Find sustainable housewares and gifts at local online store Olive & Myrtle

Olive & Myrtle , online retailer of eco-goods, has just planted its roots in Seattle. The virtual shop offers attractive housewares, lifestyle items and gifts, all centered around the ideas of sustainability and design. 

Owner Aaron Porvaznik founded Olive & Myrtle in Minnesota two years ago. With a background in graphic design and as an art director at Target, Porvaznik says he started Olive & Myrtle to “take my love for and experience with design and mesh it with sustainability.” His products range from reclaimed wooden picture frames and bamboo kitchen utensils to organic cotton bedding.

Sustainability, for Porvaznik, means that he considers three factors in selecting products:  materials (what a product is made with), production (how it’s made) and labor (who makes it and under what conditions). 

As for the move to our Emerald City, Porvaznik says, “I’ve always felt called to Seattle,” and that the timing was right to set up his offices in Belltown this spring. He hopes to tap into Seattle’s sustainable, style-minded community.

For his product line, Porvaznik chooses items carefully, believing that if something is not sustainably produced, it cannot qualify as good design -- “I sort of see myself as a curator.”

One favorite item he’s collected for Olive & Myrtle is the colorful Coconut Shell Bowl by Bambu ($14.95), made from reclaimed coconut shells and finished to a smooth polish. These make a memorable hostess gift or a stylish snack bowl for your own party.

When it’s time to wash the dishes, drop your watch and rings in to the delicate Tiny Basket by Perch! ($26). Measuring just three inches across, it’s the perfect size for holding the important little things. New York artist Amy Adams hand-crafts the Tiny Basket and other graceful ceramic items with non-toxic glazes.

For a peaceful night’s sleep, dive into Loop Organic’s queen sheet set ($186), made from certified organic cotton. Choose from white, sandstone, green thistle or chocolate brown.

Your four-legged friends need rest, too. The Eco Slumber Pet Bed gives your critter his or her own cozy spot, with both fabric and fill made of recycled materials. Created in Montana by West Paw Design, the bed comes in four sizes ($78-$156), with bright stripes or squares.

The Felt Media Pocket by Josh Jakus ($16.99) protects your dutiful gadget day and night with a cozy sweater made from industrial gray wool felt scraps. This simple, but stylish, sleeve cleverly mixes rustic with high-tech, and makes a great Father’s Day gift for the eco-conscious Dad. It fits an iPhone, iPod and many styles of phones.

Secretary Locke Lauds West Paw Design's Export Success at APEC ...

“West Paw exemplifies the kind of green growth and aggressive exporting that we need from small- and medium-sized businesses to reinvigorate our economy,” Locke said.  “It is the export successes of companies like West Paw that are going to help our economy grow, create jobs and meet President Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports in five years.” West Paw, which exports its products to 28 foreign markets, showcased its best sustainable manufacturing practices to more than 70 participants during the tour, including APEC trade officials and private sector representatives from the 21 APEC economies.

West Paw Design integrated sustainability into its manufacturing processes and product design by using recycled and organic materials. The company has 46 employees and has more than doubled the size of its manufacturing facility in 2010 in order to handle the growing demand for its products.  It has utilized several federal government resources to help boost its exports, including the Commerce Department’s U.S. Commercial Service , Manufacturing Extension Partnership and loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration .

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