Ignite's Green Product Picks
The classic golf ball can take up to a thousand years to decompose, but these Biodegradable Golf Balls solve that problem. Made of cornstarch and polyvinyl alcohol—an organic material that immediately starts to dissolve when it hits water—these golf balls will disappear within two weeks of hitting water. $9.99 for a 3-pack.
The Haircare Travel Duo from Toronto-based Everist is a gift that will be truly appreciated by the eco-conscious traveller. The only haircare made with more than 30% glycerin, the convenient, concentrated shampoo and conditioner provide a moisture boost for healthy, glossy tresses without petrochemicals, all in plastic-free tins. $24
The reusable water bottle is a swag stalwart— but Fill it Forward has taken it to the next level. Each bottle is imprinted with a QR code to be scanned at each refill, showing its environmental impact and unlocking a donation to charitable partners. So far, the Fill it Forward community has diverted more than 6 million single-use items from the landfills and oceans and donated over $1 million.
Zero Waste Hero is a Canadian online store that exclusively carries products from small local suppliers that manufacture their products in small batches and with the planet in mind and use sustainable labour practices. The products are either compostable, reusable or recyclable, with minimal packaging. Zero Waste Hero has recently added a selection of elegant gift baskets. The Spa Day at Home Gift Basket features bliss-out goodies such as a natural vegan candle, sea salt scrub, loofah, bath bomb and body cream. The website has details on packaging and disposal of each item after use. $198 plus shipping.
Green and Frugal is a Toronto-based company committed to natural and organic cosmetics and beauty products. It also promotes reusable and sustainable packaging and zero-waste initiatives. This kit will get you started on a low waste regimen first thing in the morning. It contains a safety razor, loofah sponge, hair and body soap bar, bamboo toothbrush, refillable toothpaste and floss pot for your teeth.
Much nicer than paper and easier to carry, these telescopic 9” steel straws in a carabiner case are the perfect on-the-go accessory to reduce plastic waste. Straws comes in eleven different colours with a silicone tip and a cleaning brush. An imprint on the case promotes your brand.
This spacious and luxurious overnight bag is crafted in sustainable cork and vegan leather and is made at a female-owned factory in Colombia.
These beautiful resuseable Ecoffee cups come in a multitude of designs and sizes. Made from Bamboo fibre, cornstarch and resin, they are naturally sterile with no plastic after-taste. They come with a latex-free silicone lid and sleeve. Dishwasher safe.
As a thank-you gift, these office treats offer your clients something sweeter than a sugar rush: each item in this Office Party gift box is organic and locally made in BC, from the dark organic chocolate Buddha with local hazelnut belly by Denman Island Chocolate, Denman Island, to Tuscan tomato tortilla chips by Hippie Chips in Burnaby. At $99, the medium basket is a good nosh for four to six people, or go bigger or smaller as the taste strikes. From the do-gooding Saul Good Gift Co. in Vancouver.
This fresh breath of spring from Toronto-based eco|stems isn’t just any old bunch of pretty posies: the environmentally and socially sustainable florist uses only local, organic and fair trade flowers. You could keep your office in bloom with a standing order starting at $50 per week, plus delivery, or add a green touch for special events with floral centerpieces starting at $30. Delivers throughout Toronto (by bicycle and ZipCar), the GTA and surrounding area.
Old tunes get new life in this sparkly clock made with three obsolete CDs and created by Edmonton's Nicola Harper who turns eWaste into usuable art and accessories. An ideal promotional or service reward for the music or electronics industry, it can be hung on a wall or perched on a desk. Precision quartz movement, and takes one AA battery (included). Gift boxed. $19.95 each, or call for volume pricing.
These Clean Air Tree Kits can be custom-branded and contain everything your recipient needs to grow a tree. Made in Canada, the kits are 100% compostable and biodegradable and are endorsed by Plant for the Planet and the UK-based World Clean Air Forest Initiative (WCAFI), which plants another tree somewhere in the world with each kit purchased. Build a campaign and custom website around your fundraising effort or corporate social responsibility initiative to engage your audience -- each kit has a unique PIN for the recipient to track global progress. Price $5.99, with volume pricing available. Contact Aaron Moscoe at The Promotional Specialists (TPS) for corporate purchases.