Go light with Solight and its SolarPuff Solar Lantern / $32

“Success breeds success” is an old saying, but it’s one that often comes to mind as eco-conscious products become more commonplace. At first, the cost of sustainable technologies can be prohibitive. But as their popularity grows, falling costs drive accessibility and acceptance, eventually giving industrial designers like Alice Min Soo Chun the ingredients to rethink the way common products are made and used.

The Columbia University Architecture professor’s Solight SolarPuff Solar Lantern is a great example of this chain effect in action. At first glance, it’s a cute lamp, but thanks to its ultra-efficient solar cells and LED diodes, the soft-body SolarPuff performs tasks that conventional lamps can’t: carrying light everywhere it’s needed…for free! With lighting making up 10-20% of most homes’ energy costs, its potential to make a difference is clear.

We were always going to have a soft spot for the SolarPuff’s PVC-free, sail-like casing, but sailcloth’s brightness and durability also make it an ideal choice, and it keeps the lantern’s weight down to a miserly 74g. Best of all is the design’s versatility. Waterproof, buoyant and equipped with a Velcro handle, the SolarPuff is ready for use in a wide range of indoor and outdoor settings.

This go-anywhere attitude is reinforced by a smart, origami structure that lets the SolarPuff pack flat and lie in the sun for easy charging. Around 8 hours of charge time can provide up to 12 hours of light, and an integrated sensor will switch it on or off according to conditions. Choose from bright white or warm white to set the mood, and start saving!