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The Uncommon Life

Win a WindowDry Rack for 10/10/10

October 8, 2010

Congrats to our winners, Kristen and Courtney.

Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, to get the heads up on all our giveaways and contests.

Earlier this week we gave away a WindowDry rack to promote line-drying. And today we’re giving away two more, to spread the word about our friends at Project Laundry List.

This Sunday is 10/10/10, a global work party, in which people like you and me take on small tasks to make a big difference in the fight against global warming. Some groups are fixing up bikes. Some are planting trees. Some are installing solar panels. And some are saying no to energy-sucking dryers and switching back to the good old-fashioned clothesline.

Our friends at Project Laundry List, an organization devoted to the “Right to Dry” movement are having a Halloween party in New Hampshire this weekend. They aim to raise awareness about “vampire appliances” (ie. dryers that suck up energy). Learn more about their fun party (with a graveyard tour!) here.

Imagine what a difference we could make, if we all let more of our clothes hang in the breeze! (And how much softer our clothes would feel.)

Even if you’re not in New Hampshire, you can get involved. Make a pledge to try out line-drying (or leave some helpful tips if you’re an experienced clothesline user) in the comments below, and you’ll be entered to win 1 of 2 WindowDry racks.

We’ll announce the winners on Monday. Hope you have a fun 10/10/10!

The Uncommon Life

Why WindowDry? #Giveaway

October 6, 2010

For the sake of Janice Jacoby’s house guests, we’re giving her the first WindowDry rack in our giveaway:

“I line dry as much as possible but here in Florida we have so many unexpected thunderstorms it is hard to do for much of the year. I actually have a line stretched across my porch that has almost strangled unsuspecting visitors! I sure would love this and so would my company.”

Stay tuned— we’ll be giving away two more WindowDry racks later this week with some more info about how to join the line-drying movement with our friends at Project Laundry List.

Made just outside of Seattle, the WindowDry rack is a great solution for urban line-dryers or clothesline aficionados caught in rainy weather. The rack folds up easily when not in use, and can be hung in a shower, on a window, or on tile walls.

How did the WindowDry rack come about?

Laura Bridenbeck says, “We live in Seattle where the climate is wet, so our drying happens mostly indoors. Brent developed the Windowdry rack out of necessity because the large, bulky rack I was using was continually being knocked down by our 90 pound golden retriever and 4-year-old daughter. He decided to build a rack that could be mounted up and out of the way yet be near or on a window.”

But does one small rack hold a full load of laundry?

“One of the first questions people ask after seeing this rack is how much weight does it support using suction cups? It supports over 25 pounds (average load of wet laundry weighs 11 lbs)and we have even tested it with our 36 pound daughter!”

Today we’re giving away one WindowDry rack to a lucky reader who’s ready to make the switch to line drying. Just leave a comment below, and let us know why you want to be a line-dryer. Winner announced at 6 pm ET today.

The Uncommon Life

Buyer’s Dilemma

October 5, 2010

Right now we’re making our final picks for the catalog we’ll send to you in January. Remember the sari scarf? We carry these beautiful handmade scarves in turquoise and cinnamon.

Our buyer Erin is in the middle of deciding what new colors to bring in. She just sent me this email:

“Saris are by nature brightly colored and full of prints, so I’ve got a lot of color options to choose from. Since the patchwork look is such a big trend right now, it made sense to make a scarf of different contrasting colors that also complement each other. I’ve got the photographs of the sari scarf samples and they all look so fantastic, I need help deciding which scarf to feature in our catalog.”


Blue and Purple

Red and Cream

Orange, Green and Yellow

Purple and Pink

Well I’m turning it over to you. Help Erin decide, by leaving a comment for your favorite color combo. Thanks for your help!

Maker Stories

Friday Giveaway: Rainy Showers Bring Fall Flowers

October 1, 2010

Congrats to our winner Keri Butler. Hope you all had relaxing weekends! Be sure to subscribe to the Goods via RSS, to get the heads up about our next giveaways and contests!

It’s been raining here in Brooklyn all week. I don’t know about you, but I sure need a pick-me-up!

Luckily this week we’re giving away one of artist Jenn Bell’s Pansy or Echinacea Wall Hangings— made of copper, glass, and enamel, and a sure to keep the flowers blooming year round.

I talked to Jenn for a few minutes this week about how she creates creates her handmade pieces.

“There are daily accidents that turn out to be gorgeous,” says Jenn of her creative process.

What does she mean by that?

“… As I’ve grown up I’ve realized that you have no idea where each day is going to take you and rolling with the punches makes everything better. I’m incredibly hard on myself, so I have pieces all over my shop that I have deemed unacceptable. Friends come over and just randomly point and say, “I like that one.” So I take it to a show and someone else likes it. Sometimes making art seems to be this balance of listening to your gut and ignoring it all at the same time.”

