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 http://www.guffly.com
These rockin – pun kinda intended – Recycled Folding Speakers come from OrigAudio. They are busy producing Mother Nature Approved speakers that are made from recycled materials and are completely self powered! Hello, who doesn’t need a pair of these in their life.
Think about it – on a bike ride, at the beach, just chilling at home, while working…whatever the occasion, having some easy to travel with speakers to add a soundtrack to your life is a beautiful thing.
Another beautiful thing about OrigAudio is that they support Music National Service, which is a nonprofit enterprise that supports and expands the use of music to address important civic and social needs. Research shows music to be an effective intervention in: 1) under-resourced public schools and low-income communities to develop more successful students and youth; 2) health care and therapeutic settings for patient recovery and improved functioning; 3) the public domain for increased civic engagement, diplomacy and peace.
That’s certainly something we can get behind! Get your pair (or get 2 and get your second for HALF OFF) on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com/
Shop Detroit is a great event being put on by Detroit Synergy on December 12, 2009. This event is now 6 years old and a great way to experience shopping in Detroit. Here are the details on this year’s event:
Check in at Compuware World Headquarters. Shoppers will get a directory of participating merchants, neighborhood maps, and information on special discounts and promotions offered to Shop Detroit shoppers.
The first 100 pre-registered shoppers will receive a free, reusable shopping tote. Bags will also be sold for $1.
A limited number of free People Mover tokens will be available to the first shoppers.
Free shuttle service from Downtown to Midtown, the New Center, and Eastern Market will be available courtesy of Inside Detroit.
Shoppers can also discover merchants in other neighborhoods with the Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative’s “Explore On Your Own” section of the shopping directory!
Now one of those nifty shopping totes may be exactly what has brought you to this little blog post. WELCOME! We’re glad to have you checking out the haps on Guffly. You’re probably curious about that little promotion we mentioned on a flyer in that shopping tote…well here you go:
In the comments section…
1) Tell us which of the products on the flyer is your favorite.
2) Share with us your favorite place in Detroit and why? We’re avid Detroit shoppers, eaters and partiers and we’re always looking for new places to hang. Sell us on yours and you’ll win!
Comment by December 21, 2009 to be eligible to win!
Oh…and it’s a great idea to use a REAL email address so that if you win we can contact you! Makes sense, right?!
Unless you have been hibernating for the last year, you are sure to have seen an advertisement, blog, product, or campaign insisting that you must “Go Green!” With global warming and clean energy stirring up public debate, the eco-friendly movement has made quite the cultural comeback. Top designers, big box retailers, and small brands alike are fixated on marketing products that tug on your heart strings. From eco-friendly finds to fair trade fashions, caring about the Earth and the people on it has become an industry in and of itself. However, this renaissance of flower-child-like thinking begs the question: has the resurgence of “green” meant a reinvention of eco-style?
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t always a positive one. And depending on who you ask, a “hell, no” might be in order. The truth is that there’s a frightening amount of eco-don’ts floating out there–shapeless sack dresses, hideous hemp handbags, and plenty of men’s clothing that makes you want to say “kumbaya.” That’s the bad news. The good news: with a little commitment and a few tools to help you out, you can find stylish and modern clothing, accessories, handbags, and gadgets that are unsuspectingly eco friendly. These eco-stylish items range in price and style – making it easy for anyone with a fashion conscience to have an eco conscience as well.
To get you started on your eco-style endeavors, here’s a punch list of some of the great eco goodies out there and the places you can find them.
1. The boot (pictured above):
The Cassia Boot available at Terra Plana for $275. This adorable full-length flat boot features a unique print, a recycled sole, and memory foam lining for a genius amount of comfort. The faux wool lining comes in handy on the snowy or damp winter days. These boots prove that eco-friendly footwear doesn’t have to look like you’re going for a hike or hugging any trees on your way.
