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Recession or not, shoppers still want to buy products that don't harm the environment. At least, that's what John Melecio has found since opening his Eco Boutique on 18th Street in San Francisco in September.
"I might be optimistic, but we did three times what we expected in the first month. It's different from other business in the area," he said.
Melecio took the pulse of the public correctly. The former cruise tour manager from Puerto Rico was ready to open a fashion boutique when he decided to move to San Francisco. But the birth of a niece inspired him to reflect on global warming. "I was afraid of what she was going to go through," he said.
Relying on National Geographic's quarterly Green Guide, he has ordered merchandise he deems useful and affordable. From cleaning products to artistic home decor items, everything is recycled, repurposed, sustainably made or organic.
A popular item is the Mission Mop, with a microfiber yarn pad and bamboo handle, assembled by disabled people in Wisconsin (below right, $26). It can be paired with a number of liquid cleaning products from Organic and Nature from New Jersey (below left, $6 to $9).
Eco Boutique also carries the Wonder Laundry Ball, an alternative to detergent that changes water ionization to clean clothes. At $51 for two balls, plus a drying ball, it's an investment, but Melecio says the method, popular in Europe, lasts for 1,000 washes and boosts the longevity of clothes.
Melecio wants to favor U.S. producers, but has made an exception for an Egyptian artisan who takes broken glass and makes Christmas ornaments.
Other merchandise includes bamboo towels and tableware, baby clothing, drinking glasses (goblets above, four for $68; tumblers, four for $45), wall clocks, decorative pillows and one-of-a-kind items from local artists.
"I tell people green is not necessarily for rich people. I will try really hard to keep my prices low," Melecio said.
Eco Boutique, 4035 18th St. (at Noe), San Francisco. (415) 252-0898. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. www.shopecoboutique.com.
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