village and observing their craft and creating a product of interest to the global marketplace. How could we not support a company like that? They do this while observing Fair Trade practices (woo hoo!) by paying artisans a competitive rate and most often just what they request. All artisans receive a 50% advance when an order is placed. Their local agents collect Start Naked’s products from these families. In some cases the unique skills found in five different villages help to complete a single product. It’s pretty impressive and the products are fantastic!
In Start Naked’s own words:
We believe in uniqueness and quality, and do nothing in “mass” production. In many ways our products are all “limited edition” being crafted in homes with no two products exactly alike. Stores that carry a Start Naked products help improve the quality of life and opportunity of these talented artists. Thank you for carrying our products and being a part of the Start Naked vision to help families and preserve traditional craft.
We can’t think of a cooler way to find a hip bag that’s perfect for travel, the gym, or just your regular grocery shopping. This dynamic bag is fair trade, beautiful and functional, that’s why you can find it on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
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It’s true that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but can diamonds be an eco-friendly girl’s best friend? As many of you are aware, many of the pieces of jewelry we rock isn’t always produced in the most safe and environmentally friendly way. Take gold mining for example, this process of extracting gold from the ground is both dangerous and harmful to those that work in the industry. Gold mining uses cyanide which can be deadly poisonous. This is all being said not to scare those that love gold but to inform gold consumers of what this process can do to the people and the environment. Although this is happening, there are ways to rock beautiful jewelry and still be eco-friendly.
1) Green Mining: However controversial and debatable, there are companies out there that practice green mining. These companies are concerned with sustainability and being ethical when it comes to mining. According to some, mining can be done responsibly and in a way that contributes to the environment instead of taking away. So, when considering buying jewelry, do some research and see which companies practice green mining. This is a great way to make a small impact on the environment and to take the steps to being a more environmentally conscious shopper.
2) Recycled Jewelry: Buying jewelry that is recycled is a great way to be an eco-friendly jewelry fashionista. One way to do this is to purchase jewelry made from recycled silver. This eco-friendly option is great because silver is increasingly popular and having a recycled option is great for the environment. Over the past 20 years jewelry made from recycled silver has increased but isn’t where it should be. Since recycling is very important to the sustainability of our planet making recycled silver for jewelry is an important way to contribute to the greening of our earth. Another recyclable jewelry option is to purchase jewelry that is made with reclaimed materials. This could be broken plates, electronics or even other jewelry. By producing and purchasing such jewelry these items are not thrown into landfills and are instead rocked by eco-friendly stylish people like yourself. Next time you are in the mood to be the eco-friendly jewelry wearer that you are, be sure to check out recycled jewelry to make an even bigger statement.
3) Sustainable Materials: Jewelry made from sustainable materials is not only eco-friendly but also very fashionable. When a material is sustainable, it means there is an abundance of the material that makes up the product. The material grows at a faster rate than the rate the material is being consumed. So, purchasing products that are made out of sustainable materials like wood, bamboo or granite are eco-friendly because these materials are able to replenish themselves are a very rapid pace. If you are looking to stand out and be eco-friendly, be sure to purchase jewelry made from sustainable materials.
Guffly is a one product per day online store and community featuring eco friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. We know that people aren’t interested in ugly stuff, so you can bet Guffly’s green products are stylish, fun and attractive – eco stylish if you will. Shop the Daily Guff at www.guffly.com
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Last week was Fair Trade week at Guffly and to make a bigger impact on fair trade Guffly donated a microloan of $175 for Amevi Adokanu through Kiva. We achieved this total through support by our Twitter followers and Facebook fans!
We’re proud to support Amevi, a traveling shoe saleswomen in the neighborhood of Totsi in Lomé. She sells the shoes from house to house and is well known among the community. Amevi’s business allows her to assist her husband, a cook, to provide for their children’s needs.
We felt compelled to support Amevi because her stock is almost exhausted and she would like to purchase 25 boxes of various styles for women and 30 boxes of children’s shoes. We were excited to be able to raise some of the remaining funds to help this entrepreneur. As young entrepreneurs here at Guffly, we understand that it can be difficult to get things going and to keep them running and we’re fortunate enough to be working in Detroit, not a third world country.
Guffly Gives is part of our initiative to give what we can to people and charities throughout the world. We know that being eco-friendly is more than recycling our paper and cans – it also means being world friendly. That’s why last week was Fair Trade week to bring some our favorite fair trade suppliers that work with artisans across the world into the Daily Guff spotlight. We feel that by supporting fair trade we’re enabling people to become more aware of what the implications of non-fair trade are.
Stay tuned to what Guffly is up to and help us support our next Guffly Gives!
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These totally fabulous fair trade Coconut Disc Earrings come to the Daily Guff from Fair Industry. This company is (get this!) a woman-owned, volunteer-supported fair trade enterprise based in Princeton, New Jersey. How sweet it that?! The founder and designer, Lauren, has a desire to create stylish yet ethical clothing with inspirations drawn from the growing fair trade movement. Totally Guff material.
The people who make Fair Industry’s fair trade clothing and jewelry are paid a fair wage, receive advance payments for raw materials and work in safe, healthy environments. All products are sweatshop-free, and nothing is mass-produced. We know Lauren works hard with the artisans of the Bombolulu workshops of Mombasa, Kenya, which was founded to create employment for people with physical disabilities.
At Guffly, we think that companies like this should be at the forefront and the big box stores with their mass-produced stuff shouldn’t have a stronghold in today’s society. The sad part is, they do and chances are most of the clothes you’re wearing right now aren’t fair trade because it’s not necessarily an easy thing to find. By teaming with companies like Fair Industry, Guffly seeks to change this. We think that anyone can be eco-friendly, fair trade savvy, vegan, eco chic (whatever you want to call it) without having to compromise their sense of style.
Make a change and score some beautifully made earrings in the process. Shop the Daily Guff at www.guffly.com
