Now, grab a cuppa and get tucked in; this is a goodie.
Fashion for Good is an international company that works towards a circular fashion industry.
At the core of Fashion for Good is their innovation platform. Based in Amsterdam we have different global programmes to help innovators - often young companies, to scale and accelerate. For example, we help them with supply chain implementation - by connecting them to big brands, retailers and manufacturers in our network and we offer support with foundational projects, pilots and funding. This in turn, helps large brands and retailers become more sustainable.
More consumer facing, we also house the Fashion for Good Museum, the world’s first and only sustainable fashion museum! Where we organise events and workshops but also have a permanent exhibition that explains the stories behind our clothes and shows the future of fashion.
Photo credit: Fashion for Good
Fashion is part of our identity nowadays and I would love for fashion to be sustainable for people and the planet and for sustainable fashion to be affordable for everyone, making it the norm. We believe good fashion should be the norm.
Good fashion is not fashion that simply looks good or is mostly good. It is good in five important ways:
Good Materials – safe, healthy and designed for reuse and recycling
Good Economy – growing, circular, shared and benefiting everyone
Good Energy – renewable and clean
Good Water – clean and available to all
Good Lives – living and working conditions that are just, safe and dignified
Photo credit: Fashion for Good
Always follow your heart. You are good enough, you can do anything you set your mind to. Do not ever be scared of change. Apply for the dream job.
If you are in a current role that’s not focused on sustainability, yet it’s something that you want to do, perhaps try to ask for a change in your current role, within the same company.
"Just start with asking."
I still learn (every day) that asking for something, may actually get you somewhere, even though you may expect there are no options or possibilities, just start with asking. Not every job I had historically was a dream job for me, but I try to learn as much as I can wherever I am, and that brought me to where I am right now. So sometimes you’re just where you need to be, at that point in time, and that is fine too.
Photo credit: Anne Ro
Well, enough? The industry isn’t the best it can be yet, so no. But I do have to say I have seen a huge shift in the last few years, which I am incredibly proud of!
When we (at Fashion for Good) opened our Museum in 2017, not a lot of fashion journalists would come and pay us a visit when I’d invite them. And that has drastically changed. More and more fashion journalists now also write about sustainability and not just cultural topics or trends anymore, and that is so so important.
Media plays a huge role in educating, questioning and empowering the public and I am happy to see it’s becoming a more common topic in all titles for that matter.
Photo credit: Fashion for Good
I enjoy so many different types of podcasts lately, Tess to Sustainability (but in Dutch sorry!), or Oprah’s Supersoul Conversations, as long as I can learn and grow my perspective, I am happy. That could mean focusing on sustainability topics but also on new stories and inspirational experiences from others.
I find it key to being able or to try to understand people from different walks of life, because it helps with work but also in my private life, connecting to others for me is (sorry for going so deep) the reason why we’re here.
Photo credit: Laura van der Spek
HA! I start my day with my dog. She wakes me up by wagging her tail against my bed linen which always puts a smile on my face. We go for a walk together, and afterwards I’ll make a healthy breakfast and watch the news or listen to a podcast.
I try to end my working days with recapping what I did that day and summarise the to do’s for the next day, so that I, in the mornings, can be as relaxed as possible. A morning walk in the park definitely helps with that!
Photo credit: Anne-Ro
The Museum reopened only recently and we currently have an amazing exhibition on biomaterials called GROW. It’s a beautifully curated exhibition on natural materials.
Most natural materials you know are cotton, linen and hemp. But a lot of innovations are being done since we are facing so many challenges around materials in the fashion industry, the way we’re currently using textiles isn’t sustainable and we need new more alternative options. Therefore talented scientists are working on leather alternatives, biodegradable glitters made from eucalyptus and so much more.
But how do you know it’s sustainable? When can we wear a mushroom leather jacket? That and so much more you can discover in GROW in our sustainable fashion museum in Amsterdam but also remotely via virtual tours.
Next iteration is a GROW 2.0 expo, where brand new biomaterials will be turned into garments, made by up and coming designers and content creators, who will turn the garments and stories around the garments into a new expo, opening in October - incredibly exciting to literally see what the future of fashion will look like!
