Spring 2013

Eco-Choice Awards for Spring 2013 By Sue Marquette Poremba

Most Innovative

Winner

Men’s Cymbal Bracelet from XOvivo (Falls Church, VA)
www.xovivo.com

Jewelry designer and maker Michael Choi’s inspiration for the Rhythm Bracelet, which won the 2013 Eco-Choice award for Most Innovative, came from his children.

“My two sons play drums. I found the patterns on the drum cymbal very cool. So I decided to integrate their used up cymbal into the design,” he says. The distinctive look of these bracelets comes from taking recycled material to a new level of simplicity, elegance, and sustainability. The bronze focal piece is cut from a drum cymbal that has been used, cracked, and discarded. It is then etched with a design representing both the phoenix (sky) and tiger (earth). The stitched leather bands are from a Vermont leather maker. All materials used to create the bracelet can themselves be recycled.

Choi says the award reinforces the company’s ability to bring an innovative product to the market.

Notables

Rectangular Free Form Mirror from Equilibrium (South Africa)
www.equilibriumgalleries.com

Designed by Andrew Chaplin, and manufactured in South Africa, these products are made from recycled timber with no added stains or treatments, making them 100% biodegradable. Wood is sourced from fallen trees or trees from areas that are going to be decimated by farming or building activities. All timber is obtained with the relevant documents and community permission. The mirror’s glass is fully recyclable. Each product is handcrafted by local skilled artisans with little electricity and no harmful chemicals.

Wine Satchel from First World Trash (Long Island City, NY)
www.firstworldtrash.com

Vinyl used in billboards is not biodegradable and cannot be recycled. First World Trash products are made from re-purposed vinyl seatbelts, and bike inner tubes, which would otherwise have gone into landfills. By responding to the waste other companies create, First World Trash encourages them to participate in their own green initiatives by offering a practical solution.

Sue Marquette Poremba

Sue Marquette Poremba is a freelance writer based in State College, PA. She specializes in technology, engineering, energy, and IT security topics. She has also published over a dozen essays and is the author of a book about the Philadelphia Phillies.