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At first glance, Feel More Human seems to have everything for the conscious consumer with a modern design sense. The online store has an eco-friendly home and lifestyle section, with tables from Scrapile, sofas from Dutch designer Bjorn Mulder, and even a Buddha cat perch made from renewable bamboo plywood. There is a content section featuring interviews with inspiring eco-entrepreneurs, a classifieds area where visitors can buy or sell their pre-owned modern design goods, and the whole operation is powered by 100% wind energy.
Yet scratch beneath the surface and you'll find that even those with the greenest of intentions have a hard time making the most environmentally sound choices. Mixed in with all of the bamboo, reclaimed wood, and toxin free fabrics are not-so eco foams, lacquers, plywoods, and plastics, like the NotNeutral Melamine Snack Set for kids. How did a kid's dinnerware with melamine, a resin manufactured by mixing urea with formaldehyde, get onto a site devoted to sustainable lifestyles? Or chrome, a material known for emitting toxic elements into the air, land, and sea, which can be found in several items in the store, such as the Tokyo Shelving Unit or the Valis Chair. Jill Stalowicz, the company's founder, says, "smart design goes beyond aesthetics now, people are questioning how products are constructed." The lesson here is that the practice of green is harder than the promise, and that Feel More Human might want to take a look at how all of its products are actually made.
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Comments
Jen: Hi, this is Jill from Feel More Human. How are you? Thank you for the write up on Feel More Human. I think this is an open thread and would like to comment on a few items you mentioned.
I want to ensure you that Feel More Human is what it says it is. We do not claim that all the items on our site are 100% sustainable. What we do say, as stated in our About Us section, is that we're normal people trying to do better today than we did yesterday. We are hoping to educate consumers through our Explore section and when possible provide eco-friendly options for products that fit the site criteria. We hope by education and awareness, it will bring exposure to deserving people and companies while putting pressure on manufacturers to bring more responsible options to the design-appreciative market Feel More Human caters to.
As with any business we are trying to make changes wherever possible. Sometimes there are not options available or not practical for a so called "modern lifestyle". Take Core 77 as an example. This business's only means of access requires coal generated electricity to power the device needed to access this site. The computer that provides access to Core 77 is made primarily with plastics that, for the most part, are never recycled. The guts are full of precious metals and it is not uncommon to have chrome-plated plastics that decorate the housings. We can be critical of everyone and every business. But, in most cases this is the reality that we are faced with. And this is the stance Feel More Human promotes. Make smart choices and changes where you can. Changes that fit your lifestyle and budgets.
After all, it is not one person giving up everything and living in a cave. It's millions of people making small changes that really make a difference. Thank you again for mentioning the site and thank you for allowing us to respond.
Thanks for your comments, Jill.
One of the reasons the blogger community is very critical of green brands is because we know that consumers are truly clamoring for sustainable choices, and want to be informed. We hold companies that make sustainability promises to a higher standard.
This is a difficult area to navigate, and unless we as consumers spend a great deal of time investigating these issues, making good decisions is hard. We would welcome a retail brand that would curate these choices for us, and back them up with proof. Our concern is that consumers will select the not-so-green products on your site, but because of the overall promise of the brand and tone of the site, feel that they are making a more sustainable choice.
It seems a little like Core 77 (or in this case Jennifer from Core 77) is claiming to be both the voice for the blogger community and the consumer. I thoroughly looked over the Feel More Human site and it seems they are making their intentions really obvious. I don't understand why the glass is always half empty. They are supporting forward progress, putting their money where their mouth is and truly making an attempt to do their part in making things better. To even mention Greenwashing seems like some one did not do their research. Which by the way, is a very important action, whenever reporting on a story.
And why would you hold anyone to a higher standard than you hold yourself? Consumers are looking for better options, which is what they are offering. At the end of the day with shopping, medical care or anything else the consumer needs to educate themselves. I think taking anything at face value is a bad idea. To me if I am going to spend money I would much rather do it with a company who�s focus is making things better for me, my kids and their kids. Quit trying to make controversy where there is none.