Cool Hunting

The Pharos Project
by Russ Lowe Addressing inconsistencies and other challenges in eco-friendly construction, a revolutionary group of like-minded (and large-minded) scientists, architects, engineers, humanitarians and optimists from the U.S. Green Building Council's robust Northwest Chapter, Cascadia, have developed Pharos, a project that might just reshape the Green movement.Its namesake, the island lighthouse of Alexandria, references the guiding beacon that led travelers through unmarked waters in ancient...

Pineapple Paper Furniture
Establishment (an interior design outpost in Manhattan) recently tipped us to Pineapple Paper Furniture, a new line of benches and chairs made from compressed pineapple fibers. We like the Doonya Chair (pictured above right, $1,900) as well as the Nut Bench (pictured after the jump, $2,900). They hadn't been added to the website last time we checked, but you can email Establishment directly: info...

Daily Dump Home Composting
Based in Bangalore, India, Daily Dump (an unfortunate but memorable name) offers designer clay composting containers that are a lot more rustic and stylish than the green plastic bins generally available in the West. Composting is a great way for both rural and urban households to minimize garbage while also producing nutrient-rich soil that can be used for household plants and homegrown produce. They...

Green Home LED Christmas Lights
We like a good Christmas light job as much as the next person, but there are always concerns about energy consumption and the like. Green Home, a pioneering outfit that's run out of a basement in San Francisco's working-class Richmond District, offers a good array of LED Christmas lights that saves energy (and money). Bulbs are available in both traditional (starting at $12.50) and...

Nau: Sponsored Video and Giveaway
Nau won us over from the beginning with their impeccably designed, eco-conscious outerwear and business concept. This behind-the-scenes video features insights into their design process, retail store design and their guiding philosophy. Designers Mark Galbraith and Peter Kallen show us a few items from their latest collection and Ian Yolles, the VP of Brand Communications, walks us through the process of shopping at one...

Portland Fashion Week
by Valery Joseph That Portland, Oregon, is a poster-child of green values and sustainable living is hardly news. Consistently name-checked in the media and the recipient of countless awards—most recently, the honor of "Greenest U.S. City"—the Pacific Northwest town has become the urban darling of the eco-set. So, who better to celebrate the ever-increasing union between fashion and the environment? With its 4th annual...