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Following on from my post about fast fashion I thought it would be a good idea to do a little list of different tips to help you boycott fast fashion.

REPEAT your outfits. Nobody cares if you've worn something once or one hundred times. A statistic I recently read said: "If you double the number of uses per garment life cycle, you could reduce carbon footprints by almost 50%".

UNSUBSCRIBE from emails. Ordered something off ASOS last month? Bought a pair of shoes from an online store? Anything like this where you get those annoying emails with offers, deals and reminders. Emails showing the latest garments. The temptation goes away when you stop receiving these pesky reminders.

CHOOSE ETHICAL brands. Research before you buy, have a look online or locally for a more sustainable option. For example I wanted a new bag, but looked online and found Baggu which was made of recycled cotton. Even shopping at a smaller business will help create less demand for fast fashion brands, whilst also supporting a smaller business who will appreciate your purchase. On a personal level, you'll make that person happier than some chain who's in it for the money.

SWAP your clothes with friends or attend a clothes swap event. If you don't have any clothes to swap, just ask to borrow or lend someone a piece for a while.

WEAR WHAT YOU OWN. Dig through those clothes that you have hiding at the back of your wardrobe, go all Marie Kondo and have a clear out (save items for clothes swaps, good items for charity) and organise your clothes so you can see what you have, and wear items you haven't worn in a while. Restyling them with something you now own.

FOLLOW others who are on a journey to becoming sustainable. Social media can have its benefits and finding other people in the zero waste community online can be really helpful in finding out alternatives, facts and information.
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SETBACKS
Nobody's perfect. I work in a very open, old building (that is really cold in winter), and have been suffering from the cold pretty badly (even wearing thermals too). I needed thicker jeans and whilst I had been holding off buying any for a long time, I caved. I bought a pair of New Look jeans out of convenience. The labels states 'made using less water' but if I'm honest I didn't choose these because of this, as the damaging consequences of this whole brand won't be solved by one range of their garments using less water. Whilst it is good that they are noticing consumers demands, it is essentially greenwashing. We're all on our own routes to being more sustainable, and I want to be honest about the steps I'm taking and to document these throughout. Whilst I haven't bought any fast fashion items in many many months, this one was a necessity to me in my situation. I wear these jeans everyday for work and they have definitely had their life cycle worth already! I'm unlikely to change clothing sizes and if anything needs to be repaired on them, I'm now quite handy on the sewing machine, so they should last me a long time.

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I hope that these ideas can be useful to help inspire you to stop buying new where possible, and if available to you, choose a more earth friendly approach to shopping. Additionally, to give you a little reminder that nobody on their way to being eco friendly is perfect, it's all a learning process! 💚

No you don't need that new dress, that new jumper, those shoes you'll only wear once. Really, you have another choice and the planet will thank you for it.

Sustainable fashion is something I am super keen to learn more about this year. I have only been dipping my toes into this topic by following other people on social media who post about this, and finding alternatives to buying clothes from fast fashion brands.

It is a huge throwaway industry. Companies produce such mass quantities of items and these big brands don’t even contribute to paying workers living wage. Some brands (e.g H&M) are catching on to the environmental demands and now have ‘conscious’ ranges which as a consumer we believe is them making positive changes and progress...WRONG. Whilst they do this range they are still producing hundreds of other garments alongside this, so how is that sustainable in any way!? Just by having a few items 'conscious' does not account for any other issues, even considering why certain items are so cheap. Another tip when you’re shopping is to check what materials clothes are made from as most are made from synthetic materials (eugh plastic really is everywhere). 

We are brought up in a culture where we feel that we need to buy a new dress for the next party we have. Or maybe that we can't wear that dress worn to a party last week again. We see people on social media platforms wearing lovely clothes (hardly ever wearing the same clothes twice in posts), so it's no wonder we think in this way. I was like this too and I am starting to tell myself not to buy new. I'll tell you now, with New Look clothes staring at me all day it requires a LOT of willpower. You also save money when you stop and really ask yourself if you need it. Think about how else you could spend your money, maybe save it and spend the money on a piece of clothing that would last longer, and contribute to better ethical standards. (more on this another day). (I will acknowledge that I am in a privileged position to be able to choose where I can buy clothes from.)