Check out the Fashion for Good Museum
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Women following their passion is something we LOVE here at Evamoso. So we sat down and decided we would reach out to women who inspire us, get our brain juices flowing and make us want to just do that thing we've been thinking about for far too long.
This time, we interviewed and had a conversation with Alicia Waite.
Photographer, freelance branding expert and all round super star (oh, let's not forget also mamma to her beautiful baby daughter Sadie). Alicia has worked with all sorts of brands, both big (The Daily Telegraph, Larsson & Jennings, Elle UK, Matchesfashion.com) and small (Alicia is the Evamoso photographer and helped design our brand values).
Looking at her instagram is like a cleanse for the eyes, with calming tones that will make you want to live in the utopia she creates through her camera lens.
In this interview we chatted to Alicia about the land of freelance work, fashion, sustainablity and new mum life. So grab a cuppa, and get inspired with us.
Fake it till you make it. I had to throw myself into projects that I felt nervous about right from the start, often learning and gathering skills along the way. I wouldn't say ask someone to pay for a service you absolutely cannot provide of course, but do the projects that scare you, because more often than not, you're more capable than you think you are.
Yes - I don't think we have a choice and the collective 'normal' is changing so quickly and strongly towards sustainability I don't think there's any way backwards.
Very little at the moment as I'm 9 months pregnant, but usually I walk everywhere, and try to get out for a run when I can but mostly, with work and a toddler, I rely quite heavily on a big daily dog walk to get my blood going. My work is hugely physical so I really feel as though I get a lot of help with mobility and general fitness from all the heavy lifting and ducking and diving that comes with being a photographer.
Photo credit: Frances Davison\
I wish I was a hot lemon-swilling, meditator in the mornings, but in reality my day starts with cajoling a very energetic Sadie out the door to nursery in a flurry of packed lunches, mislaid waterproofs and general chaos. Definitely room for improvement.
I think I'm so lucky with my job in that I can theoretically balance those two things so well, by choosing which days I work and setting clear boundaries for the days I want to spend with Sadie. In reality though I currently have more jobs than I can do in a partial working week so Sadie goes to an amazing forest school Monday to Thursday and hangs out with her Grandparents on some Fridays so I can take those projects on. I love my job so much and being fulfilled in that area of my life definitely makes me a better parent, so it's all working well at the moment.
Photo credit: Alicia WaiteI'll be taking a few weeks off from client work over the summer to have another little girl, and work on some personal projects, like building my own dark room here in Leicestershire where I've recently moved back to. I can't wait!
You can purchase this limited edition print shot by Alicia from her website below (from £70)
If you want to check out any of Alicia's amazing work then head over to her website: www.aliciawaite.com]]>
Powerful women leading in their industries is what Evamoso is all about. We love to have our imaginations sparked by other women and learn about their experiences. Which is why we wanted to start talking to some women who inspire us and hear about their journeys.
Our first in this new series In Conversation With is the wonderful Micaela Sharp.
Recently, we caught up with the semi finalist on Interior Design Masters, to talk all things entrepreneurship, sustainability and interior design. Not only is Micaela an absolute whizz at interior design and founder of Micaela Sharp Design she is also a co-founder of Studio Janettie and Womxn in Business South East. With core values of sustainability, creativity, feminism and curiosity Micaela views on the world were ones that we loved at Evamoso.
Alan is such a laugh! He is exactly as you'd expect him to be: warm, funny and genuine. We didn't know he would be the host when we started, we were all expecting lovely Fearne Cotton (from series one) to walk in so we had quite a shock. But what a great shock! The show was a lot tougher than I had expected mainly due to the timeframes as trying to source in a pandemic was really challenging. Something I hadn't expected was getting on so well with the other designers. They were such a great bunch and some real friendships were forged which has been amazing!
Sustainability cuts to the very heart of upholstery. Our trade is all about keeping hold of quality made frames and reimagining them throughout the decades to modernise them. Running Micaela Sharp Design has meant I often get to hear heartwarming stories about how a pieces has been passed down through the generations and it’s great to play a role in reupholstering something for generations to come! I'm all about saving items from landfill and choosing items consciously and this ethos plays a role in my interior design projects as well as upholstery.
