Shopping for furniture has always been towards the bottom of my “things I enjoy” list. While I do get a kick out of interior design, finding sustainable design brands that make high quality furniture with personality is like asking for Al Gore to become ruler of the world. For the past few years, IKEA has been my go-to source, though I know that there are much more sustainable (and long lasting) options.

Now that my boyfriend and I finally plan to stay put for the next few years, buying furniture that we really enjoy and plan to keep (and hopefully pass along to future generations) has been bumped further up our to-do list. It is time to move on from our Swedish, big box friend but … WHERE DO WE START!? That question answered itself when I was reminded of Toronto’s Greentea Design last week.

Embracing traditional Asian styles, all Greentea’s original designs are made from salvaged wood from Korean farmhouses, barns and other structures, in their own factory. Along with their own line, Greentea’s founder Dale Storer, visited Asia on a regular basis to find traditional antiques to sell on the company’s website and in their 5,000-square-foot showroom. From bed and bath to kitchens and living rooms, Greentea Design has readily available options for every area of your home. Each piece has its own custom options available as well, from different stains and hardware to shelving and door design options.

With a passion for Buddhism, yoga and manga, it is easy to see why Greentea Design is our kind of furniture collection. (more…)

Move over Sephora, there is new online home for organic and natural beauty projects - its name is FutureNatural. Launched only two months ago, FutureNatural carries some big names in eco-beauty, such as Zoya, Stem Organics, Nvey Eco make-up, Juniper Ridge, Hamadi, and Farmaesthetics to name a few.

“We’re not anti-science, we’re not blindly for nature, and we don’t profess to be perfect. What we do believe is that science and nature combine beautifully to create products that are effective and luxurious to use - but we want you to be healthy as well as gorgeous,” says FutureNatural President and Founder Emma Pezzack. “FutureNatural is the lifelong culmination of experiences, passions, accumulated knowledge and a genuine desire to empower others to be aware of how their purchases affect their health, wellbeing, environment, plants and animals.”

Emma’s lifelong passion began on a farm in Australia. Now settled in Austin, Texas, she is also a trained make-up artist and experienced fashion stylist. A self-proclaimed “responsible hedonist and organic glamazon,” Emma started FutureNatural with a simple concept. “Our passionate endeavor is to only represent brands that have no petroleum derivatives, no parabens, no synthetic colors or fragrances, dibutyl pthalate, sodium lauryl sulphate, formaldehyde, or any other known harmful ingredients, and absolutely none of the products are tested on animals.”

Don’t see your favorite natural brand on FutureNatural? They will soon be adding Dr. Hausckha, Weleda, Pangea Organics, and Tashodi to the site. If you know of another great eco-beauty brand, contact Emma and let her know.

*** By now, you have probably noticed that EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY! part in this post’s title. The time has come to share that awesomely fantastic giveaway with you … so keep reading!

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