In this particular situation that has inspired me to write this post, I found myself trying to find a dress suitable for a black tie event. This meant that my options were to either:

-Wear something I already own

-Buy a new dress

-Buy secondhand (thrift/charity shop)

-Borrow from someone

As I don't own any long dresses, I reached out to friends and asked if anyone had one suitable for said event and then bingo - a close friend had a long black dress which I could try on, and luckily it was the perfect fit. Popped a pair of heels that I already own and voila!

If you take anything away from this post please let it be this:

The most sustainable fashion is wearing the clothes that you already own.

I'll be blogging more tips and info very soon!

(Totally irrelevant photo as I couldn't choose just one image to suit the whole blog post. It was a high tide sunset at the beach across the road. Bliss.)

If I was forced to choose my top favourite plastic free swaps, my safety razor would without a doubt be up at the top as my number 1!

If you think a stainless steel razor with blades is a bit scary you have nothing to worry about (trust me, if I can use it you can too!). In the second photo you can see it dismantled. Simply switch out the old blade with a new one once it's blunt. You don't need to do this much as they last a hell of a lot longer than disposable razors - I had a pack of 5 blades over a year ago when I first bought this razor and still have a couple left.

My top tips:

1) Ensure that you take the razor apart after every use. This will prevent any rusting, though this doesn't seem to be an issue at all!

2) To put the parts together I use a towel or flannel to hold around the blade/top of the razor as I screw it tight.

3) Go slow... don't rush, take the time to get used to a different razor. Metal razors tend to be significantly heavier than disposables, and of course the blades are very sharp on the first use.

4) Use a decent soap! Find a plastic free shaving soap bar to lather up, and a shaving brush also makes a massive difference.

This was a short post, but I hope that my tips help you or that you also will make the swap from disposable razors to a safety razor. Every item that we swap for something that uses less disposable single use plastics the better!

♥

I'm loving all of the Plastic Free July posts that I'm seeing as I scroll through my phone, and seeing so many people sharing all of their fave zero waste hacks! Some of my favourite plastic free swaps are items that I take with me everyday, when I'm out and about, packing my lunch for the day or travelling. Let's have a look at a few swaps for when you're out and about!

Coffee cups

Addicted to tea like me, or can't go without your morning takeaway coffee? Buy an awesome reusable coffee cup! Some establishments even offer you a discount if you take your own cup. I adore my Pukka bamboo cup, so handy with a little tab that you can use to stop spills.

Bottles
I absolutely refuse to buy a bottle of water. I can't remember the last time that I bought a bottle of water from the shop. The last time that I accepted a plastic bottle of water was when running the Guernsey half marathon and water was necessary at one of the water stations. However, my sister and I shared one small bottle and handed it back to our supporters on the side lines to recycle/reuse instead of it going in the bin. That being said, refilling a reusable bottle is one of the most straight forward things you can do to reduce plastic waste. As a result I've even stopped drinking any soft drinks that come in a plastic bottle too, which doesn't bother me when there's free water refill or the option to have a can or glass bottled drinks.

Straws

I think there's more to the plastic problem than straws, but they are definitely an unnecessary plastic item now that paper and metal straws are available too. If you don't have a reusable straw with you, remember to say to the person serving you when you order your drinks that you would like your drink without one. I love my stainless steel straws and plant based straw brush, super handy just to fit in your bag.

Lunchbox

I'd been searching for a stainless steel lunchbox for a while, one that wasn't too heavy and with a good seal. I found this perfect sized one which is great for taking lunch in everyday, and it keeps food really cool in the fridge.


Cutlery
I think sometimes we forget that we have perfectly good, reusable cutlery at home. Pack a knife and fork in your bag for the day, or buy a bamboo alternative that you will always have in your lunchbox.

