Vintage Leather Belts

(Belt) strapped for cash? Forget affordable for a minute and just imagine the curious combination of feeling aged leather beneath your feet and the look of vintage belts lining the floors of your home. Leather flooring is fairly unusual, but these upcycled belt designs are unique – each one hand-crafted and with individually-selected old belts.

BranchHome gives you Vintage Belt Floor Mat which are handsome, handmade floor mat is made of artfully assembled vintage leather belts that have been rescued on their way from waist to waste. Its rich tones, textures, and tread-friendly patina evoke the look of a wonderfully worn wood floor, albeit with a decidedly warmer under-foot feel. And the price? Over 600 US dollars for the round mat shown below:

Other ideas - Benches and chairs:

Further reading: Old Belts? Create Some Interesting Pieces of Furniture!

MossTiles

MOSStiles bring the outdoors in- without the mess!  The MOSStile is made of an ecologic resin base imbedded with natural moss for use indoors. No toxic substances are used in the making of the tile and no chemicals or fertilizers are needed to maintain them once they are installed. Maintenance is practically non-existent and no watering (except for an occasional misting) is necessary. The moss pulls all the nourishment it needs from an environment of at least 50% humidity. MOSStiles should not be placed in direct sunlight as diffuse light or even no light is best for them. And no fertilizer is required. These modular living tiles come in 12 different shades.

Just imagine the beautiful indoor vertical gardens you can create with these tiles: 

And why is there always a downside to new ideas? Because having a real plant indoor without the hassle of watering is really way too good to be true. It turns out that these are not made from moss at all, but lichens - specifically reindeer moss (Cladonia rangiferina):

This slow-growing lichen is harvested in Scandinavia, "stabilized" in a salt solution, glued onto tiles with a resin, then dyed one of twelve different colors. Hence, it is not a plant anymore. It might as well be made out of plastic. All the misting does is keeping them from drying out and crumbling to pieces. Even worse, reindeer moss is a major food source for caribou and other large ruminants. It's so slow growing that it's a threatened (and protected) species in some parts of the world.

Smog-eating tiles

With the pollution level in Hong Kong, it would be wonderful if there are any products which can reduce the formation of smog.

 
And guess what BoralPure™ SMOG-EATING Tile is the answer! "Smog-eating tiles" can oxidize the smog-forming nitrogen oxides released in the air. The tiles are coated with titanium dioxide, a photocalyst that can oxidize harmful air pollutants emitted in the burning of fossil fuels. When exposed to natural light, the titanium dioxide breaks down nitrogen oxides in the air and turns them into harmless calcium nitrate.

Over one year, a 2000 sq ft smog eating concrete tile roof can destroy the same amount of Nitrogen Oxides as a car produces from being driven 17,380km.  Calcium nitrate washes off your roof with normal precipitation and is a regular garden fertilizer.

The tiles are made purely from minerals with an inorganic surface that withstands weather conditions. The tile surface does not promote organic growth such as moss and algae. Airborne pollutants are destroyed by the effect of sunlight on the catalyst and are rinsed off by rainfall. Additionally, because of the special pore structure, the concrete tiles dry out in half the time it takes ordinary tiles. These amazing tiles may save the future of Hong Kong!