Imposter Syndrome is a real issue when you're starting your own business. Friends and family will lavish you with compliments and you'll want to play them down. Other people in your industry will want to chat to you and you may not feel like you're deserving or knowledgeable enough. But I think a great entrepreneur recognises that you should always be learning. So whether you're in year one or year ten there is always more to learn and improvements and efficiencies to be made. Don't be afraid to say you're still figuring it out because that curiosity is powerful!
I really enjoyed the Multi-hyphen method by Emma Gannon. It's about following your passions and not conforming to one full-time job. I could really relate to that as a creative person because I always have ideas for new projects and new businesses. Micaela Sharp Design started as an upholstery service but now offers interior design. I am about to launch a furniture collaboration with Charlotte Beevor from the show called Studio Janettie (named after our grandmothers). I have a column in Reclaim Magazine spotlighting independent homeware brands. As well as some TV shows in the pipeline and other fun projects ongoing. So I can really relate to Emma's multi-hyphen approach to work!
I am all about breakfast! I really take the time at the start of each day to fuel my body and sit and enjoy it. This moment allows me to plan out my day (which rarely goes as expected). It's also important because I often miss lunch if I'm on the go between site visits or have found my stride with an upholstery project so breakfast is vital! Finally, what's next for Micaela? Are there any exciting projects coming up that you can fill us in on? I have just been signed for a TV show which will film this summer! I'm not allowed to say much about it yet but watch this space! I hope to grace your screens a lot more in the future to present shows about upholstery, interiors and craftsmanship!
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Earth Day is all about showing a little love for the planet. After watching the terrifying documentary, Seaspiracy, A Year to Change the World with Greta Thunberg and Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline we feel it's worth doing even more to help our precious planet It needs us now more than ever as our heads have been turned by the pandemic, so we at Evamoso came together and thought of some of our best planet saving steps that you can use to show a little love this Earth Day.
(Credit: Netflix)
I feel like this is pretty well known, mass consumption of animals and overconsumption of fish is just eating away at resources, habitats and ecosystems. We're not saying you need to go vegan tomorrow but even cutting back gradually is a win, why not make meat free Mondays a regular and then build on that? Climate expert, Chiara Vitali, says ‘A 70 percent reduction looks like eating one portion of chicken and fish once a week and red meat once a month, with a heavy emphasis on home-cooked meals made from vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds...It’s a healthy, balanced diet for us and the planet’.
Trees are the best, they act as amazing carbon sucking beauties and the planet can’t get enough of them, literally. We are not suggesting you pop to your local garden centre and dig out the shovel but if you really must, we won’t stop you! You can make life a lot easier for yourself though by either donating to charities that plant trees or even subscribing to organisations that plant them for you. A personal favourite that we mentioned in the sustainable apps blog is Ecologi, for £4 you can offset the amount of carbon you produce!
Who's in charge of the country has a lot of impact on how we tackle, or don’t tackle climate change. If you want a good example of it just think about how when Trump was in charge America pulled out of the Paris Climate Change agreement and then when Biden got elected they signed up to it again. Climate change is no hoax but it's best to vote for governments that treat it like the emergency it is. What's equally important is to write, protest and let them know if they’re falling short.
Your voice matters- make it count!
How green is your energy supplier? Why not look further into it? Some great energy companies is Good energy and OVO energy. Another thing we suggested in the blog about sustainable apps is using Yoyu which tells you based on forecasts what the best times to use energy intensive appliances so that as much energy from renewable sources.
Your money counts as a vote for the world you want to live in. Invest in fossil fuels and you’re voting to live in a world where that's the main source of power. When you go to invest, really research where your money is going and try to choose green technology that will help the planet in the long run. Just look at the people who invested in Tesla, I’m sure they have no regrets now!
Sounds simple, reality is not as easy. We live in a world that convinces us that things and stuff is the key to being happy and successful but by consuming less of this we are really helping to ease the pressure off the environment. One article states that buying less is not only greener than just buying ‘eco’ products but actually having less and buying less can actually make us more satisfied and happier as well. Win, win.
