Are you a Facebook addict? Do you secretly spend your time at work composing witty status updates hoping against hope someone will ‘Like’ them? Reclaim your life from the book of faces and get your social media hit in the real world, with www.RED5.co.uk Like Thumb Cufflinks. Facebook, the best thing since sliced bread? Or a thief of time? Either way chances are you have a profile. The ultimate accessory for any Facebook junkie!

This is the Home Cinema Popcorn Maker I showed on BBC2 Something for the Weekend  yesterday. It’s perfect for movie nights in and really does make delicious tasting popcorn!

JM Posner’s Home Cinema Popcorn Kit is a great solution for any film enthusiast who wants the cinema experience at home. The 2.5 oz retro looking Popcorn Maker produces hot and fluffy popcorn in minutes with no fuss, using the same technology as in your local multiplex. Simply load the device with the included kernels and set it popping. There are no messy ingredients involved, and tidying up is easy! When you’ve popped enough corn for everyone, shake on either the seasonings (which you choose when you order the kit) and serve in the classic popcorn boxes.

The kit includes a 2.5 oz Popcorn Maker with removable serving dish, 2 Popping Corn resealable pouches, 2 bottles of Popcorn seasoning, 25 Popcorn boxes and a Recipe book. You can choose which two seasonings you would like from a choice of: caramel, chocolate marshmallow, butter, BBQ, Nacho cheddar, sour cream and onion.

Available at Firebox

Yoga Paws are non-slip yoga gloves that you wear on your hands or feet, staying true to their logo ‘The Yoga Mat You Wear.’

They also work with a yoga mat too, keeping you secure in every yoga pose. They are made with a yoga towel liner that absorbs seven times its weight in moisture so still work even if you break into a sweat!

Available around £29.99 on www.yogapaws.com

How Fashion is Going Green

When the average person considers eco-friendly clothing options, they may have images of the wardrobe from The Matrix (not the cool trenches and skintight pants they sported inside the Matrix, but the unfinished, no-color sacks they wore on the Nebuchadnezzar).  But green fashion has come a long way from the rough, un-dyed, homespun garments of yesteryear.  In fact, you may not be able to tell the difference between textiles that have harmed the planet at every turn and those that have done very little to increase your carbon footprint.  Thanks to changes in the industry that have turned an eye towards the future of fashion and how it relates to the environment, green fashion has grown.  Here are just a few ways in which the clothes on your back may be getting a little greener.

Schooling

The crossover between green living and the fashion industry starts with education and the new batch of designers entering the field.  This is why it’s awesome that so many fashion schools are now offering courses that explain the goals and possibilities where green fashion is concerned, as well as offering instruction in how to make eco-friendly clothing and accessory.  Even well-known schools like the Fashion Institute of Technology have embraced the possibility of greener clothing options by hosting exhibits and offering seminars and courses in eco-fashion.

Textiles

Organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, eucalyptus, and plenty of other plants are all being used to create fabrics that are free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, doing less harm to your body as well as the environment.  And peace silk and organic wool are gathered humanely so that no animals are killed to give you the shirt on your back (which is good for your conscience as well as the animals).  In addition to the many environmental benefits that come with these textiles, you’ll be happy to hear that they’re good for your wallet, too.  Although they may be a bit more expensive initially, they can last up to ten times as long thanks to the fact that no chemicals are present to break down the fibers prematurely.  And many designers are now opting for these fabrics in their lines, thus supporting the organic farming movement.

Manufacturing

If you knew how many chemicals went into producing a garment (bleaches, dyes, flame retardant, stain-proofing, and even formaldehyde, amongst other things), you might not be so keen to put them on your skin.  And in addition to the potential for bodily harm, the processes used to manufacture textiles for clothing are a source of pollution and waste.  But concerned designers and manufacturers are beginning to seek ways to reduce the damage caused by clothing creation, from using natural dyes and skipping chemicals to recycling scrap cloth left over from the production of garments.

Accessories

You can’t have a fashionable ensemble without a few accessories, and while some green changes are obvious (faux leather belts, shoes, and handbags, for example, or accessories made from recycled materials), others may be things you never even thought of (fair trade precious metals and gemstones for jewelry, shoes that can be recycled to create playground surfaces, etc.).  Many companies in the fashion industry are finding creative ways to go green not only with clothing, but with accessories, as well.

Designers

Perhaps you haven’t heard of up-and-coming eco-designers like Casey Larkin, Kizzy Jai Knight, and Ada Zanditon (although you should definitely check them out), but you’ve likely heard of Stella McCartney, who espouses eco-friendly fashion along with her vegetarian values.  And with more and more designers going green, it won’t be long before some of your favorite fashion houses start offering clothing options that will make you feel as good as you look.

Carol Montrose is a writer for www.tshirtprinting.net where you can create your own custom tshirts, hoodies, and much more.

Have you ever wanted a one-to-one yoga class outdoors instead of sharing a stuffy room in a gym or having to watch a DVD at home? Maybe you would just like to learn to dance, take up martial arts, or squeeze in some cardio training, in your own time, wherever you choose?

Online fitness video provider ThinQ Fitness (www.thinqfitness.com) has launched a brand new free App which will help those who want step-by-step fitness training take their favourite classes wherever and whenever they like. The App will allow users to stream hundreds of simple video fitness classes, which are currently available on the main website, from their iPhone and iPad.

From aerobics to belly dancing there are plenty of different workouts to try. There are even workouts that you can try at the gym. The app is free and you have access to a wide selection of videos but you can always upgrade to a ThinQ Fitness membership so that you can watch all the videos on the site for only £4.99 a month.

A qualified Personal Trainer takes you through each video step-by-step and gives you pointers on how to do the workout safely. You can also pick videos that suit the amount of time you have available, for example, if you are on your lunch break and only have time for a quick workout you can pick a 10 minute routine.

The App is simple to use – pause, rewind, fast forward all at the touch of a button. You won’t even need to bring a music player with you as each video session has music you’ll want to sing along to.

ThinQ Fitness App users can also browse all the latest health, fitness and nutrition articles straight from professional health and fitness experts using the ‘Lifestyle’ feature, and benefit from regular advice from personal trainers using the Blog feature.

Check out www.thinqfitness.com for more details.