Greener Organizing: Containers from Recycled Materials

The greenest storage materials are those you already own - or ones you get second-hand. But if you want something new, you can choose something made from recycled materials.

These Restore storage baskets - made from recycled PET bottles - come to us from the Danish company Muuto. They're available both at the Finnish Design Shop (prices in euros) and Huset (prices in U.S. dollars). [via Bloesem]




The Paperbox from Jos van der Meulen, manufactured by Goods, is made from unused billboard posters; most of the sites selling the Paperbox warn you that the design you get will be a surprise. The photo comes from GOEDvandoen in Belgium, but you can also find the Paperbox in the U.S. at Greener Grass Design and switchmodern.com.




And then there's this storage box made from recycled tires (or tyres).




Finally, take a look at these reclaimed driftwood nesting boxes.

Update on Feb. 15, 2011: I got a note from a reader which said: "I live on an island -- there is a HUGE problem with folks using 'reclaimed' driftwood on our beaches... many marine animals and shorelines depend on this material staying in place as part of the ecosystem. When it is removed, beaches erode and habitat is destroyed. One box, one piece of furniture -- maybe ok. An industry? Not OK. Just wanted you to be aware of the issue, since you put the boxes down as "green" -- they are natural, maybe -- but NOT "green" in my book!" I thank the reader for educating me - I had no idea, or I would not have included these boxes in this post.