Getting together with local environmental groups can not only help you stay motivated to help the planet and make friends but it will also help you to make real changes to your local area. One way to find these groups is through facebook groups but also Patagonia, the sustainable clothing brand, has set up its own map of grass roots local environment groups which you can check out here.
Finally, let's all remember...
If they don’t reply then follow up, show them that you care about this and want to see change.
How do you write to them we hear you ask?
@ them on Instagram or Twitter posting the #WhoMadeMyClothes asking them outright who made your top or jeans.
Zara facebook - some brands (like Zara) make it very hard for you to contact anyone real. So why not use their facebook page to bring some issues to the forefront?
After working in this sector for a little while I have really realised that many people care about these issues they just aren’t very aware of them. For this reason it's a great idea to have a read of recent articles about sustainable fashion and some of the facts about what fast fashion is doing and chat to friends and family about them or share them on you’re. By just creating conversations you are pulling people into the movement which really does make a difference.
Have a favourite fast fashion brand that you think just isn’t doing enough in the ways of environmental impact, looking after animal welfare and human rights? Well, luckily Good On You rates thousands of brands on all three of these categories so you can find a brand that is doing a lot better.
Fashion revolution have had to opt for the socially distanced option of protest this year and so are encouraging people to print this poster and put them in their windows to spread the fashion revolution word!
You may have seen these photos as they are often spread on social media during the week but it is a classic snap holding a sign, who made my clothes? Then you post this pic on social media and tag brands that you want to hear from. Not only does this ask the question but it also gets other people interested in the movement, win, win.
This year, Fashion Revolution is hosting a whole load of events online that you can go check out here. Some that our catching our eye are:
Fashion Question Time: Rights, Relationships and Revolution – 19th April 2021
RETHINKING FASHION: A Circular Economy Panel Discussion – 19th April 2021
Slow Fashion Workshop: Learn to Sew, Make your Mark – 21st April 2021.
We love small businesses! Partly because we are one so we know how much love goes into them but also because they have that little bit more soul to them. However, running a small business comes with its challenges too and the socker punch which was COVID19 caused more damage to smaller businesses than any other type of enterprise. Small businesses need your support now more than ever before. So without further ado we give you five favourite ways to back small business and show some love.
Okay so pretty obvious but the most helpful thing you can do is actually buy the product they sell. Although you can take it one step further than this too. If you love the product, spread the word, share the product with your instagram feed, tag the business in your post or story, and say what you like about it. Tell your mum, friends, cousins, dogs anyone who you think might love it too. Word of mouth makes such an impact and doesn't take much effort at all!
To follow on the last point, if there is a review section of the website and you love the product- give it a great review. This will help new buyers to trust the brand and want to buy the product. As you know as a customer, reading a good review can really be the difference between buying a product in one place or going somewhere else.
This tip is not only free but also takes a couple of minutes to do. By just looking at the website of a brand you are helping bring traffic to the site and telling search engines that the site is important which in turn pulls it up the ranking systems of search engines. Plus who doesn't love a good window shop!
This will make a small business owners day, which we can vouch for! We small businesses take hours thinking about what to put out as content, hours creating it and so when we get positive messages it really puts a spring in our step. It is so easy to comment or share social media content now and can really help a small business with its reach and engagement.
Staying up to date with what's going on with a brand makes us feel important and loved but also helps us to build a sense of community within our brand. It also lets you know when we're releasing new products and means you don’t forget about us! Plus it doesn’t hurt to know when a discount is going, right?!
By Rachel Osborne
]]>We are now living in a totally digital age which has been exaggerated even more by the pandemic. Did you know though that you can harness your smartphones to help fight climate change and waste with just a few taps? In this blog post we give our top recommendations of apps that will do just that. So let's jump straight in...
In the world of sustainable fashion this one is a must! Being able to buy and sell second-hand clothes in one place is music to our ears. It is our absolute go to for second hand pieces and we’ve talked in the past blog posts how easy it is to use. It is also perfect for responsibly getting rid of clothes you’ve lost the love for.
This app is awesome for anyone living in an energy chomping household. Yoyu helps you decide when to use energy intensive appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers etc based on clean energy forecasts. Or in other words, it tells you when the best times of the day is for renewable energy generation to make sure your power is coming from the cleaner, greener parts of our national grid. Pretty cool, huh?
