Reviews & Articles

Hop in the shower, hop out again. Cleanse, tone, moisturise. Grab your makeup kit, put your war paint on. But wait. Have you stopped to think about what you’re actually using putting on your face and body? What do these lotions and potions contain? How were these products made and what’s their long-term impact?

The UK’s second-largest supermarket chain, Sainsbury’s, have shocked the ethically conscious community after pulling support for the Fairtrade Foundation. The groceries giant is the largest retailer of Fairtrade, the world’s most prominent ethical stamp that sets standards to the benefit of over 1.65 million farmers across 74 countries.

Choosing an engagement ring is a much more emotional rather than practical decision. The rings we wear symbolize so much and are the ultimate BuyMeOnce purchase since many of us wear our engagement and wedding rings our entire lives.

Initially, I struggled with how to make my bedroom zero waste. So I sat on my bed and asked the question: “What in here could have a toll on the environment?” The more I looked around, the more I saw. Everything we own will eventually become waste.

A children’s birthday party is potentially one of the most consumerist events in the annual calendar, so what steps could we take to try and create an event with less ecological impact?

Our lives revolve around convenience and cheap products wrapped in plastic, but at what cost? In this article series, I’ll aim to show that if each of us make small changes in our everyday life, we can make a huge impact on our waste production. 

There’s something poetic about giving a wedding gift that could last the couple the rest of their lives - and beyond. Just as a marriage is a bond for life, so should be the perfect wedding present. This is a list of our top ten wedding gifts that could last the happy couple forever.

The home office is a huge area where waste can be reduced, but many of these tips can be applied to commercial offices as well. Try making changes at work too. Most employees (and bosses!) love the idea, especially when they see the impact on a larger scale! 

WASHING TIPS It sounds like common sense, but the first thing to do is to separate dark clothing from the whites to prevent colour bleeding.  Garments often come with their very own garment laundry recommendations sewn into their seams, so it’s best always to follow the laundry recommendations.

Protect and condition - these are the two main things you need to know when it comes to leather shoes and bags.

“Upcycle, verb: Reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.” Reusing things is a surefire way to minimise the amount of rubbish you send to the landfill.

Thought experiment time: with realistic funds and resources, can you theoretically build an invincible bike? One that could last hundreds of years, used by great-grandparent, grandparent, parent and child? This week we spoke to Victor Duchêne of Auguste Handmade, the maker and mender that created Tara a “BuyMeOnce Bike.”