Welcome to The Sustainable Edit, Citizen Femme’s monthly column showcasing the sustainable collectives on our radar.
From recycled jewellery to refillable perfumes and plant-based eating, these are the British names making a positive change this May.
FASHION
COMPLETEDWORKS
Oxford University graduate Anna Jewsbury founded Completedworks to translate her interest in history and politics into wearable art. Handcrafted in London and paying tribute to everything from architectural ruins to profound ceramic sculptures, the brand prioritises the use of responsibly sourced materials, with all gold jewellery made from either recycled or Fairtrade gold and a significant proportion of silver made from recycled or reclaimed silver. Gemma Louise Deeks.
BEAUTY
FLORAL STREET
If you’ve ever felt guilty about forgetting your reusable coffee cup, Floral Street can help ease the worry. The female-founded British fragrance brand has developed the world’s first biodegradable pulp packaging and saved over 400,000 coffee cups from landfill so far; each of its 50ml fragrance boxes uses one coffee cup from the likes of Starbucks and Costa. The vegan fragrances themselves are designed to put a playful, unexpected twist on traditional florals, using traceable and sustainable ingredients. A highlight is Electric Rhubarb, which was created in collaboration with the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society. It reminds you of carefree, sunny afternoons in the garden. Becki Murray.
EAT
EDIT HACKNEY
This hyper-seasonal, veg-focused restaurant in the heart of Hackney challenges traditional thinking and wasteful practices in the food industry. EDIT’s innovative menu celebrates organic and sustainable produce with a circular, low-waste philosophy. The daily-changing menu is devised in accordance with seasonal availability using freshly-harvested produce from local suppliers, harnessing ‘root to fruit’ principles of zero waste cooking. We recommend the impressive Sunday lunch menu followed by the artisan vegan cheese selection. Gemma Louise Deeks.
ENJOY
ETT HEM
We all love a fresh bunch of flowers, but did you know the pursuit of perfection in the fresh flower industry creates a huge amount of waste? Fresh flowers are grown in the tropics using large amounts of pesticides and water, then exported in refrigerated planes, before an incredible 75% are thrown away before reaching the market. Ett Hem London was created to change the outdated perception of faux flowers, with beautiful, realistic options you can keep forever. Their flowers are made from the highest quality materials, authentically mimicking the same colour, texture and feel as fresh bouquets. Ett Hem will also recycle or donate your unwanted bouquets when it’s time to switch it up. Shop the Royal Collection here. Gemma Louise Deeks.
STAY
Grove of Narberth, Pembrokeshire, Wales
A sustainable way of operating has been at the core of Grove of Narberth‘s ethos and policies since day one and is present throughout all facets of the hotel. Located in the Welsh countryside, they protect and restore their lush natural environment via water treatment, recycling and composting as well as planting and retaining shrubbery to act as a home for local wildlife species. Ask at reception for a guide to the animals and wildflowers you may see. The hotel also uses nature’s surrounding bounty to its eco-advantage: drinking water comes from nearby natural springs, and food produce from their two-acres of gardens as well as from local businesses; taste-test the honey from one of their four on-site beehives at breakfast. Electricity is renewable – from wind, hydro and solar sources – and keep an eye out for some of their up-cycled furniture including patchwork blankets on the back of sofas and sari material used as lampshades. Katie Silcox.
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