Wellow is the eco-friendly deodorant you've been looking for

Hopefully, deodorant is a daily part of your life. You use it after a shower, you buy more when you run out, but you probably don’t think about deodorant much. Well, it’s time to start. Most deodorant comes in a plastic tube with a plastic top, both of which eventually get tossed in the trash. Every time you go through another tube of deodorant, you add to the plastic waste problem that experts predict will soon overwhelm the world. But now you have a new, eco-friendly option: Wellow deodorant.

How is Wellow different from other deodorants? This one creates no waste. Wellow contains no plastics, no toxins and no reason to feel guilty. The product’s paper tube uses 95% recycled post-consumer paper, making it biodegradable. In fact, the tube will completely biodegrade in less than three months. Even the print on each tube uses an eco-friendly plant-based ink.

This deodorant’s natural formula includes quality ingredients designed to be just as effective as mainstream deodorants. Hand-poured into every paper tube, Wellow deodorant contains no aluminum, sulfates, parabens, or similar harmful chemicals. Additionally, this cruelty-free formula isn’t tested on animals.

If you’re an eco-conscious consumer, you may have tried so-called Earth-friendly deodorants in the past and felt disappointed. Thankfully, Wellow protects both the environment and your armpits. Specially designed to not clog pores, the highly concentrated formula provides up to 24 hours of protection against sweat and odor.

Interested buyers can find Wellow in four styles: activated charcoal, coconut and vanilla, bergamot and citrus and fragrance-free. Made with ingredients such as coconut oil, arrowroot powder, shea butter, almond oil and beeswax, Wellow keeps its formula natural.

Already tested by hundreds of wearers, this new product’s ongoing Kickstarter seeks funds to get this product on the market. Soon, Wellow may change the way people look at deodorant; hopefully, it will change the way people dispose of their deodorant, too.

+ Wellow

Images via Wellow

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BiodiverCity will transform Penang South Islands into an eco-tourism spot

In January 2020, the Penang State Government launched an international design competition centered on reinventing the Penang South Islands and transforming them into a sustainable destination. The goal was to create a livable community, both indoors and outdoors, that encompasses cultural, ecological and economic growth. The winner of the competition is Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), with a comprehensive plan it calls BiodiverCity.

The group of architects, designers and builders worked in conjunction with a host of other professional teams, including Hijjas (local architects and planners) and Ramboll (project manager and engineer). As the project name implies, the BiodiverCity masterplan proposal is heavily focused on biodiversity and instills a necessary balance, considering the three islands contain a mix of  topographies and protected environments. In recent years, urban development has threatened these areas of beach, parks and waterfront. 

Related: BIG plans unveiled for pedestrian paradise in Downtown Brooklyn

The islands house 15,000 to 18,000 residents over a land area of 50 to 500 acres. It was important to developers that the plan include a buffer around each district to allow for natural habitats to flourish.

Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG, explained, “We are literally embarking on a journey to create more of Malaysia for future generations. We have decided to set the bar as high as humanly possible by imagining a new archipelago that aims to be both more culturally and biologically diverse than previous developments.”

With that end goal, BiodiverCity will sustain localized water resources, renewable energy and waste management. Instead of focusing on environmentally damaging, vehicle-centered infrastructure, the BiodiverCity is designed around waterways, railways, air travel and land use that invites walking and biking.

Of course, that focus on sustainable practices doesn’t mean the Penang South Islands will be an isolated society — quite the opposite actually. The first island, the Channels, is set to be an international destination for conferences. The space is to be used for educational centers and an example of advanced technological systems. It will have a wave pool and technology park, research institutes and space for professionals and families alike to explore robotics and virtual reality. The second island, the Mangroves, protects and highlights the namesake trees, which are capable of absorbing more than four times as much carbon as a typical forest. The third island, Laguna, will be centered around the marina, and the island vibe will focus on ecological living.

Buildings across the islands will be constructed using low-carbon materials like bamboo, Malaysian timber and green concrete, a material made from industrial waste and recycled materials.

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Images via Bjarke Ingels Group

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HoekHome gives furniture a sustainable makeover

Putting together furniture has been rich sitcom fodder for years. People often associate this task with frustration, confusion and many lost hours. But thanks to modern furniture companies such as HoekHome, furniture assembly has changed. You can assemble HoekHome’s click-together furniture with no tools other than your hands. This sleek, stylish and modern furniture also incorporates sustainable practices for the eco-conscious consumer. Together, these features elevate HoekHome’s furniture game to a new level.

It will take you longer to tell a joke than it will to put together HoekHome furniture. The click-together design means that you only need to use your hands to assemble each piece. Unclip the legs from the chassis, click it all into place, and then you’re done. Assembly may only take seconds. You won’t need a hammer, nails, screws or even that notorious furniture construction manual.

You can also “unclick” HoekHome furniture to make it flat again. This process makes moving significantly easier, as the flat furniture proves easy to store and transport. While easy assembly, disassembly and storage make the brand stand out, these features only tell half of the HoekHome furniture story.

