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Looking for something stylish and environmentally friendly to finish up your gift list? The team at SunStreet has rounded up a list of brands that are changing the manufacturing industry by making everything from socks and apparel to bags, wallets, and even swimwear – all from sustainable and recyclable materials.
Osom is a Florida-based brand that makes socks from yarns that are spun from 95% clothing and textile waste. Textile waste is broken down and re-spun into new yarn. Osom doesn’t use any water or chemical dyes unlike other textile manufacturers; they simply use fabrics that are broken down and repurposed.
The Osom folks were generous enough to provide us with a promo code of 25% that you can use this holiday season! Just head over to their site and use promo code futureissolar25 to get this wonderful discount! This coupon expires on December 18th, so make sure you don’t miss out on this incredible special.
UK brand Vivobarefoot creates footwear made of recycled PET and natural materials. Their stylish shoes save an average of 17 water bottles from ending up as landfill. One of our favorite Vivobarefoot footwear for men is the Gobi II. This shoe is their first minimalist dessert boot made of natural leather and an ultra-thin sole. The Gobi II also includes a cork deck made from 100% recycled foam! Vivobarefoot aims to satisfy those who would rather not have footwear at all, which might be the perfect gift for that adventurous non-conformist on your list!
Our friends at Vivobarefoot were generous enough to offer us a coupon code of 10% for all of their products from today until December 31st. All you have to do is enter the code SUNST10 during checkout, and you’ll get this fantastic coupon! What are you waiting for? Head to their site & take advantage of this offer before it’s too late!
Another brand rethinking the manufacturing game is Californian-based startup Rareform. Rareform creates unique backpacks, bags, and even wallets out of billboards that have become obsolete. They came up with this idea during a trip to South America in which they witnessed house roofs made out of billboards. Since then, they have found various unique ways to repurpose vinyl billboards deemed useless.We love their unique Ace Anderson Bi-Fold Wallet and think you should add them to your list as well!
Canadian brand Pelacase only specializes in phone cases made of plants, not plastic. Hence, they’re completely biodegradable. Each year as a new phone model comes out consumers tend to throw out their phones as well as their phone cases. These cases are primarily made of plastic and take decades to break down in the ecosystem. Fortunately, Pela Case uses recycled materials that make the phone 100% compostable.Head to their site to see their stylish, yet sustainable iPhone cases!
Why buy when you can DIY? Give the gift of snow by creating a personalized snow globe! This stocking stuffer is perfect for anyone who loves looking at snow all year long. The best part of it is that it can be made using old materials that are deemed futile like empty baby food jars, olive jars, and screw-top bottles. Do you want to surprise a loved one with this gift?Check out Martha Stewart’s how-to guide on this beautiful snow globe!
Perhaps someone on the list just asked for a gift card, but the creativity in you just doesn’t think that’s enough. It’s okay, it happens. But when it does, put some effort into a beautiful, stylish case from old repurposed cereal boxes and gift wrap. This creative DIY gift can add a little bit of flair to the stocking, and adds that personal touch. If you want a step-by-step guide for the perfect box, head over to heatherbailey.com for the how-to guide!
What’s on your “Sustainable Stocking Stuffer” wish list?
Let us know what you included on your list of Sustainable Stocking Stuffers by tagging @SunStreetUSA on any social media outlet.
Source: 6 Sustainable and Stylish Stocking Stuffers – I Heart Sun by SunStreet
Merced, CA – December 2017 – Lennar Central Valley is now selling the Chateau Series in Merced for Moraga, Lennar’s upcoming community situated at Yosemite and Via Moraga close to shopping and great schools.
“This new community is a great opportunity for families looking for a new home in the area,” said Susan Wilke, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lennar Central Valley. “With such a variety of floorplans to choose from, there really is something for everyone. Interested buyers should definitely act fast.”
The Chateau Series at Moraga offers a variety of home designs that vary in size from 1,766-3,167 square feet. Each new home comes with added value through Lennar’s signature Everything’s Included® program which provides custom-like features as standard and at no additional cost to the buyers. These include things like granite kitchen countertops, energy-efficient items, upgraded cabinetry and the latest in home automation!
Lennar’s new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ home design also ensures you can enjoy the benefits of home automation without struggling from interrupted Wi-Fi coverage. Wireless access points are mapped out and then built into the home that pair with commercial-strength Wi-Fi from Ruckus to provide great access in every room.
