At Reform School, one man's discarded street sign is another man's serving platter. Clutch purses made from skate decks and vases fashioned from magazine pages are the tip of the sustainable accoutrements iceberg in store.

Owners and former high-school classmates Billie Lopez and Tootie Maldonado started with a modest selection of handmade cards and gifts stacked inside tin locker shelves at The Kids are Alright in Echo Park. The pair then moved to a full-scale store at the Sunset Junction and christened their new, eco-conscious classroom with number-two pencils mischievously speared into the ceiling and kiddie-drawing wallpaper by Tootie's brother, Andy, printed on oversized lined tablet sheets. More than 80 percent of the store's shelf space is dedicated to items made from recycled materials or eco-friendly processes. The rest is rounded out with charming paper goods, offbeat books and indie artist creations. Hip Silver Lake parents will appreciate the organic cotton baby clothes and all-natural chemical-free household cleaners. Diehard environmentalists can pick up Just Soap, a company that saves electricity by powering its all-natural soap production by bicycle pedal. But the main draw is the furniture, which includes a surprisingly sturdy cardboard chair that matches nicely with Ting London pillows woven from seatbelt straps. —Rhea Cortado