2. The bag:
The Buckle Up Tote available at Guffly for $70 (brand: Maggie Bags). This bag is not only sturdy, nicely lined, and stylish – it’s made from seatbelts discarded by people in the auto industry. Did you know that millions of yards of seatbelt webbing are trashed each year for simple variations in color? Crazy! I guess they were right; one man’s trash is another man’s adorable handbag.
3. The tee:
The Vital Bicycle available on Etsy for $26 (brand: Vital). Dress it up or dress it down, you can never go wrong with a creative graphic tee, especially one that is printed on 100 percent organic cotton. This comfy stylish t-shirt is not only organic, but also handmade.
4. The jewels:
The Skateboard Cuff Links and Broken Plate Pendant available at Guffly for $18-35. These unique pieces make great eco-friendly accents to a variety of ensembles. The Skateboard Cuff Links are made from recycled skateboards that would have been discarded. The Broken Plate Pendant comes from old and vintage dinner china. They both make perfect conversation pieces your friends won’t have!
5. The denim:
The Prophecy-Basin (men’s) and Kharma-Fjord (women’s) available at Loomstate for $158. These stylish denim pieces are made from 99 percent organic cotton. For you that means they’re just as comfy as your faves but don’t leave nasty chemicals in the earth or on your skin.
Chanell Scott is a new-school entrepreneur that has combined her love for Detroit, entrepreneurship, and sustainability into the business she co-founded–Guffly.com. Guffly is the stylish consumer’s source for unique and creative gifts that ease the conscience by being eco-friendly or fair trade. Together with business partner, Jordan Contreras, she came up with Guffly’s unique business model–a style-hunting internet retail store that features a new product every weekday in addition to its customers’ favorites and top sellers that are always available in the store’s “Top Guffs” catalog.
As part of our latest Guffly Love Spreading promotion we distributed lucky bamboo stalks in plastic cups. People were very concerned about the eco-friendliness of these cups. Rest assured, we walk the walk.
A Public Service Announcement from our Chief Guffly Love Distributor, Chanell:
In honor of Thanksgiving and all of the upcoming holidays, Guffly would like to support the Capuchin Soup Kitchenof Detroit. The Capuchin Soup Kitchen is a human service organization that serves the poor who suffer from lack of basic human needs. These needs range from material needs like food, clothing and household accessories to psychological and social needs such as motivation and rehab or simply creating a support system. Every person who comes to the soup kitchen for assistance is welcomed, without regard to race, sex, age, color, national origin, religious preference, handicap or income.
We feel pretty darn lucky that we have families and friends to enjoy the holiday season with but our hearts go out to the people that don’t. That’s why Guffly is featuring an extra special Daily Guff! A donation of whatever amount you can afford and Guffly is going to match it dollar for dollar.
The good stuff we’re supporting includes these services provided by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen:
2,000 hot meals are frequently served each day at their two locations
About 300,000 pounds of food distributed per month to families
About 30,000 articles of clothing given to clients per month
More than 500 pieces of furniture and appliances given to families each month
Showers and a change of clothing for up to 30 homeless and poorly housed persons per day
Jefferson House, a substance abuse treatment program servicing up to 12 indigent men
A children’s library and art therapy studio serving up to 800 children per month
A 25,000 square foot urban farm project
See – we’re even considering the environment with the choice of this awesome charity because they have a great urban farm project that’s bringing local food to the kitchen and providing an opportunity for many people!
Get in on the good and help Guffly Give on Thanksgiving Day (and until 11am the morning after) at http://guffly.com
Thanks to all our Guffly supporters that allowed us to donate $180 to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen!
The eco-geeks in each of us were pretty excited to learn about the Eco Friendly Laptop Sleeve on the Daily Guff today! These laptop sleeves come to us from GreenSmart, the cool company that’s making neogreene (the green version of neoprene) products of all types.
