It's one approach to tackling the problem of sweatshop labour! We put our intern Emily Tan writes: to work on one of the new 'make your own' dress kits from eco chic label Gossypium to see just how much work goes into putting together a garment. The answer: quite a lot, as this is only day one in Emily's dressmaking diary. Find out after the jump how to cut out the right shape for your dress and make a versatile 'obi belt' from the excess fabric.

[via Crafty Crafty]

Emily Tan writes:
In this era of vehicle pollution, bikes are the good guys. When I lived in Amsterdam, I biked everywhere and loved every moment of it. But now I reside in London I'm, quite frankly, too terrified to try biking! Perhaps this ingenious turn-signal jacket on Instructables by Leah Buechley will give the confidence to brave London's busy-streets. That, and a full-suit of indestructible body armour...

Via CraftyCrafty

Related: Review: The powabyke electric commuter bike | Psychedelic low-power bike lights

Emily Tan writes: Believe or not, this gorgeous notebook is handmade from a recycled tea tin. This incredible tutorial on WiseArts has images to guide you every step of the way (and that's just how I like it). The best part is, the tute can be adopted to suit almost any tin to create exotc, retro, or kitsch notebook covers - all you need is the empty tin and a biiiiig hammer.

Via Craftzine | CraftyCrafty

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What a fabulous use for old umbrellas!

The team over at craft portal ReForm School created this giant sunshade almost entirely out of recycled brollies. The end result was achieved by simply sewing the edges of each umbrella together, then adding eyelets around the perimeter. It worked a treat during a party they were throwing for fellow crafters and lent a really festive look to the patio. While I don't think I could whip up anything quite on this scale, a smaller version might work well for my balcony, especially since I find most umbrellas on sale today seem to break within weeks, and are hard to dispose of responsibly. [via Craft Magazine]

Emily Tan writes: Ever since I saw the Sun Jar I've been secretly hankering after one myself. Besides the gorgeous mood lighting, and the fact that it's eco-friendly, the mere idea of trapping a sunbeam in a jar captures my romantic, fantasy-loving imagination *blush*. Ahem. Right.

Well, if you're crafty you can make your own Sun Jar with Megan of Not Martha's incredibly detailed and wonderfully image-filled tutorial. Using cheap-as-chips Ikea jars and a low-cost garden solar light, she creates several of these adorable jars to light up her patio. [Via Crafty Crafty]

Related: : How to make a sylish lamp from an old blender | How to make a vintage-style cork lamp

Pets get through their collars very quickly, and it seems a shame to keep on replacing them with brand new ones. But as this tutorial by Keyka will show you, there's no need to throw old collars away, as the components can be used to make new ones, using the fabric of your choice. This is another great way that you, as a resourseful crafty type, can make a small step towards greening up the planet and making it look prettier at the same time. Win! [Via Crafty Crafty]

Electronic waste is notoriously difficult to dispose of responsibly, so if you've got an old blender that's made its last smoothie and you feel like a challenge, why not follow these instructions on how to turn it into a smart, contemporary lamp?

This is a surprisingly easy project, that requires no more than a screwdriver, basic light socket (available from most DIY stores) and an energy-saving lightbulb. The result will be a genuinely useful conversation piece that will have your friends gazing in awe at your creative ingenuity!

True, cars aren't the most green way of getting around the town, but sometimes there's just no way you can avoid them, particularly in large countries such as the US or Australia.

Instead of throwing your broken PC into landfills, and buying a new car stereo, you could do a DIY fix by gutting the stereo from the car, and putting in the CD-ROM drive from your PC. A lining made by a kitchen sponge will work wonders on shock-proofing your CD-playing, and I must admit, I rather like the look of it too!

(via Tech Digest and Gearfuse)

I have to admit I was a bit flummoxed when I saw this claim being made. Barbeques? Butterflies? Perhaps it's to do with making sure you don't singe their tiny wings as you cook your Linda McCartney bangers al-fresco style.

But no: what's important here is not where you place your barbie, but the charcoal you use on it. It turns out that a lot of the charcoal we burn in the UK comes from abroad, and this is bad for the environment in a nuber of ways. First, there's the carbon cost of transporting the stuff. But less obviously, choosing instead to use homegrown charcoal can also be beneficial to wildlife, as it's sourced from woods that are managed to provide habitat for butterflies and birds.

