Now & Zen

Specialties

Boulder, Colorado – an innovative company has taken one of life’s most unpleasant experiences (being startled awake by your alarm clock early Monday morning), and transformed it into something to actually look forward to. «The Zen Alarm Clock,» uses soothing acoustic chimes that awaken users gently and gradually, making waking up a real pleasure. Rather than an artificial recorded sound played through a speaker, the Zen Clock features an alloy chime bar similar to a wind chime. When the clock’s alarm is triggered, its chime produces a long-​resonating, beautiful acoustic tone reminiscent of a temple gong. Then, as the ring tone gradually fades away, the clock remains silent until it automatically strikes again three minutes later. The frequency of the chime strikes gradually increase over ten-​minutes, eventually striking every five seconds, so they are guaranteed to wake up even the heaviest sleeper. This gentle, ten-​minute «progressive awakening» leaves users feeling less groggy.

History

Established in 1991.

Now & Zen introduced its original acoustic chiming clock, called The Zen Alarm Clock, in 1996, but according to McIntosh, the Bamboo Zen Timepiece is the company’s most environmentally friendly product yet. While the wood used in all Now & Zen products is sustainably grown on tree farms, and the company operates according to a strict policy of

environmental sustainability for all its operations, the introduction of the company’s bamboo line sets a new standard for sustainability. Bamboo, which is a species of grass, is a very «green» material for making clock bodies. Compared to a hardwood forest the same size, a bamboo grove produces 30% more oxygen and twenty times the biomass yield. Bamboo can be harvested annually after the first five to seven years without replanting, compared to twenty-​five to fifty years for trees, which then need to be replanted in bare soil.

Meet the Business Owner

Steve M.

Business Owner

All Now & Zen products have been conceived and designed by Steve McIntosh. Steve’s love of beauty and passion for spiritual practice led him to found Now & Zen with the goal of creating products that would make a real difference in people’s lives. Steve created Now & Zen’s brand aesthetic by combining the harmonic proportions of sacred geometry with motifs from traditional Japanese culture. This has resulted in product designs that have a timeless, universal appeal.