'70s duds, all-natural suds, celiac togs, and ID for dogs.

SharedVISION’s editors are always on the hunt for the latest avant-garde and Earthconscious products. Here’s what’s on our radar this month.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pins

Proving the maxim that good things come in small packages, the Little Travellers are making a big difference in fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Beaded by infected/affected women in KwaZulu-Natal province, Little Traveller doll pins sell for $5 each. Half the proceeds go to KwaZulu-Natal’s HIV/AIDS home care and respite programs, and the other half goes to the crafters. With every penny returning home, retailers here do not make a financial profit—but we figure they’re making huge deposits into their good karma banks. Adopt a Little Traveller from Kali (1000 Commercial Dr.) or Devil May Wear (198 E. 21st St.). Info: littletravellers.net —Erica Gehrke

Vital Signs

We’ve all stood at that airport baggage carousel anxiously scanning the procession of suitcases and hoping nobody will snag ours. Thank goodness for luggage tags! And now you can apply your love for labels to things you really couldn’t bear to lose, like kids or pets. Brightly coloured, comfortable, and waterproof Vital ID wristbands are the perfect accessory for kids attending a crowded event, while ID tags for pets are highly reflective and eliminate the jingling of traditional metal tags. Vital ID also produces medical alert tags, and even USB flash drive key chains that can store up to 20 people’s vital information via user-friendly software. Info: vitalid.ca —Jennifer Croll

Tomorrow Today

With a name like Live for Tomorrow, this Port Moody company has a lot to, um, live up to. Luckily, its eco-friendly laundry detergents and fabric softeners are phosphate-free and come in glass bottles decked out in labels made from recycled, biodegradable paper and printed with non-toxic inks. The empty bottles can be dropped off at stores that sell the products, to be sent back to the company where they’re sanitized, refilled, and resold. Live for Tomorrow claims that each returned bottle saves two pounds in greenhouse gas emissions. Suddenly, doing the laundry sounds downright eco-chic. See live-for-tomorrow.com for where to buy. —Lindsey Lewis

Good Citizen

You’ll want to keep getting down and dirty just to get clean again after one whiff of Herbal Citizen’s natural, handmade bath and body products. Proudly paraben- and chemical-free, the Richmond company’s home spa treats keep us looking and feeling our best with delectable lotions, soaps, and creams. They even make a line for pets, so your favourite furbearer can join you in indulging in an all-natural bath (but watch those kitty claws). Best of all is HC’s commitment to reducing packaging with the innovative shampoo bar—simply slice a piece off and lather up. Your hair (and the Earth) will love you. See herbalcitizen.com for info and where to buy. —Andrea Warner

Best-Case Scenario

Apparently, it’s just too complicated to live without an iPod. Proof: they’re everywhere—playing music, videos, and podcasts for fans ranging from free-roaming teens to buttoned-up corporate execs. And now, iPod case-maker Imoeba wants to wrap the gadgets in eco-friendly protection. Made of bonded leather, a man-made material composed of 90 per cent genuine animal hide (Imoeba gets its skin from recycled leather scraps), the cases are stylish, durable, and, in true green living style, available in white or green. Generation Ys, Xs, and baby boomers are snapping them up at Best Buy (bestbuy.com), Superstore, and Fry’s (frys.com ). —LL

Bear Alert

Kids know there’s nothing cool about allergic reactions. But a couple of entrepreneurs in New Westminster are determined to change the way the younger set thinks about allergies, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Sisters Roberta and Elizabeth Cottam launched Blue Bear Aware, a line of T-shirts, badges, and school supplies, to alert others to a child’s health concerns through nifty and imaginative images and slogans. Cases in point: a cowboy-style T-shirt reads, “Udderly no dairy”; a race car-emblazoned T states, “No nuts allowed. Premium fuel only”; and a knight rides into sight around a seam, carrying a “No Gluten” flag. Available at bluebearaware.com . —LL

Those ’70s Clothes

You still blush furiously at the mere mention of David Cassidy, and you shed a tear into your shag carpet whenever anything from Diamond Dogs comes on the radio. Indulge your crush on the ’70s further with Two of Hearts clothing. The local and sustainable line is the lovechild of designers Jenny Yen and Tabitha Savoie. We adore the silhouette-flattering cuts of the vintage-inspired line, available in nostalgic colours like olive, tan, and raspberry. The soft organic cotton, soy, and bamboo fabrics will make you wonder why polyester was ever invented. Available at Spank (856 Granville St.) and Life of Riley (3695 Main St.). Info: two-of-hearts-clothing.com —JC

Eco-Beautique

Even a green goddess needs to sit back and be pampered once in a while. That’s why we head down to Spa Kwus Organic Eco Spa when we want to feel divine from the inside out. Opt for an ion cleanse hydrotherapy session (translation: warm ion footbath) to remove impurities from your body; then nourish the outer you with a cleansing facial customized for your skin type. You’ll leave glowing with organic goodness and the understanding that what you put on your face is just as important as what you put in your mouth. Call 604-879-8367 or stop by 102-1638 E. Broadway. Details: spakwus.ca —EG