Reviews
Gear Review: Eco Go! Backpack Jacket
Trust me, your kid wants an Eco Go! Jacket.
For the past few days, our energetic 3-year-old nephew (and sometimes his little sister too) has been trying out an Eco Go! Jacket sent to us by our awesome friends at Our Globo. He’s tested the jacket all around our local mountains but perhaps the most fun he had wearing the jacket was last night after dinner, when we ventured out in the rain to play with mud and sticks.
The Eco Go! Jacket is a clever product that transforms from a jacket to a backpack (or a backpack to a jacket) making it the perfect jacket for layering and keeping your kiddo warm, dry and protected from the wind and rain.
We figure that most people like the fact that the jacket folds into a backpack, but the thing we liked the most is the big outer pouch when it’s worn as a jacket. It’s perfect for a granola bar, toy, frog, hat, gloves or whatever else it is that little boys and girls like to carry in pockets.
We’re friends of mother earth here at Just Trails and the Eco Go! Jacket was also a hit with us because it’s made from recycled fabric, Eco CIRCLE® fabric from Teijin, Japan to be more specific. And each jacket comes with a numbered ID which can be registered on Our Globo’s website so you can track and share the life of the jacket. But, best of all, Our Globo donates a portion of their jacket sales to the Sustainable Schools Initiative. We’re friends of education too.
Here’s what else we like about the jacket:
- The Hood. My sister-in-law loved the hood and how it can be tucked away if it’s not needed or pulled out on the top of a mountain or in the middle of a rainstorm to keep a kiddo warm and dry.
- The Fabric. It is lightweight yet durable. While the jacket is not really designed to be a rain coat when raindrops fell it did a great job keeping my nephew dry. It also offered awesome protection against the wind at 10,000 feet above sea level.
- The Quality. If you look at an Eco Go! Jacket it’s obvious that a lot of thought has been put into making it a quality product. Little things like zipper pulls and velcro flaps really set this jacket apart and don’t go unnoticed buy parents who want good outdoor clothing for their kids.
We were impressed with the Eco Go! Jacket. It we didn’t like this jacket we would have sent it back and not written nice things about it. It comes in sizes 2/3, 4/5 and once our baby is big enough for one you can guarantee we’ll be buying one for him.
And our nephew liked the jacket too, so much that he even let his little sister borrow it. ***
Do you have outdoor clothing or gear that you’d like tested here in the Wyoming wilderness?
Give us a shout and we’d be more than happy to put any product to the test.
Updated Brochure in Chinese
Please click below to download the PowerPoint version:
John Davenport, Stan Tsang and Tom Symons were photographed in Seattle by Ron Wurzer.
People love their coffee. Now, thanks to a group of local businessmen and entrepreneurs, folks can wear their java.
Alumni : Tom Symons, John Davenport, Milt Vereide and Stan Tsang, are partners in Our Glõbo: Live Wisely, a Seattle-based company that creates shirts made from used coffee grounds and backpack-style jackets (right) from cutting-edge recyclable poly materials.
Tsang believes there needs to be a big change in the way business is done nowadays—less focus on gross profits and more attention paid to fundamental values in sustainability, environmental stewardship and fairness.
“Our hope is to instill in children an appreciation for stewardship within our ecosystem today,” Tsang says, “and therefore, hope for tomorrow.”
More Transforming Action !
Well, now, onward to New York, here We GO !!!
Much to See, Si !
Location: Washington
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SATURDAY
Our GlobO (Review)
Our GlobO is a company created to make a difference in the market. With a goal to bring an awareness to the masses with what we produce and consume,Our GlobO strongly champions sustainable development, even through the products the create.
Click on the picture for a larger view.
Bunny girl received their signature, limited edition eco friendly Go! Jacket in a size bigger than what she wears now so that she can wear it even a few months from now .
Not only does this serve as a lightweight, wind and water resistant jacket (this will come with us for our next Sea World trip for sure!) but it can also transform into a teeny little backpack for your little one to carry small snacks or a little dolly or a few dinky cars.