This app takes out all the hard work out of researching the fashion brands you love, to see how good their values really are. They judge brands on how well they treat their workers, their environmental values and how the company upholds animal welfare issues. This app is great when you have to decide who to go to when you have to buy new clothes .
This app really caught our eye as a new, sustainable way to give your wardrobe a breath of fresh air. This app lets you rent clothes from other people for as little as £4 a day so you can try some new looks. It also lets you rent clothing from your wardrobe to other people. This is really awesome for those clothes in your wardrobe that you don’t wear much at all, cost you a small fortune and could be enjoyed so much more..we know you have one of those in mind right now!
So this one is such a quick fix! Ecosia is a search engine just like any other with a green twist, it’s profits go into planting trees. You can even see how many trees your searches have individually planted. On your phone, switch out the safari app (assuming you're on an iphone) and pop in the Ecosia app and you’ve already started helping the planet.
I also wanted to put alongside this another tree planting platform which isn’t technically an app but is so good we had to mention it.
Ecologi weighs up your carbon output, you pay a small subscription fee every month ( I pay £4.50 a month) and it offsets your carbon by planting trees. The best part is the updates they give you on their projects around the world and you get to grow a virtual forest to show how many trees you’ve planted with each tree representing a real tree out in the world.
Olio is a food waste app that lets you grab free, good quality food from your area that people want to get rid of. It’s an awesome way to combat food waste, which contributes hugely to our carbon emissions. Plus, who doesn’t like free food? Right?
By Rachel Osborne
Oh the end is so nearly in sight! We still have a little while to go before we’re back to popping over to friends for a cup of tea or walking through busy streets. So, to push through this last little bit of being at home and zoom meetings our lovely Rachel has compiled a list of different ways you can boost your mood to keep you going!
Cold showers and swimming
(photo Whatever Your Dose)
In our last blog post, we mentioned Wim Hof and his crazy habits of dipping into cold water. But turns out, this isn’t as crazy as it seems, it actually has some pretty great health benefits. Cold water helps to boost the immune system as it increases the white blood cell count because the body is forced to react to changing conditions. It also gives us the all important natural high as it activates endorphins.
So, pop yourself into the shower and put it on a normal setting and slowly cool it down to adjust. Also as a disclaimer, it is worth reading up to check how to do this safely for you everybody is different and if you have underlying health conditions it's worth checking this will sit well with you.
If you’re getting used to the showers and feeling brave why not head down to your local open water swimming facility. Currently in London one of the best places to head to is Hampstead Ponds, Hampstead Heath which will be open in April (Hopefully). There is also Brockwell Lido, Herne Hill. Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park and Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath. Worth checking out and taking up as a new hobby in the spring!
Dance therapy i.e. literally shaking
(photo credit)
I came across this on a podcast and it actually makes a ton of sense. When animals get really stressed out, they shake. Think about those endless hours of David Attenbourgh documentaries You’ve watched. After being stalked by lions, impalas do a big shake to rid themselves of stress. So, put some tunes on, put the mirror away (trust me on this one) and just have a good shake/dance.
Jigsaw puzzles
(photo credit Amazon)
Okay so I might be 21 going on 71 here but I swear by a good jigsaw puzzle, especially when everything is on screens these days! It turns out though that jigsaw puzzles simultaneously work hemispheres of the brain, aid memory and decrease stress. The whole process is very meditative and as someone who lives alone sometimes being stuck with your thoughts all day is the worst thing for your general wellbeing. By sitting down and paying full attention to the puzzle you're completely in the present moment having a real calming effect.
We quite like the look of this one from the sustainable business Bloom Post.
Online Yoga classes and apps
(Photo credit: Sarah Malcolm)
Yoga is a stereotypical de-stressor. The reason it is such a calming practise (or one of the reasons) is because it switches our body from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system. Or in non science terms, from stressed out go go go brain into our chilled out brain. Although we aren’t back to doing in person classes just yet, the zoom yoga classes of the world have taken off. I really like the look of Londoner, Sarah Malcolm’s (known from podcast Kitchen Club) yoga classes. I can also highly recommend the app Down Dog that generates yoga sequences for you. You get to choose the type of yoga, length of session and level of ability too.
