Waterproof, durable, versatile and most importantly, sustainable; cork is just all round awesome. Stop thinking about cork in the 70s...It's had a makeover and it's going to save our planet*. Cork comes from the bark of cork oak trees, native to the Mediterranean area. It's extracted every 9 years giving the tree enough time to develop the superficial layers of bark, so the tree is never cut down and the surface is not damaged. These trees can live for hundreds of years.
There are some beautiful accessories and kid's toys made of cork, as well as this great tableware (also available in white and lime green). Take a browse here for more goodies.
From a practical point of view, if you're looking for a stool for your bathroom or other wet areas, you can't go wrong with one of these, by Jasper Morrison for Vitra. While we're at it check out this clutch by Monki, my new favourite clothing label.
Here are my favourite suggestions for an earth friendly holiday season.1 | 2 | 3*not single-handedly but it will help.