The Luxe Report

New Designs from Yogoco – upcycled yoga mat bags

Administrator — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:45:41 +0000

Created by a mompreneur with a love for yoga, Yogoco bags are beautiful, functional and eco-friendly. Yogoco yoga mat bags are made from cotton scraps that have been discarded during the t-shirt making process. These scraps, typically destined for a local landfill, are collected and blended together to make cotton fabric.

But Yogoco yoga mat bags aren’t just a “green” product, they also let your yoga mat breathe, have pockets for your essentials and can accomodate a 26″ yoga mat.

Take a peek at some of the new designs and colors for this season. Love the Moroccan Sky Blue and Wahini White Flower, feeling ready more centered already.

Natural Luxe is offering free shipping on all Yogoco recycled yoga mat bags, use code GREEN at checkout.

Make back to school green for you too!

Administrator — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:49:01 +0000

Back to school shopping is in full swing this weekend and we are happy to see lots of articles chock full of green alternatives to make this school year eco-friendly. When shopping for the kids, why not take a moment to green your everyday routine too.

If your morning ritual is a cup of coffee to go or a drive through Starbucks, consider investing in a porcelain reusable coffee cup. Fill up before you rush out the door or give to your favorite barista. Vessel drinkware’s mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe.

Reusable snack and sandwich bags are obvious choices for your child’s lunchbox, but you can take advantage of these green bags too. When the 3 o’clock munchies hit, make sure you have filled a reusable snack bag with a healthy treat instead of making a trip to the dreaded vending machine.

While you are packing school lunches this year; include yourself. Taking a lunch can help your bottom line, both financially and physically. Pack the night before so you have more time to plan out a healthy meal. These lunch totes also offer insulation to keep your lunch hot or cold.

A few changes to your daily routine can save both time and money and make your world a little greener. Best wishes for a wonderful school year!

Apple & Bee in the press

Administrator — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:45:56 +0000

Apple & Bee organics is having a busy summer. The Australian based company has been featured in two major magazines.

Pregnancy & Newborn magazine loves the organic cotton giraffe baby changing pad as a “under $30″ mom must have.

Teen Vogue is featuring the bright orange apple hemp coin purse as a ten most wanted beauty buy.

Good For You Girls – all natural skincare giveaway

Administrator — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:32:51 +0000

We are pleased to add Good For You Girls to Natural Luxe! Good For You Girls was started by two moms, Kim and Grace, who saw the need for a natural skincare line for young girls after shopping in their local natural grocery store turned up too many chemicals and harsh ingredients. With the knowledge that too many chemicals are not only harsh on young skin but harmful to the environment, the Good For You Girls founders were determined to create a healthy alternative.

Good For You Girls are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and they do not contain dyes, parabens or sulfates. The moms were even conscientious of the packaging, all bottles are recyclable and the boxes are printed with water-based ink. The refreshing citrus scent found in Good For You Girls products is created from the essential oils of grapefruit, orange, lemon and bergamot.

Their line offers skin toner, gel cleanser, moisturizer, shimmer body lotion and natural deodorant. With prices between $7 and $14, it is an affordable option to give to teens and tweens to start them on the right path with natural skincare.

To introduce Good For You Girls to our customers and fans, we are giving away a starter kit on our Facebook page – like our page and comment on which product you would like to try for your chance to win! Good Luck!

Eco gifts for Father’s Day

Administrator — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:45:30 +0000

Give Dad the gift of Green!

English Retreads recycled tire wallet

For the Dad who showed you how to change the oil in the car

The smooth rubber helps this wallet slide easily into any pocket, yet provides just enough traction to foil any grand theft auto attempts.

Each English Retreads original is made in Boulder, Colorado of recycled rubber inner tubes.

Vessel Drinkware business time coffee cup

Perfect for Dad’s morning commute to work

Topped with a silicone lid, our double-wall porcelain reusable coffee mug is an elegant alternative to the paper coffee cup. The double-wall porcelain eliminates the need for a coffee sleeve too!

Ella Vickers recycled sailcloth messenger bag

Does Dad dream of sailing away?

Messenger Bags are perfect for easy carry and easy access to all your important papers, cell phone etc.