Bags

Whenever you shop, just get into the habit of saying that you don't need a bag. Annoyingly a large number of shops still automatically presume that you'd like one. I've had times where I've said to the person serving me I don't need a bag after they've already got one ready, it's as if it's been programmed into us that we must have a new disposable bag at every shop. Find a cool tote bag or a foldaway one so you never need to say yes to a plastic bag again.

Beeswax wraps
If you haven't read my post all about Beeswax wraps you can check it out [here]. I hate cling film with a passion, and can't imagine a life without beeswax wraps. Use them for sandwiches, covering dishes of leftovers, make into a pouch for snacks to take with you to the beach, keep your soap bars in when travelling... the list really is endless!

There we go, I'd like to make one more swap this month to push myself that little bit further. These small changes made by each person will help change the demand for disposable plastics.

♥

It's so amazing that Plastic Free July is a global movement, highlighting the issues we face from the overuse of disposable plastics.

Admittedly I'm definitely not completely plastic free. I try my hardest to eliminate the use where possible but the easiest way is to stop an item at a time. It can also depend on each individual situation or circumstances. For example having access to these plastic free alternative products. I am living with my parents, and whilst cutting out plastic completely would be ideal, it's not always possible.

Why not pick up a pen and paper, or use the handy notes section on your phone and room by room write down items you think could be swapped. Today let's focus on the bathroom - I'll share with you the plastic free swaps that I have made, and you could make too. It's fair to say that I've no doubt mentioned a lot of these already, but why not refresh your memory for some Plastic Free July inspiration!

Toothpaste:

Toothpaste can be a tricky one, getting used to dent tabs or an alternative toothpaste might be weird to start with but after a couple of days you'll forget all about the existence of tubed toothpaste! My absolute favourite go to paste is Georganics charcoal. This comes in a glass jar (that's great to reuse) with a mini wooden scoop.

Mouthwash:

If your mouthwash is in a plastic bottle, when it starts to run low why not look if there is an alternative brand that uses glass bottles. Switch to something like the Georganics mouthwash in a glass bottle or some mouthwash tablets.

Toothbrushes:

Don't give in to the hype of a bamboo toothbrush unless your current toothbrush needs replacing. The last thing we want is for plastic toothbrushes to be thrown away all of a sudden unnecessarily. If you do / when you do make the swap to a bamboo toothbrush, ensure that you keep your plastic one for things like cleaning and scrubbing - even getting into the groves of your car hub caps to make them sparkling clean when you wash your car, anything like that, which saves it from being thrown into landfill.

Face cloths:

I love my various face cloths so much I hate to think back to when I used face wipes from a packet! Warm water and a face cloth = biggest game changer.

Shampoo & Conditioner bars or liquid refills:

Shampoo and conditioner bars are a great alternative now there's so many options, or why not find the nearest zero waste shop and top up with a refill! Tip: Bars are handy if you're a frequent traveller.

Razor:

Ahh my beautiful razor - a favourite swap for sure. Take a bit of extra care when using a safety razor, they do have more weight to them than a disposable, but once you get the hang of it you'll wonder why we ever used disposables.

Pads:
How many plastic lined pads have we used... it's best not to think about. It's always great to try something new and reusable pads are definitely something to give a go, or a mooncup. Using the pads you just wash and use again and again - no waste!! There's lots of helpful information online or from where you purchase them on the care of the reusable pads etc. Just start with one and give it a go. 

Cotton buds:
Bamboo cotton buds are a very popular replacement to the typical plastic ones you get, but did you know that there's a completely zero waste alternative called an Oriculi? An oriculi is made from bamboo, that can be used time and time again with no need to throw away. Just clean your ear and wipe the oriculi clean (maybe look up a quick tutorial if you're not sure how to use one). Super simple swap!

That's it for now, things like toilet paper, bars of soap instead of liquid and many more products could be swapped too. I hope you choose one of the items to make a swap for not just Plastic Free July but for the long run. One item can make all the difference.

