West Cheshire Museums are partnering with Eco Communities to host a sustainable Festival and craft fair, on the 23rd July 2023.
The event is part of West Cheshire Museums’ Festival for the Future, a month-long celebration of sustainability and climate action held accross museum sites Chester, Northwich and Malpas.
The Festival of the Future is a free one day event at the Northwich museums – ideal for families who love nature, performance , craft and free workshops!
The Ethical Choice- Show Love: Buy Local, Shop Small
When you buy out-of-season produce, e.g. raspberries or strawberries in December, your eco-credentials become lower. The same applies to purchasing any food product that has been flown from outside your country or is wrapped in layers of (unnecessary) plastic. By shopping locally, and independently, (bakers, farm shops, green grocers…) it is less likely that the produce has travelled an unthinkable distance in order to get onto your plate. Not only does this support local farmers, but the produce will be wrapped in less (or even no) packaging and is fresher. The same applies to non-food goods and services.
This is just one positive, others include:
It is often possible to try before you buy!
It may be cheaper
Advice can be sought if required
It helps build your community, get social!
It support local businesses and entrepreneurs
Independent shops often sell unique and unusual products
I finally have had time to write about the Zero Waste Dress pattern by Offset Warehouse!
Did you know that on average, 15% of fabric is wasted every time a garment is made? By designing clothes that are “zero waste”, this can be eliminated – the sewing pattern uses all the fabric and nothing is thrown away. Offset Warehouse have put together this simple zero waste dress pattern so you can try it for yourself – Which is exactly what I did! (You can find the FREE pattern here).
I had never heard of Dingbats* until Christmas Day 2020 when my best friend (sharing my love of notebooks/bullet journals, and knowing that I was working towards a Zero Waste Life – and blogging in the process), gave me a Dingbats* notebook as a gift.
In the pocket, at the back of the notebook, was a small leaflet, which briefly detailed their product ranges and highlighted key features (discussed below). I tried them, following the link on the leaflet to find out more, then my love affair with Dingbats* began… in fact, 3 months later I ordered a further 5 journals, as well as some lovely dual-tipped pens!! Why? What makes Dingbats* different/better than the Moleskine notebooks, which I have used for decades?
The Bird & Blend Tea Co. is “an eco-conscious, independent, people-focused, award winning Tea Mixology Company on a mission to spread happiness and reimagine tea” – As a Tea-Lover myself, this statement alone piqued my interest!
So, when my loose-tea cupboard was looking bare in October, I popped off an order to them, and I was not disappointed!
In sewing an item from scratch – either using purchased materials or upcycling old items – you will experience the time, skill and patience it takes to create an item of clothing or accessory. Your journey to self sufficiency moves forward, and mending, fixing, upcycling and creating new, bespoke/tailored and exciting items becomes an enjoyable hobby: you become your own brand!
If you are interested in sustainable sewing projects, or maybe have been motivated to look into this more during COVID-19 lockdowns, here are a few ideas, patterns and links – I just hope that in inspires just one other person to replace one item which they usually buy, with a home-made / upcycled item: By sewing your own clothing and/or accessories, you are choosing a leisurely, more sustainable lifestyle and, at the same time, making a stand against fast fashion.
Gutermann Recycled Sew-All Thread Set 20pk – Basics
As an avid sewer – and I know that I am not alone here – I take pride in repairing and upcycling items in order to lower my carbon footprint. I also know Gütermann to be one of the best brands of sewing thread in the world! I have recently discovered Gütermann Sew-all Thread rPET. Not only can they be implemented for a variety of fabrics and stitches, but they are made from 100 % recycled polyester!
If, like me, often purchase beautiful yarns for knitting, crochet or even weaving, one small change you can make to reduce your carbon footprint is to #BuyLocal. We are not short of amazing yarn mills, spinners and/or even hand dyers in the UK – look out for them in your local shops or support them via their websites!
As you are looking through the below, PLEASE let me know if I have missed any and I will add them!
Following my Product Review on Reusable Sanitary Products in March last year, I have been producing my own Sanitary Towels. Not only have these been much more comfy to wear than those purchased, but the homemade ones have proven to weather the wear far better!
Originally, I made 2 test ones for myself (one for day and one for night), which I have used alongside those purchased, then numerous friends and businesses showed interest, so I made up more (far prettier than my “mock ups” from scrap fabrics). Now, a year later, my 2 sanitary towels still look and feel amazing, the purchased Earthwise towels look a little tatty, but are still functional, and the Eco-Femme Cotton Sanitary Night Pads have worn very badly, and although still functional, the fabric has become rough against my skin.
Compared to the brand of disposable pads I used prior, I would never go back…. No irritation and excellent absorbency!
So I set to to make some nice new towels for me for a change (haha – it was the same story with the COVID-19 masks – I have made nearly 100 for others… and still have not finished my own!).
For those who don’t know what it’s all about… There is a global trend which is growing in popularity around the world. The UK is now catching up! The basic premise is around minimalism, what do you actually ‘need’ to live and be comfortable?
When you start to strip away the shiny baubles, what we actually need/use on a regular basis surprises most people. I lived on a narrowboat for three years, but soon had to adapt to the ‘limited space’. At first I had things in storage, but over time I came to realise that (after six months) I hadn’t actually needed anything which was in the storage unit I was paying for.