By Holly by Heart My super fussy hair strikes again. Yes, I know I probably shouldn’t colour my hair but I do and I like it and I need lots of good conditioner to stop my hair turning into a bit frizzy knot. So, I did try to find a suitable alternative. Pure raw coconut oil It was reduced and I saw it online so I bought it. Everyone raves about how good coconut oil is and I had vague memories of [...]
By Holly by Heart Before I talk about the shampoo bars I have to say that my hair is fussy. It’s fine, coloured, gets greasy quickly with dry ends. I spent years finding a high street shampoo and conditioner that meant I didn’t have to wash it every day. So I have high expectations! Friendly Shampoo bar from NaturalCollection Nice cardboard box, simple design, no nonsense kind of thing. To be fair, I only tried this once. I know I should give [...]
We’ve been telling ourselves a story that is long overdue a dramatic overhaul. A re-framing. A metamorphosis to a new, better, more truthful story. Recycling has been the be all and end all of so much in the environmental movement, leading us to fall into a false sanctuary where we believe that as long as we recycle our plastic, everything will be okay. But it isn’t. And it won’t be. Our consumer society, our economy, our very existence depends [...]
The craft industry is overflowing with plastic. From acrylic yarn and plastic knitting needles to kids crafts supplies, there are thousands of crafting products on the market that are made from plastic, where once they were not. And that’s not even taking into account the single use plastic packaging on craft and haberdashery supplies. I’ve been a zero waste advocate for some time now, without realizing until very recently that the craft industry is full of single use plastic [...]
When I was 17, I went to an interview for a place on a Foundation Studies Art course at my local college. It was my first proper interview and I was terrified. Friends who were being interviewed for other courses at colleges and universities around the country were donning suits and posh frocks and I considered doing the same but somehow, just couldn’t. It wasn’t really “me”. In the end, I wore my old jeans, with the patched and [...]
There is no getting away from how inhibiting cost can be to a zero waste lifestyle. The zero waste movement, like it or not, has sprung from a place as equally privileged as the place from which our society grew to believe that landfill, micro-plastics and fast fashion where acceptable, despite their impact on the planet. But what happens when you can’t afford to buy a steel water bottle to replace the cheap single use plastic water bottles, or [...]
Zero waste. It’s the go-to phrase of everyone who is trying to reduce their impact on the planet. Those aspiring to the zero-waste lifestyle aim to create as little waste as possible, looking to re-use, recycle, or compost before allowing an item to head to landfill. Many on the journey cite Bea Johnson, author of the 2013 publication Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Your Waste as a huge inspiration, and certainly her book really has helped [...]
Huskup is a new reusable and biodegradable coffee cup that utilises an abundant waste material – the humble rice husk – to make each takeaway tea, coffee or hot chocolate that little bit greener. Durable and dishwasher safe, but entirely free from plastic, trees, BPA and melamine, this unassuming little cup is setting a new bar for the eco-friendly caffeine fix in the UK. The development of this product is in response to the 7 million disposable coffee cups we [...]
Part 2 In my last blog post, I hinted that I was exploring a new development in my eco fashions. I have a small stash of felted and/or damaged knitwear which I thought had possibilities! Their original purpose was to cut them up to make ‘tattered’ key hangers. I made a lot of these hangers over several years, but felt it was time to move on from that, even though I still had the raw materials. Having started to design a [...]
Part 1 I am really excited about a new direction in my range of eco fashions! The catalyst was some merino and alpaca blanket remnants sourced from Waverley Woollen Mills in Launceston, Tasmania (about 1 ½ hours’ drive from here; established in 1847). I absolutely love how soft their fabrics are, but the biggest plus for me was the opportunity to use a quality waste product that is locally obtainable. It took a while for ideas to gel (a few months actually), [...]