Lennar’s Chateau Series at Moraga is located at Yosemite and Via Moraga. For more information and to learn more about the community visit us online or call (888)-215-7581. More new home communities can be found across the greater Fresno market at www.lennar.com/fresno.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
FRESNO, CA – December 2017 – Lennar’s new community Summer Grove, located at Olive and Polk, is now selling. The Chateau Series of homes are now available for purchase at this community, offering five distinctive floorplans in a variety of sizes for homebuyers to choose from. Each one of these homes feature Lennar’s new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ home design and come with their Everything’s Included® program which now offers integrated home automation.
“This upcoming community is a great opportunity to embrace our new connected home features,” said Susan Wilke, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lennar Central Valley. “We’ve ensured that homeowners will get commercial-strength internet coverage in every room and provide the service to get everything set-up so that you don’t have to.”
Both single and two-story homes are available at this community and sizes range approximately from 1,766 to 3,176 square feet. Residences offer three to fie bedrooms and two to four bathrooms per plan, each of which showcases great open-concept designs and enviable master suites.
The Chateau Series at Summer Grove includes the Camelot, which is one of Lennar’s dynamic Next Gen® – The Home Within A Home® floorplans. Next Gen® homes address dual living and multigenerational living needs by providing a private suite complete with separate entrance, bedroom, living room, kitchenette and laundry area in a way that allows for as much access to or privacy from the main home as needed. The Camelot plan is a two-story Next Gen® home that provides 2,798 square feet of living space with four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and a three-bay tandem garage.
Through Lennar’s Everything’s Included® program, homes will come loaded with upscale, custom-like features so that homeowners don’t have to compromise on the items they love. These include things like granite countertop and stainless steel kitchen appliances along with the latest in home automation features and technologies.
For more information on these new homes at Summer Grove, visit us online or call (559) 994-6567. For more new home options in Fresno visit www.lennar.com/fresno.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Older fixer-uppers often seem appealing when you’re in the market for a new home. Yet, while the initial affordable price of resale home can be enticing, these homes don’t always represent the best value for your money. You might be aware of the repairs needed to bring an older home up to your standards, but you’ll also inevitably run into hidden — even excessive — costs once you start breaking down walls or replacing old plumbing and wiring.
A new Lennar home, on the other hand, comes with multiple benefits that make for a sound investment you’ll enjoy for years. Here’s why it makes sense to buy new from Lennar.
Low-E, dual-pane windows keep more heat inside in the winter, more cool air contained in summer, and more cash in your pocket all year long thanks to lower utility bills.
The energy saving appliances in Lennar homes use up to 50% less energy than older models.
Kitchen and bathroom faucets and commodes made specifically to use less water save gallons each year, meaning you won’t be flushing cash away.
LED lightbulbs throughout Lennar homes can last up to 60,000 hours and use as little as 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
With their Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Home Design, Lennar homes come ready for networking — there’s no need for rewiring or running cables through old walls to start using smart devices and appliances.
Smart Wi-Fi thermostats work to maximize heating and cooling efficiency in every season.
Connected sensors turn lights off when you’re not home, saving energy and lowering your monthly power bill.
Upgrading an older home with high-end finishes quickly adds up. Lennar’s package pricing delivers first-class cabinets, counters, floors, and more from the start.
Thanks to Lennar’s special relationship with affiliated insurance, mortgage, and title companies, it’s possible to enjoy significant savings on home buying and owning services.
Each Lennar community comes with its own construction manager and customer-care team so your concerns are immediately looked after. That’s a lot different than working with contractors who may have divided attention from juggling several projects at once.
If you are in the market for a new home and debating between a brand new, move-in ready home or a fixer upper, you might want to consider these underrated benefits of buying a new home. This NAHB article might just make your choice a lot easier. Find a brand-new Lennar home in a community near you.
Home buyers planning to buy a brand-new house or condominium often cite energy efficiency, open layout, a warranty, and being able to select appliances, flooring, paint colors and other design elements as factors driving their choice.
But builders say that buyers can be drawn to a new house for reasons that aren’t so obvious. Here are a few more benefits of a brand-new home that you may not see in the sales brochure.
A brand-new community is one of the built-in benefits of many new homes. When families move in to a subdivision at the same time, they often form lasting bonds of friendship and neighborliness right away. Nobody is the “new kid on the block,” and many home builders host community parties in new developments to help owners meet and connect.
