Category: Sustainable

Made in America: American Bags from Commie Materials

ChromeWhile we’ve heard of swords to plowshares, bag maker Chrome is looking to take old military tents and reutilize these as color bags. These include bags made of the Rain Camo that was originally used by Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War. The shell is made of weatherproof, 1000-denier Cordura and this bag is big enough to hold a 17-inch laptop, while reflective straps will make the bag visible at night.

This line of bags also feature daisy-chain mounting loops for attaching carabineer or bike lights as well as the iconic quick-release seatbelt buckle with integrated bottle opener – something those commies never considered!

Chrome Citizen Salvage Military Tent Messenger Bags Official Website

Made in America: Boarded Up

Grain-SurfbordsWhile there has been a trend to make “greener” surfboards using a variety of materials, including carbon fiber, for Grain Surfboards nothing beats wood. The company noted that for more than a thousand years surfboards were made of wood and that’s good enough for them.

The makers use Northern White Cedar with a bit of Western Red Cedar along with a natural blend of traditional construction style with New England boat building craftsmanship and the result is one serious surfboard.

Grain Surfboards
[Via Wood Working Network: Wood Surfboards Make Summer’s Top 50]

Made in America: Easy Riding

Funk-ChubbyMastering a skateboard is something you can do when you are young (we won’t say and stupid) and your bones heal faster. As you age and become wiser you may still want to skate, and perhaps that is where the Brooklyn-made Funk Chubby will provide that easier ride. It isn’t exactly a long board, and isn’t exactly ideal for hitting the half-pipe, but for those who want to experience the thrill of cruising on the pavement the Funk Chubby can take you there.

Moreover the Funk Chubby is a board that could be truly called “sustainable” as its makers use solid wood salvaged from local furniture companies. It is an old school board made of solid wood from scarp and it is made in Brooklyn, so we know it has attitude to match your skating style.

Funk Chubby Official Website

Glow Lube

Chain-LubeThere are plenty of lubes on the market, but the Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry chain lube is one that truly promises to stand out. It reportedly features a UV tracer dye that glows in the dark when lit with an included black light flashlight. This might not seem all that useful unless you plan on riding the bike through a retro dance club or laser tag facility, but it does have other uses.

The UV tracer dye allows users to see if it has fully coated the chain with the lube, and the UV dye will wear off when exposed to sunlight anyway. Moreover the lube is also biodegradable and petroleum free but contains boron nitride compounds, fluoropolymers and nano ceramics that the company said provides a low friction drive chain. This promises to create a dry ceramic coating for increased durability and performance in dry conditions.

Muc-Off Official Website

Carbon Print

Joe-PaintingMuch is made of the so-called carbon footprint, but another topic we’ve watched is what happens to old carbon fiber – as it can’t easily be recycled. However, Joe’s Bicycle Painting could help ensure that carbon fiber can’t so easily be damaged. The company is reportedly evolving to create its own carbon repair and painting operation called Carbon Solutions.

Not only can the company repair damaged carbon fiber, but it can match the paint and decals and have the bike looking like new. Best of all this keeps an old frame out of a landfill.

Joe’s Bicycle Painting Official Website
[Via BikeRumor: CARBON SOLUTIONS OFFER CARBON REPAIR AND PAINT]

United It Rides

UnitedThe United By Blue’s Pannier Bag is ready to roll, and can be used over the shoulder or on a bike itself. Made of 100 percent organic waxed canvas, and featuring a durable brass and leather strap that attach to any size bike, this is one bag that carry a heavy load in deed.

United By Blue also promises that for every product sold it will help to remove one pound of trash from the world’s oceans and waterways.

United By Blue Official Website

Billboards to Bags

TotemToronto based Totem Bags is yet the latest company we’ve seen that has been strong in the upcycling movement, and this start up from Melissa Richardson is using truck tarps, promotional banners, seatbelts and bike tires and creating durable bags while keeping those materials out of a landfill.

The company has been on the move since 2009, and received is first big break when the National Ballet of Canada handed over a stockpile of promotional banners that could be repurposed into products for the gift shop. The company has expanded its clients to include the likes of Chevrolet,Audi, IMAX and the Toronto International Film Festival.

While she started working in her home, today each bag in the line is handmade at a manufacturing facility, but Richardson still puts her stamp of approval on each item. In this way Richardson’s success is just about in the bag.

Totem Bags Official Website

Bamboo for the Masses

Bamboo-BeeThere have been numerous efforts to roll out a bicycle made of bamboo, but a new startup is looking to bring bamboo to the masses. Sunny Chuah has turned to Kickstarter to launch the Bamboo Bee, and produce low cost but durable bicycles.

Bamboo has numerous benefits, including the fact that it is sustainably produced, offers a natural dampening effect and is both strong and lightweight. Currently the Kickstarter campaign is focused on two models, the Revolution and Sunny. Could this Bee the future for bicycles? Video after the jump

Hybrid Bike

When we think hybrids we think of a bike that is a cross between something for the road and off-road, but Boo Bicycles had something very different in mind. The Aluboo, which was shown at the recent North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show (NAHBS) is an aluminum alloy and bamboo bicycle! The company has even launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring this thing out.

The rational for the choice of materials is that it provides the ride characteristics of bamboo at a much more attractive price. Boo yeah! Video after the jump

Tube Top

Finding a good use for a used product is what we like to see. We’ve seen efforts to “upcycle” used bicycle tubes, and the Vaya Bags new Bike Tube Laptop Bag truly gives new meaning to the concept of Tube (Lap)Top. Since the shell is made of recycled bike tubes the bag is completely waterproof, making it perfect for computing in the wet spring weather.

Vaya Bags Recycled Bike Tube Laptop Bag Official Website

Planted Glasses

Plastics maybe fantastic, unless you consider the ecological footprint it leaves. This is why ZEAL Optics have created a new line of sunglasses made from plant-based materials – and this isn’t just the frames; it is the lenses as well. These glasses are made from using seeds from the castor plant, and these still offer protection from UVA, B and C rays, while the lens feature a hard coating to resist scratches.

From plant to oil to glasses. A new circle of development clearly is in the works.

ZEAL Optics Official Website

Epic Competition For Billboards

From swords to plowshares used to be the old saying, but in the 21st century it could be from billboards to bags. We reported back in November that Mat Dusting of Kingston St. Mary in the U.K. had started a business turning old truck tarpaulins into ski and snowboard bags, while California based Rareform was turning vinyl from billboards into surfboard cases.

Perhaps Epicstoke liked what it heard – and who can blame them. The start-up is now taking billboards and creating ski bags in Minnesota. They are also making wallets, bags, backpacks and even surfboard bags – so Rareform watch out as you might have some competition. In other words all those eyesores on the highway could soon be seen on the slopes and on backs – but in a much less eyesore kind of way! This is something to get stoked about, dare we say epic stoked?

Epicstoke Official Website