Following in the footsteps of companies we've covered that let consumers customize their own sneakers and baby shoes, Sydney-based online shoe retailer Shoes of Prey is directing the design-your-own trend towards stylish, custom-made women's shoes.

Launched in October, Shoes of Prey's simple, online design tool puts bespoke shoes just a few clicks away for women wanting to design their dream shoes and have them hand-crafted to match their requirements. Customers choose the style, heel type, heel height, adornments and colours, and select from raw materials including calf skin, snake skin, fish skin, silk and more, which makes for a near infinite number of possible combinations.

Prices range from AUD 195 for ballet flats to AUD 300 for 4½-inch heels. International shipping is available, and the shoes take about six weeks to arrive. The service is backed by a generous returns policy which guarantees that if the shoes don't fit, Shoes of Prey will remake them until they do; and if the customer doesn't like the design, they can send the shoes back for a full refund or have a new design made for them free of charge.

Retailers—is this a model to be hot on the heels of? Shoes of Prey welcomes contact from merchants who are interested in offering the design-your-own shoes tool under their own brand. (Related: One-of-a-kind shoe art — High-heeled shoes, designed by the crowds.)

Website: www.shoesofprey.com
Contact: mike@shoesofprey.com

Spotted by: Ngaire Stevens

The key to wine may lie in the soil, but it's the container that carries a heavy carbon footprint. That's why Yealands—a sustainable winemaker from New Zealand—is producing wine in plastic bottles. Shattering the shining, purist image of glass, the recyclable PET plastic used in Yealands' newly launched Full Circle range generates 54% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 19% less energy. The plastic bottles boast a weight saving of 89% over glass, earning them kudos as carbon-saving cargo.

The first full circle wine is a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. To ensure that the wine quality is unaffected, Full Circle bottles use new DiamondClear technology, which keeps oxygen out of the wine, and feature best-before labels advising customers to drink the wine within 18 months. Yealands' owner, Peter Yealands, believes that plastic-bottled wine is here to stay: "Tim Atkin, one of the UK’s leading wine critics from the Observer, has declared war on overweight packaging by vowing to boycott wines sold in heavyweight wine bottles," he says.

Yealands' efforts at sustainability are far-reaching, from a solar- and wind-powered winery, to replacing lawnmowers with sheep in the vineyards. The company has already earned a CarboNZero certification from New Zealand's Landcare Research organisation; the Full Circle range will bring Yealands yet more eco-bounty. Not only will it appeal to green-conscious consumers, the smaller size and lighter weight of the plastic bottles also makes them more convenient for picnics, and a new option for pubs and outdoor events where glass is banned.

There are definite echoes of the screw-top vs. cork debate—will plastic bottles be the next vinous trend? (Related: Local bottling makes for greener wine at Waitrose.)

Website: www.yealands.com
Contact: michael@yealands.co.nz

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

We've watched countless product categories get transformed in recent years to reflect the varying tastes and lifestyles of the baby-boom generation, offering a variety of alternatives to the mass-produced, one-size-fits-all approach. Funerals and urns are no exception, as we noted back in 2007, and recently we came across further evidence: Shine on Brightly, a North Carolina company that offers a wide range of artist-made urns and memorials.

The works of 27 artists are currently featured on the Shine on Brightly site, including handmade urns, memorial jewelry, textile art, remains-infused handblown glass and handmade books along with personalized poetry and paintings. Each product is uniquely crafted by the artist, with materials ranging from ceramics, glass, wood and metal to textiles and paper. Items can be designed to incorporate hair or 'cremains', or they can simply memorialize a human or animal's life; both commissioned and non-commissioned pieces are available.

The number of human deaths in the United States each year is expected to increase from about 2.4 million last year to 2.7 million in 2015 and 3.1 million in 2025, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Not too surprising, then, that Shine on Brightly is currently seeking more artists to create works for its line. One to get involved in...? (Related: Motorcycle hearses offer a (life)stylish final ride — Freeze-dried eco-burials — Licensing to the grave — Art after life.)

Website: www.shineonbrightly.com
Contact: info@shineonbrightly.com

Rentcycle is an online platform for rental businesses. The brainchild of Silicon Valley entrepreneur Tim Hyer, this startup offers web-based hosting and software utilities to help rental companies streamline their business process and improve customer conversion. In addition, the site aims to become a portal for consumers wishing to rent goods or services.

