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Personal Accessories

OMHU Cane

Not that I know much about canes, but these appear to be the best looking ones that I’ve ever seen. Omhu is a newish company aiming to provide well designed objects for those that need help with simple tasks such as walking, bathing, or reaching overhead. Omhu (om-who) is Danish for “with great care”, and the company takes their inspiration from Scandinavian furniture, bicycles and skateboards. The cane you see here is made from a light weight birch laminate with an aluminum shaft and is finished with your choice of six bright colors of American bicycle paint.

Available in three sizes 31″, 34″, 37″ and six colors: purple, green, orange, black, cream, and light blue.

To learn more, visit Omhu’s website.

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Purchase Information:

Price: $125.00
Available from: OMHU Shop

XL Shoe Horn

Oh yeah? You think you don’t need this? Well, just watch, in a couple of years you’ll be bending over huffing and puffing just to put your shoes on and in some tiny corner of your brain, you’ll think, ‘man, if I just got that darn XL shoe horn, my life would be just a tiny bit better’. Luxury is many things, but comfort is near (if not) the top of the list.

Purchase Information:

Price: $8.00
Available from: UMA

Chairless

You’ve probably seen this around on some of the design sites lately, but now you can buy it at Design Museum Shop. For those of you that are scratching your head, it’s a sturdy strap ‘seating device’ that allows you to sit down and rest without a normal seat or backrest. So, uh, in other words, it’s a strap. Could be handy to have, maybe?

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Purchase Information:

Price: ยฃ35.00
Available from: Design Museum Shop

London Undercover Umbrellas

If you plan your outfit right down to your weather accessories, you might have heard of London Undercover. Established by designer Jamie Milestone in 2008, they offer a fair selection of stylish umbrellas to keep you dry, and perhaps best of all, all the umbrellas are made using recycled materials and minimal waste.

Recycled canvas fabric, recycled metal shafts & frames, recycled and biodegradeable handles and recycled packaging and tags.

Purchase Information:

Price: ยฃ50.00
Available from: London Undercover

Bamboo Bottle

Finally, someone created a glass reusable water bottle that’s designed properly and looks awesome too. Other alternatives I’ve seen get pretty close, but I feel like this design certainly nails it. Besides the bamboo sleeve adding quite a bit of style, it fully protects the glass interior. Glass provides an always guaranteed safe drink and can accommodate hot or cold beverages. The parts of the bottle easily disassemble for cleaning and are dishwasher safe, except for the bamboo sleeve.
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Purchase Information:

Price: $25.00
Availability: Buy Bamboo Bottle here

Gunnar Optiks

I’ve always loved a cool pair of glasses. Gunnars feature special lenses with properties that include: contrast enhancers, wavelength filters, and more…great for techies, gamers, writers, or anyone else who’s in front of a screen all day. And Gunnars can also be customized with opthalmic prescriptions.

Available in several frame colors and five lens types.

More information:

View Gunnar Optiks here

Wave Commuter Mug

Raise your hand if you are still in search of the perfect mug. You know, one that will keep your tea/coffee/whatever at the temperature you want without having the messy spillage that inevitably occurs no matter how careful you are. Now, consider the elegance of this particular double walled porcelain mug, with its sliding lid and accompanying drip filter, and if it would solve your beverage issues enough to justify the cost.

Holds 10 fluid ounces (310 ml).
3.5″ dia. x 6.7″ high

Also, see the Lotus Tea Cup for similar sliding lid magic.

Purchase Information:

Price: โ‚ฌ44.00
Availability: Buy Wave Commuter Mug here

Source: Utility Journal

Pocket Mirror

When you need to check your ‘do and there’s no mirror around, this little pocket mirror could be just the thing to have in your wallet. Sort of brings to mind the whole comb-in-the-back-pocket sort of look, which could be a good or bad connotation depending on your preference. Mirror is made from plastic, which means it’s light and flexible.

Designer: Pavel Sidorenko

Also, you must check out the Moustaches for sale too, as they’d be very entertaining to have around.

Purchase Information:

Price: โ‚ฌ4.00
Available from: Pavel Sidorenko Design

Key Ring Paperclip

This seems like a smart alternative to normal key rings, if only for the reason of making the addition/subtraction of a key that much easier. The paperclip shape is a bonus, of course.

Cast alloy.

Purchase Information:

Price: $7.00
Available from: Kikkerland

Shwood Sunglasses

Shwood is a designer and manufacturer of wooden framed sunglasses. Each pair is handcrafted in-house at their Portland-based workshop. Currently two styles are available: Canby and Govy, available in Maple, East Indian Rosewood (my favorite) or Zebrawood.ร‚ย  Each pair comes equipped with your choice of imported Carl Zeiss or polarized lenses. All their wood is sourced from authorized sustainably-harvested plantations.

At this point I’m sure you’re expecting some ridiculous prices for all these features, but they start at only $95. Very reasonable considering the quality and craftsmanship you’ll be receiving.

This makes me wants to wear contact lenses again just so I get a pair of these. Maybe I can put in prescription lenses? Hmm….

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Purchase Information:

Price: $95.00
Availability: Buy Shwood Sunglasses here

Bobble Water Bottle

Okay, now that this thing is actually available for sale, I’m curious as to how well it works. Anyone know? It sounds almost too good to be true. It’s made from BPA-free recycled plastic (so it’s also recyclable) and has a carbon-based filter which lasts about the equivalent of 300 water bottles. There’s six different filter colors to choose from too.

Designer: Karim Rashid

Bottle comes with a single filter. Filter lasts for 50 gallons/300 bottles.
(Replacement filters are $7.00)

Purchase Information:

Price: $10.00
Available from: A+R Store

Screwpop

This keychain fits four tools in one: Phillips Screwdriver #2, Flathead Screwdriver #2, 1/4 Hex. Nut Driver, and a Bottle Pop-Top Opener. Handy, right?

Material: Zinc Alloy (Body) & Tool Steel (Bit)
Size: 7/16″ x 1 3/8โ€ย x 1 7/8โ€ย
Weight: 1.0oz
Patented

Purchase Information:

Price: $4.95
Available from: Screwpop

TK:ARO Glass Water Bottle

That’s right, a glass water bottle that is reusable, recyclable, transportable and dishwasher safe. But what about the glass, hmm? Afraid it’ll break? As long as you keep it from “radical falls” it should be perfectly fine. (On the Tkaro website there’s also an engraved option if you want it customized; price is just slightly higher at $37.95.)

Equivalent to 2 cups or 500mL.
Do not place in freezer or microwave. Not suitable for hot beverages.

Purchase Information:

Price: $29.95
Available from: UMA

Jon and Lizzie Sunglasses

Wintercheck Factory has just released the Jon and Lizzie sunglasses. Originally found in a second hand store near their workshop in Brooklyn, these old school safety glasses have been modified for everyday use. They’re impact resistant, 99.9% UV Protected, and come with their own plastic custom case.

Several different colors to choose from.

Purchase Information:

Price: $45.00
Available from: Wintercheck Factory

Pill and Cobra Yoga Mats

Yoga. Stretching…breathing…relaxing… and PILLS! And cobras! Aghh! Just the sort of thing to make your yoga practice… um, strange. If you want that. (I can see the cobra working, because there’s a yoga position called the cobra, but not sure how I feel about pills on a bathroom floor, you know?)

Pill Yoga Mat, $95.00
Cobra Yoga Mat, $95.00

I still like the first Plank mats: Wood Plank (with muffin!) and Shag.

Purchase Information:

Price: $95.00
Available from: Design Public