"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly." - Anne-Marie Bonneau

♥

I wanted to give an update since my previous post, and share the additional swaps that I have made since September. In the post I explained the plastic free swaps and listed those that I hoped to make. If you'd like to see these then please take a look here: Life Without Plastic, It's Fantastic. 

The swaps were: toothpaste, conditioner, face wash, face wipes, suncream, deodorant, plastic bottles, bags, food items, coffee cups and cling film.

I'm going to go through the changes I have made and had success with since, and hopefully to push you to make a sustainable swap too - just changing one item in your routine can have a positive impact.

Shampoo

 I finally committed (or should I say forced myself) to use a shampoo bar after a failed attempt and now have a favourite from Lush, the Montalbano. It smells like lemon and makes a really good lather just like a bottled shampoo would. Highly reccommend this one if you haven't already tried it. I am aware that sulfates are synthetic and not a natural ingredient so I'll be looking for another bar that works just as well however for now it's a great plastic bottle free shampoo.

Cotton buds

Haven't used a cotton bud now since... January! Instead of using bamboo cotton buds as a plastic free alternative I am using an oriculi. This is a completely plastic free, lets call it an 'ear  scoop', which you just wipe clean.

Phone case

I bought a Pela phone case (which I forgot to photograph), these are compostable. There's so many choices of colours and designs for all phone sizes and depending on which case you purchase, some of the money goes toward an environmental causes like Save the Waves. They also post them plastic free. It's protected my phone when I dropped it onto concrete and hasn't even made a mark on the case.

Razor

This has got to be THE best swap. I purchased my safety razor in September and whilst I was a bit worried about using it at first, it really wasn't so bad. Yes, you certainly need to ensure that you take extra care when using it and handling it, but it is such an easy swap! I pair it with orange and lavender oils shaving soap from Friendly Soap, and all you need to do is swap the blades out when they get blunt but they typically last longer than disposables.

If you want a good first set there are so many available, I purchased mine from www.plasticfreedom.com (Beth at Plastic Freedom is amazing at sourcing all kinds of plastic free products and everything you receive will come plastic free packaged too). Click here to see the razor starter kit.  

Sanitary pads

One for the ladies.

Okay, so this one I was apprehensive about to say the least, but this is a swap I'm super happy to be trying. Along with many non-disposable options for that time of the month, reusable sanitary pads aren't half as bad as I thought. I mean if you really think about it if you use disposable pads how many do you use? Every single pad is lined with, individually wrapped in, and packed together in plastic. To wash you rinse after use with cold water to prevent staining and then add them in with the rest of your washing in the machine. Reduce your waste and give a reusable menstrual product a try, what is the worst that can happen? Plastic free periods are the way forward.

Toothbrush

Again another simple swap, self explanatory, easy to use, no problems with this and you can get ones with different colours and bristle types. Make the swap!

Kitchen roll

My sister helped me to make the 'un paper towels' as they are also known - reusable kitchen roll. Have you ever stopped to think about how much kitchen roll you go through in say, two weeks? For a bit of mopping up, drying your fruit or veg, cleaning things, wiping your hands. Why not make some (or buy them if using a sewing machine doesn't appeal to you), choose some patterns of cotton that you love or why not match a colour scheme in your house. You could even add poppers and store them like kitchen roll you're used to. Once they're dirty just pop them into the machine with your other towels/washing. Things like turmeric and paprika can stain the white towel side, but remember that this is just a stain and they'll still be good as new once they're washed.

Water bottle

I wrote about my S'well bottle in the previous post but this smaller sized bottle, that I found in a local shop, is great for times where I don't want to carry the bigger one.

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That's all the new changes I can think of for now, there's bound to be something that I've missed but I'm sure no doubt I will be posting another update. I hope this gives you some inspiration for new plastic free products you could give a go.

I'll end on this quote posted by Zerowastechef (Anne-Marie) who I follow on Instagram:

"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly."