Once registered, companies get a branded online storefront to present their wares, along with reservation systems, inventory management and analytics. Customers can search both by product or provider in their area, and can order and pay for items through Rentcycle. There is also a messaging service delivering reservation reminders and SMS updates on customer inquiries.

While small businesses in many sectors are squeezed out by the economies of scale of their web-based competitors, the market for equipment rentals relies on local outlets. Rentcycle has recognised this, and developed a solution to help those outlets become more efficient and accessible. With sustainability an increasing factor in consumer decisions, the rental market should be on every entrepreneur's watchlist. (Related: Marketplace for P2P rental.)

Website: www.rentcycle.com
Contact: info@rentcycle.com

Spotted by: Kare Anderson

Eco-minded bathroom fixtures are no longer hard to find, but they still tend to focus more on function than on form. One notable exception is W+W, a combined toilet and sink from Spanish brand Roca that combines compact style with green-minded thinking.

Launched last fall, W+W is a single, L-shaped unit in which the sink and toilet are not only attached but also integrated internally. Specifically, wastewater from the sink is used to fill the toilet's cistern, thus saving as much as 25 percent of the water that would normally be used. An automatic cleaning system prevents bad odors and bacteria, while a specialized tap controls the water's temperature and flow for maximum energy savings, Plumbing Park reported.

Developed by the Roca Innovation Lab and designed by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti, the prize-winning W+W is priced at EUR 2,731. An eco-iconic innovation to bring to the green but style-conscious masses near you...?

Website: www.roca.com.es/w+w/w+w/en/index.html
Contact: www.es.roca.com/en/contact

Spotted by: Pepa D'Amato

Open source is by now a proven model for software design—could car design go the same way? Massachusetts enterprise Local Motors has set the wheels in motion. By crowdsourcing designs from a unique global community of designers, and manufacturing to order in regional micro-factories, Local Motors represents a paradigm shift from industry-standard mass production.

The Local Motors online community was launched in March 2008 and now has a membership of 4,000 car designers, engineers and enthusiasts. When Local Motors announces a design competition (for either a car body, or a particular feature), designers submit their work to the community, which then discusses and votes on the designs. Each competition specifies where the winning design will potentially be built, and submissions should be inspired by the target location—e.g. "an electric vehicle with a San Francisco soul". Local Motors picks a winner for the competition, whose design is then further developed by the community before being finalised for production by the Local Motors team.

The first crowd-designed car—the Rally Fighter—is already available, with production limited to 2,000 units (41 already sold). A price of around USD 50,000 adds to the exclusivity, but customers are not just buying a car: realising the high value today's consumers place on unique experience and status stories, Local Motors invites every buyer to help build their own vehicle over two weekends. Owners can even host their own competition on the website for a custom "skin" design for their vehicle.

Local Motors shows why crowdsourcing is such a powerful model: it's effectively free outsourcing that creates products the market wants, and fosters an intimate relationship between consumers and brands. Which other industries are lacking a crowd-driven business? (Related: Open source eco-car — Converting standard Corollas into electric cars.)

Website: www.local-motors.com
Contact: support@local-motors.com

Spotted by: Kare Anderson

Back in October we covered nAscent Art, which aims to bring original art into the realm of affordability for gift-giving purposes. Another effort that's similar in spirit is Eye Buy Art, a newly launched Canadian firm that seeks to make art less intimidating and more affordable for everyday consumers.

Eye Buy Art is a carefully curated online art gallery that represents an array of emerging photographers from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The site releases a new image every week, each from an artist among those deemed important by a high profile jury of professionals in the field. Limited edition photographs of the works represented are offered for sale through Eye Buy Art at prices starting at USD 25 for an 8-by-10 print; consumers who have signed up for the site's newsletter get first crack at them before they go public. Artists earn 50 percent from each sale; in addition, Eye Buy Art donates 10 percent to the Flash Forward Festival, its sister organization focusing on promoting the future of photography. All prints come with an edition card signifying the work's authenticity.

The site explains: “We think art is for everyone and we aim to make buying art easy, friendly, and affordable. Our name reflects our navigation – look, buy, and learn about art – and we hope to inspire new and existing collectors to buy art from these enthusiastic young artists at a pivotal time in their career.”

