A Holiday Gift Guide: Waste No Longer
This holiday season choose something functional, stylish, and eco, made from upcycled material! Each of these featured products is created using upcycled material that would otherwise end up in our oceans or landfill as waste. These companies deserve not only a shout out, but our support so that they may continue to make strides in saving our planet.
1. BENTLEY’S RIONA VEGAN COLLECTION
The new RIONA collection by Bentley is an affordable vegan line of eco-friendly, cruelty-free handbags, wallets, and coin purse wristlets approved by animal rights organization PETA. The RIONA line, available in a wide range of styles and colours, is made from biodegradable material and recycled plastic bottles. Embedded RFID protection to safeguard personal data, cards, and keys make this a perfect gift this holiday season. RIONA is available at 160 Bentley stores across Canada and online. shopbentley.com
2. KOMBI’S SUSTAINABLE COLLECTION OF MITTS AND GLOVES
A Canadian company based in Montréal, Kombi has been serving Canadians since 1961. During its 61 years in business, Kombi has evolved to meet the exacting needs of its customers—and as the world looks for more sustainable products, they haven’t missed a step.
Kombi’s Sustainable Collection is made from recycled materials and fabrics, including plastic bottles. The shells are made of recycled twill, mesh, ripstop, and polyester; the insulated insides are made of PRIMALOFT® BIO microfibre insulation from post-consumer recycled fibres; and the lining is made of ACCU-DRI® moisture-wicking micro-polyester, which is 100 percent recycled polyester from multiple plastic container sources. The sustainable collection of fashion for your hands comes in many colours and patterns for children and adults. shop.kombicanada.com
3. REVEL IV EXP MID POLAR BOOT BY KEEN
Outside doesn’t stop just because it’s cold; neither should you. Stay outside longer this winter with the men’s KEEN Revel IV EXP Mid Polar boot, featuring KEEN Warm Recycled P.E.T. insulation made from plastic bottles, PFC-Free water repellency, and pesticide-free odour control made with natural, environmentally friendly probiotics. Whether it’s for snowshoeing, coffee runs, or walking the dog, the Revel IV has superior tread, so you can grip where others slip. The Revel IV is snowflake-rated for traction ensuring grip on icy surfaces—even on an incline—while keeping you warm, comfortable, and dry this holiday season. keenfootwear.com
4. SUGA YOGA MATS
To help remove non-biodegradable wetsuits from landfills, Suga, an innovative yoga mat manufacturer, collects old and used wetsuits and recycles them into new yoga mats! Suga does not stop there, though. To ensure your used mat does not end up in a landfill later on, they also offer a customer return program when your mat reaches “end of life”. Suga takes these returned mats and recycles them too; this is part of their culture of environmental stewardship, which makes them part of the solution. At the time of writing, Suga has diverted 41 tons of neoprene wetsuits from landfills. A Suga yoga mat would make the perfect gift this season for your yoga-loving loved ones. sugamats.com
5. SAMPLEHAUS
SampleHAUS is a place where they create unique and one-of-a-kind artwork and pottery. All pieces are made by hand by the owner (and artist) Diana M. Adams. Diana will create, by request, your pot with a fabric that matches your home’s decor. Diana’s passion for the environment and beautiful art is unparalleled as she upcycles interior design waste materials for her artwork and pottery. Her mission is to reduce textile waste in the world, and she’s on the right track. If pottery is on your wish list this season, stop by sampleHAUS and ask Diana to create your perfect pot. mysamplehaus.com
6. PATAGONIA’S NANO PUFF® JACKET
It’s no secret that Patagonia is in the business of saving our planet. Their initiatives and manufacturing practices are always earth friendly, and the men’s and women’s Nano Puff® Jackets are no exception. Warm, windproof, and water-resistant, the Nano Puff® Jacket is comfortable, lightweight and compressible using PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco, 100% post-consumer recycled polyester with P.U.R.E.™ (Produced Using Reduced Emissions) technology. The shell and lining are also made with post-consumer recycled polyester (how awesome is that!) with a PFC-free DWR finish. A great fall or spring addition to your holiday wish list. patagonia.ca
7. BUFFY’S CLOUD COMFORTER
Not just for winter, this all-season cozy comforter is the perfect addition to your bedroom. Buffy upcycles approximately 50 plastic bottles for each cloud comforter and is 100% GRS-certified, BPA-free, uses recycled PET fill and is sustainable and cruelty-free. The shell is made from sustainable sources of Eucalyptus TENCEL™ Lyocell, their signature fabric, which requires less water to produce than cotton. Doing the right thing doesn’t mean you’re skimping on quality. buffy.co
8. COSTA X BUREO VICTORIA SUNGLASSES
Protect your eyes with Bureo sunglasses. The Victoria is a medium to small fit frame, featuring round lenses. The frames are made from 100% recycled fishing nets, collected from our oceans (another great upcycling initiative). These glasses feature Costa’s patented 580 Lightwave® Glass lenses, which provide 100% UV protection and polarization while cutting down on haze and enhancing sharpness by filtering out harsh yellow and blue light. When your glasses reach “end of life”, the frames are fully recyclable. Costa X Bureo Victoria sunglass lenses come in blue, copper, or grey. bureo.co
