Apparel
Naturally Knotty & Nice
Every Christmas season Santa Claus only has one primary question. Were you naughty or nice? For one company the answer is inherently both. See Naturally Knotty is one of those companies that is doing all they can for the environment and at the same time have one of the nicest product lines you have seen. To put it simply, essentially every person that tries on one of their 100% bamboo pashminas wraps falls in love with them. This is both due to their eco-packaging (which is actually a section bamboo stalk), it’s insanely soft fabric and how light the wrap is around the neck.
The Naturally Knotty team recently stopped by seven planet Oregon and went through our mindful supplier overview interview where we asked them seven questions (of course). The seven questions asked of Summer Widmer, who heads up sales for Naturally Knotty, were as follows:
1) What is Naturally Knotty?
2) What was the genesis of the company?
3) What products and services do you provide?
4) What are the sustainable elements of your business?
5) How are you changing your industry?
6) What is your definition of mindful commerce?
7) What is your seven planet story?
The answers provided only further reinforced how Naturally Knotty is working to do their part in the movement towards bringing quality, upcycled and life-long-lasting products to the market. We continue to appreciate our working relationship with the founder and principals of this great mindful supplier to seven planet. To see the mindful media supplier overview simply click here.
Turning Useless Into Useful
As you know we love our seven planet mindful suppliers and the amazing product lines and services that they have brought to market for you and I to make mindful commerce more viable in our lives. This fall seven planet began on an ongoing educational project called mindful media where we are utilizing, reviewing and educating on the best products and services we provide in our stores and on our site to you.
These mindful media videos are then provided to you and to our suppliers as they are a candid 3rd party review of how their products are a better, more eco-friendly solution for the necessity-based products we all purchase and use. In these videos you will learn about their company, their brand message, their product or service purpose and of course the unique applications of those products.
The initial mindful media video is on one of our favorite suppliers, the amazing Alchemy Goods, out of Washington state. Eli Reich and his team have built a company on upcycling used bike and car parts waste and have created an amazing line that looks like gold from lead. To see the mindful media review click here.
Alchemy Goods + Messenger Bags & More = Less Waste
Check out Alchemy Goods!
We here at seven planet love to share the stories behind our supplier and the products they make. This week I’d like to share Alchemy Goods with you.
Alchemy Goods of Seattle, Washington takes old, discarded bicycle inner tubes, mates them with seat belt straps salvaged from junkyards, and turns them into some of the coolest (and greenest) bike bags and accessories on the planet.
Alchemy Goods mission is simple: Turning useless into useful.
Alchemy is the medieval science of turning lead into gold. More generally, it means magically turning something of lesser value into something of greater value. For us, the value isn’t economical so much as ecological. We look for materials that are normally discarded that might have value with a little bit of imagination and some hard work.
Every Alchemy Goods bag purchased represents one less part of our world destroyed. That is why all our products should have the highest possible recycled content, but also be superbly functional and aesthetically pleasing.
I Especially love the idea behind the logo!
The logo intentionally looks like the periodic table. The number in the upper right hand corner represents the percent (by weight) of recycled material in the product you purchased.
Burlap?
The talented crew at eROI built seven planet a mighty fine website which is in a constant state of flux as we continue to add new mindful suppliers to the mix. Upon initial review of the site (back when I first joined the company) I was particularly drawn the texture being used as the background image – one thought to myself: what is the story behind Burlap anyway? Where does it come from? Read more about Burlap here.
garbage necklace
The other day I was cruising on foot through N Portland and then headed down to Interstate Avenue where I boarded the train. On my walk I was noticing all the garbage lining the streets – I thought to myself – “What do we do with all this garbage?” Image below is what I came up with on the spot.
I found a scrap length of red string
I found a smashed metal wristwatch dial
I bought a paper train ticket
The result: a one of a kind necklace
Now that said, the necklace below may not suit you; but at least the concept of it points us in a new direction; the direction being using up all that is around us.
NY Times Covers Portland Biking Culture
As I was biking in to work this morning along Waterfront Park (Willamette River and Mt. Hood views), I caught up with a colleague of mine who works at the PDC and we rode the rest of the way into work together. It was one of those “Portland moments” where it would be unexpected anywhere else for a couple business guys who haven’t seen each other in 3 months connect on a morning commute into work. Portland, like Amsterdam, has a biking culture, and with the right gear, it’s refreshing to bike rain or shine (although SUN is so so much better). Here is the NY Times article my Dad (who lives in Washington DC) sent me as I arrived at my desk this morning:
“A LOT of good cyclists come out of Portland just because you can ride year-round,” said Bruce Rogers, an athletic-shoe designer visiting from his home in Hailey, Idaho. “I love coming back because I love the biking, no matter what time of year it is. More than fitness, it’s a fun outlet. As long as you have decent rainwear you can ride in any weather.”