I currently jump out of bed in the morning, throw on my Evamoso leggings and hop on the mat for 20 minutes and it starts my day off so much better!
By Rachel Osborne
Breathing, we’ve been doing it from the first second we entered the world but it’s funny how sometimes we just forget to focus or connect with it. If the mindful movement has taught us anything it’s that breathing, in essence, is a skill, which means we can work on it.
With benefits of breathwork including an instant hit against stress, aiding the processing of our emotions, improving sleep, helping with pain management, improving digestion and even boosting the immune system, In the midst of a national lockdown and a year-long pandemic there doesn’t seem to be a better time to chill out and breath. So with that in mind, we’ve compiled our favourite places that will help you do just that.
If you’re an early bird then you might just fancy joining Stuart Sandeman every morning at 7:30 am as he does a live breathwork session. With his Scottish accent and great tunes, it’s a great way to start the day. This month the focus is all on transforming your current state of mind to a more positive one to help us get through the lockdown.
The best part? They’re free and saved so you can go back and watch them at a time that suits you, so if you’re more of a night owl then you can join in too.
Find him on Instagram
(photo credit: James Dowler)
If you’ve tried out a bit of breathwork and loved it, this might be a great place to get even more content. For £15 a month, less than a gym membership, you can get breathwork videos on demand to help with everything from anxiety, fatigue, getting your manifestations to happen or increasing your productivity.
(photo credit: Wim Hof Method)
We loved watching Wim Hof on the goop lab getting warm-blooded Californians to dive into freezing water and hearing his alternative opinions on the mind and body on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast. Regardless of how mad you might think he is, his breath work has achieved incredible results including helping depression and boosting the immune system and is backed by scientific evidence. Certainly, one of the most hardcore of our breathe work guides this one isn’t for the faint-hearted. You can take a free class on his website and if you love it then you can sign up for various courses too.
(photo credit: Richie Bostock)
Richie Bostock, otherwise known as The Breath Guy does free Instagram sessions at 8 pm on what he’s called, Together Thursdays and Service Sundays. If you miss those times though then you can catch them and loads of other resources over on his app, Flourish, which you can subscribe to for £17.49 a month.
By Rachel Osborne
Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a range of sustainable brands in one place? Well turns out you can! We’ve done a bit of digging for you and found some pretty awesome marketplaces which you can use if you have £5 spending money or £500 spending money (lucky you!). All of these marketplaces stock independent and sustainable brands and are a great way to introduce yourself with a few of them.
(above- illustrated card made by Ella Mae Statham)
This is the first marketplace we want to mention. If you’re edgy and love to have one-off unique pieces then this might be the one for you. Full of super fun, cool and young brands/designers you can find anything here from quirky candles to beautiful jewellery pieces. The next market is on Instagram on the 14th of February so if you need a little extra love on valentines day or just need to treat yourself, you know where to go.
South London Makers Market Instagram
(via Instagram- next market Feb 14th)
This is slightly more high-end and luxury so a real ‘treat yourself’ kind of marketplace. As sustainable fashion lovers though were here for a long time, not just a good time, so here is a great to find those investment pieces. I personally love the bag and jumper collections on this site and know that they’re the kind of items that will always work in your wardrobe. If your not looking for fashion pieces though they also have homeware!
This marketplace has a ton of options. It really is a one-stop shop from fashion to beauty to food and drinks. So if it's sunglasses you’re looking for or skincare this might be the place for you. The best part is that it has a whole range of affordable products too.
This marketplace is run by two fantastic women founders, Joyce and Kenza who are trying to offer more women who are time-poor but want to choose the more sustainable options in their wardrobes.
They source independent, edgy brands which will create some sustainable statements in your wardrobe. Again, this marketplace is on the more luxury-end but works with great independent designers, definitely one to check out!
Also run by some kickass Dutch ladies, this marketplace has a really beautiful collection of ethical, sustainable brands. Want some inspiration? They have a section called Curated By, where they get experts, tastemakers and friends of Scoon to curate their selection. It really is a great way to discover some cool inspiring women as well see what they are loving at the moment.