♥

As well as initiating discussions and making other people aware of plastic swaps, and how easy some can be, I wanted to document the swaps that I have made so far. Ones I love, need to get used to, and those that I intend on doing in the future. 

CURRENT SWAPS:

Toothpaste
I had been getting the Co-op whitening cruelty free toothpaste in the meantime as a cruelty free option, and have just recently purchased the Georganics English Peppermint toothpaste. It is a natural toothpaste (so there's no nasty chemicals) and it's also cruelty free, plastic free, vegan... I could go on. It doesn't lather in your mouth because it's more of a paste, so I just need to get used to that. It seems like this little 120ml jar will last a very long time, for now though I'm thinking of all the things I could reuse the jar for! (If you're in Guernsey and like me, couldn't find this here then go to Plastic Freedom, she packages everything plastic free).

Conditioner
Swapping my bottled conditioner to a conditioner bar was by far the easiest hair product swap. I use the Sugar Daddy-O solid conditioner from Lush. The violet helps stop brassy tones which is great for my super blonde hair and it's lasted me such a long time - I bought this early this year and it's got a long way to go.

Face wash
Another great swap from Lush is the face bar. Again this has lasted a long time, and it's really good for oily skin as a face wash/scrub instead of buying bottled face washes.

Face wipes
Using reusable fabric face cloths - click here to read my post all about the swap.

Sun cream
The chemicals in sun creams are destroying the coral reefs, and by swapping to Shade, in a tin not a plastic bottle, you can help prevent this damage going forward. This is also a cruelty free, vegan option.

Deodorant
I couldn't tell you when I got my hands on this Salt of The Earth deodorant stick, it was that long ago. All you do is wet to apply or apply straight after the shower. I know this isn't a plastic free one at the moment, but for now this will do as a chemical free, natural alternative.

Shower gel
Use a bar of soap - the Bodyshop have a huge range of cruelty free soaps however, the paper that these are packaged in aren't recyclable so I managed to find Friendly soap locally in a cardboard box, from Iris and Dora.

Hair Brush
No longer will I purchase a plastic hairbrush when there are so many alternatives. I have a bamboo comb from Bodyshop, but there are so many other kinds of bamboo/plastic free alternatives.

Dry shampoo
My sister recently made some with arrowroot powder, cocoa powder and orange essential oil. Reuse a glass jar and rub into your hair - this is mostly amazing because it smells like chocolate orange.

Cling film & tin foil
Beeswax wraps have been the biggest and best improvement, instead of using cling film. So many awesome patterns, colours and sizes to choose from, or easy to make at home too. I don't want to buy anymore Tupperware if I can avoid it, however they last a long time and I also found a lovely Cath Kidston bamboo lunch box in the sale!

FUTURE SWAPS:

Stainless steel straw - At home I have a little stash of paper straws but a stainless steel one would be great for those drinks out and about.

Bamboo cotton buds - I have a few of cotton buds left but if I buy any more they will be those made from bamboo.

Shampoo bar - Whilst I have tried the Lush shampoo bars, they don't seem to work for my hair, I'd like to give a few others a try before giving up because this is an important switch I want to make.

Pela phone case - Phone cases... I never really thought about the fact that they're made of plastic. Maybe it's because they're sometimes just so pretty, or we only buy them occasionally. I'd love a Pela case, going forward.

Kitchen roll - Imagine how much kitchen roll every household goes through in a month! My sister has said that she will make me some reusable cloths. All you need to do is then pop them in the wash. 

Toilet roll - Packaged in plastic and not always sustainable, I have seen that there a few alternatives. Who Gives A Crap is one, where they post them to you in paper, it's made with environmentally friendly materials, and money from each purchase goes to a really great cause. 

Razor - I am absolutely desperate to try a safety razor. I am guilty of using disposable razors. They're cheap and convenient, but I've had enough. A stainless steel safety razor might take a bit of getting used to but it's something that I can't wait to do.

