Gear Patrol

Artisanal condiments are the latest front in the slow food war, and our taste buds are thrilled to be part of the collateral damage. Jojo’s Sriracha ($12) is a new brand of small-batch chili sauce created by Joelene Collins, who became so entranced by the stuff at the age 15 that she now slathers it…

You shouldn’t need a life coach to know that leaving your personal items in the same spot every time is a terrific way to keep track of them. The question is, which spot do you choose? The Butler ($170) by Curtis Micklish makes that decision a no-brainer. Made of solid walnut and baltic birch laminated…

The urban cyclists are always in danger of a sudden flat or magically appearing pothole. There are a lot of multifunction bicycle tools to choose from these days, but that doesn’t mean carrying them has become any easier, and when out for a leisurely weekend ride, the last thing you want is to bog yourself…

We’ve all probably drowned or neglected a few plants in our past, but a black thumb shouldn’t stop you from adding a hint of green to your home (that the alien growth cropping up on your leftovers from time to time doesn’t count). The Mosser is a sleek little glass terrarium housing a simple yet…

Petrified Design revives reclaimed materials to create timeless new furniture that’s not only functional, but also artfully crafted. The Austin-based furniture maker gets its inspiration and materials from old ceiling slates, pieces of old gooseneck trailers and wine barrels — and combines them with industrial steel. Their resulting creations range from chairs and stools to…

Etsy maker “punkassjim” came across a photo of an antique electrical handbook and got inspired. The bold title and fun aside notes seemed to describe the iPad 2 perfectly. So, he decided to recreate the look into a set of custom iPad 2 smart covers. All of his wares are made by hand from leather…

The airplane stands in the pantheon of man’s most amazing engineering feats. So it seems fitting that the folks at Plane Pieces Inc. have developed a knack for recycling classic plane parts into stunning accents for the home. Thanks to relationships with prop manufacturers, repair shops, and designers — they collect and polish vintage parts…

The Origin Workstation ($4,160) is the kind of office furniture you’d expect to find in the shiny new digs of a silicon valley startup. Weighing in at 250 pounds a pop, each piece is made from reclaimed gym flooring that showcases the original sport lines and features eight below surface storage shelves for organizing office…

The Mood Rocking Bed ($3,000) is creative a project from Etsy seller Shinerinternational. Founder Joe Manus got his start making furniture for high-end nightspots using a mixture of landfill-destined materials, and those origins are clearly visible in the mood bed’s whimsical style. Frankly, the curved carbon steel frame combined with a mix of pine, oak,…

Allsorts liquor soap ($5+) is probably the first good thing born from a bar and bathroom. Each of the four available scents pays homage to classic cocktails like the Gin & Tonic, Whisky Sour, Spiced Rum, and Screwdriver — and serve as the perfect solution for stretching that weekend attitude straight through the work week….

Nixie Tub Clock ($245) from Etsy maker Cold War Creations is a stunning display for checking the time and temp. It’s elegant cylindrical glass case mirrors the shape of its internal Soviet IN-14 Nixie display tubes, while downplaying the presence of the modern circuit boards which make them work, and ironically boast more computing power…

A couple of years ago we showed you the Leather Head Handsome American Football. Made by craftsman Paul Cunningham, the football is a classic throwback to the all-American sport. This short film, directed by Pascal Perich of Etsy, pays proper homage to Cunningham’s meticulous work and offers a fantastic look inside the careful construction of…

Etsy isn’t the first destination that comes to mind for audio gear, but stumbling across these jaw-dropping Mt. Man Speakers ($900) from Philadelphia-based maker Jesse Gerard, aka Carrot Grant, is a welcome surprise. Designed and made by hand from solid cherry, each speaker features twin copper-clad woofers, gold-plated binding posts for banana plugs or 12…

The Journal Bandolier ($17) from Etsy maker Cleverhands is a useful addition to your journal, especially if you’re the type of fellow who despises carrying extra items or haven’t quite bought into the tablet madness. Made from reclaimed rubber and elastic, it’s both rugged looking and useful for most 5-inch notebooks like Moleskins. With seven…

Putting a literal spin on industrial design, this Pipe Wrench Coffee Table ($2,250) 16″ tall table is made from six bolted and welded plumbers pipe wrenches. Combined with the 24″ x 36″ 3/8-inch glass top the table weighs a hefty 80 pounds, so there’s no need to worry about a misdirected leg stretch moving this…

After an “a ha” moment in his shop, Builder John Ryland of custom motorcycle maker, Classified Moto decided to repurpose leftover vintage motorcycle parts to create moto-inspired lamps. The lamps are virtually guaranteed to satisfy any moto enthusiast and are executions in simplicity — using a brake rotor as the base with a spring and…

Designed by Paul McClelland, the principle designer for one-man shop PM Custom based in Miami, Florida, the PM Custom Love Seat ($2,500) offers a board sports inspired design. The straight-out-of-Laird-Hamilton’s-home design features a cold-molded plywood seat and back which are mounted to rubber bushings that move around as you do. The metal frame is made…

We can always count on the creative individuals selling through Etsy to inspire us with the grass-roots feel and care that oozes from their products. This reclaimed wood tree swing ($150) from Philadelphia based PegandAwl for instance had us instantly reminiscing of summers as a kid, where the our only responsibility was to (try) and…

The Thru-Block wooden coat rack system ($600-$1200) is a modular solution for making the most out of your walls. Created by Portland designer William Ullman, each piece is made from reclaimed American Black Walnut and is completely modular. The foundational block measures 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ x 18″L and feature five evenly spaced holes…

Our tech lust knows no bounds. The same goes for our desire to own custom and unique products that distinguish our possessions from the average catalog trawler. Unfortunately gadget manufacturers typically think in quantities of millions, not hundreds, which makes owning distinctive electronics a difficult feat. These Audio Speakers ($199) from Chicago based Etsy seller…

Etsy is a veritable treasure trove when it comes to finding unique items. There’s definitely some crap on there, but the gems are worth the search. Recently, while searching around the site, we stumbled onto The Emperor Seat from Etsy seller StilNovo Design. A stool-style seat, it’s constructed from reclaimed oak sources from French wine…

There are many ways to think about recycling. Etsy seller and glass blower Nick Paul prefers to think of the concept as a way to extend the life of one of man’s best friends – the classic beer bottle. After cleaning old beer bottles, Nick heats the used bottles in an annealing oven at 1100…

Byrd & belle gadget (iPod) cases are near-sublime in their simplicity. Made from recycled wool from surplus military wool trousers, your iPod, (iPhone, iPod Touch on request) will find itself sheathed in green print cotton with a bit of padding, and secured by a leather snap strap made from… a recycled car seat. Unlike other…