Rin Hamburgh rounds up this season’s must-haves for conscious shoppers
Pill hot-water bottle
As the weather turns cold, snuggling up with a hot-water bottle is a great way to save on central heating bills – not to mention lower your carbon footprint. And now there’s a new model on the market that stays hotter for longer, thanks to a cover made from neoprene – the same material used for wetsuits that keep divers warm in the sea. The unique round shape and pop-out funnel make it easier to fill too, so you’re less likely to pour scalding water over your hands. Available in a range of colours, the Pill costs £35.
Buy online at www.cuckooland.com
Tel: 01305 755621
Upcycled sailcloth bags
If you want a really good, simple explanation of the circular economy and why it’s better than the traditional linear economy, visit the website of Rapanui Clothing. Essentially, it’s about reusing and upcycling so as to reduce waste and consumption overall.
Rapanui have put the theory into practice with their fantastic sailcloth bags, £49.95 each, which are made from old boat sails. As well as transforming waste into something useful, the bags are designed to be deconstructable, so consumers can return each product at the end of its life and it can be inspected to see where design can be improved, before being broken down and its working parts reused to make new models. There’s even a financial incentive to do so – you could get up to £9.99 back by returning your old bag!
www.rapanuiclothing.com
Tel: 01983 409790
Jewellery from Made by Survivors
Made By Survivors is an international non-profit organisation set up by American couple Sarah Symons and John Berger in 2005, which provides education and employment for victims of human trafficking. Jewellery-making is one of the most popular projects among the women, who are trained as silversmiths and go on to earn the equivalent of a graduate wage. The jewellery is highly design-led, and has developed a celebrity following, with A-listers such as Ashley Judd and Patricia Arquette spotted wearing items from the collection.
www.madebysurvivors.com
Tel: +1 800 831-6089
Five Ways to Wellbeing app
According to the New Economic Foundation, there are ‘five ways to wellbeing’ – in other words, five key things we need to do to ensure that we are at our best, emotionally. These are: connect, take notice, be active, keep learning, and give. Now, thanks to funding from Somerset Public Health team, you can keep track of how you’re doing with these goals through a new free app, which allows you to select activities based on the five ways and choose times to be reminded about them. When you’ve completed your activities, they’ll be logged so that you can keep track.
Download through the Apple App Store or Google Play