The jacket is made from Japanese EcoCircle material and Taiwanese RePet recycled polyester fabric . This material uses 76% less energy to produce and can be recycled endlessly.
Click on the picture for a larger view.
These Pacific Northwest designed jackets are individually numbered and can be registered on the site, to be prepared for the eventuality that the same may be returned to the owner if lost.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009577895_pacificpfootmarket02.html
Start kids back to school with eco-friendly gear
By Mary Rothschild
GREEN MARKET
As you get ready to send your little greeniuses back to school, here are some Northwest companies or branch stores that promise their products will promote the new Three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle:
- West Seattle moms Becky Harper and Karen Whorton, tired of tossing out plastic sandwich bags, designed ReUsies – nylon-lined cotton bags with Velcro closures – and field-tested them on the kids at Lafayette Elementary School. Pack sandwiches in the large size, snacks in the smaller version, then rinse or wash and use again. Priced at $6.50 and $8.50; find them at Bartell Drug stores, Georgia Blu in West Seattle, Mrs. Cooks in University Village or online at http://www.reusies.com/.
- Seattle-based Sustainable Group makes “upcyclable” pens from plants, not plastic, and binders from Forest Stewardship Council-certified recycled corrugated cardboard, with reusable 3-ring mechanisms. A green alternative to vinyl binders, the brown ReBinders are hand-assembled by developmentally disabled workers. When the ReMarks pens run out of ink, Sustainable Group can grind them up to make new pens. Products are sold in bulk online at http://www.rebinder.com/ – $49.50 per case of 10 two-inch binders, 50 pens for $23.99 – or individually at local retail outlets such as Goods for the Planet.
- Our Globo of Seattle sells a jacket fashioned from recycled polyester for the kindergarten and preschool set, and supports the Sustainable Schools Initiative to teach environmental stewardship. The ECO-GO jackets, which fold and tuck into backpacks, are sold online at http://ourglobo.com/ or at many stores listed on the company’s Web site.
- There’s a reason Peter Julber calls his nifty fleece hats BottleCaps. The ultra-plush fleece fabric is made, in part, from recycled plastic soda bottles; there’s at least one 1-liter bottle in every hat. His Portland company, Cagoule Fleece, makes a Half-pint line for kids, available at http://www.cagoulefleece.com/ and many Seattle-area outlets. Among the offerings are $18.99 hats and $19.99 Ulti-Mitts gloves.
- Tara Smith’s Revival Ink features Fair Trade clothing made from organic cotton, bamboo and recycled fabrics, hand-printed in Seattle with hip, tattoo-like designs using water-based inks. The Flowerfly hoodie sells for $45 at the Fremont Market or on the company’s Web site, http://www.revivalink.com/, which also lists several area retail stores.
- BumbleBars are the creation of a Spokane company that is serious about social and environmental responsibility, creating living-wage jobs, working with farmer-owned cooperatives, reducing waste and using recycled shipping boxes. The all-organic, vegan, gluten-free snacks, handy for school lunches, can be purchased online at http://www.bumblebar.com/ – $28 for a 15-bar variety box – and at many area stores.
- Platypus-brand BPA- and phthalate-free collapsible water bottles were created by Seattle’s own outdoor innovator, Cascade Designs, and help keep disposable plastic bottles out of landfills. The ½ liter Platy Sport Water Bottle is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or school backpack and sells for $6.95 at many outdoor retailers, such as REI, http://www.platy.com/ or http://www.cascadedesigns.com/.
- Patagonia uses fabrics made of recycled soda bottles, fabric seconds and worn-out garments in many of its designs, including the roomy, $140 Dawn Patrol backpack, advertised as 100 percent recycled polyester. Check it out at http://www.patagonia.com/ or at Patagonia Seattle, 2100 First Ave.
• Hemp grows fast and in poor soil, so without much need for fertilizers or pesticides it’s a crop that ranks high up on the sustainability list. Backpacks made from hemp, like the $41 Hemp H2O Mini Pack, are made in Guatemala by a local family and sold through Bainbridge Island’s Hempmania at http://www.hempmania.com/.
