Why choose cloth?
Eco-friendly – on average, a child will go through 5000-7000 disposable diapers from newborn till toilet-trained – contributing to the already overflowing landfills.
Economical – in the long-term, you can save a lot of dollars by using reusable cloth diapers…even greater savings if you have more than one child!
Chemical-free – gentler on baby’s skin and less likely to cause diaper rash.

Come and find out more!
If you would be interested to attend a short workshop in our store to see for yourself how easily the whole cloth diaper system works, do drop us an email at info@simplylivinglifeshop.com

]]> http://simplylivinglifeshop.com/a-new-era-of-cloth-diapers/feed/ 0 http://simplylivinglifeshop.com/new-recycled-fire-hose-bags/ http://simplylivinglifeshop.com/new-recycled-fire-hose-bags/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:45:46 +0000 admin http://simplylivinglifeshop.com/?p=198 Sustainable Feuerwear fashion bags and wallets handmade from recycled fire hoses that once helped save lives! Each piece a one-of-a-kind with its own story to tell. Made in Germany.

Celebrating yoga’s deep bond with the natural world, Manduka high-performance yoga mats are designed with sustainability in mind, made wherever possible with natural, recyclable and biodegradeable materials that won’t leave a lasting footprint on our planet.

Pop by our store and check out Manduka’s range of eco mats, mat cleaners, hand and mat towels.

Besides the range of fair trade, handmade bags and accessories featured on this site, we now bring you a variety of unique products that are safe for you and the environment, are sustainably designed, and promote green living – all without sacrificing style, of course.

These include:
- RuMe reusable bags in a variety of versatile sizes and in a host of colours and patterns
- Cheeki stainless steel, BPA-free water bottles
- wall clocks, placemats and coasters made from recycled coffee cups
- stainless steel neti pots

Coming soon…
- Manduka high performance, eco yoga mats
- Seventh Generation household & personal care range

We look forward to seeing you there!

Opening hours:
Mon-Sat: 10am – 8pm
Sun & PH: 10am – 6pm
Tel: 6737 9491

Catch us at the Singapore River Market from Fri, 12 to Sun, 14 March, and enjoy great discounts on all our items!
We’ll be located along the promenade in front of The Central mall at Clarke Quay. Come with the whole family and enjoy the fun atmosphere and great shopping down by the river!

Market opening hours are 5pm-10pm (rain or shine).

How to get there:

By Car:
Parking spaces available at The Cannery, The Central, and Swissotel Merchant Court Hotel

By MRT:
Clarke Quay MRT (NEL)

By Bus:
Bus services stop along Eu Tong Sen Street, directly in front of Central. Bus Nos. 2, 12, 33, 51, 54, 63, 80, 124, 145, 147, 166, 197, 61, 190, 851, 961, NR 1, NR 2, NR 3, NR 5, NR 6, NR 7.

Simply Living: How did The Silk Lab get started and what is your mission?

Silk Lab: The Silk Lab was created in 2005 through the joint efforts of KADO and Progetto Continenti, Cambodian and Italian NGOs respectively, and with the support of AusAid, Italian Caritas, Charle Magne Foundation and other private donors.

Our mission is to provide social and economic security to disadvantaged women living in the Puok district, which is one of the poorest districts in Cambodia. All of the women we employ come from this district.

Simply Living: Do the women receive a salary?

Silk Lab: Yes, they do. We pay them a basic salary plus a small percentage based on sales. Compared with typical pay in Cambodia, their salary is very good, and reflects the time and skills required of them.

Simply Living: Can you share with us how your workshop is operated?

Silk Lab: We currently have 11 staff. Besides myself, we have six seamstresses, a cutter, warehouse keeper, maintenance worker as well as an agent who manages a stall selling our products at the Angkor Night Market. At one point we did have up to 25 staff, but with lack of funds and donations, we cannot sustain that level of employment at the moment.

Our production process is similar to the garment factory system – one person takes charge of sewing together all parts to complete an item. We operate with respect for Cambodia’s work laws.

Simply Living: Who trains the local women as seamstresses?

Silk Lab: When The Silk Lab was first established, I and some staff from our team in Phnom Penh used to train them. However, we no longer have staff in Phnom Penh – I am now responsible for the training myself.

Simply Living: You work mainly with silk. Is this a traditional material/craft in Cambodia?

Silk Lab: Yes, we work mainly with silk. Silk weaving is a traditional craft in Cambodia. However, if there are hotels, restaurants or other businesses that want to order items such as home decor or accessories made out of cotton, we can also do.

Simply Living: Who designs your bags and where does inspiration come from?

Silk Lab: The bag designs are done by me, even though I am not a designer! I usually search on the Internet for inspiration and combine these with my own ideas as well as with a touch of Cambodian culture. I always think about designing items that are easy to make, simple, and have the potential to sell well. I look for ideas from consumers too.

A year ago, I requested a designer from the Artisan Association of Cambodia (AAC), which The Silk Lab is a member of. This year, I have requested him to design new bags. He is a UK designer.

Simply Living: What is your hope for The Silk Lab in the future?

Silk Lab: I hope that we can survive and achieve sustainability by finding buyers from overseas such as Simply Living Lifeshop. I will try my best to run The Silk Lab so that we can continue to employ our existing staff and hopefully even grow. This will mean The Silk Lab can help reduce the poverty in Cambodia in at least one small community.

Keep checking back as we add new products. We also hope to bring you more insights into our products, how they are made, who made them, etc. If you have not yet joined out mailing list, please feel free to do so, and we’ll be able to keep you up to date with all our happenings.