Expo West 2014 editor's picks: Natural living
March 30, 2014
![Expo West 2014 editor's picks: Natural living Expo West 2014 editor's picks: Natural living](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltafc06db067aebac6/64cbf83cdb0bcc7a8de33eaa/NewHopeNetwork_Horizontal_RGB.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Go ahead, take a whiff of this Canadian company's cleaners and detergents. They smell lovely without being overwhelming thanks to therapeutic-grade essential oils that impart aromas like orange, lavender and lemongrass. In an arena where competing claims make products hard to compare, the company's quality is easy to judge thanks to a green rating on Whole Foods Market's Eco-Scale and certifications from EcoLogo, Canada's well-respected third party verification program.
It's naive to assume the chemicals we use to wash our clothes don't in some measure come into contact with, and get absorbed by, our skin. Molly's Suds went above and beyond to cut out chemicals, GMOs, gluten, animal products, and pretty much everything else potentially nasty for our bodies, when the company developed its line of laundry and pet cleaning products. The products contain no parabens, sodium laureth/lauryl sulfates, phosphates or petrochemicals and use sustainably sourced sodium carbonate from Wyoming's Green River Basin.
Squeeze packs were all over the Expo floor, but the amount of waste created by these mostly single serving one-time-use packages is depressing. The Sili Company has created a waste-free, easy-to-use alternative with its reusable squeezable pouch. Made with silicon and topped off with a spill proof spout, these pouches are perfect for baby food, lunchtime applesauce or a smoothie on the go.
Bamboo is no stranger to the paper product category, but Caboo one-ups products that use bamboo as the sole material. The company adds sugarcane to the mix to create a product whose softness and strength rivals conventional paper products. The bamboo used in its products is FSC certified, which requires protection of threatened and endangered species and prohibits conversion of forests or any other natural habitat. And the type of sugarcane used is left over from the sugar making process and would otherwise be disposed or burned.
Eucalyptus is the secret ingredient in Sacred Sleep's lovely line of blended bedding sets. Combined with organic cotton, the eucalyptus lends antimicrobial and moisture-wicking powers as well as strength (the company says its sheets last twice as long as regular cotton sheets). Eucalyptus trees are water efficient and require no fertilizers or insecticides to grow - a major advantage over water- and chemical-intensive cotton. Plus, the sheets get softer as you wash them.
These fun, funky watches do wonders with eco-friendly materials like bamboo, biodegradable corn resin, cork and recyclable Tyvek. The batteries are mercury-free and any diamonds used are certified and conflict-free. It's great to see everyday products redesigned with the entire lifecycle of a product in mind.
These fun, funky watches do wonders with eco-friendly materials like bamboo, biodegradable corn resin, cork and recyclable Tyvek. The batteries are mercury-free and any diamonds used are certified and conflict-free. It's great to see everyday products redesigned with the entire lifecycle of a product in mind.
While not the flashiest corner of Expo West, the natural living aisles at the show nonetheless contained some impressive offerings. These six companies make use of a mind-blowing array of sustainable materials and ingredients and make strides in eliminating harsh chemicals while still getting the job done.
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