Mary Rothschild is a former Seattle Times editor.
http://www.idealbite.com/mama/archives/fleece-week
Fleece Week |
FLEECE WEEK
- The North Face Denali Jacket – sturdy, recycled fleece jacket for serious winter warmth; available in 13 colors for girls and eight colors for boys; all sizes ($99).
- Patagonia Kids Synchilla Pullover – thick PCR fleece (the company’s version of PET) with a large front pocket in seven colors, including purple, green, and yellow; recyclable through Patagonia’s Common Threads program; for all sizes ($65).
- Fleece GlobO Backpack Jacket – wind-resistant shell with recycled polyester-fleece lining; has an attached backpack where kids can stash their toys or store the jacket; for ages 3-6 ($55).
- Patagonia Pita Pocket Mittens – cozy mittens are made from recycled fleece; available in blue, red, brown, and green; for infants and toddlers. Also: bigger kids’ gloves ($20).
- Cagoule Kids Grommit Hat – ultraplush fleece cap made with 85% recycled plastic soda bottles and/or industrial waste (see picture); in three color combos; for ages 3-6. We also like this heart scarf ($13-$19).
52 winter
In the Field
WORK –HYBRID MOM
MEET CHARLENE (HSIAO-LIEN) TSANG
This mother to two found a fun way to incorporate a stewardship theme of responsibility to our environment into kids’fashion. Who knew?
BY MAUREEN DEMPSEY
THE BRAINS BEHIND : Our Globo
YEAR FOUNDED.-2007
FAMILY: Husband, Stan;
sons, Andrew, 7, and Holden, 6
MOTTO YOU LIVE BY: Live Wisely.
Tell us about your background.
I spent 15 years in the fashion design industry in content-editing positions, mostly in Taiwan. I started out as a design apparel editor and served as managing editor for Harper’s Bazaar Asia for over 10 years, before starting a family.
I was also involved in the startup of a website. I was able to use some “downtime” of raising two children full-time to dabble in designing practical apparel items for young toddlers and creating a web chat room for moms with similar backgrounds.
What do you try to make time for every day?
The small web chat room experience has been helpful to stay abreast of the current topics and exchange ideas among the moms about issues and concerns.
What does your average day look like?
All of my activities-work and nonwork-are interrelated. My key word is prioritize. My early morning is devoted to the kids. I make breakfast, then get them ready for and drive them to school. I also volunteer in both of their classes three days a week. I usually try to exercise midmorning.
If I’m not helping at school, I get online in the early afternoon to do some work, although my computer is usually on most of the day, to look something up quickly or to email whenever I have some “downtime.” After the kids are back from school, I help them with their homework or take them to their after-school activities.
I really have more time to sit in front of my computer after the kids are in bed-usually at least a couple of hours of quality time. My husband manages the business aspect of Our Globo, and we have a couple other families who joined the company, too.
What boundaries did you set for work?
My priority is my kids, family, and work-in that order. My husband and other team members of Our Globo have been great in allowing me to concentrate on the kids first.
Favorite part of the job?
Designing items that are practical and conform to the stewardship theme (responsibility and diligence to our environment). I also enjoy choosing material (the latest from the textile houses) and working to refine the products.
What is your ultimate ambition for Our Globo?
Through the endeavor of Our Globo, we envision that we can create a nationwide or even APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) region-wide community of providers and users of “responsible” products that can strengthen the message of “Live Wisely” with the underlining theme of stewardship, as our contribution to the educational aspect of the development of our children’s upbringing. ~tr
REVIEW by Hopping Bunny
SUNDAY, DECEMBER
I recently got to review the Eco Go Jacket from Our GlobO
Inspired by nature and designed in the Pacific Northwest by our caring teams of parents and grandparents, the original GO! Backpack jacket is created after years of seeking a solution that combines the necessity to have our toddlers ready for any sudden changes of weather and the need to carry their own stash of small toys.
