Fall 2013
Eco-Choice Awards for Fall 2013 By Sharon Naylor

Most Sellable

Winner

Moss + Sedum Terrarium from Potting Shed Creations (Troy, ID)
www.pottingshedcreations.com

Handmade in Idaho, the Moss + Sedum Terrarium growing kit is housed in a reclaimed, regionally sourced wine bottle. Stefan Yauchzee, general manager of Potting shed Creations says that the company’s smaller wine bottle terrariums have been successful for a long time.

A standout feature of this terrarium is its wider mouth that allows for personalization with mementos. The kit Includes sedum seed, broom and sheet moss, an upcycled 9” long, 2 ½”-diameter wine bottle, recycled glass pebbles for drainage, soil-less growing medium, bamboo tweezer tool (doubles as a base), and directions.

Yauchzee says That the Eco-Choice Award is a reflection of “more people getting back into the idea of growing their own gardens. Do-it-yourself gardening is really big, and people like that it’s something they grow themselves,” he says.

Notables

Bat Pillow from Ortolan Organic (New York, NY)
www.ortolanorganic.com

The ultra-detailed bat design on this pillow captures the ‘winged creatures’ trend that is big in fashion as well as home design, and Ortolan Organics’ pillows are handmade and created from sustainable materials.

Skin-Smart Loose Leaf Tea Canisters by Tea Forte (Concord, MA)
www.teaforte.com

In Oprah magazine, Dr. Oz called this collection’s Cherry Marzipan tea ‘dessert in a mug,’ and Tea Forte’s rich flavors are second only to their healthy antioxidant-amplifying benefits. Each canister contains 50 servings and flavors include cherry marzipan, cucumber mint, and honey yuzu in green tea varieties, plus Swiss apple herbal tea, and lychee coconut white tea. At $15 retail, these teas move and are strong sellers in all seasons as iced and hot teas.