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Eco18 had the pleasure of finishing off our Earth Week celebrations by attending NYC’s Green Festival this past weekend. The festival took place at Pier 94 in New York City and was filled with a selection of products and services to “work green, play green and live green.” We set out to find our favorite products and organizations and give you an overview of the best of the green! With over 300 eco-friendly businesses in attendance, we certainly had our work cut out for us. (If you count eating delicious vegan food samples, pampering ourselves with all-natural body care products, and learning about organizations set out to change the world, “work!”) If you weren’t able to attend the Green Festival for yourself, we hope to give you a sense of all the amazing things that are happening in the world of green living
Alapure Cosmetics
Alapure Cosmetics provides anti aging, anti-oxidant, rich and all natural lifestyle products that feature the miraculous Marula Oil from southern Africa. Alapure’s mission is to provide superior products made from carefully selected natural ingredients from around the world, and that are proven to promote beautiful and healthy skin. We loved the non-greasy feel of both the creams and the oil–not to mention the amazing scent of the Pomegranate and Cassis Marula Body Lotion!
Violets are Blue
Violets Are Blue offer a range of high quality skin care products that are not only free from animal-testing, but are also free from parabens, synthetic fragrances and other harsh chemicals that have been known to cause skin irritations. The founder, who was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer in 2011, was inspired to create a line of ‘basic’ skin care products after realizing the shocking ingredients that are found in many of the widely-makerted beauty products on our shelves. The Violets Are Blue skin care line is available to purchase on their website–you can also donate to ‘Chemo Care’ on their website too. Oh, and did we mention their packaging is eco-friendly?
DollyMoo
Not only do DollyMoo’s skin care products smell delicious, but the line is packaged in recycled glass and Ohhh aren’t they gorgeous! The Dolly Moo line offers a wide variety of beauty products to feed our hungry skin. You can find scrubs, oils, aura oils, lip balm butters, and salts with infusions such as coconut, sandalwood, lavender, tangerine, vanilla & peppermint.
Vision
Vision is a New Zealand company with a vision and a mission to be a catalyst to elevate global consciousness. They fund their various charities with the sale of biospherically correct skin, hair and bodycare products that adhere to a set of unique guidelines including Green Ingredients, Trade Integrity, Positive Functionality, Eco-Processes and Diversity Protection. These lifestyle products themselves have been lovingly crafted on a specialized herbal farm in New Zealand, inviting consumers to exercise their power to make a difference in the world through conscious living.
Benitez Collection
The Benitez Collection was created to provide some means of livelihood for women in the Philippines. The collection of unique, handmade eco-friendly jewelry is made with recycled materials such as old newspapers, magazines, and plastic containers. We were very impressed by this booth, and were surprised to learn the nature of the materials used to make such beautiful jewelry!
Bad Ass Power Cookie
If you love a badass workout, you will love Bad Ass Power Cookies. These oatmeal raisin cookies contain organic ingredients, are 100% vegan and contain nature’s green protein, Spirulina. These green devils also contain a variety of different nutrients to help fuel your body, including B-12 antioxidants, iron and calcium. They also provide key phytochemicals that exceed those found in 4-5 servings of vegetables!
Explore-Asian
Did someone say, “Gluten-free, high protein, low carb, high fiber, low fat, sodium free and high iron?”….Explore-Asian did! We couldn’t get enough of the Explore Asian range of bean pastas at the Green Festival, including the Organic Black Bean Spaghetti, the Organic Mung Bean Fettuccine & the Soy Bean Spaghetti. These delicious pasta alternatives were rich in flavor and full of nutrients & health benefits! Explore-Asian combines both “the unique enchantment of the East and the most sophisticated types of Organic Noodles in a unique line of products.” We look forward to trying the rest of the products in their line, including the Soybean Noodle Soups and the Udon Noodles!
Salazon
This deliciously salted, organic dark chocolate had one of the busiest booths at the festival. With a wide range of flavors including, Sea Salt + Pepper, Sea Salt + Coconut and Sea Salt + Cayenne, we had the opportunity to try them all. The verdict… they were all equally delicious!
Maple Hill Creamery
They say to go local, and Maple Hill Creamery is as LOCAL as they come. This dairy company gets it’s supply of milk from organic dairy farms in Stuyvesant, NY. Not only that, all the cows are 100% Grass-fed. The Grass is truly greener on the other side, and the cows are much happier!
DF Mavens
DF Mavens offers a dairy-free ice cream that everyone can enjoy! The 100% vegan, all natural, gluten free treat is available in almond, soy, coconut and sugar free varieties. We got to test out the Mocha Almond Chip and Madagascar Vanilla Bean flavors which were both equally delicious. You can feel good about eating DF Mavens since a portion of the profits goes to Mercy for Animals (MFA), an organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.
Nut Punch
Nut Punch is a food bar that is loaded with–you guessed it–NUTS! Created by TerraNut, the 100% natural healthy snack is created using a cold-pressed technique, and is comprised of the world’s finest nuts and seeds–a great source of energy and fuel.
Mozi-Q
It says on the package “Homeopathic remedy used for reducing the frequency and severity of insect bites.” Oh we hope so! Having tried virtually every spray, wipe, gadget and candle on the market, it would be wonderful if a homeopathic chewable tablet kept those pesky insects at bay. We’ll try it and let you know.
Re-Pac
Reusable pouches for, well, everything! From food, to beauty products, these great pouches are washing machine safe as well as being stain, mold and leak resistant. And now, they have handy reusable spout pouches that are freezer and dishwasher safe. Perfect for custom juices, smoothies, apple sauce, baby foods and a multitude of liquid treats.
Environment Furniture
Our all time favorite furniture company. We were recently at their showroom in NYC and everything they make is just amazing. They describe their style as “a place where casual sophistication meets sustainability.” With its use of sustainably harvested wood and reuse of otherwise discarded materials—naturally patinated Brazilian Peroba Rosa wood, salvaged maritime shipping beams, recycled pulp honeycomb cardboard, and vintage military shelter halves—Environment remains firmly entrenched in environmental commitment.
Oma’s Pride
As a dog owner, I’m always looking for healthy food and treats to feed my pet. Oma’s Pride is one such company that offers all-natural food for a raw diet. All of the ingredients are specific to what animals would find in the wild to ensure they are getting the proper nutrition to live long and happy lives. Oma’s Pride also donates a portion of profits to an animal rescue organization.
Rescue Chocolate
We had to stop by Rescue Chocolate’s booth when we saw all the chocolate they had, but when we learned that 100% of their profits are donated to animal rescue groups, we were hooked. Rescue Chocolate offers vegan, organic-fairly traded Kosher chocolates in delicious flavors like Peanut Butter Pit Bull, Fakin’ Bacon and Pick Me! Pepper. Check out their website to buy a delicious chocolate bar and support animal rescue groups.
Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary believes that kindness and respect to animals is their duties, and that all creatures on this earth deserve to be treated with compassion. Surrounded by the Catskill Mountains in Woodstock, New York, the animal sanctuary provides shelter to cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, sheep, goats, and rabbits who have been rescued from cases of abuse, neglect and abandonment. We were truly moved by their passion, and hope to someday don our mucking boots and volunteer there!
Trees for the Future
We just have to mention this awesome organization. They basically help women, families and communities around the world plant out of poverty. By working with them for four years at a time to establish their forest gardens they help them become independent and self-sufficient. We will be writing an article about their work, but wanted to give them a special shout out.
