LITTLE HELPERS

A handy companion for life on the go, this small power adapter boasts three outputs to juice up a computer, a phone, and a tablet simultaneously. $100, gozolt.com.

This next-generation carabiner, outfitted with a rubber hook, holds up to 50 pounds, so you can clasp or hang a purse, a bookbag, or even a bike from just about anywhere. $20, lulabop.com.

Tired of elastics that grab and break your hair? Wrap one of these gentle ponytail holders in place, then snap it off to let your hair down. $13 for five, snappee.com.

The endless search for your spectacles is over. Hang readers (or shades) on this magnetic loop that attaches to your shirt and you’ll always know exactly where they are. $10, eyeloop.com.

Written by Tanya Christian Photographs by Philip Friedman

Not really. You may not be killing an animal to make a bag, but you could be polluting the earth. The most common materials for fake leather— polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)— are derivatives of petroleum, a resource that is being depleted. PVC, considered the worse of the two, creates dioxins that pollute waterways and soil and are toxic to our health. While PU is not ideal, if manufactured using sustainable practices, it’s a wiser choice, says Huantian Cao, a professor at and codirector of the Sustainable Apparel Initiative at the University of Delaware. “PU can be also be produced in part by renewable feedstocks,” he says.

For consumers, it can be tricky to figure out what an item is made of, especially online, where you may come across the vague terms “vegan leather,” “faux leather,” and “all man-made materials.” To find animal- and eco-friendly brands, check out FreedomOf Animals.com, Mink Shoes.com, ShopEthica. com,and Stella McCartney.com.

—KAITLYN PIRIE

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