Careering through streets on a bicycle in Portland, Ore., this time of year can be an easy weekend adventure that mixes showers, sunbursts, cafes and a robust bicycle culture. And equipped with a sturdy rain jacket, booties, fenders and a bike map (a waterproof version that folds to the size of a credit card is handy), visitors can enjoy the city the way locals do.
New York Times – Green Blog Post
Great article about the world’s first chain of green general stores in today’s New York Times:
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/green-franchising-and-the-general-store/
initial public offering
seven planet isn’t a business. it isn’t a government. In the end, it really isn’t anything. But, if you had to put label on it now, it might be described as a further extension of the theme of “perfect liberty through economics”.
$70 gets you some SUN gear and a pollen point.
if you want in, call Ryan…
bable tower => education => sevenplanet
as most everybody knows by now, seven is exponential. but, it is not instantaneous multiplication. rather, it is gradually increasing exponential growth, the speed of its buds blossoming at a rate somewhat inversely proportional to the number seven brand companies then in existence.
what it all comes down to is this. Is a company pursuing profits or purpose? If it is purpose, they are welcome in seven planet. With humility and reverence, it is our honor to welcome www.sameunderneath.com. Their brand vision for planetary education is it.
store photos – priest river, id
a few photos of the Priest River store (“shelter in a rainstorm”) are available here: seven-planet-grand-opening.pdf
Seven Life
seven planet™ is the world’s first chain of green general stores. It is the foremost green and sustainable marketplace for consumer-based products sold within both virtual and traditional storefronts.
At seven planet we believe that living in a more earth friendly manner is as easy as 1…2…7. Therefore, we have compiled feedback from our patrons, advisors and team on how to live a seven life. This simply means that anything that is good for the planet, our environment and resources is “seven”.
So, the seven life is simply a way of living where we collectively work to further improve our approach to how we interact with our planet.
It’s about progressing towards a more sustainable life for you, your family and your community. One step at a time to help collectively save the planet. Like anything in life change takes time and continual revisions to the way each of us approaches existing patterns. The changes we all need to make to save the planet are no different and they will take time.
However, with viable feedback and with examples of how people are living the seven life we hope to simplify the process of changing for us all. From little steps to big ones, we have a path to personally and professionally being more seven.
The seven life is simply a way of living where we collectively work to further improve our approach to how we interact with our planet. The opportunity to live a more seven life is present every day, though like all things it takes time and continual revisions to the way each of us approaches existing patterns. Here are some seven life tips for taking those initial steps towards change:
green tip #1: start carrying a bag
This a very simple and effective way in which to turn a common trip to the grocer into a sustainable activity. Simply keep one to three canvas or cloth bags in the trunk of your car or bike trailer. When you shop have your groceries or products placed in your cloth bag vs. a plastic or paper bag. In the United States, 40 billion grocery bags are used each year, 30 billion plastic and 10 billion paper bags. Currently only less than 1% of Americans bring cloth bags to the grocer. If everyone did we would save 14 million trees and 3600 million barrels of oil a year.
green tip #2: begin with the light
This is truly one of the easiest and most effective ways in which to turn a home or business into a more sustainable location. By completely replacing all existing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs you will have taken a major step towards helping save the planet. CFLs can last for as many as 7 years and utilize 1/3 the energy of traditional light bulbs. If each home in the United States simply replaced one incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb it would save the amount of carbon dioxide created by 1 million cars.
green tip #3: unplug appliances
Make it a habit to unplug all appliances when you are finished using them, it helps to reduce the amount of electricity you are using.
green tip #4: bring our own chopsticks
I eat alot of asian foods so i always have my own set of chopsticks with me. I feel if more people would do this the waste from those dispossible chopsticks would be a great impact on the planet
green tip #5: nmera lighting
Nmera Lighting is is in full development of a line of LED lighting that will replace drop ceiling fluorescent fixtures and most all the lights you see out on the street, highways, parking lots and exterior building accent lighting. This technology will save not only the planet but your wallet. Our website is coming soon and we’ll give all the lowdown there. You can contact Owen Stephens,CTO @ owen@nmeralighting.com. Thanks!
db clay
Talk about creative. The folks at db clay have set a new standard in personal accessories! In college, the founders starting building wallets out of ducttape. Soon after, with the demand for their wallets growing exponentially, they started a line of eco-friendly wallets, with super-cool contemporary designs. db clay, we are honored to showcase your products - thank you!
who, what, when, where, why?
A fundamental operational mandate of seven is to keep things simple. For those interested, our initial business plan, formally established at 7:00pm on July 7, 2007 while listening to the live earth concert, is available for review here!