HoekHome furniture is also sustainable. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled HDPE plastic and FSC certified plywood, the furniture appeals to consumers who value eco-friendly design. These pieces epitomize responsible, environmentally-conscious design practices.

You can decorate your entire house in sleek, sustainable HoekHome furniture. The product line includes side tables, desks, coffee tables and dining tables. Find your favorite pieces in multiple colors, from natural wood tones to bright, vibrant shades.

As a new company, HoekHome is still gaining its footing. A Kickstarter campaign planned for October aims to help the company launch so it can create more products for consumers. If successful, this campaign could represent a major shift toward making the furniture industry friendlier to both consumers and the environment.

+ HoekHome

Images via HoekHome

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ASOS launches first circular fashion collection

This fall, online retailer ASOS is launching its first collection of circular fashions. A collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, the 29 women’s, men’s and unisex styles aim to prove that eco-friendly clothing can also be chic.

Circular design refers to a constant recycling loop, with no materials ending up in the landfill. Instead of waste, ASOS aims to create an endless series of new fashions. According to ASOS, each style from the autumn collection meets at least two of these three goals: designing out waste and pollution; keeping products and materials in use; and regenerating natural systems.

Related: The Redress Design Award is making sustainable fashion an industry standard

To create the new Fall 2020 collection, ASOS designers put together a set of goals. First was to attain a zero-waste collection, or at least to minimize waste. When possible, they chose materials that were already at least partially recycled, yet still durable. The designers also aimed for versatility, so that each garment could be styled in multiple ways. The collection also makes use of upcycling, or turning something old into something new. Using one recyclable material for the entire product, called a mono-material approach, means that at the end of each garment’s life, it will be easier to recycle. The fashions were also created with eventual ease of disassembly in mind.

Some of the new collection’s items include oversized dresses, pants, blouses, shoes and denim. Black, white and lavender are some of the line’s recurring colors.

The new line is a direct response to ASOS’ promise at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit in 2018 to train its designers in circular design by 2020. In the last two years, ASOS has started a training program in conjunction with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, which is part of London College of Fashion, to educate all ASOS designers on sustainable fashion principles.

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Image via ASOS

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The durable Solo New York backpack can accompany all of your adventures

Back in July, Inhabitat introduced readers to the Solo New York brand, a sustainable fashion company making bags out of recycled plastic water bottles. Since then, we have had the opportunity to use the popular Re:vive Mini Backpack ourselves, testing it out on more than a few outdoor adventures.

With the environmental tolls of fast fashion becoming more and more apparent, sustainability has certainly become a buzzword in the textile and fashion industries. Solo New York’s recycled fabric production starts with discarded plastic bottles. Through an environmentally friendly process, the plastic bottles are finely shredded and re-spun into durable and lightweight recycled PET polyester yarn. According to Solo New York, this recycled material reduces energy use by 50%, water use by 20% and air pollution by 60%.

Related: Each purchase of this bag made from recycled plastic helps plant trees

The Re:vive Mini Backpack is just the right size for a day trip. We took one on a hike down to McClures Beach in Point Reyes, California in the height of summer. Despite its seemingly small size, it easily held a small beach towel, a large water bottle, keys, wallet, sunglasses and a tube of sunscreen with room to spare. The short fabric key clip built into the top of the bag helped keep us from digging around in the bottom for keys (always a plus), and the bag itself was so lightweight that it was easy to forget it was even on. When a sandwich mishap produced a small stain on the outside of the backpack, a simple dose of spot-cleaning made it good as new — a great characteristic if you plan on using the backpack in your everyday life. Another feature we noticed was the versatility of the design; the heathered gray material on the outside and the subtle black camo on the inside are just as appropriate for a big city subway or the office as they are for exploring a national park.

Apart from aiding our fight against plastic pollution, this backpack also proved itself as a great conversation starter. Once people found out that it was made from recycled plastic bottles, most couldn’t believe that the fabric could be so soft and similar to other popular textiles like cotton or polyester. The sturdiness of the plastic fiber is apparent in its durability as well, so it is easy to tell that the bags are designed to last a long time.

The mini backpack measures 14″ x 9″ x 4″ and weighs only 0.57 pounds. Priced at $24.99, it is affordable, too. Along with the aforementioned key clip, there are also adjustable shoulder straps and a front zippered pocket to hold more quick-grab items like cellphones and wallets. According to the company, the first run of the Re:cycled Collection was responsible for recycling more than 90,000 plastic bottles, and the line is still continuing to expand with new bags. As of September 2020, the collection features four backpack versions priced from $24.99 to $64.99, a laptop sleeve, two carry-on-size luggage pieces, a briefcase, a tote and a duffel.

Solo New York was founded by John Ax, who arrived to the U.S. in 1940 with his family. They only had $100 and the clothes on their backs. As a skilled craftsman, he began rounding up leather pieces and scraps that were destined for the trash from local tanneries to turn into sellable goods. His small company, which eventually became known as the United States Luggage Company, thrived for decades before rebranding as Solo New York.

