Sustainable Suffolk Businesses
Many of us are thinking about how we can be more sustainable in our day to day lives. There are a number of sustainable Suffolk businesses which combine our love of shopping local and helping the environment! To celebrate Plastic Free July we thought we would put together a list of sustainable Suffolk businesses that are at the forefront of the eco revolution.
Clear to Sea, Bury St Edmunds
Owner Catherin Winn decided to open this completely plastic free zero waste shop after being disgusted by the impact that plastic is having on our environment. Clear to Sea is helping to reduce waste and cut down on large amounts of packaging on daily products. The store stocks unpackaged foods which you can put into your own reusable containers. There is a large range of food products, vegan items and eco-friendly products such as washable sanitary towels and cardboard deodorant.
Hart Healing Kitchen, Framlingham
Hart Healing Kitchen has recently opened a shop in Framlingham providing eco-friendly, minimal plastic products. You will find coconut and rapeseed wax candles, soaps, crystals, bath salts and cosmetics which are all handmade in Suffolk. The store aims to offer high quality and planet friendly products which are either recyclable or biodegradable.
Refill Leiston
Amanda Lewis decided to open a zero waste shop to help create a better world for her son’s generation. Refill stocks store cupboard ingredients, cleaning/bathroom supplies and reusable product alternatives to everyday throwaway items. Just bring along a reusable container and fill up with as much as you need. There’s even a ‘posh pick ‘n’ mix’ for those with a sweet tooth!
Cupboard Love, mobile refill shop
Cupboard Love carries a wide range of food products without any single use packaging. The mobile shop can be found at markets around Suffolk, including Woodbridge and Framlingham. You are able to use your own reusable containers to buy as much as you need. You can also shop online for collection from one of the many points around the Suffolk coast. The mobile shop has a growing range of reusable and natural alternatives to personal and household care products, such as shampoo bars, deodorants, natural palm oil free soaps and refills of liquid cleaning products.
Vida Haus
Vida Haus is a Woodbridge based wellbeing centre that offers classes such as dance and yoga. There is an onsite shop with zero waste and plastic free groceries to enjoy. The Vida Haus Cafe is plant based and has a range of homemade bakes as well as coffee, smoothies and natural juices. Vida Haus Cafe aims to serve you food that is mainly organic, nutritional and not highly processed.
From Belo
From Belo is an ethical, sustainable designer handbag and accessory brand. The aim is to create beautiful, innovative and multifunctional handbags for the modern woman. The bags are made from recycled materials including fabric offcuts, decommissioned seat belts and plastic bottles. All of which have been saved from landfill to reduce waste. From Belo support ethical working practices for its artisan workers in Brazil. Founders Maria (based in Brazil) and Charlotte (based in the UK) are inspired by natural beauty, global community and unstoppable modern women.
Sae Rima T-shirts
Two friends Becca and Henry set up Sae Rima after being inspired by a trip to the west coast where they took a shine to the simple and well-made sustainable clothing that was around them. The pair aim to reduce waste in the apparel industry and felt it was important that they created a range that can be worn, swapped or handed down over the years. Longevity and wearability is an important factor to their business.
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From Suffolk With Love
These little gift boxes are perfect for saying thank you, sharing a message of support, birthdays or just to surprise someone you care about. From Suffolk With Love offers planet conscious, plastic free gift boxes of handpicked items from some of the best small producers in Suffolk. Products are carefully selected to create a heartwarming present with plastic free items. All packaging is eco-friendly to create a gift that is not only kind to who receives it, but also kind to the planet.
Hide The Label
Brother and Sister team Ryan and Sheeren Barratt wanted to create more environmentally friendly clothing for women in a bid to combat fast fashion trends. Hide The Label uses eco-friendly materials such as recycled polyester and plant based materials which makes up 80% of the fabrics. The outfits are consciously designed, well made and timeless to ensure longevity of an item of clothing.
Quay Street Collective
Coming soon to Woodbridge, Quay Street Collective is a luxury, vegan hair salon. The salon will be eco-friendly and sustainable. The team has put in a lot of research into sourcing the right products and furniture to create the best customer experience.
Where Does It Come From Clothing
This Ipswich based brand creates its own range of ethical and eco-friendly clothing. Each item arrives with a code that enables buyers to trace the garment’s supply chain right back to the cotton farm. Where Does It Come From Clothing partners with fair trade social enterprises in India and Africa and provides work for communities in developing countries.
For more ideas on how to be sustainable, why not read our advice on how to cut down food waste here.
About the Author: Chloe Lamb is a Fashion Communication & Promotion student and writer who focuses on fashion, lifestyle, books and mental health awareness. If she’s not writing for her blog awritedreamer.wordpress.com then you can find her with her nose in a book!
