Written by Sara Macauley I Photographs by Lumina Images

It shouldn’t come as to much of a shock to most of us that our world, environmentally speaking, is a bit of a hot mess right now. Earlier this year, diver Richard Horner was startled to discover a huge slick of plastic coating the ocean’s surface in a usually picturesque diving spot off Nusa Penida, Bali. The video he subsequently uploaded on social media showed plastic bags and household plastics bobbing calmly through the water’s currents, where manta ray’s would usually appear to clean themselves. Sadly, this kind of news story is becoming all too common, and environmentalists’ jargon like ‘greenhouse gas’ and ‘decomposition rate’ can make us want to cover our ears and mosey on in blissful ignorance. Fifty years ago, people who cared about the impact of human life on the environment were labelled as ‘eco warriors’ and imagined to live in the forest, wearing nothing but scratchy potato sacks. In 2018, with smarter research and new innovative technology, brands are cottoning on the fact that their consumers want to be more environmentally friendly, and there-in comes the rebrand of Eco-Warrior to the Cool Eco-Conscious Consumer. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the coolest ethical beauty and fashion brands to bookmark and buy from before all your friends do. You’ll be a trendsetter, for reasons you can feel proud of – promise.

 

 

OHNEohne.co OHNE is a cool, young, ethically-minded organic tampon brand which delivers their personalised boxes straight to your door. The concept was created by founders Leah and Nikki, who were fed up of UK women being sold label-less, pesticide-sprayed tampons, and women in certain countries, for example Zambia having no access to menstrual care products whatsoever. Their amazing organic tampons are held in 100% biodegradable applicators, so no more guilt about your plastic piling up in the ocean. For every subscription OHNE gets, they also give 5% to the Girls Programme run by the School Club Zambia – helping make sure that girls in Zambia are taught about personal hygiene and equipped with the things they need for their period. Goodness all round.

S’WELL swellbottle.comswellbottle.com In 2010, founder and CEO, Sarah Kauss, created S’well as an answer to her mission of ridding the world of plastic water bottles. Since it’s conception, the company has since become the fastest growing woman-owned company in the country and it’s popularity has gone off the charts. Combining fashion with function, S’well water bottles come in beautiful marble and abstract prints, and the brand’s aim this year is to provide support to water programs across Madagascar, a country where nearly 50% of the population lacks access to clean drinking water. A water bottle that’s Instagrammable and good for the environment? Count us in.
“In 2018, brands are cottoning on the fact that their consumers want to be more environmentally friendly, and there-in comes the re-brand of Eco-Warrior to the Cool Eco-Conscious Consumer. ”

TRAID traid.org.uk – Love vintage shopping? Us too. What we love less, however, is rummaging through a rack that looks about as organised as our bedroom floor. Enter, TRAID. TRAID is a charity with franchises all around London which reuse clothes in a bid to end abuse in the fashion industry, and their shops are significantly cooler than your average charity shop. TRAID organises donations by style, brand and condition, and money raised from re-selling donations is used in a multitude of amazing ways, including giving non genetically-modified seeds to cotton farmers, to ensure the cotton they produce is organic, more sustainable and importantly, Fairtrade.

KEEPCUP uk.keepcup.com – When you’re working long hours in the big smoke, it’s inevitable that most of us will need a few coffees to get us through the day. But how many of those coffees come in ‘disposable’ cups? KeepCup is a revolutionary brand which seeks to get rid of disposable coffee cups for good. According to KeepCup, “there is enough plastic in 20 disposable cups (and lids) to make one small KeepCup.” So even though KeepCup is made from plastic, sustained use of your KeepCup will mean contributing way less to the harmful plastic problem. Plus, they’re customisable, look cool, and are barista standard sizes – so no perplexed staff when you hand them over at your local coffee shop.
Changing your routine to help the environment needn’t be a huge lifestyle over- haul. Going ecofriendly needn’t be scary when you have innovative, fashionable brands like these to guide you. So what are you waiting for? Get your guilt-free shop on, You’re saving the world, after all.

WRITTEN BY Sara Macauley