Month: February 2012

Eau Good Water Bottle

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You can design the most stunning reusable water bottle in the world, but if people don’t like the taste of their tap water, they aren’t going to use it. Black + Blum’s new eau good bottle comes with a chunk of organic binchotan active charcoal that you can lock in place in a nook in the blow-molded bottle. After an activation time of six to eight hours, the charcoal improves the flavor of tap water by reducing chlorine, balancing pH, and adding minerals. The charcoal can be used for up to six months and then be recycled for other uses (replacement charcoal sticks can be purchased separately). Packaged in an unbleached graphic box, the bottle holds 27 fluid ounces and comes with a natural cork stopper. Available in April for $20.00 USD.

Cameo by Rux Custom Baby Rattle

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Watch out silver spoons, the Cameo by Rux Custom Baby Rattle is the hot new heirloom baby gift in town. The latest concept from New York City-based RUX Design, Cameo by Rux rattles feature the custom carved silhouettes of the parents on either end and the baby’s name engraved in the handle. Cameo by Rux founder and designer Russell Greenberg says the inspiration for the rattle, which follows a line of other customizable objects, came when his wife was pregnant with their now five-month-old son Kingston.While it doesn’t take as long as a baby to make, this gift does require a bit of planning. First, the 8”-long maple rattles are sold as blocks of wood with instructions branded on all sides. A pre-paid and pre-addressed shipping envelope is hidden inside the block base, which the customer then uses to mail the block to the company’s workshop for carving. A gift-code on the base of the block is used at the Cameo by Rux website to upload the customer’s profile photographs. Rattles are completed within three …

Dreamfarm Kitchen Gadgets

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The only Australian manufacturer to win three Red Dot design awards, Dreamfarm doesn’t make new versions of old products, they invent better ones. Take Teafu for example, a gadget designed to make tea faster and stand up without any drips. First, you can use Teafu like a spoon to scoop your loose tea, then squeeze the premium-grade silicone pod with an ergonomic handle to diffuse the leaves faster and get out all the liquid before removing the infuser. If you prefer a quick drink of water to a cup of tea, then check out Tapi. Retailing for just $4.95, Tapi turns almost any faucet with a straight spout into a drinking fountain. The water-safe rubber spout eliminates the need for a cup and works with a simple squeeze. Switching to the line’s cooking gear, Chobs is a cutting board accessory that raises the board off the counter, makes it non-slip, and indicates which side of the board to use for meat or vegetables, preventing cross-contamination. Finally, Garject presses unpeeled garlic cloves, scrapes itself clean, and …

WC Line by Josh Owen

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Instead of just hiding the toilet plunger in his new collection of bathroom accessories for Kontextür, designer Josh Owen intentionally mimics the traditional wooden handle and rubber base shape. Available in April, the WC Line includes a covered waste bin, toilet plunger with a storage dish, and a toilet brush with a storage vessel, in white, red, or black. The locally sourced wooden handles and the full silicone rubber parts are washable; a handy feature if it takes you a few moments too long to figure out which piece is the plunger. $121.50.

Mast Eco-Humidifier

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Based in Gifu, Japan, Ohashi Ryoki Ltd. makes a line of award-winning masu, or traditional wooden boxes for drinking sake. Made from the same traditional cypress wood as masu, this sailboat-shaped humidifier from the company features cypress veneer “sails” that help the water in the boat evaporate while giving off a sweet smell and keeping the air from getting too dry. This natural humidifier actually helps the water evaporate ten times faster than it would in a glass of water, but as the sails are natural wood, they will eventually discolor and need replacing. A truly unique product that is functional and well as beautiful — my favorite combination.