Product Review: Dingbats* Ātopen Dual Tip Pens

Finding truly sustainable art supplies that actually last is harder than it should be. For example, sustainable dual tip pens can be difficult to find if you care about quality and eco credentials. Many ‘eco’ pens dry out quickly, bleed through paper, or sacrifice performance for marketing claims — which creates more waste, not less.

What makes Dingbats* Ātopen dual‑tip pens different?

Dingbats* Ātopen Dual Tip Fineliner/Brush Pens are fabulous to use – and are still perfect after several years of use! As you can see from the image I took (yes, my writing IS that bad, LOL), the Dingbats* Ātopen dual tipped pens offer a wide range of possibilities for art drawings, journaling, doodling, calligraphy and much, much more.

(more…)

0 Comments

April 26, 2026

Ethical Living

Bluebell and Albie, the Eco-cats!

Firstly, let me introduce you to Albie, our one-year-old cat. He also answers to many other names: Albus, Albus Dumble-cat, Alfred, Albert, Alberto, Alb and Albachino. In upcoming posts, you’ll find out why we consider him one of our official eco-cats.

This is him — and yes, I’m biased, but isn’t he the cutest?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

(more…)

0 Comments

May 18, 2025

Sustainability Guides

TerraCycle® – The First European Pet Food Recycling Programme

If you share your life with a dog or cat, you’ll know the feeling: you’re doing your best to live more sustainably, carefully sorting your recycling… and then you pick up an empty pet food bag and realise you have no idea what to do with it. The TerraCycle pet food recycling programme makes it easier to dispose of these tricky empty bags in an environmentally friendly way.

Pet food packaging is notoriously difficult to recycle. Those shiny pouches, multi-layer bags, and treat wrappers are designed to keep food fresh, not to make life easy once they’re empty. For years, this type of packaging has almost always ended up in landfill or incineration.

So when I found out that TerraCycle® had launched the first European pet food recycling programme, I was genuinely excited — and cautiously curious. Could this be a real solution for pet owners trying to reduce their waste?

Let’s take a closer look.

(more…)

2 Comments

April 2, 2023

Ethical Living

Keep Cups: A Simple Zero‑Waste Swap That Actually Makes a Difference

Globally, KeepCup users help prevent over 5 million disposable coffee cups from being used every single day 1. Considering that around one million disposable cups are thrown away every minute worldwide, switching to a reusable cup is one of the easiest and most impactful low‑waste habits you can adopt 1.

I’ve been using Keep Cups for years — not just when I’m out and about, but at home too (clumsy people unite). They’re practical, well‑designed, and genuinely enjoyable to use, which makes them far more likely to stick as a long‑term habit rather than becoming another forgotten cupboard item.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

(more…)

0 Comments

February 19, 2023

Jungle Culture Bamboo Cutlery

Zero Waste Swaps

#PlantBamboo for Cutlery

Why Bamboo Cutlery Matters

Single‑use plastic cutlery is one of the most common forms of plastic pollution found in household waste, takeaway packaging, and litter clean‑ups. Designed to be used for just a few minutes, plastic forks, knives, and spoons can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Then, they break down into microplastics that contaminate soil, waterways, and food chains.

Bamboo offers a compelling alternative. As one of the fastest‑growing plants on Earth, bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant. This makes it a highly renewable material. Some species are capable of growing over a metre per day. As a result, bamboo forests regenerate quickly while absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen at higher rates than many trees.

When used for cutlery, bamboo is lightweight, durable, and naturally antibacterial. Unlike plastic, it is made from a natural material that can safely return to the earth at the end of its life when untreated. Choosing bamboo cutlery is not just a swap — it is a small but meaningful step in supporting regenerative materials. It also reduces reliance on fossil fuels and moves us away from a throwaway culture.

(more…)

6 Comments

September 21, 2021

Jungle Culture - Straws in a pile

Ethical Living / Zero Waste Swaps

🌱 #PlantBamboo for Straws: A Simple Action With a Big Impact

Plastic straws might seem small, but their environmental impact is anything but. Billions are used globally each year, often for just minutes, before ending up in landfill, incineration, rivers, or the ocean. While reusable alternatives like metal, glass, and silicone straws are growing in popularity, bamboo straws stand out as one of the most genuinely sustainable options. One brilliant idea is to plant bamboo for straws, supporting an eco-friendly cycle from the source to the finished product.

Bamboo is fast‑growing, renewable, and naturally biodegradable. It requires no pesticides, very little water, and absorbs more carbon dioxide than many trees. When responsibly grown, bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant — making it an ideal material for zero‑waste products.

(more…)

6 Comments

September 19, 2021

Bamboo - a beautiful green feeling by Clement Souchet on Unsplash

Events

World Bamboo Day 18th September

World Bamboo Day, celebrated annually on 18th September, is dedicated to raising awareness of bamboo and its importance in promoting sustainability, biodiversity, and climate‑positive lifestyles.

Bamboo is often described as one of the most sustainable materials on the planet – and for good reason. It is technically a grass, not a tree, and can grow incredibly quickly without the need for pesticides or fertilisers. Furthermore, in some species, bamboo can grow up to one metre per day, making it a renewable resource with huge potential to reduce our reliance on less sustainable materials.

From a zero‑waste perspective, bamboo really stands out. It is biodegradable, versatile, and naturally strong, which means it can be used to replace plastics and other high‑impact materials in many everyday products. From bamboo toothbrushes and reusable kitchenware to textiles and flooring, bamboo alternatives are becoming increasingly accessible.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

(more…)

8 Comments

September 18, 2021

Brand Reviews

Product Review: Dingbats* Notebook

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?

If you’re trying to live more sustainably but refuse to give up beautiful stationery, Dingbats* notebooks might just be your perfect middle ground.

What truly sets Dingbats* apart is sustainability.
It isn’t an afterthought.
It’s built into every part of the product lifecycle.

In this Dingbats notebooks review, I share my long‑term experience using their journals as part of a zero waste lifestyle.

Read on & add the Zero Waste Llama discount code – LLAMA10 – for a 10% discount on your first order!

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

(more…)

0 Comments

April 4, 2021

What makes Dingbats* Ātopen dual‑tip pens different?

Why Bamboo Cutlery Matters

World Bamboo Day, celebrated annually on 18th September, is dedicated to raising awareness of bamboo and its importance in promoting sustainability, biodiversity, and climate‑positive lifestyles.

Item successfully added to your cart