Welcome to Citizen Femme’s July 2024 Sustainable Edit, showcasing the sustainable collectives on our radar this month.
Including handbags made from fruit waste, innovative swimwear and Somerset House’s new plant-based café, these are the names making a positive change this July.
ACCESSORIES
MASHU
This handbag brand was founded by Greek designer Ioanna Topouzoglou, who has a genuine passion for sustainability and supporting artisan crafts. Like all Mashu bags, their latest summer collection, Under The Palms, is PETA-approved vegan, and is hand-made by artisans in her hometown of Athens using low-impact, plant-based materials including those derived from fruit waste. Not only does the brand offer a ‘free repairs for life’ promise, they are also proud to roll out QR codes in the interior of each bag, allowing customers to access material information, supply-chain data and care instructions for full transparency. This latest collection is an ode to retro summer, with the spirit and attitude coming from Ioanna’s recent crush on 1960’s Miami. Think rattan-inspired detailing alongside the iconic pink and blue palette associated with the vibrant coastal city.
BEAUTY
StylPro
As well as a whole host of beauty-tech solutions, including our beauty editor’s favourite brush-cleaning device (it’s so easy to use – you have no excuse for dirty brushes), StylPro’s sustainable line offers planet-friendly makeup removal that you don’t have to compromise on. Perfect for festivals or while on-the-go this summer, soft yet effective bamboo cloths and pads make light work of cleaning your face and body without being irritating to sensitive skin. They are also sturdy enough to be used hundreds of times, simply by being washed and reused. Consider them your small but mighty step to making your skincare routine a little more eco-friendly. Becki Murray.
STAY
Dunas de Formentera
This brand-new hotel on the smallest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Formentera, is the island’s first-ever eco-resort and proud member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The secluded and tranquil hideaway set amongst the white sand dunes of Migjorn Beach is beautifully understated, with just 45 rooms that bring the outside in. Relaxed, chic interiors with organic materials made from ecological cultivation echo their natural surroundings, and encourage the slow-paced island life. Respecting and preserving the environment is the main priority here, as they focus on the conservation of biodiversity, water and waste reduction. Their low-carbon emission programme allows guests to use heritage and cultural e-bikes as transport, and they’re also committed to supporting beach-cleaning initiatives, running a local marine life regeneration project and supporting local markets and fishing programmes. You’ll find said fish at the onsite restaurant, which is all about fresh, local organic ingredients, with seafood straight from the sea and vegetables homegrown on the property.
FASHION
PRISM
PRISM founder Anna Laub extended her best-selling resortwear and swimwear range to a collection of multi-functional pieces that can be worn as swimwear, sportswear and underwear. Under the name of PRISM², it has the same morals and principles as PRISM: sustainable, innovative solutions to shapewear. PRISM² pieces are handmade in Italy, using luxury European fabrics developed exclusively for the brand, including a 3D knitting technique that minimises waste, and an eco-dye technique that is Greenpeace-certified. Thanks to the pioneering fabric, pieces are chlorine-resistant, quick-dry and sweat-wicking, making them suitable for use as swimwear, underwear or sportswear – offering women a versatile solution for everyday dressing. When luggage space is limited, PRISM²’s pieces will be a godsend.
EAT
Café Petiole
Celebrated vegan chef, Rishim Sachdeva, who’s behind the critically acclaimed restaurant Tendril in Mayfair, has opened a new plant-based cafe at Somerset House. Echoing his ethos of minimising waste and sourcing products as locally as possible, the intimate space offers a ‘grab-and-go’ or ‘grab-and-stay’ daytime menu to be enjoyed inside, or al fresco in the neoclassical courtyard. The menu features sweet and savoury bakes, including a lemon poppyseed cake, a tomato puff pastry tart, plus sandwiches and salads (the mustard mushroom bun and smoky grilled hispi cabbage is a standout). Long-standing Rishim fans will be pleased to know his famous tiramisu is on the dessert menu, alongside new treats like a basque cheesecake and banoffee pie. Expect an all-vegan drinks list too, including low-intervention European wines and kombucha sourced from eco-conscious suppliers. Their range of home condiments are available to purchase exclusively from the café.
Lead image: Dunas de Formentera
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