My son Little A age 3 loved the Go Jacket. We took his bike and rode to the gas station. He bought a pack of crackers. He put them in the pouch on his back we went home again. He love being able to ride his bike and carry his own crackers. The next day we walked to the part. We turned the jacket in to a back pack and brought it with in case it got chilly. He felt so big , taking care of his self, carrying his jacket and snacks. He played at the park with his Go Jacket in back pack form. When we walked home it got chilly so we turned it in to a jacket again..
This Jacket is not only cute but practical. With a pocket to hold small things when it is a jacket. It can turn in to a back pack so kids can carry their own jacket. This would make a great Christmas present. The Spring GlobO Backpack Jacket comes in Yellow, Green, and Purple. In size 2-3yrs and 4-5yrs. We received the 4/5yrs and it fit great and will fit little A for a couple years. Our Globo also carries a Fleece GlobO Backpack Jacket. It comes in red, blue, and Olive.
ECO ~ backpack style jacket. The message is simply: be a wise steward, and kids : carry your own load.
Each jacket is also individually numbered so as to further the principles of stewardship and reuse by making it possible to track and share the life of the jacket. In addition to creating partnership programs with local schools and child care centers, Our Globo is also sharing a portion of the sales proceeds to the Sustainable Schools Initiative. We have more related information posted on our web site at http://ourglobo.com/
We have selected a sustainable material using a cutting edge energy- effective process originated by Teijin Group of Japan. This material is the newest generation of the recycled polyester material family.
- GO! GlobO Jacket was conceived for its functionality and is meticulously crafted with the latest technology in sustainable material.
- GO! GlobO Jacket expresses the sustainability/stewardship message through its selection of materials, craftsmanship, and sponsorship of the Sustainable School Initiative.
- The recycled polyester material for GO! GlobO Jacket is carefully selected recycled polyester, produced from the most advanced technology in the market. The process uses 76% less energy, and the material can be recycled endlessly.
- Ownership of this limited production GO! GlobO Jacket offers convenience and fun as well as an invitation to be a part of the GlobO family striving for a conscientious environment.
- Gifting of a limited production GO! GlobO Jacket signifies loving care, discerning taste, and the opportunity to pass on the value and principle of stewardship.
DENISE said…1 That look like the handiest think I have seen in a long time. I bet my Grandaughter would love for Nana to get that for her…
cd51owens@aol.com
http://sugarpopribbons.blogspot.com/2009/11/
Wednesday, November 11
We were lucky enough to receive a Our Globo backpack jacket to review. When I first heard about the company, I was pretty excited. As you all know by now, my family has been trying to live a more green life style and we have made some major changes within our household because of it. Thus, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that I would be looking forward to reviewing this eco friendly toddler jacket.First, a little bit about the company. Born from their concern for the diminishing natural resources available for future generations, Our Glōbo was formed by a group of friends from diverse cultures and walks of life. They include Grandpa John and Grandma Nancy from their retirement, Uncle Nate from the financial industry, Grandpa Milt from his corporate world, Grandma Diane from her artistic roots, Grandpa Rick from the NGO world, father Stan from the entrepreneur domain, and mother Charlene from the fashion sector. Each of us seeks to create eco-products and solutions that will contribute in a small way to our globe’s sustainable growth.
What’s so special about their toddler jacket? The ECO – GO Jacket, uses 76% less energy and can be recycled endlessly. The jacket’s water-and wind-resistant and made from sustainable, recycled materials that can be recycled again when the jacket gets worn and torn. A portion of sales goes to the Sustainable Schools Initiative, working to integrate sustainability into classrooms. Each jacket has an identification number as a way to track it if it’s lost and to follow its life after your family has recycled it.
DD could not wait to try out her new jacket.
And wearing it as a backpack.
Now that we have tried the product, here’s just some of the reasons why we love it.
* We love the message that the company is sending. I know that this might not be important to some buyers, but it is always nice to shop with a company who cares about the eco system and makes products that make our world a better place.
* We love that the jacket turns into a backpack. When the product arrived, it was not folded up into the backpack, so I was a bit worried that it would be difficult to figure out how to convert the jacket into a backpack. I looked at the instruction for about a minute and I was able to figure out how to do it very quickly. The process was simple and easy, I am pretty I can even teach DD to do it herself.
