FIND- September 2009
By Véronique McAree  | Photographs by Maria Alexandria Vettese

The leaves might be changing colors, but here’s our hand-picked selection of Maine products with a pronounced “green” streak and lots of eco-cred.

Eye Spy (right)
Prettier than plastic (and way more eco-friendly) these eighties-cool, Wayfarer-like frames are crafted from exotic yet sustainable wood.
$350 | Daytrip Society | 4 Dock Square | Kennebunkport | daytripsociety.com

Take
The thick, recycled pages of these slim journals make note-taking, list-making, and idea-jotting a joy. Oh, and note the chipboard covers: they’re hand-dyed using earth-friendly, nontoxic inks.
$5 each | Ferdinand | 243 Congress
St. | Portland | 207.761.2151 | ferdinandhomestore.com

Pillow Talk
Ordinary fabrics undergo chemical treatments to keep them soft (and wrinkle-free) but not these lovely pillows from Plover, block printed with nontoxic dyes on organic cotton.
$44 each | Blanche & Mimi | 184 Middle St. | Portland | 207.774.3900 | blancheandmimi.com

Spoonful of Green
Made of eco-friendly bamboo, this “green” spoon is just right for mixing it up or dishing it out in your kitchen.
$6 | Smitten | 68 Main St. | Wiscasset | 207.882.9991

Heaven Scent
This lovely line of feminine scents derives from all-natural fragrances and essential oils and contains no alcohol, water, or chemicals. Bonus: They are not tested on animals.
$45 each | Bliss | 58 Exchange St. | Portland | blissboutiques.com

Tote Your Cargo (left)
Fashioned from recycled Asian rice bags, this indestructible tote holds groceries, gardening tools, freshly picked apples, firewood, etc.
$34 | In the Clover | 85A Main St. | Wiscasset | 207.882.9435

Puppet Master 
Technically speaking, these puppets are for kids, but they’re so beautiful adults will want their hands in them too. Handcrafted by Maine artist Mia Kanazawa with pesticide-free, organic wool felt (from local sheep’s wool, of course).
$50 | Eli Phant | 253 Congress St. | Portland | 207.253.8000 | eli-phant.com

Cheers!
Cross-pollinate and swap sustainable stories over a “green” drink or two. Every month, eco-friendly Mainers meet up in and around Portland for informal sessions known as Green Drinks.
portlandgreendrinks.com

The Three Rs 
Teach the necessity of recycling with a toy they’ll love. Made from post-consumer-recycled plastic milk jugs, the “green” recycling truck contains no BPA and no phthalates or lead paint and is sold in—guess what?—100% recycled packaging. Now, that’s earth friendly.
$26 | Island Treasure Toys | 805 U.S. Route 1 | Yarmouth | islandtreasuretoys.com

Nesting Instinct
Made from recycled melamine using a fifties-inspired confetti design, these bowls nest for convenient storage and are strong enough to handle electric mixers.
$35 | LeRoux Kitchen | 161 Commercial St. | Portland | lerouxkitchen.com

Let there be light 
Creating the effect of a solar-powered chandelier, the Soji Modern lantern will turn itself on at dusk to cast a stunning golden glow night after night after night.
$27 | Spaces | 127 Ocean Ave. | Kennebunkport | 207.967.0040 | spaceskennebunkport.com

Cover Up (right)
For chilly nights, here’s a girl-ified take on the standard sweatshirt, made entirely of chemical-free fabrics and dyes. Made by indie designer Prairie Underground, whosebo fad-free, guilt-free separates you’ll want to hang onto for years.
$198 | Bliss | 58 Exchange St. | Portland | blissboutiques.com