Welcome to Citizen Femme’s January 2025 Sustainable Edit, showcasing the sustainable collectives on our radar this month.
Including a celebrity-adored eco-resort in French Polynesia, a timeless fashion brand with sustainability at their core, and a low-waste country pub in the countryside of Old Windsor, these are a few of the names making a positive change this January.
FASHION
Founded in 2020 by Dessi and Malcolm Bell, Saint + Sofia now has a customer base of over half a million worldwide and has just launched their first bricks and mortar flagship store in London’s Covent Garden. Saint + Sofia proudly hold sustainability and fair practice at their core, having spent the past four years building a smart supply chain and lowering production costs so that they can offer better value and fairer prices to their customers. In addition, the brand use only natural or recycled fabric such as GOTS Certified Organic Cotton, Eco Viscose, Econyl and Tencel, as well as biodegradable packaging, and they minimise transportation distance to reduce environmental impact where possible. A go-to for timeless, classic pieces that’ll slot seamlessly into your existing wardrobe, each garment is put through vigorous wash and durability tests during production to ensure it stands the test of time.
BEAUTY
Natura Bissé
There was already rather a lot to get excited about with the skincare brand Natura Bissé – not least its results-driven and mood-boosting formulas that make for incredible spa treatments (so do look out for the brand in some of the world’s leading spas). Now though, the company has cemented its reputation as a leader in sustainable beauty too, after being honoured in the “Sustainable Innovation” category at the Forbes-UBS Sustainability Awards 2024. In fact, Natura Bissé is a really lovely example of eco-luxury skincare: an ever-growing category where high-end brands refuse to compromise on results, enjoyable textures, or environmental protection. So, alongside a continuing commitment to skincare that really works (our beauty editor swears by C+C Vitamin Cream for skin brightening), you can be confident that your routine is doing its bit for the planet, through the brand’s clear sustainability pillars: environmental (a commitment to reducing consumption and waste); social (projects established to give back to the community); and governance (a commitment to values of honesty, ethics and safety). Becki Murray
STAY
A breath-taking 20-minute flight from the Polynesian capital of Tahiti and you’ll arrive at the private island of Tetiaroa, home to The Brando. Inside the 35 palm-thatched villas, small details have been carefully considered throughout – from the outdoor bathtub to the personalised pre-stocked mini bar, and not forgetting your own private pool. But it’s the pioneering eco-credentials that really set The Brando apart. Air-con is derived from icy-cool ocean water pumped from 933 metres below the surface, while the resorts electricity is generated from solar panels and coconut oil biofuel. The island’s Ecostation is a hub for scientists around the world to conduct important research into sustainable practices – such as global warming and ocean acidification – which are implemented here at The Brando and taught across the globe. Guest privacy is key, with each villa discreetly tucked behind palm-fringed gardens; one of the many reasons why eco-conscious A-listers, including the Obamas and Leonardo DiCaprio, have all flocked to this slice of Polynesian paradise.
JEWELLERY
YSSO
Mother-daughter duo Alexia and Stalo Karides founded YSSO in 2020 with the shared vision of creating modern and sculptural demi-fine jewellery made with ancient techniques. Tapping into their Greek heritage, the collections draw from the country’s diverse landscape and partner exclusively with workshops in Athens to support and preserve local goldsmith and jewellery making techniques. This considered approach keeps the artisanal process of jewellery making – something that is under threat due to mass production that in turn negatively impacts the planet – alive. Instead YSSO jewellery carries the story of the craftsmen that make it, making each piece a unique keepsake. Recycled materials are used where possible throughout, as well as locally sourced materials to reduce the brand’s carbon imprint, in addition to employing environmentally conscious production techniques across their Athenian workshops. Look out for the brand’s New Bond Street pop up store The House of YSSO, open now until February 2025. The pop-up is part of Westminster City Council’s Meanwhile On project, set up to provide innovative brands with access to high-profile retail spaces with significant relief on business rates, budget for store design, and end-to-end support from project delivery partner Someday Studios.
EAT
The Loch & The Tyne
Chef Adam Handling MBE, who cut his teeth at Gleneagles, is passionate about sustainability, from sourcing food locally to foraging with his team; an ethos which is implemented across all five of his acclaimed restaurants and bars. The Loch & The Tyne is a country pub with a twist. Expect British pub classics – from roasts on a Sunday, to burgers, steaks and fish and chips – alongside refined dishes that change weekly and with the seasons. Don’t miss the cured trout with jalepēno served with a split parsley oil that looks as good as it tastes. The kitchen makes use of the pub’s on site vegetable gardens and orchards, and chefs Steven and Jonny champion local producers, celebrating the best of British where possible and reducing air miles that go hand-in-hand with imported ingredients. Smaller bites are well worthy of a mention and are made from ‘off-cuts’ from the main menu. You’ll be hard pressed not to order seconds of the ‘cheese doughnuts’ a now staple on the L&T menu, and for very good reason. Accents of tartan are present throughout – a nod to Adam’s Scottish heritage, with leather clad banquettes and dark wood making for a cosy pub vibe that’s not in the least bit pretentious, despite the seriously good food on offer. Dogs are welcome and there’s a well thought out menu for little ones too, making it an ideal pit-stop after a wholesome ramble in the surrounding Berkshire countryside.
Lead image: SAINT + SOFIA
The Loch & The Tyne image: Justin de Souza
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