Welcome to The Sustainable Edit, Citizen Femme’s monthly column showcasing the sustainable collectives on our radar.
From fashion that gives back to the planet, to farm-to-table food concepts, see who’s making a positive change this April.
FASHION
FARM RIO
For Rio de Janeiro-based fashion label, Farm Rio, nature has been their greatest inspiration for the last 25 years. They believe it is part of their duty to help protect nature and give back to the environment, which is why they’ve partnered with One Tree Planted to aid reforestation efforts in all Brazilian biomes. For each purchase on their website or in-store, they donate the dollar equivalent needed for one tree to be planted: one purchase equals one tree. Having grown into one of Brazil’s most recognisable labels, they instrument a motto of ‘dressing for happiness’ all year round with a collection of colourful, exotic motifs made from responsible materials. Gemma Louise Deeks.
BEAUTY
Australian waterless skincare brand Conserving Beauty is on a mission to revolutionise single-use beauty products, and it goes far beyond just recycled packaging. The brand has pioneered the world’s first completely dissolvable face wipes and sheet masks. Just run them under water post-use and they’ll break down and disappear, without any microplastics or ingredients that may pollute the water supply. That’s an exciting (and important) innovation, considering conventional wipes take up to 100 years to biodegrade. The brand’s other products, including a lightweight, nourishing facial oil, are also entirely waterless and equally impressive. Becki Murray.
EAT
ARCHWAY, BATTERSEA
Situated under an old railway arch in Battersea is new restaurant and wine bar, Archway. Offering an intimate dining experience curated by former River Cafe chef, Alex Owens, Archway will have a focus on sustainability; growing and foraging is at the heart of the menu which delivers a unique connection between land and table. The ever-evolving menu will be seasonal and will celebrate the very best produce available at any given time. Hero dishes include flatbread starters and daily fresh pasta offerings, paired with an excellent wine menu. Gemma Louise Deeks.
DRINK
Viajante87 and Djuce
Sustainability in the drinks industry is thriving. One example is Viajante87 in West London, from the team behind Los Mochis. It focuses on a zero-waste drinks philosophy (85%) with cutting-edge cocktail creations: waste and off-cuts are repurposed and recycled within the drinks program. The Smoked Earth cocktail uses redistilled horseradish with vodka, blended with The Lost Explorer Mezcal’s Espadin, lacto-fermented kitchen veggies (carrots, red cabbage, beetroot, purple corn), jalapeno, sansho berry pepper, coriander seeds, wasabi distillate and fleur de sel.
Elsewhere, there’s a great collaboration between Stockholm-born wine brand Djuce and Newcomer Wines who are launching sommelier-selected, biodynamic and sustainable wines in packaging that cuts CO2 emissions and spotlights emerging artists. Djuce have a history of collaborating with thought-leading winemakers who have long been respected for their commitment to organic and biodynamic practices, these include world-class producers like Gernot & Heike Heinrich (Austria, Burgenland) as well Agricola Foradori (Italy, Trentino), the latter of who will exclusively release a one-off can for the Nomad Hotel later this year. Sheena Bhattessa.
STAY
In March 2023 London Paddington’s boutique hotel, Inhabit Southwick Street, was certified as a B Corp and its sister hotel in Bayswater is working towards the same goal. A stay here offers small but soothing spaces to sleep, nourishing food, a plentiful wellness programme, plus mindful and sustainable events and workshops to take part in. With two long weekends this April – Easter and the long weekend leading us into May – this is an ideal month for a quick getaway. With a stay at Inhabit Southwick Street you can do so with peace of mind. Plus, by staying in the UK you’re also cutting out all those flight-related carbon emissions. Read the hotel’s full impact report here. Katie Silcox.
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