Popular amenities like pools, walking trails and tennis and basketball courts offer additional opportunities for interaction among neighbors of all ages. Often new communities are comprised of home owners in the same stage of life, such as young families or active retirees, so neighbors can get to know each other through carpools, PTA meetings, tennis matches or golf games.
Throwing a party in an older home can be a challenge because smaller, distinct rooms make it difficult to entertain guests in one large space. Today, new home layouts feature more open spaces and rooms that flow into each other more easily. While you are preparing dinner, you can still interact with guests enjoying conversation without feeling closed off. The feeling of spaciousness in today’s new-home layouts often is enhanced with higher ceilings and additional windows that bring in more light than you would find in an older home.
For some buyers, parking the car in a sparkling-clean garage or being the first to cook a dinner in a brand-new kitchen is part of the appeal of new construction. In addition, you won’t have to spend time stripping dated wallpaper or repainting to suit your own sense of style — creating your own home décor from the get-go!
The advantages of being the first owner extend to the outdoors. Instead of inheriting inconveniently or precariously placed trees, or having to tear up overgrown shrubs, you can design and plant the lawn and garden you want.
Homes built in the 1960’s and earlier were wired much differently than houses today. Builders had no way of anticipating the invention of high-definition televisions, DVRs and computers that we enjoy today — and the very different electrical requirements they would introduce. New homes can accommodate advanced technologies like structured wiring, security systems and sophisticated lighting plans, and can be tailored to meet the individual home owner’s needs.
Anyone who has ever lived in an older home can also attest to the fact that there are never enough outlets, inside or out! Today, home builders plan for the increased number and type of electronics and appliances used by today’s families, so you can safely operate a wine cooler, Christmas lights and your laptop — and more.
Say no to holiday debt this season. Making your loved ones happy shouldn’t cost you to start off the new year with lingering debt. Learn how you can finish off the year strong and welcome in the new year without extra debt in this RealEstate.com article by John Ulzheimer. You’ll thank yourself later.
The holidays are a time for celebrations, loved ones, perhaps a little too much eggnog and, for many of you, excessive debt. Unfortunately, if you make the decision to take on extra debt to finance all the extra holiday spending that doesn’t fit into your budget, you are not only likely to waste a lot of money on interest, you may just be hurting your credit as well.
The truth is the holidays can be a very dangerous time of year for your credit. Unless you want to spend a significant portion of the new year regretting your decisions, avoid the considerable downside holiday debt can often present.
Arguably the biggest danger holiday debt can pose to your credit is the danger of allowing your credit card accounts to become over utilized. VantageScore and FICO scores, two of the most popular credit scoring models used by lenders in the United States, are designed to pay close attention to the relationship between the credit card limits and the credit card balances which appear on your credit reports. This relationship is known in the credit world as your revolving utilization ratio.
When the credit card balances that appear on your credit reports increase, your revolving utilization ratios increase as well. In fact, it’s a mathematical certainty. From a credit scoring perspective, the lower your revolving utilization ratios, the better. Whether you are opening new credit card accounts or charging up higher balances on your existing credit cards to finance your holiday spending, an increase in your revolving utilization ratios could spell trouble for your credit scores.
Considering opening a new credit card or loan to finance your holiday expenditures this year? You might want to think twice before making your decision. Applying for too many new accounts could come back to bite you.
Whenever you apply for a new account, the lender is going to check your credit report as part of the application process. Checking your credit is one of the ways a lender determines whether doing business with you is a good risk. What you may not know, however, is that these credit checks, also known as inquiries, have the potential to damage your credit scores. Not every credit inquiry will automatically impact your scores negatively (that is a myth); however, if you rack up a lot of inquiries in a short period of time, your credit scores will likely suffer.
Did you know that the simple act of opening a new account could also potentially have a negative impact on your credit scores? One of the factors scoring models consider when calculating your credit scores is the “average age of accounts.” The older that average, the better. Opening new accounts will typically cause your average age of credit to decrease, and when that happens your credit scores could be adversely affected.
Sometimes during the holidays your credit card issuer may offer to allow you to skip a monthly payment, if you wish. That’s a really bad idea. What those offers don’t generally highlight is the fact that interest will still accrue on the balance even if the card issuer has allowed you to skip your minimum monthly payment. And, if you’re not paying down or paying off the balance, there’s going to be more interest generated for the card issuer. Your best bet is to either make your payment as usual, or better, pay the card in full.