GreenSmart was founded in 2006 by Tom Larsen and Debbie Wililams. Prior to then they were a company making bags the same ol’ way that everyone else in the world was doing it. We’re impressed with their ability to take a new look at their business and move it towards more sustainable practices. They say, “We are just beginning. Our primary objective with every product and material we make or use is eco-progress. There is no eco-perfect and we are not perfect either. We plan to continue to improve.” And we’re eager to see the improvements they make to their already great products!
Some info on Neogreene…
Neogreene is the GreenSmart trade name for the collection of products made from a proprietary formulation of thermoplastic elastomer foam. TPE-G2 foams provide the unique physical properties of traditional rubber foam products but with the processing efficiency of plastics. TPE plastics have long been used in automotive, electrical, and toy industries however, a TPE foam suitable for sportswear application had yet to be introduced. Our neogreene formulation has been modified to also match the Shore A value (a hardness test method) similar to SBR, rubber, and CR neoprene foam. This modification opens up the opportunity to offer the performance and environmental benefits of neogreene for bags.
Environmental: Aside from the compression and elastic benefits of neogreene, it first offers a clear environmental advantage in comparison to neoprene and rubber foams. Neogreene is considered Toxic-Free because there are no phthalates, VOCs, chlorine, nor metals that are traditionally comprised in neoprene (see reports on this page). Neoprene is also vulcanized in production while neogreene is not. Neogreene can, at the raw material level, be reformed and reused. Specific to neoprene, neogreene consumes 25% less energy to manufacture and 25% less petroleum to produce. These two comparisons are conservative relative to the assorted manufacturing techniques and chemistries found for chloroprene/SBR rubber, etc. all considered neoprene in the market. In many cases the environmental benefit of neogreene is substantially higher than this data for many versions of neoprene offered in the marketplace.
Water-Based Lamination: Neogreene packages (foam plus the fabrics glued to it) are only constructed using water-based adhesives. This eliminates the dependence on solvent based adhesives, which generally contain toluene and dimethyl formaldehyde. No neoprene supplier, that we have found, has yet to find an alternative lamination method for fabrics to neoprene rubber other than solvent based adhesives. In many cases, it is these adhesives that contain the VOCs which off-gas the distinctive odor popularly associated with neoprene.
Lightweight: Since TPE Foams are injected with Hydrogen in the foaming process, it results in a material 50% lighter than neoprene by volume. This benefit appears in the transportation costs of neogreene vs. neoprene.
Durability: TPE foams were first created to replace rubber in automotive applications because of its high-resiliency to both extreme hot and cold conditions. This resilience allows for neogreene to provide a greater range of temperatures where it will continue to provide cushion and elastic properties.
Insulation and waterproof claims: Neogreene has a closed cell structure similar to neoprene (sponges are open cell foam). Neogreene has a superior Clo Value to that of neoprene. The Clo Value is a measurement of intrinsic thermal resistance. Neogreene provides approximately double the insulation properties of traditional neoprene. The closed cell structure makes neogreene fully waterproof.
Hygienic: Because neogreene is a closed-cell structure it does not absorb water. This benefit means that when the laminated fabrics get wet, it is the fabric that dries, not the entire package, as a sponge with fabric would, eliminating the potential for mold or mildew to form in a wet foam layer.
Whew! We just wanted to make sure we explained this great material to you…the laptop sleeve comes in a wide range of sizes to accommodate most laptops. Get yours on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
Holiday shopping can be an adventure in and of itself. Searching for the perfect gift, navigating through hectic stores, and keeping enough money in your wallet to be able to eat on Christmas are all things that are on many shoppers minds. There are many ways to shop smart this holiday season with the number one option being shopping online.
Many online stores are offering just as good (if not better) deals as the brick and mortar establishments you are used to frequenting. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the kickoff to the holiday shopping season and lucky for shoppers, there are great deals to be had for all. So if staying in your pajamas on the couch with your favorite warm beverage and the music of your choice playing sounds like your kind of shopping experience here are some suggestions for maximizing your holiday shopping savings:
Start digital window-shopping – many retailers start advertising their sales and deals before the big sale season begins on Black Friday. Do some searches that pertain to the gifts you will be looking for and do some comparison-shopping.
