biodegradable – Eco Couple

Top 3 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Yoga Brands

Published on December 31, 2020January 3, 2021 by EcoCoupleLeave a comment

^{Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running}.^{Allows us to keep the content free for readers.This motivates us to stay on our mission of inspiring conscious consumerism.}

It always feel great to set yourself up with goals to do yoga or any type of exercise, especially when a new year is starting. Why not make this upcoming year about committing to that time for yourself. Be it yoga, stretching or any type of workout. To help you on your way you can find Iñaki´s free classes on his youtube channel and soon they will also be available on our blog too.

We will always suggest that using what you already have is the most sustainable option, but if you are in need to get some things to help you get motivated on the road to exercising this coming year. These are some amazing sustainable yoga brands that we ourselves use, love and cherish.

Inner Wave s Organics

The importance of wearing organic cotton on my skin when I exercise and sweat is something that I truly value. We are so excited to introduce you to this brand. We partnered up with them to do a photoshoot for their new line and can call ourselves proud ambassadors. Between the two of us we pretty much wear them almost every day. The clothes are really well made, comfortable and fashionable. I also want to mention how well made they are that after washing them over and over again they do not loose their quality. My absolute go to for work out clothes.

Ajna Wellbeing

I myself have always felt guilty when buying a yoga mat because in the end I know how much I use it and how it wears down and then I have to buy another. Which of course is normal if you are practicing on it and working up a sweat. When I found Ajna Wellbeing I was so excited because it is a beautifully made mat but also 100% biodegradable. That really means the world to me. So when we are done and they are worn we will bury them under the ground with our compost and give back to nature what it has let us use! In Hawaiian the term is ¨Malama ‘Aina¨ – By simply taking care and respecting the land, it will sustain life.

Not only do they have these beautiful mats but we also love their bolster and meditation cushions! Each bolster is hand stitched from recycled materials and really inspires one to do your practice at home. We really believe that it is so important to start a meditation practice now more than ever and it does really make a difference if you can be in a comfortable sitting position for longer periods of time.

The Mats are also reversible for two different types of grip and come in several colours. We are so happy with our mats and even more happy that most of Iñakis students that see and feel the mat are buying it too. And we only have been getting good feedback!

Ripple Yogawear

This jumpsuit is so stylish, as well as super comfortable, and perfect for doing inverted poses. Although there are just a few pieces in the organic section of Ripple Yogawear, we are sure that supporting their initiative will inspire more amazing organic options to come in the future. We have already seen their collection grow since we discovered the brand!!! So let’s keep supporting their growth!

Use Syecocouple for a 12% discount

The slouchy capri pants that he is wearing is super soft and another great basic to have in your closet. We basically share them, well I ¨borrow¨ them from Iñaki when we are hanging out at home.

Supporting brands that have organic options is a great way to inspire others to follow suit.

So if we can inspire you to get on your mat this year and build your immune system and support some amazing brands, it is a good start to the year for us.

Happy New Year and Stay healthy.

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

Last Minute Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

Published on November 20, 2020March 23, 2022 by EcoCouple10 Comments

^{Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, and allows us to keep the content free for readers.This motivates us to stay on our mission of inspiring conscious consumerism.}

With all of the madness going on many of us just have not really been in the headspace to get our holiday shopping done. Here is a fun list of eco-conscious products that would put a smile on almost anyones face. I hope you like this selection of last minute eco-friendly gift ideas. If you have a toddler check out this article.

JBL Eco Friendly Speaker

jbl speakers made from recycled plastics

The gift of music is always welcome. How Great that even JBL jumped onboard with an eco conscious speaker made from recycled plastics…. supporting these types of actions from these brands is what will invite them in the direction of making more eco-friendly options. The sound is, as always with JBL, phenomenal! Always a fun gift to give or receive and even maybe something you would like to buy for yourself. I know I did.

House of Marley Headphones

I have had mine for years and love them so much that I bought them again after they were stolen from my car. They sound incredible and are made sustainably, from recyclable aluminium to reclaimed organic cotton and hemp. House of Marley are truly on track with making things the right way. I highly recommend them. If you like a nice pair of over the ear headphones, look no further.

Cozy Pyjamas

You really can never go wrong with the gift of the all time classic comfy pyjama for Christmas. Trust me when I tell you it is that much better if it is a super cozy organic one.

Pela Case

The world’s first biodegradable phone case… you can’t really beat that! So Get your loved one a phone case they can be proud of. A really simple yet thoughtful gift.

