Fall 2011

3rd Annual Eco-Choice Awards By Sue Marquette Poremba

Most Sensitive Use of Materials

Winner – Chilote House Shoe from Chilote

chiloteshoes.com

The Chilote House Shoe is designed by Stiven Kerestegian, owner of the Chile-based company. The shoes are hand-assembled and made with local wool from free range Patagonian sheep and tanned natural salmon skin.

“The motivation for us to launch this product was to redefine what is considered ethical and inclusive design as well as to provide a real example of a highly sustainable product solution,” says Kerestegian.

Each pair of Chilotes is geo-tagged with a QR code. When scanned, the code leads to a mini-site that shows personal and geographical information of the actual artisans that crafted that piece

NOTABLES

Recycled vessels from Aid to Artisans

The Wayuu belong to one of the most important tribes in Colombia, and have always tried to preserve and protect their traditions. The women are expert weavers, conserving the most beautiful traditional drawings by turning them into brightly colored patterned textiles for hammocks, blankets, their traditional Susu bags, as well as many new products. The Wayuu women reuse plastic bottles to make these vessels. It helps clean the area and recycles the material. The bottles are cut, and traditional weaving is added to the top. The Wayuu women also utilize this method on top of easily found metal cups.

aidtoartisans.org

Soap Leaves from Suburban

Organic, native tree leaves are dried and then dipped into organic essential oil to create these biodegradable, single-use 
hand-washing soap leaves. They are handmade by artisans in Thailand.

suburbansilk.com

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.