Here’s Jenn at work in her studio.

And the lesson this week is that it’s quite alright to give yourself a break every now and then.

Leave a comment below to win one of Jenn’s beautiful handmade wall hangings, and let us know what you’re doing this weekend to give yourself a break.

As always, you can leave a comment on our Facebook wall, or tweet @uncommongoods to triple your chances to win.

Gift Guides

Housewarming Gifts

September 30, 2010

Looking for that perfect gift for a housewarming party? Look no further. Gaby Germaine, UncommonGoods’ photographer, lists her 10 favorite products perfect for any new home. Find them all at UncommonGoods.com.

  1. Recycled Windshield Bowl: After photographing this vase, I couldn’t even wait a whole day before buying one for my mom. It’s such a delight to visit home and see it on the dinning table with a fresh bouquet of flowers from Mom’s garden. Each season breathes new life into this item. Fill it with pinecones, ornaments, seashells, or anything that inspires you. The options are endless—I’ve even used it to serve fresh lemonade at a party!

  2. Monogrammed Sachets: I love the letter G, though I’m probably biased by the fact that I have two Gs in my name 😉 I’ve been collecting monogrammed or G shaped items for several years now, and was really happy to add this sachet to my collection. It’s so fragrant, and revamps the traditional sachet with its modern design.

  3. Reclaimed Tool Bowl: This bowl is like an “I Spy” game! From chains to wrenches, padlocks and gears, the details here just keep me so interested in exploring this piece. I am in love with its one-of-a-kind nature and the effort behind each bowl—the artist literally pulls items from dumpsters for these!

Continue Reading…

Design

The Multiblocks Challenge and More

September 27, 2010

What a weekend!

We got to hear from makers young and old this weekend at World Maker Faire in Queens, New York.

At the Multiblocks challenge, young makers dared to build towers taller than they were.

And we heard some amazing product pitches from artists, makers and DIY geniuses.

Dave talks to a maker about his sample product

Thanks to the Make Editors for giving us an Editor’s Choice Ribbon!

Want to get this Uncommon award-winning style?

Klick Desk: $230. Available in red, orange, and green
Reclaimed Seatbelt Chair: $1500
Chalkboard Pillows: $48
Upcycled Wool Pocket Pillows: $30
Carrie Masters “Robot” Lamps: $70

I’m already looking forward to next year’s Faire!

If you missed us at World Maker Faire, but want to share your product ideas and designs, email us anytime at newgoods(at)uncommongoods.com.

The Uncommon Life

UncommonGoods Goes to Washington

September 23, 2010

Yesterday, I was part of a panel discussion sponsored by at the Social Investment Forum in Washington DC to talk about sustainability and business.

Our panel was moderated by Paul Hilton, Director of Sustainable Investment Business Strategy at Calvert and included Andrew Kassoy, co-founder of B Lab, and New York State Senator Daniel Squadron.

We talked about the role of benefit corporations (a new legal form of company that has a social mission, as well as a goal of making money) and the impact public policy can have on these businesses. B Corporations, which include Method, Seventh Generation, King Arthur Flour and UncommonGoods, must receive a passing score on a rigorous, comprehensive list of sustainable practices. I spoke about how the B Corporation audit encouraged us to make changes, such as extending medical benefits to family members, implementing energy saving measures, investing more in learning opportunities for our team members, providing incentives to bicycle commuters, and formalizing our whistleblower and flexible work schedule policies.

Andrew discussed how his team succeeded in getting legislation passed establishing benefit corporations in Maryland and Vermont. He also discussed State Senator Squadron’s leadership in gaining 60-1 passage in the New York Senate, leaving it in the hands of the Assembly. Similar legislation will be introduced in a number of states in the coming months, including a number of states that tend to be more conservative, as this is an issue that should be truly bi-partisan – it merely provides owners with the choice of establishing their business under this type of legal framework.

If you want to see this happen in your state, reach out to Andrew Greenblatt at B Lab: agreenblatt(at)bcorporation(dot)net.

We’ll be keeping you posted on our progress.

– David Bolotsky

The Uncommon Life

Talking About Corporate Responsibility

September 22, 2010

Today our CEO, David Bolotsky, is joining Andrew Kassoy, founder of B Lab, and other business leaders on a panel discussion about sustainably-minded businesses and the laws that could make it easier for companies to become more ethical, sustainable and accountable to our customers.

Learn more about the panelists and the Social Investment Forum, happening today in Washington, DC.

And of course, part of our commitment to a sustainable business model means that we’re accountable to you. If you have any suggestions for how we can make our business better, leave a comment below!