Consider sales tax – if your favorite web retailer is not located in the same state you are, chances are you will not be charged sales tax. This saves you money and if you are making a high-ticket purchase, it could really pay off!
Check for coupons – many online retailers use coupon codes or coupons online to save you money while shopping via the internet. Even 10% off can add up if you are buying several items or just looking at the total savings perspective.
Shipping costs – though many retailers are cutting down on shipping promotions this year there are still great deals to be had this shopping season. Sometimes if you spend $100 or more you will get your items shipped for free. Other stores offer incredibly reasonable shipping prices year round and now is the time to take advantage!
Custom gift cards – people love to get exactly what they want! Make it easy on yourself and your friends by getting gift cards or gift certificates at their favorite stores. Most online retailers make it extra easy for you to purchase gift cards online with fun customization options to provide for a more special gift.
Overall, the bottom line this holiday season is how much you are going to spend. Online retailers are holding their own this year by offering extra affordable sales and deals to their shoppers. Not only will you avoid the crowds by doing your shopping via the internet this holiday season but also you will be extra kind to your pocketbook.
Guffly is a one product per day online store 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 http://www.guffly.com
These good lookin Ecofriendly Dog Leashes and Collars comes to Guffly from the wonderful company 4 Legged Designs. Founder and designer, Shyamala designed jewelry for many years when she was inspired by her loving dog, Mansur, to create necklaces for him and his friends. As a dedicated dog owner, she also sought the best collars she could find to prevent her pup’s sensitive skin from being irritated. Being unable to find the right kind of organic collar to replace his synthetic collar Shyamala got to work!
Her company brings Guffly some truly gorgeous collars with matching leashes that are all kind to the environment and the pups! Each of these collars and leashes is made from eco-friendly fabrics – organic hemp with organic or recycled silk or organic cotton decorative fabric on the top. And the good news – hemp is hypo-allergenic and antibacterial so it won’t smell or irritate your dog’s skin. Each of these collars are just as durable as their synthetic friends but so much kinder to your pup and the planet. You can wash these in your washer in cold water and line dry!
Replace that stinky old collar and give your pup a little pep in its step for the holidays on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com/
I am excited to write today because I have been inspired by our trip to the San Francisco Green Festival along with the random editorial/article writing opportunities I have been presented with lately. I was already in the mood to write more, and now seeing your faces and talking to y’all in person has got me really hyped up. I love that so many of you totally understand our perspective and are digging the great Guffly stuff we scout out. I also really enjoyed meeting new friends with great potential Guffs. Power to the producers, I support your endeavors! Your awesome ideas are why we got started in the first place.
So, what’s up in our world? We’re getting prepared for a few more shows, where we’ll set up a similar experience to that we had at Green Fest – lots of Guffs to touch and feel and our happy Guffly family to answer your questions and help you score the perfect gifts. More details to come rearding dates and locations so that you can come visit us if you are near they places we’ll play.
We’re also spending some serious time meeting new supplier friends and figuring out more ways to help one another. We’ll be out scouting new Gufflings (this might be my favorite use for our word) this weekend at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair. Intrigued? I knew you would be. Here’s the info from DUCF’s website: “The Detroit Urban Craft Fair is an annual event showcasing the work of 50+ independent artists and alternative crafters in one of the Midwest’s most industrial cities. As Michigan’s largest and most visible indie craft fair, DUCF serves as an entry point for the state’s alternative craft scene. The 2009 DUCF is November 21 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at The Majestic Theatre, located at 4120-4140 Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit.” I know, right up our alley! I’m crossing my fingers for eco friendly awesomeness, and I’m feeling lucky.
