Need to save time and live a more sustainable lifestyle? It seems so hard to live sustainably in such a fast-paced world, let alone when you’ve got a family to organise! But it’s not as hard as you may think.
Here are some of our sustainable brands and tips for creating a more sustainable lifestyle, with quick switches you can make in your daily routine, ideas to save money and ways to be more eco-friendly.
Our top tips to live a more sustainable lifestyle
- Ditch the cling film
Beeswax and soy wraps are everywhere these days, so ditch the cling film on the kid’s lunches and pop in a reusable alternative in instead. It takes a little more time washing up, but it could save both money and the planet, avoiding all of that non-recyclable nastiness.
Check out Tweedles Handmade and Sweet Bee Wraps, two of our stallholders who create wraps to help busy families cut down on household waste, without compromising on convenience or style.
- Try reusable make up wipes
Hands up who forgets (or can’t be bothered to!) take their make up off before bed, from time to time? We’ve all been there, but with re-usable fabrics wipes, the fabric is kinder to your skin, the environment and your purse!
The Chemist’s Daughter creates beautiful and durable sustainable products using organic, recycled and reclaimed materials wherever possible. Their range includes everything from reusable face wipes and soap bags to reversible planters.
As well as the wraps mentioned above, Tweedles Handmade creates re-usable make-up wipes in the cutest patterns.
- Go vegan!
This is a great move for the environment and even just cutting down on a little of your weekly meat intake has lots of health benefits. Check out our blog for inspo on vegan markets and stallholders.
The Herb & Spice Co. create spice kits which are great for flavouring meals, so if you need some meal inspiration check them out!
4. Spend more time outside.
We’re sure you don’t need a nudge on this one. Watching the TV is great but will certainly rack up the electricity bill – not great for the environment! Not only is spending time outside cheap and cheerful, but it’s great exercise and fresh air is great for you – what’s not to love?! OK, so the British weather isn’t always glorious and lockdown this year has presented issues with spending time outdoors, but nothing beats the great outdoors for mindfulness, relaxation, being kind to the planet and having fun for free.
If you’d like to brighten up your own garden space so that you want to spend more time there, Brindley Garden Products make some amazing garden furniture.
- Buy slow fashion.
Using vintage products, recycled or upcycled clothing is a great way to avoid ‘fast fashion’ and shop more sustainably.
Wild Strings by Eleanor creates the most beautiful garments (pictured below), Little Dottie offers slow fashion for women and children, Bertie Rose creates children’s goods using beautiful sustainable fabrics, Daisy Dumpling uses natural and organic fibres to create knitted accessories, and Threaded Needle creates the most gorgeous and sustainable baby clothes. And there are plenty more businesses selling ethical fashion on our Stallholders page! Have a browse.
Evie Jade Jewellery uses recycled t-shirts to make thread for her bracelets, necklaces, plant holders and more – a fun and sustainable way to re-use fabrics and create something beautiful. Handmade by Tinni combines nature and fashion, using sustainable and colourful products to create unique jewellery.
Evie Jade Jewellery
Little Dottie
- Give the gift of sustainability.
My Ooo Bear make commissioned luxury teddy bears and soft toys from your loved ones’ clothing, creating an heirloom that can be passed down and reusing fabric to create a gorgeous sentimental gift. This means you can tell your little ones exactly what their toys are made from too, passing a sustainable ethos onto the next generation. Two of these cute soft toys are pictured below.
Made by Kelly O actually uses plastic bags to make new products, such as her range of make-up bags. A wonderful way to re-use plastic!
Ivy & Ginger are also big fans of sustainability and shopping locally, supporting British suppliers with their work too. These beautifully painted wooden earrings make the ideal sustainable gift – either for someone else or as a treat to yourself!
All of their suppliers are British, with the earrings cut from wood in Hampshire, their tape from Barry and their ‘Thank You’ cards from an artist in Staffordshire!
- Think about how you wrap your gifts.
The Hawthorn Co. offer silk wraps and fabric cloths to wrap gifts in, as does Forever Wraps – the perfect sustainable alternative to all of that nasty non-recyclable wrapping paper or heavy bags.
The Hawthorn Co.
8. Think about how the things you buy are wrapped too.
Like many of our stallholders, Squiggly Sue has cut down on packaging by using biodegradable bags made from cornstarch instead of standard cellophane, and often sends her greetings cards out ‘naked’ to reduce the use of single use plastic in line with the Naked Card Campaign.
Many of our stallholders use recyclable card to create their card ranges, just like Mountain Man Draws, as pictured below.
9. Buy more sustainable homeware.
Loopy Ewes has a flock of sheep in the Cotswolds, which they create their own unique wool products from. Every single part of the product is made in the UK. Even the lavender used in their lavender pouches is grown at a farm in the Cotswolds – less than 30 miles from where the sheep graze!
The wool is spun in Cornwall and dyed organically before returning to the Cotswolds to be turned into fabulous goods such as scarves, rugs and blankets.
Their sheepskin rugs are tanned at a small tannery on the Isle of Skye using an incredible natural technique with mimosa bark, and their tweed and herringbone fabrics are handwoven on a small hand loom.
rare-breed Cotswolds sheep
No. 16 Interior creates sustainable macrame and cork homewares, sourcing materials from either fellow local businesses or British suppliers. All of their fabric and thread comes from a local fabric shop and the wood for their gorgeous plant hangers comes from a local woodsmith!
No. 16 Interior
No. 16 Interior
Bamber Prints offers gorgeous eco-friendly prints and cards. Everything is printed in the UK on 100% recycled card and no plastic is used in their packaging – something they really value. They also use UK-based suppliers wherever possible, a great way to keep money in the local economy and support other independent retailers too.
Ivy Upcycling upcycles old furniture to make it fresh and new, as great way to breathe life into old furniture and avoid buying new.
You can find plenty of other inspo on our other sustainability blog too!