Anyone who wears a bike helmet while riding knows there aren't a lot of choices available in terms of style.
The main reason behind this lack of style is safety, as traditional plastic and foam helmets have always been considered the safest bet for protecting your skull.
Coyle Design and Build wants to change that misconception, with the introduction of safety helmets made out of sustainable woods, such as Maple and Oak, with a cork lining.
They carry the same safety rating as traditional helmets, yet have a unique style due to the natural pattern of wood grain, which means no two helmets will look alike.
And while the price tag is still a bit steep (around $350), they'll definitely make you the most stylish, and eco-friendly, biker on the road.
Link --via Gizmodo
>Ecofriendly
The hardwoods and most of the softwoods we use are salvaged from trees that would otherwise be destined for fuel chips, fire wood, other aritisan projects or natural decay in the forest. All of the sawdust, chips and splinters we create when making a helmet are, of course, a natural material that can be returned to the ground to decay and re-enter the natural cycle harmlessly and helpfully. Our "waste" material is not garbage in the same way that, say, a discarded plastic bag is. Using natural materials to build useful products is about as sustainable as it gets most of the time.
Our Douglas Fir comes from wood that is harvested for making building materials. Sometimes, even here, we are able to get what are called end pieces. These are parts of the lumber that are a byproduct of the milling process and usually end up as fuel or compost.
The Cork that is used is an even better story. It is harvested from living trees, the Cork Oak, without damaging the tree or reducing its lifespan. It comes from the very special bark of this tree species and it is hand harvested. Cork is recyclable as well as renewable and biodegradable.
Normally I don't respond to these kind of comments, but I just thought you'd like to know.