Eco-minded consumers are already well-acquainted with the impact of printing and copying on the world's supply of trees. What's less widely considered, however, is the ink that's typically used.

Looking beyond paper, Dutch creative agency Spranq has developed a new font called the Ecofont that's designed to extend the life of ink cartridges and toner. Setting out to explore how much of a letter could be removed while maintaining readability, the group found that the best results were achieved using a font in which tiny circles were intentionally left blank in the middle of each line, much like Swiss cheese. The result is based on the Vera Sans, an open source letter, and uses up to 20 percent less ink than traditional fonts, Spranq says. Available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux, it's also free to download and use. The Ecofont works best in OpenOffice, AppleWorks and MS Office 2007 at the 9- or 10-point size, says Spranq, which invites designers from around the world to participate in its further development. Arabic and Hebrew versions are reportedly in the works as well, according to the AP.

What's even more eco-iconic than recycled paper when it comes to printing? An eco-minded font, of course. One to boost the eco-credentials of every business and individual under the sun! ;-) (Related: Free tool for DIY font design — White lines make paper stand out.)

Website: www.ecofont.eu
Contact: www.spranq.nl/en/email/emailformulier.php

Spotted by: David Templeman

Crowd clout has already wreaked havoc on industries far and wide, and now it appears the home furnishings industry could be among the next to get transformed. French site Myfab.com lets consumers collectively tell manufacturers which furniture items they want produced and then purchase them direct at near-factory prices.

Each week Paris-based Myfab posts a catalogue of items that are available for voting, inviting members of the site to indicate the ones they like best. Those that win the most votes get put into production by one of Myfab's factory partners and become available for purchase through the site. Whereas many major furniture brands carry prices up to 10 times what it costs the factory to produce them, the site says, Myfab's prices can be as much as 70 percent lower since no middleman is involved. Consumers who voted for an item during its pre-production phase get an additional 10 percent off. All factory partners must adhere to the site's charter of quality, and consumers are given a one-week trial period to decide if they're satisfied. Myfab ships to France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland and the UK. Delivery takes 9 weeks on average, and consumers can follow an item's progress online each step of the way. In addition to furniture, Myfab also offers products in fashion, accessories, sports equipment and watches using the same crowd-based voting model.

The lesson to be learned? Between transparency tyranny and crowd clout, companies are running out of places to hide. Better listen to the crowds, or risk getting crowded out! ;-) (Related: Shoppers team up for better deals — Reverse-boycotting: crowd clout meets eco-persuasion.)

Website: www.myfab.com
Contact: www.myfab.com/NousContacter.aspx

Spotted by: Lamia Aloui & Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye

Recycled materials give any brand an eco-boost, but a new range of accessories shows that their consumer appeal stretches beyond those planet-saving properties. Fabricated from German gym equipment used in the 1950s, Zirkeltraining's bags, laptop cases and wallets stand out because of the material's heritage, not its greenage.

Zirkeltraining is German for 'circuit training', which makes sense when one learns that the bags are made from gym mats, pommel horse leather and trampoline rescue nets. Each of the handmade products is unique, with the finite amount of raw material providing a refreshingly genuine reason for limited edition status. The previous life of each item is made apparent with Zirkeltraining's assertion that items contain 'a little bit of sweat', Prices range from EUR 90 to EUR 249, and Zirkeltraining products are currently available from selected stockists in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Austria.

The range was designed and manufactured by a former gym teacher, and it's a fun example of how eco-friendly products don't always need to be seen as green—sometimes it's more sustainable to focus on the status story. (Related: Virgin Atlantic's seat covers, reborn as bags)

Website: www.zirkeltraining.biz
Contact: www.zirkeltraining.biz/impressum.html

Spotted by: Susanna Haynie

As we like to say, everything can upgraded, and everything can be personalized. And safety helmets are no exception. French brand Les Ateliers Ruby already sold bespoke helmets, and now also offers their high-end service online. Using the Ruby Costume A-La-Carte configurator, customers can choose from ten graphic decorations, 26 colours and three types of paint finish. Only one helmet type is currently available but another will be added later this month and two more models will appear by spring 2009. Prices are EUR 657 for a plain paint job or EUR 710 for a custom paint job.

For those who feel the configurator isn't enough for their personalization needs, the direct input of Les Ateliers Ruby is given as part of its offline Made-to-Measure service. Customers can make an appointment to receive expert advice on their envisaged design. Fortunately for worried parents and spouses, the emphasis on style hasn't sidelined safety: Les Ateliers Ruby ensures helmets meet national safety standards for both US and European customers, with Japanese requirements being met next.

Car sales continue to drop, but as reported by CNN Money, "scooter sales were up 66% in the first half of 2008 compared to a year ago, while motorcycle sales overall only ticked up 0.5%." Time to start catering to the new scooter set? (Related: Stylish helmets for urban cyclists.)

Website: www.boutiqueruby.com
Contact: contact@ateliersruby.com

Spotted by: Tristan Daeschner

Marrying strangers in Second Life, throwing sheep on Facebook, living as an orc in World of Warcraft... The digital world can make reality feel rather disappointing at times. Here to bring some of the magic of cyberspace into people's physical lives is Mir:ror, a web-connected dish that gives weird and wonderful new functions to the objects placed on it.

Users plug the Mir:ror into their computer using the USB connection and affix the supplied RFID tags to the objects of their choice. They then program the objects using an online interface, causing the action of their choice to occur when the object is placed on the Mir:ror. The choices are practically limitless, with examples including paper files being used to open digital documents on the computer, coffee mugs telling Facebook friends that a user is online, and presents triggering songs and e-cards.

Mir:ror was developed by Violet, the same French company that created the internet-enabled Nabaztag rabbit. Available from stockists throughout Europe and in the US, a pack that includes one Mir:ror, three of its colourful 'Ztamp' RFID tags and two singing and dancing mini-rabbits can be purchased for GBP 36. 12 extra Ztamps can be bought for GBP 16.

Other brands can learn a lot from Violet's innovative approach, not least its ability to make cutting-edge technology friendly and accessible to everyday users. By enhancing an infinite number of objects, Mir:ror shows just how much potential the off=on trend has, and how the surface is only just being scratched. One to pair up with to give your products exclusive or newfound digital functions, perhaps...

Website: www.violet.net
Contact: contact@violet.net

Spotted by: Gregory Armene