If you know of good people with cool product creations (ones with a heart of course – be it eco or fair) please send them our way. Likewise, tell us if there is something you want to see on Guffly. Have you been searching for a certain product and would prefer it to be eco friendly? Do you dream up ways to improve products by giving them a makeover of the green variety? Do you have a problem (like a need for serious winter boots because you refuse to have cold, wet feet again this winter…just as an example) and want to find the most functional, stylish, eco friendly way to solve it? Tell us and we will dig.
That’s all for now friends, but we’ll be posting a lot more updates about our lovechild in a series we’ll call… “Guffly in Real Life” (just thought of that…not bad for on the fly ey?) We’ll keep you better informed about our little world here in the heart of Detroit.
After the Green Festival we’ve been thinking a lot about Fair Trade (we were in the Fair Trade section after all) and we want to do our part to support the artisans of the world that are working hard under fair conditions to change their lives and moreover their communities. Today’s Daily Guff, the Fair Trade Natural Purse, does just that since it comes to us from Mar y Sol.
The company works with artisans in Kenya and Madagascar to blend traditional weaving techniques with contemporary notions into colorful and unique products from renewable materials. We happen to also thing that their products are incredibly hip and perfectly eco-stylish.
What you support with your purchase:
- Made in a producer-owned cooperative
- Uses traditional materials and techniques
- Enables parents to stay home with their kiddos
- Each product is crafted in a community setting
- Green energy fulfills 50% of energy needs
- Over 50% of the materials are biodegradable with 100% being from sustainably harvested materials
- No animals or their habitats were harmed in the creation of these products
Get that feel good feeling by gift yourself or a friend with a cool gift that they will love at first site and treasure when they hear its story. You may even recognize it from the pages of Lucky Magazine in July 2009! Find it on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com/
These rockin – pun kinda intended – Recycled Folding Speakers come from OrigAudio. They are busy producing Mother Nature Approved speakers that are made from recycled materials and are completely self powered! Hello, who doesn’t need a pair of these in their life.
Check in at Compuware World Headquarters. Shoppers will get a directory of participating merchants, neighborhood maps, and information on special discounts and promotions offered to Shop Detroit shoppers.
In honor of Thanksgiving and all of the upcoming holidays, Guffly would like to support the Capuchin Soup Kitchen of Detroit. The Capuchin Soup Kitchen is a human service organization that serves the poor who suffer from lack of basic human needs. These needs range from material needs like food, clothing and household accessories to psychological and social needs such as motivation and rehab or simply creating a support system. Every person who comes to the soup kitchen for assistance is welcomed, without regard to race, sex, age, color, national origin, religious preference, handicap or income.
The eco-geeks in each of us were pretty excited to learn about the Eco Friendly Laptop Sleeve on the Daily Guff today! These laptop sleeves come to us from GreenSmart, the cool company that’s making neogreene (the green version of neoprene) products of all types.
Many online stores are offering just as good (if not better) deals as the brick and mortar establishments you are used to frequenting. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the kickoff to the holiday shopping season and lucky for shoppers, there are great deals to be had for all. So if staying in your pajamas on the couch with your favorite warm beverage and the music of your choice playing sounds like your kind of shopping experience here are some suggestions for maximizing your holiday shopping savings:
These good lookin Ecofriendly Dog Leashes and Collars comes to Guffly from the wonderful company 4 Legged Designs. Founder and designer, Shyamala designed jewelry for many years when she was inspired by her loving dog, Mansur, to create necklaces for him and his friends. As a dedicated dog owner, she also sought the best collars she could find to prevent her pup’s sensitive skin from being irritated. Being unable to find the right kind of organic collar to replace his synthetic collar Shyamala got to work!
We’re also spending some serious time meeting new supplier friends and figuring out more ways to help one another. We’ll be out scouting new Gufflings (this might be my favorite use for our word) this weekend at the 
Get that feel good feeling by gift yourself or a friend with a cool gift that they will love at first site and treasure when they hear its story. You may even recognize it from the pages of Lucky Magazine in July 2009! Find it on the Daily Guff: 