K’arst

To me stone paper is the nicest paper to write on. A tree free planner, water proof, sleek and inspirational. A great planner to start a better and brighter year! I have already started setting my goals for 2021.

Ajna Yoga Mat

The gift of health and inspiration with a yoga mat is also always welcome. We absolutely love our mats, they are double sided and have really good grip, and yes they are fully biodegradable. So as every yogi should have, get an eco-friendly mat for someone you love that loves to do yoga.

Scuba Mask

This can be a very original gift… not only does everyone at one point or another go snorkeling. How about you give this gift with a promise to go to a tropical destination to use the mask sometime in the future. I know I would love this idea especially in these trying times. The brand scuba pro stands behind ocean conservation and sustainability so you can feel great about this purchase too.

SafeSleeve EMF protecting phone cover

Wether for your phone, your ipad or laptop give the gift of health to a loved one. From blue light screen protectors to EMF protection from your cell phone. This is another great unexpected gift idea. If you are like me I really like having my phone cover double up as a wallet.

If none of the above ideas resonate take a look into this store, there is a little bit of everything, or see this list of stores.

Our Green House

Happy Holidays!

With love,

Eco Couple

Conscious Traveler: Maui, Hawaii 🇺🇸

Published on March 6, 2019November 5, 2020 by EcoCouple1 Comment

We have been blessed with the opportunity to have traveled to Maui, Hawaii for almost two months. Iñaki was competing in a windsurfing contest, The Aloha Classic (IWT), a life long dream, and I was blessed to enjoy motherhood and continue researching eco conscious brands. Upon arrival we came across a wonderful photographer…that took some of the pictures in this article….who not only did the shoot with us but also recommended some of the amazing brands we ended up collaborating with. Thank you Chelsea! If you are headed for Maui it is definitely worth it to capture this stunning place with some beautiful photographic memories.

Maui was especially fun as we not only came across really inspiring brands but also made friends for life. Our first stop was Mana foods, of course we had to stock up for our adventures. Surprisingly the prices are quite similar to Los Angeles. Mana foods is also the place you can be quite entertained simply standing in front of the store, you may be serenaded by a harp or find yourself philosophising about God and the world, you know what I mean if you have been there. This is where we found our water source now we just needed to find the right container.

We were so very blessed to meet Kayden, of Blue Bottle Love, we were taken into her humble abode. Surrounded by beams of sunlight filtered by the cobalt blue bottles ….making her home and workspace even more magical. Our meeting turned into a 5 hour extravaganza, including everything from Meditation to the whole story of how Blue Bottle Love came about.

From that day on… at least one blue bottle (1 gallon:-) made it with us wherever we would go. The water tasted clean, conscious and simply delicious.

Blue Bottle Love photo by Chelsea Heller Photography

Iñaki was windsurfing every day and getting ready for the competition, now the sun is strong in Maui so it was imperative we found the right sunscreen, that was reef safe to keep us all protected while making sure we were not harming our environment. That is when we came across Raw Love Sunscreen Jenna also received us in her home and explained to us about all the harmful ingredients sunscreens use and how they damage the reefs and coral. We were so excited about this knowledge that we decided to speak to the people of IWT (International Windsurfing Tour) and got Raw Love Sunscreen to become a sponsor for the event, thereby educating and keeping us and the nature around us safe.

We also came across a very innovative brand located right in Paia. Ellemer we wrote a separate article on them check it out for a discount code.

One of the brands we were very happy to find was was Green Toy. You can purchase them at the organic food market ¨Down to Earth” – really close to the airport and Kanaha beach. Being on Maui and having fun toys for the beach is imperative and these ones are made from recycled milk bottles, how cool is that, so we had to get in touch with the brand and test them out. Atlantis, our son, loves them, they are perfect for the beach and the bath tub. The boat even turns into a watering can.

Chelsea suggested so many other local brands that are fully green-eco; on an Island you especially realise how important it is to consume less and make wiser choices. All and all we are so happy to have had the chance to experience Maui and visit its gems like Lumeria (best home made veggie burger I have ever tried), or the lavender fields, the local farmers market, also if you invest in a fruit picker and have a good eye you can eat fruit right from the trees, a must try the local banana bread on the road to Hana (We recommend you download a guide before heading out in the very early hours of the morning, as you will lose reception and there are many magical stops to make), taste the orange passion fruits and the delicious papayas, there is also a local Kombucha brewery in Haiku…but be warned too much kombucha and you might get a booch high as they like to call it (don’t drink and drive)……. Last but not least our favorite restaurants by far…. Nuka sushi in Haiku…. Go for the elaborate rolls…. And for a delicious organic pizza…. Flatbread company in Paia is the place to go!