* We love that each jacket has a unique identification code on it so that we can track if it gets lost & that we can also track its life after we recycle it. As a mother of a toddler who attends preschool, I can’t even begin to tell you how many things DD has lost at school. It amazes me that even though she is in a classroom with less than one dozen kids, she can still manage to lose things and then they are forever gone. I think that being able to track the jacket is an fantastic idea. I wish I could have that option on everything DD owns.
* We love that it is lightweight. We got the Breezy Mesh style and it is just perfect for Southern California weather. Even though it is November, it is still very warm here during the day and just a little cold in the morning. The jackets DD has are too heavy for the current weather, so Our Globo jacket is perfect for her to wear in the morning right now. Although I imagine that we will be using this all year long because it is light weight enough for DD to wear through out spring and then summer nights too. Also, another great thing about it being light weight is that when the jacket gets converted to the backpack, it is just the right size and weight for DD. She wore the backpack all around the house (running around with it for more than half of an hour) and she totally forgot that she even had it on because it was so light.
* We love the sizing. Ok, this might not make sense for some of you, but the sizing is awesome. Even though DD is only 3 years old, she is quite the giant. She now wearing a size 5 and I just started buying clothes for her in the young girl sections in the store even though she is still a toddler. When I got the size 4/5 jacket, I was worried that it might either be too small for her or it would fit her just right (which means that at the rate she is growing, she would be too big for it in about 6 months). Therefore, I was pretty happy to discover that the jacket was a little big on her– so she will be able to wear it for another year for sure. I think this is important because when you buy this product, you know that the sizing is correct and that the jacket you just purchase will not be outgrown too quickly.
* Customer Service is great. Our questions and emails were answered quickly. Furthermore, each email we received was friendly and had a nice personal touch to it.
* Fast shipping. We received Our Globo jacket very quickly. There is nothing that bothers me more than waiting for 3 weeks for something I order online, so I was super glad to learn that the company will get your product out to you in a timely matter.
Anyhow, these were just a few of the things we love about the jacket. We can’t say enough good things about it. The only thing I am disappointed in is that the company does have these jacket for adults yet. I was so impressed with the one DD got to wear, I wish I had one too!
Are you impressed too? Well, you can get your own to try it out.
![LW[Orig1]](https://i0.wp.com/ourglobo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/LWOrig1.jpg)
* The official release of the ECO – GO backpack Jackets for toddlers!
click to view release statement
* Red Tricycle write up!
More Than Meets The Eye
Customers Stories – a glimpse: I love this jacket and adore this company. I got a chance to test the Go! Globo fleece lined backpack jacket. It’s awesome for so many reasons. It is * Water and Wind Resistant* Adaptable for changing weather* Room for on-the-go storage of toys and snacks* Jacket changes into to a backpack in seconds! While at Sugarlump a couple of days ago, I found what I think is the perfect jacket for little ones in Seattle. This little rain coat from GO! Globo looks common enough, but it features a post-consumer recycled plastic fleece lining, made from old PET bottles. More exciting for the user is the fact that it folds into itself to become a handy little backpack, so mom and dad aren’t stuck carrying the thing when the weather warms up. The hood on this jacket has an elastic edge, keeping it secure on small heads, and the wrists have adjustable Velcro straps to keep the sleeves comfortable even when they are a little long. A portion of their proceeds go to support the Sustainable Schools Initiative. Even the smaller was still way too big, but we had to get one for her cousin who will find it just as handy in foggy California as we do in Drizzle Town. At $35, I know this is a jacket from which we will get our money’s worth. – Lili P Message: My 5.5 year old son LOVES his coat that you made. He has the fleece-lined version, and is delighted to have a rain coat that is also cozy ~ he wouldn’t happily wear rain gear in the past, and eventually my husband and I just let the issue go. So, praises to you for creating our family’s solution! – Am K |
![Go-Globo[B]](https://i0.wp.com/ourglobo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Go-GloboB.jpg)
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The Original...GO! GlobO jacket- "a backpack style sustainable material jacket for families with children on the GO"More info...