Here are a few more eco gift ideas for Father’s Day

Greensmart neogreene laptop sleeve

Vessel Drinkware reusable mustache cup

Greensmart recycled PETE plastic backpack

Shea Terra Organics – goodness from Africa

Administrator — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:59:07 +0000

Shea Terra Organics first brought the powers of shea butter to the States, now they are looking for more amazing indigenous ingredients from Africa. Founder Tammie Umbel works with cooperatives, scientists and conservationists to find natural ingredients that are good for your skin and good for the community that produces them.

We have just introduced the line of natural, organic shea butter creams and exfoliating body scrubs to Natural Luxe and can’t wait to hear the feedback from our customers. Priced between $18 and $22, the rich organic shea butter creams and dead sea salt scrubs are affordable luxuries.

With names like Bourbon Vanilla, Miombo Mango and Pink Guava Pomegranate, Shea Terra Organics sounds good enough to eat. Take a peek at what we have in store!

Today through May 31st, if you purchase a Shea Terra Organics shea butter cream or exfoliating scrub you receive a FREE shea butter lip balm. Enter coupon code SHEALIP at checkout

Mother’s Day Eco Gift Guide

Administrator — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:35:09 +0000

Skip the flowers this year and give Mom something good for the earth that she will love. We have a few suggestions to make Mom’s Day special.

A stylish recycled lunch tote so Mom can pack a healthy lunch.

Mom is always on top of her thank you notes, give her the gift of a beautiful set of recycled note cards.

Turn Mom into an eco-fashionista with the Urthbags margareta tote bag

Encourage Mom’s new found yoga habit with a brightly colored yoga mat bag

Green Mom’s work routine with a neogreene laptop sleeve

Which one is the perfect fit for your Mom? Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

Our bags are famous!

Administrator — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:38:32 +0000

The spring issues of some of our favorite magazines have shown a lot of love for our handbags.

It started with Mar y Sol’s multi-colored opal clutch featured in Real Simple Magazine. Their “Trend worth trying” for April 2011 is bright stripes so of course our favorite striped raffia clutch made the page!

Next we found the recycled paper off the cuff wristlet from Rebagz featured in Parents Magazine. The cute red wristlet is one of their top picks for a great Mother’s Day Gift.

One of the spring’s best-sellers, the Guadeloupe handbag from Mar y Sol is seen in the pages of People magazine. The sunny yellow flower tote is a perfect fit for their summer styleboard.

Can’t wait to see who is next???

Move over neoprene, there’s something greener!

Administrator — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:44:55 +0000

Developed by our friends at GreenSmart, neogreene is a water-based material which allows for a much cleaner chemistry than neoprene. Unlike neoprene, the new and improved neogreene eliminates the need for toxic solvents to be used to bind the material together.

Neogreene has a soft, flexible feel and is waterproof which makes it the perfect material for a laptop sleeve. Considered toxic-free because there are no phthalates, VOCs, chlorine, neogreene is a great green alternative to neoprene.

Now that we have found this great green invention, take a peek at the cool products GreenSmart makes with it

Laptop Sleeves

Reusable lunch totes

Reusable Wine Totes

We love finding companies to work with that look at the industry and know that they can do things a little bit better; a little bit greener. GreenSmart has made the commitment to continue to improve the manufacturing process, we can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

The quest for affordable organic baby toys

Administrator — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:18:05 +0000

It’s nice to see the wide array of organic cotton and bamboo baby clothes on the market. It doesn’t take too much searching to find brands like Babysoy, Kee-Ka, Small Plum Organics and Speesees that have made the commitment to offer affordable organic baby clothes that are also stylish. But when we set out to add organic baby toys to our store the search was much different.

Being a mom, I understand the need to give your little one something safe to love (and chew on!) We are happy to say that we found Dandelion Toys. They offer organic cotton baby toys that are filled with corn fiber, offer cute designs and most retail for under $15.

The corn fiber filling is both natural and washable plus it does not clump up like synthetic fibers. We’ve just added their line of bamboo animal shakers. Made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified bamboo viscose they are cuddly and cute.

In addition to making great eco-friendly toys, Dandelion Toys is a member of 1% for the Planet. We are so happy to include them in the Natural Luxe family of products!