Today, the company has already set solid, transparent goals to become even more sustainable in the future. The goal is to eliminate plastic from all packaging by the end of 2020. Hang tags are already printed on 100% recycled and biodegradable material with a recycled cotton string and a completely biodegradable clasp. The Solo New York headquarters on Long Island takes advantage of New York’s average of 224 sunny days per year with 1,400 rooftop solar panels (producing enough energy to power 87 homes). Plus, the company has a zero-tolerance plastic water bottle policy for its employees, instead offering filtered smart fountains and water dispensers throughout its locations.

Solo New York has also partnered with the United States National Forest Foundation, pledging to help aid in reforestation by planting one tree per every bag purchased from the Re:cycled collection. Customers also have the option of taking the “Green Pledge” and promising to say no to plastic bottles for the following 30 days. For every pledge signed, Solo NY will plant a second tree.

Overall, we think any of the bags from this sustainable collection would be a great gift option for the Earth-lover in your life, especially for the upcoming holiday season. Even for someone who hasn’t found their stride in sustainability quite yet, the gift of a Re:cycled Collection bag or backpack is sure to be pretty eye-opening as to how far recycling can really go. Even better, if more people pivot to eco-friendly bags, that means we can help cut down on the number of plastic items being manufactured and distributed globally, leading to fewer toxic chemicals released into the atmosphere, less resources spent and less waste produced overall.

+ Solo New York

Images via Katherine Gallagher / Inhabitat

Editor’s Note: This product review is not sponsored by Solo New York. All opinions on the products and company are the author’s own.

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Old industrial building is now an energy-efficient complex in London

International practice Make Architects has transformed a 1950s industrial building into the Asta House, a mixed-use development comprising commercial offices, luxury and affordable residences, retail spaces and a new pocket park in London’s Fitzrovia. Developed for Derwent London, the adaptive reuse project was sustainably designed to retain as much of the original facade and structure as possible while injecting the building with a new, contemporary aesthetic. Make Architects also reduced the project’s long-term carbon footprint by installing triple glazing, additional insulation, operable windows and solar hot water heating panels to preheat domestic hot water for the entire building.

Located on a corner site between Whitfield Street and Chitty Street, the Asta House features 36 design-led residences that include one- to three-bedroom apartments, 10 social apartments and four intermediate apartments. The architects also added two additional stories — carefully stepped back from the facade to preserve the building’s architectural integrity — to house a pair of penthouse apartments. By setting back the penthouses, the architects created space for extensive private decks. The other apartments in the building share a courtyard terrace backing Charlotte Mews, and all residents will have access to Poets Park, a 240-square-meter pocket park with a small cafe.

Related: The origami-like monocoque pavilion in London is shaped by its environment

The Asta House’s contemporary interiors feature a restrained material and color palette and are flooded with natural light from large windows. Contrast is created with black detailing against white backgrounds and the juxtaposition of rougher tactile elements with smooth surfaces. Built-in furniture helps achieve a streamlined appearance. 

“The modern, yet intimate scale and design of this project aims to appeal to those who want a character-rich home in this bohemian area,” said architect Kunwook Kang. “Externally the project is completely respectful of its location, chiming with surrounding colours and massing. Internally our choice of materials was key. We’ve created smooth, consistent interiors that make the most of original features and crafted new ones to provide not only functional, efficient homes, but also spaces that delight.” 

+ Make Architects

Images via Jack Hobhouse and Make Architects

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This industrial complex has a facade made from its own construction waste

Located in the North India city of Kishangarh, this innovative industrial complex for Stonex India and designed by Deli-based Urbanscape Architects revolves around sustainable construction. The building features sunken courtyards with earth-cooled floors and a stone screen facade made from the complex’s own construction waste.

As the main site for Stonex India, one of the country’s top marble manufacturers and suppliers, the architecture of Stonex Kishangarh had to implement stone into its design. Additionally, the company’s respect for its surroundings and for nature, as well as its central ethos — strength and perfection — had to be put on display as well. The result certainly implements all of these concepts, especially in its inspiring stone facade.

Related: Award-winning Fly-Ash chair uses recycled coal byproduct

The stone screen is fabricated using a combination of leftover stone from a nearby rock quarry and actual stone wastage generated from the building site itself. The screen not only provides solar shading from the southeastern and western glares but also presents a sustainable alternative to wasting stone scraps.

Throughout the rest of the complex, spaces are used thoughtfully and allow for maximum potential for green covering and horticulture landscaping. Finished in 2019, the industrial complex stands at about 215,278 square feet in size. What’s more, the orientation and design of the building itself does its part to facilitate climate responsiveness through the concept of earth berming, namely the idea of building a wall of earth around the outside of a structure to achieve passive cooling.

Part of the structure is sunken into the ground, combating the hot and dry regional climate to stay cool in the warmer summer months and warm during the winter. Indoor temperatures and floor slabs are regulated with radiant cooling, which allow for 60% efficiency in the structure’s running costs, according to the architects. This model has also led to HVAC load cutting by nearly 40%.

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Images via Urbanscape Architects

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