Lastly we came across a really special store and brand, in Lahaina, they have the most beautiful swimsuits made of recycled ghost nets….. They are very original in their designs and I absolutely love mine!!!!! Kelley Chapman the owner of Manakai is a true eco goddess and lives and breathes a sustainable lifestyle…. Please check out her blog and amazing projects! 💕

One really great insider tip: at the Kuau store, if you wait to the end of the day, you can get their Ahi Poke for half price, and it is DELICIOUS!! If you have been to Maui you know it isn’t cheap to eat…. So that is a good one…. Speaking of savings… It is absolutely worth it to get a costco card…. The gasoline is waaay cheaper and they have lots of delicious organic food in bulk!

One more thing, don’t miss the sunsets on the south side of the island, or the sunrises for that matter, thousand peaks for example. So many things pop into my mind… Try the Açai at Choice, and the Fish tacos at the Fish Market….. It is a place to revisit for sure!

Thousand peaks is also a great spot to go surfing for anyone…. From beginner to advanced, there is a peak for everyone…. Hence the name.

As for the windsurfing spots…. This island is a playground for all levels… . For the more advanced windsurfer you can pretty much find conditions at ho’okipa every other day… And for the not so skilled, kanaha works pretty much every day! Both places are about thirty minutes apart.

If you are visiting maui with children we highly recommend the Maui Ocean Centre…. The tunnel is an experience to remember, especially for the little ones, and they have a lot of amazing info on helping and preserving marine life.

To finish this article we wanted to share an experience we had: During the IWT Windsurfing Competition, we participated in an ocean clean up: in Ho’okipa this can be tricky: We were only a few people and it was about to be cancelled due to the big swell that was hitting the spot. Both Boujma and me (Sanny) decided to do it anyway, and in the end most of the people decided to get wet and join us. We ended up collecting about 60 masts, and some booms, fins….. the point is if you are enjoying the island, leave it cleaner than you found it so that future generations can enjoy it as much as we did.

For extra exclusive Maui tips….. feel free to write to us anytime at sustainablecouplegoals@gmail.com we may hand out a phone number or two!

Thank you for stopping by our blog…..and feel free to leave comments and help us grow!

Eco Couple uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, helps us pay our growing core team and allows us to keep the content free for readers

Water: Say goodbye to plastic 🇺🇸 🇬🇧

Published on February 24, 2019March 1, 2019 by sanny van heterenLeave a comment

The first thing that attracted our attention when visiting Tapp´s website, is the display that shows the number of plastic bottles that are no longer consumed when using filters such as this. We are using the model Tapp 2 Twist, that has biodegradable cartridges. Tapp filters eliminate more than 80 water contaminants and reduces another 50, while keeping the essential minerals needed for the human body.

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Collectively TAPP users have successfully avoided 4 million plastic bottles since their launch in 2017. And this is only one of the few brands that currently exist in the market. This shows that we can really have an impact using these filters.

It’s very convenient to fill up your glass bottle before you head out of the house; the combination of filtered water-glass bottle is simply perfect. If we are made up of more than 70% water, how do you not pay attention to the water we drink?

With each cartridge you filter up to 1500 liters, more or less 2-3 months of daily use; if you drink bottled water, you calculate how much money you save. (Tapp filter plus 4 cartridges – yearly budget – costs around $100).

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If you have access to a natural water spring and can filter the water, then you and your family are covered for your water needs whilst being responsible and sustainable; if you live in a city however, with no access to a spring, the filter is good enough. There are several options to think about when it comes to the water you consume, any option will be better than drinking water out of plastic bottles.

It is affordable: Filtered tap water is over a hundred times cheaper than bottled water.

It is sustainable: TAPP 2 refills use biodegradable (around 80%) materials which can be disposed of with organic waste

TAPP 2 refill cartridges are made entirely out of non-toxic materials which remain inert after decomposing.

For more info, please visit: TAPPWATER

To purchase click on the corresponding flag. Thank you.

🇺🇸 🇩🇪 . 🇪🇸 . 🇬🇧