Reusable sanitary pads - This swap will be a huge step, and one that will prevent so much in a year from going to landfill. I must order them this month! All you do is wash them and reuse them, simple.

Bamboo toothbrush - Once my toothbrush needs replacing I'll make the swap.

I'm proud with the changes I'm making, and I hope to look back in a few months, or a year and add to this list. If everyone switches one item they use it really will make a difference. We need to make these changes now.


"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better it's not." - Dr. Seuss.  

♥

This Summer I planned my Sisters' Hen party, and as a person who is trying to gradually cut down on single use plastics, I was inspired to use as little plastic as possible for her hen party. Lots of my ideas were homemade, so if you're planning a birthday party, hen party or BBQ why not come up with some ideas from mine below, or make awesome homemade decorations. 

Straws & place names

I hope that you're inspired in some way, to make something for the next party you plan - even if that's as simple as switching to paper straws. I've learnt my lesson when ordering online, that making things is usually the best way to ensure that it is definitely going to be plastic free.

Happy party planning!

♥

Plastic. It's everywhere. 

Plastic is a hot topic at the moment and something that I'm absolutely starting to become a little passionate about. Some people are calling this awareness the "Blue Planet Effect", as there has started to be a huge talk of the issue since David Attenborough's Blue Planet II series. Something I am so so happy he shared on his programme. There's so many areas in which plastic can be avoided, but today I want to share with you supermarket shopping.

You know those annoying, plastic, non reuasable, flimsy produce bags in the shops to weigh your fruit and vegetables in and you take home? Well, you can stop using them! These bags can end up polluting our oceans along with all other kinds of litter and plastics, killing sealife.

I've put together a little step by step guide below from using these bags, to using less of them, to making your own! 

Option 1:

If you're only at the initial stages of changing your plastic use and haven't any alternatives at the moment, just limit your use. Instead of using a bag for say, carrots, bananas, courgettes etc just use one. Weigh your fruit/veg and stick all the labels onto one bag. 

Option 2:

If you still feel like you need to use a plastic bag, don't use the ones in the shops that you put in the bin, instead use a more sturdy bag that's reusable - one that you can wash and use again. 

Option 3:

Don't use any bags. Weigh your fruit/veg and stick the label directly onto each item - this isn't harmful all you need to do is give your fruit/veg a quick wash if you like before you eat it (which you may have done when you use a plastic bag anyway).

Option 4:

Take your own bag. Any bag for that matter. Using your own bag makes this so much easier to put through the checkout, carry it home, and just give your bag a little wash every now and then to stay clean. You could put the labels on the outside of the bag, or if you're unpacking it at the till, again just stick directly onto the fruit/veg.

Option 5:

Make your very own produce bag! This is something my amazing sister has made herself, and I am about to start making. Maybe I will blog the process, but I'll wait and see if its a success first! This way you can reuse it time and time again, the labels will come straight off the bag too.

I hope that even if one of you reading this changes your habit of using these bags when you do your weekly food shop, and that alone has a big impact. Imagine how many grocery bags one family goes through, just switching out one item of plastic is better than none - let me know how you get on!

♥

When life gives you lemons... make lemon swiss roll.




Make buttericing by mixing icing sugar and butter using an electric whisk. Use the buttericing and lemon curd to make your filling, and roll the sponge back up. It's that simple, and definitely worth it if you love a lemon cake!

I will definitely be trying this again with an alternative flavour!

About a month ago my Mum, sister and I went on a walk and my sister decided to bring a bag to collect rubbish along the way. Having never done this myself I didn't think there would be much to pick up. Unfortunately I was wrong.

We went on a 5.1km walk taking us 1 hour 30 minutes, which would normally only take around 40 minutes not stopping to collect rubbish. We found the following:

First half of the walk:
 Second half of the walk:

Take your rubbish home, and put it in the bin/recycling
Use a reusable travel cup for coffee/tea
Use a resubale water bottle
Refuse the straw - if you still want to use drinking straws you can purchase glass, bamboo or stainless steel reusable ones