I’m a somewhat outdoorsy kind of gal, and despite the sweltering heat this summer, I’ve done a lot of bicycling, kayaking, river tubing and hiking. All this is great fun, but for one thing: I have a watch with a metal band, and metal watch + sunscreen + my sweaty wrist = no fun. And since I’m also the kind of gal who constantly wants to know what time it is, I soon found myself in the market for a durable watch with a cloth band that I could wear while I’m enjoying the outdoors.

So I went watch shopping online, and it wasn’t long before I found Sprout. In addition to the wide selection of colors and the cute design, I was pleasantly surprised to read that Sprout watches are supremely eco-friendly. The band is made of organic cotton, the watch face and buckle are made of corn resin and bamboo, the glass over the watch face is made of mineral crystal, and even the battery is mercury-free. There’s nary a petroleum-based product in it! I was quite impressed, and between the eco-friendliness and the fact that it’s only $24 on Amazon, I bought it.

When the package arrived, I was glad to see that the watch was packaged in recycled cardboard, and it even contained a little package full of seeds that I just need to water and place in front of the window and watch it grow!

I want to mention one thing about Sprout’s customer service. When I first got my watch, it was set to the correct time and running smoothly. But just a few hours after I put it on, the battery died. I went to the Sprout website and filled out the Contact Us page explaining that I know the battery is not part of the warranty, but I wasn’t expecting to have to replace the battery as soon as I bought the watch. I received an e-mail back almost instantly from the company offering to send me a mailing envelope, postage paid, so I could sent them the watch and they could make sure it was only the battery that was the problem and not something else.

I said OK, and in a few days I received the mailer. I sent the watch off, and about two weeks later, I received the watch back. It’s been working perfectly ever since. That’s great customer service!

I’ve been really happy with my Sprout watch — it’s held up well and the design is really cute. I have the green one you see above, but there are many other colors to choose from. It’s a great casual watch for outdoor activity or just everyday use. I love it!