We're all converts to olive oil and the health-giving properties it brings to our diets. But there are many more uses for the Mediterranean staple than you might think, and it can be used as a greener alternative to all kinds of everyday household products. Follow the jump for the full list.

1. Shave. Olive oil can provide a closer shave when used in place of shaving cream. This reduces your 'chemical splash' and stops you having to use dubious chemicals on your skin.

2. Shine stainless steel. Many cleaning standbys, such as ammonia, can dull and even corrode chrome and stainless steel. Olive oil, however, is a safe and effective shining agent.

3. Remove eye makeup. Dab a little under the eyes and rinse off with a washcloth. Quick, easy and no parabens!

Related: Top 10 eco-friendly uses for lemons

You don't need an allotment and a giant fork to grow your own fresh and delicious herbs these days. In fact, it's easily done from the comfort of your own home, provided you've got a window...

And to be green as green can be, you can plant your herbs in biodegradable pots that can be put straight back into the earth after use. These charming 'mini gardens' from Uncommon Goods are made from renewable grain husks (mainly rice hulls) coloured with organic dyes and are suitable for use either indoors or out. They'd make a great housewarming gift, and come complete with soil, seeds and growing instructions. Choose between emon basil, garlic chives or parsley.

[Via Popgadget]

It's all very well living an eco-friendly life, but if you're going to blow it all by going up in a puff of polluting smoke or clog up the 'landfill' in one of Britain's over-crowded cemeteries when you pop off, it can all seem a bit like a wasted effort. So what can you do to ensure a green death? (Hmm.)

First of all, you have more choice as to where you are laid to rest than you might realise. If you're lucky enough to own a private plot of woodland, for example, or can gain permission from someone who does, you can legally hold a burial there. There are surprisingly few stipulations on what you can and can't do (mostly to do with not putting a body too near any water supplies for obvious reasons) and as well as being a greener option, being closely involved with the burial is said to be very helpful in the grieving process. If the idea of a woodland burial appeals, but all you have is a small patio (and no desire for any Brookside type moments) then it is possible to find rural burial sites you can use for your ceremony for a fee. More information on conducting your own private burial can be found here.

Of course, a body is only as green as the coffin its buried in, so it's important to find one made from earth-friendly materials, which will enrich rather than poison the soil when it decomposes. There's a big market in these now, and many are far more attractive and less gloomy looking than their traditional counterparts. They include wicker coffins from the Somerset Willow company (above). As well as making really quite bright and cheery-looking coffins (now there's a sentence I never thought I'd write!) willow is a very sustainable material and a renewable source that does not need to be re-planted once established.

Another option is Ecopod, whose caskets look more like funky surfboards than anything dracula would want to be seen dead in! Every Ecopod comes in bright, jewel-like shades and — unlike a traditional "box" — is completely biodegradable. There is also an acorn-shaped urn available, though it comes with a disclaimer urging those considering cremation to reconsider, as it 'inevitably causes pollution'...

Believe it or not, these shiny and colourful beads were once ordinary sheets of newspaper; they've been fashioned into rough globes using a papier-mâché technique that's incredibly simple provided you've got some time to play with.

The full instructions on how to make beads of your own is here, but the basic ideas is pretty simple: once you've made your mash and sculped it into bead shapes you'll need a few days to let them dry, so maybe plan this as a holiday project. The only materials you'll need other than your daily paper are a drill to make the holes, craft paint and a bit of varnish to give your beads an extra sheen. [Via A Storybook Life]

Sometimes, people's sheer creativity just makes me go 'wow', especially when the raw materials they're working with are what many of us would consider to be old tat.

This vintage coat, with its appliquéd tree motif is one item that got me very excited about the possibilities of using old fabric to make unique and wonderful garments, so I thought I'd share it here. The coat would be pretty dull and granny-ish as it was, but the addition of the tree makes it cool, quirky and outwardly eco-aware. After all, it might otherwise have ended up (at best) being shipped out to be sold in a developing country or (at worst) clogging up landfill. A great reminder to give new life to your old clothes. (You can also buy it for $112)

I'm loving this owl-shaped handbag, new at Eco Centric. It comes part made as a kit to let you indulge your creativity, which contains locally produced,100% pure recycled felt shapes that are pre-punched with ready to sew holes, wool thread, embroidery skein, ultra thick safety needle, thick cord and instructions. Ideal for children or adults into the indie look, it costs just £15.