Online Directory Launches, Emphasizes Local, Sustainable, Green Goods: Ecobly.com Sets The Green Gold Standard!

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) November 25, 2008 -- Ecobly.com: A new online marketplace launches made up of companies that produce green products in the U.S. with a majority domestic materials. In a world flush with "green" products, this new online marketplace, ecobly.com (http://www.ecobly.com/), will define the green gold standard - companies that make products sustainably, responsibly and locally - which all add up to ecobly. Just in time for holiday shoppers looking for green fits, the site will have tons of ideas for people who want to shop close to home for green jewelry, safe toys, home décor, garden products and accessories!

"The local food movement has revolutionized the idea of 'buy local.' We all know that communities are healthier when we invest in our farmers, now it's time to look at all the other products in our home - can we support our green furniture makers? Our sustainable jewelry suppliers?" asks Kathleen Ridihalgh, founder of ecobly.com. "Ecobly companies are masters of ingenuity and wizards of waste recycling. They are on the cutting edge of green manufacturing - there's something ecobly made for almost every need!"

With an emphasis on global climate change and a growing uncertainty of imported products, it's time to reevaluate how our everyday household items are made and where they come from. For example, last year, millions of toys were recalled that were made overseas because they had high levels of dangerous lead paint or were manufactured poorly. Ecobly toy makers make nontoxic, dependable toys with materials on hand here at home. Learn more about the benefits of local, green goods at ecobly.com (http://www.ecobly.com/about.html).

"Every product has a story - the raw materials, the insight of the creator, how it's created, where it comes from. Ecobly brings that story to the forefront and gives green consumers a new tool in deciding how to spend their money," said Ridihalgh.

More than 200 companies are part of the initial directory. Green entrepreneurs such as TerraCycle (NJ), Acorn Designs (NY), Maple XO jewelry (OR), Watson Furniture Group (WA), Green Toys (CA) and Stack and Stick Toys (IN) give us sustainable choices for our office products, jewelry, furniture and toys.

Tom Szaky, founder of TerraCycle, writes in his blog (http://blog.inc.com/the-eco-capitalist/): "It's much harder to decipher the true environmental value of consumer products. That's because the claims are harder to fact check and quantify. Sure, the product might be made from Organic Cotton, but if it's shipped it to China to be manufactured and then shipped back, then how eco-friendly could it really be? But how do you know? Many consumers, busy with jobs and families, have little choice but to take things at face value."

Ecobly.com removes the mystery - and does all the research - for consumers who want to avoid greenwashed products, or even "green" products with a heavy carbon footprint. Companies that qualify for the ecobly label meet a high bar standard:

• A majority of content from within the region where manufacturing occurs (exceptions are made for reclaimed raw materials, which have such a small footprint, the shipping adds negligible environmental impact)

• A majority of eco-friendly content, such as post-consumer recycled material, reclaimed material, Forest Stewardship Council-certified or sustainably harvested wood, and organic agricultural materials

• Non-toxic finishes and glues

• Any non-local content adheres to fair trade principles, safe practice guidelines, child- and slave-free labor, animal cruelty-free and non-toxic

Ecobly.com launches the Holiday Gift Challenge - providing gift labels for people who buy green gifts from local businesses listed on ecobly.com.

Business members who create a standard profile during the launch period (through the end of the year) will enjoy a three months free membership. Shoppers who create a profile during the launch period will qualify to receive a free TerraCycle product (limited supplies). Giveaways will be part of their new line of sustainable OfficeMax products.

Ecobly.com (http://www.ecobly.com/) is a one-of-a-kind nationwide directory of green, local manufacturers and businesses that are committed to sustainability. Green products that qualify for the directory will include a majority of locally sourced, sustainable materials and the companies will follow sustainable business practices such as recycling, waste reduction, clean power, non toxic and organic materials. Ecobly.com will help consumers find the gifts and goods that reflect their values that are produced right in their backyards. It will also allow like-minded businesses to share strategies, ask questions, access experts, and source green raw materials.

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