For those of us who conserve energy and cut our use of chemicals by line-drying our clothes, we have to admit there's just a certain softness missing. Luckily, though, a crafty little company from southern New York state has come up with Woolzies -- balls of New Zealand wool fashioned into laundry softening balls that cut dryer time by at least 25 percent and soften our clothes, towels and sheets without harsh, harmful chemicals.

The most interesting part: since they don't shed, Woolzies are safe even for people with wool allergies.  And since they last for a year or about 500 loads -- whichever comes first -- they save a ton of money for those of us who've traditionally used dryer sheets or liquid softener, running our dryers for the full length of each cycle. Better still: they're handmade in the democratic republic of Nepal, providing a steady source of income to women in need. Yet another reason to soften up our own lives a little, since they also soften the lives of others.  If that's not a fresh idea, we don't know what is!

Woolzies are sold online in sets of six for $36.