There are, of course, other like-minded sites out there—most notable, perhaps, is Jen Bekman's 20x200—but it's a growing field, and one that could do with a few more international or niche players. Care to be one of them...?

Website: www.eyebuyart.com
Contact: info@eyebuyart.com

First came stylish helmets for urban cyclists, then customised couture helmets for the scooter set, now Los Angeles-based apparel company, ScooterGirls, Inc. is adding some panache to protective scooter and motorcycle riding gear for women so that female riders no longer have to choose between safety and fashion.

ScooterGirls founder and CEO Arlene Battishill explains: "The main reason women do not wear protective clothing when riding is they don't like the way traditional gear looks or fits"—which isn’t surprising considering that women’s choices were previously limited to smaller versions of clothing designed for men. Launched at LA Fashion Week in October, ScooterGirls' GoGo Gear was created to appeal to image-conscious female scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts who want to go from their bike to a business meeting or social event without having to change clothing.

Priced between USD 239 to USD 389, the range of fully-armored, abrasion-resistant coats combine cutting-edge, feminine outerwear with robust interior engineering. The coats also feature integrated reflective details for night-time visibility that can be concealed during the day. Outwardly nobody would suspect GoGo Gear jackets were anything but a stylish dress coat, yet they are comparable to any other armored riding gear on the market.

As more consumers across the world opt for scooters and motorcycles to reduce their fuel bills and carbon footprints, the market for innovative products and services for riders is likely to grow. One to tap into! Or perhaps there are niches to be carved out by stylizing other non-aesthetically pleasing protective products? (Related: Stylish fire protection kits.)

Website: www.scooter-girls.com
Contact: info@scooter-girls.com

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

Over 1.5 billion people—one quarter of the world’s population—live in areas with no access to electricity, according to a recent UN report. Capitalizing on a sport's global appeal to address this problem, a group of Harvard University students developed sOccket, a soccer ball that turns energy from a kick into electricity.

The portable energy-harvesting device captures the impact energy normally dissipated when the ball is kicked, storing it to charge lights, cell phones and batteries. It works with inductive coil technology, similar to that found in flashlights that power up when shaken. For each 15 minutes of play, it can store enough energy to power a small LED light for three hours. sOccket could eventually help ease the reliance on toxic kerosene lamps in developing nations, thereby reducing the associated health risks.

Currently in the prototyping stages, sOccket has been successfully piloted in Durban, South Africa, and the development team has plans to market a commercial version of the sOccket in Western countries as a high-end tech toy, possibly using a "buy one-give one" model, to subsidize the cost of distributing sOccket in developing nations. Being an all-in-one soccer ball, portable generator, community builder and global health tool, sOccket is another shining example of the functionall trend covered in our sister site’s latest briefing. sOccket has attracted several development funding grants and is now in the process of developing production and distribution partnerships. One to partner with or otherwise get involved in? (Related: Hippo water roller — Single-use toilet bag turns human waste into fertilizer.)

Website: www.soccket.com
Contact: soccket@ideatranslationlab.org

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

With all the online profiles many consumers maintain these days, there's a greater need than ever for flattering photos. Which is why Estée Lauder is offering customers a free makeover and online photo of the result.

Late last month, Estée Lauder offered shoppers at the Carson Pirie Scott store in Orland Park, Illinois, a chance to get a free professional makeup job and photo for use on a social networking page, website or blog. Consumers had only to book an appointment and come into Estée Lauder on Jan. 30; no purchase was necessary. In addition to the makeover and photo—which, it should be noted, included the Estée Lauder logo in the background—participating customers also received a complimentary 10-day supply of foundation. Similar events were held last fall in other Estée Lauder spots around the U.S., beginning with New York's Bloomingdale's in October, StyleList reported. More are planned over the next few weeks in select locations in Canada.

Combining free love, tryvertising and sympvertising into a palette with unique off=on appeal, Estée Lauder's effort is one that could be replicated by any beauty-focused enterprise. What can your brand do to help consumers put their best face forward online....?

Website: www.esteelauder.com/locator/store_events.tmpl
Contact: www.esteelauder.com/customer_service/contact.tmpl

Spotted by: Judy McRae