By Rachel Osborne
There is no reason why you can't still get the thrill of finding that special item half the price all whilst doing a bit more good then bad by avoiding fast fashion purchases.
]]>For many of us with a thrifty eye, the closure of charity shops meant the end of hours of entertainment looking for great bargains which are both fashionable and most importantly, good for the planet. However, all is not lost. As just even though we can’t physically search for second-hand gems it doesn’t mean we can’t find them virtually.
One of the best places to search for second-hand online is on the app, Depop. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Depop, think of it as the biggest online jumble sale ever. It’s straightforward to use, and the best part of it is you can find really specific items, need a cosy, blue, Icelandic style wool jumper to get you through the worst of the British winter? No problemo! You can even refine your search down to size, colour, price and condition to make it even easier to find what you’re looking for.
You can also search your favourite brands on Depop which means you get them at a fraction of the price and lose the guilt by getting them second hand if those brands aren’t always the most environmentally conscious.
It’s worth mentioning the little sister of Depop too, Vinted which is very similar but if you’re selling clothes there are no seller fees which well...is pretty damn great.
If you're ready to declutter your wardrobe before you go buying that shmexy oversized blazer then this one is for you. Yes, admittedly there is a lot of fast fashion brands on here BUT if you're going to buy from them, you will rest with an easy conscience buying second hand.
Okay so, eBay is a little old school but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still going strong. Obviously, you’ve got to have nerves of steel to go through those last moments of an auction for an item you really want but because it’s not as popular it can be a great place to pick up bargains.
Did you know that Oxfam is online? If you missed popping into your local one on the high street then its pretty cool to know there’s this virtual option. Their online shop is full of vintage piece all at a good price. We just spotted a Sandro jumpsuit on sale heavily reduced....go go go!
Aside from this, if being able to do that extra bit of good by donating to a charity while buying second-hand clothes is important to you then this might be for you.
No matter where you virtually find your second-hand clothes, we think you’re already pretty awesome for mopping up the waste that comes from the fast-fashion tornado and keeping good clothes out of landfill!
Written by Rachel Osborne
When it comes to beauty products, it’s tough to know what's environmentally friendly and what's not. We’ve been there, unsure what to focus on, do you look into the ingredients or the packaging or even find out how they test products? It can be so confusing you just want to stay bare-faced for the rest of time.
Don't despair though...we've done all the legwork and done our research so that you don’t have to. So without further ado, here are our top five eco-beauty brands.
This brand has been raved about by beauty bloggers. With none of their products being tested on animals, most of their products being fully vegan, non-GMO ingredients, having key sustainability principles and our personal favourite...being a climate-neutral company, it makes sense as to why.
The quinoa water foundation and rice powder bronzer are the products that particularly catch our eye partly for the innovative ingredients but also because they are basic essentials in any woman’s makeup bag.
So we must confess that this is more of a skincare brand than a beauty brand but to be fair if you look after your skin you’re halfway there. Not only are they vegan but they just turned carbon neutral and you can return your used BYBI bottles to be sterilised and reused which is awesome!
We would recommend the Beauty Bakuchiol Booster which will stimulate collagen production to improve texture of skin but will still be extra gentle on sensitive skin.
This has been a beauty brand that many environmentally conscious shoppers have been aware of for a while but rather than just being known for skin and hair care, Lush has also branched out into makeup. Being known for great customer service you’ll almost definitely be able to find something you like. Products that seem to really stand out include the slapstick foundation (also plastic-free!) and the solid highlighter.
Again, this is more of a skincare brand than makeup but they had to make the list with being the UK’s first Organic Plastic Negative Beauty Brand! This means they’re contributing to the removal of twice as much plastic from the environment as we use in their packaging and shipping, pretty cool huh?! Their hyaluronic serum is award-winning so definitely one to go check out!
Finally, it wouldn’t be a full beauty look without a set of great, non-toxic nails. Kure Bazaar uses natural-based ingredients which last. With their gentle colour palette, these colours are perfect for day to day looks.
Written by Rachel Osborne
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