We all know the feeling when we buy something new, it’s fun, refreshing and exciting. However, like many of you, we question where has this been made? When we are bored of this look where will it end up? Have I spent too much money on something I may only wear or use a couple of times? Who has made this and what life do they live?

Secondhand September is a fantastic starting point for those of us looking for the benefits of shopping second hand. Not only can you totally curate an individual style, but you are entering the cycle of sustainable and responsible shopping. You might even surprise yourself with the way your style develops when not shopping from uniform racks.

For many years it was believed that giving clothes and homewares to charity was the best thing to do for others and ourselves, but the real implications of this are so much further removed from what we had we once believed. Many clothes end up in landfill, and those that get shipped to developing countries are often sold to traders effecting the local economy.

So what do we do? Really consider your purchases, think about your current items and needs. Utilise social media, there are great finds on Facebook Market place and local selling groups. Ebay is full of items to enhance your wardrobe and home with the option to search for specific vintage items. Another great way to find key pieces and styling ideas is of course Instagram. Many second hand shops exist on there as well as pop up accounts from individuals having a clear out (Great for children’s clothes on a budget).

When shopping for the home, it’s great to mix old items with new, and often you can find gems right on your doorstep. If you keep your eyes peeled when out and about it’s amazing what people leave outside on the street that they no longer want. Use this as a chance to flex your creativity and attempt some upcycling for a truly unique piece, or simply clean it up and re-style.

Some useful tags to search are #secondhandseptember #slowfashion #sustainablefashion #sustainablestyle #buysecondhand #upcycle #vintagefurniture

Image courtesy of @consciousstyle

Whilst we have all been adjusting to our new way of living at home, here at Vesta we have continued with our product development and have some beautiful items in stock.

First up are our Bamboo silk scrunchies These are made from super soft bamboo silk. Keep your hair tied up in style this summer, whilst avoiding friction on your hair follicles which cause breakage and keep your hair smooth.

We also have our food wrap. Now that we are allowed out for picnics, what better way to store your sandwiches than in our re-usable wraps which have a food safe PUL lining and come in a variety of fun designs.

Our wheat bags are ideal for using hot or cold. Ease pains and discomfort by heating in the microwave or popping in the freezer before use. Ideal to soothe aching muscles, headaches and cramps. Designed to drape comfortably over any area.

Lastly is our beautifully hand made Cuban mop. Made from solid beech, this mop can be used again and again and really is a product to last for many, many years. With reusable cloths which wrap around the base, it will give your floors a thorough clean. Say goodbye to plastic mops and dirty old string mop heads!

Zero waste at home. If this hasn’t been on your radar too much previously, it may be something that has raised its head with the current situation we find ourselves in.

With many people struggling to find basics such as cleaning products, kitchen paper and toilet roll we have a few ideas which may help you around the home.

 Simple switches you can make which will see you through our time at home and beyond are items like reusable cleaning wipes. These can be used in place of cleaning cloths, washing up sponges, dusters and napkins. They can be washed and reused again and again, so you never have the worry of running out.

 A simple cleaning solution to keep your home naturally germ free and smelling fresh can be made by using some simple ingredients. 

o   white vinegar

o   Purified water (Easy to do, just use freshly boiled water and allow to cool)

o   A few drops of your chosen essential oils - we use Lavender, Thyme and Rosemary - they smell beautiful, but are also antibacterial. (Other antibacterial oils are: tea tree, geranium, lemon, orange, eucalyptus, peppermint, cinnamon and clove)

These may be items you already have around your house, but if not, they should be easily obtainable online.

Fill half of your container with white vinegar and then add the same amount of purified water.

Next, add your essential oils a drop at a time until you are happy with the scent. (Remember to add and mix gradually to obtain your perfect fragrance)

Give your bottle a gentle shake before each, spray onto surface and wipe clean. You can use your clothes dry with a spray, or soak them in the solution so they are ready to use.

Vesta baby wipes are smaller than the cleaning clothes and are great for replacing all of your regular disposable wet wipes. They are also fantastic as using in place of toilet roll if you find yourself low on supply. You can use them wet or dry. Keep clean ones in a basket in the bathroom and have a sealed tub or bucket with a lid for the dirty ones. Give them a rinse before they go in the bucket and then pop the whole lot in the machine on a 60 degree cycle.

For cleansing your face, removing nail varnish or using to wipe little faces; we have our reusable cotton face wipes which can be used in place of your regular cotton pads.

Check out our full range of wipes here

What is good for the mind and soul as well as your living space? An air purifying plant will remove harmful toxins whilst pumping out oxygen and looking beautiful.

For those wanting to brighten up their living space as we head towards spring, here is a list of pet friendly plants for you to choose from.

• Bamboo Palm

• Boston Fern

• Spider Plant

• Gerbera Daisy

• Palms (Areca, bamboo, ponytail, and parlour palms are fine for pets, but avoid others) 

• Money tree

• Moth Orchid

• Australian Sword Fern

• Rubber Plant

• Banana plant

• Succulents - Pet-safe varieties include echeveria, hens and chicks, and rosettes

Photo from @isherwoodandco

Let’s face it, a lot of us need a good cup of coffee to get us going in the morning, but how about recycling your used coffee beans into an eco friendly beauty product?

Caffeine is great for waking us up, but used as a scrub it is also great at boosting your circulation and improving the appearance of your skin.

Decant your coffee grounds into a bowl or reusable container and in the shower, massage onto your skin in circular motions before rinsing off (Avoid the face as your skin is more sensitive here).

Alternatively, add a few drops of essential oil and add to melted coconut oil for a more luxurious scrub. After it has set, the coconut oil will melt on the heat of your skin in the bath or shower.

An easy way to reduce waste and feel great!

Earlier on in the year, the amazing Shelley Loves interviewed me about Vesta and the inspiration behind it, so I thought I’d post the interview here too..

Shelley has a great blog with lots of amazing fashion tips and interviews with inspirational woman.

http://shelleyloves.net/2019/04/11/reusable-cleaning-wipes/

Daisy and I have been using these to wash our faces both morning and evening and are very impressed with them. When I have put them in the washing machine on a 30° wash any mascara, lipstick or foundation stains have washed off and they still feel just as soft. To quote Daisy, she said ‘mum, they are like washing my face with velvet.’ And I have to agree, they really are that good. Daisy likes the little face wipes I like the big baby wipes. I have also been using them in the kitchen, bathroom, and just for spillages.

 I was intrigued to find out more about the founder Bryony and why she started Vesta Living, so I wrote to her and asked if I could question her for my blog. As you would expect she was super friendly and was so happy to spread the love of reusable items over disposable.

Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Bryony.  I live in Birmingham with my husband Max and our two boys Jasper and Robin and our cat Milly.  I’m a cusp star sign, the cusp of oscillation, which describes me quite well.  I swing from needing to get to London to soak up that crazy energy and then immediately after needing to be in nature.  I love being in water, mainly the sea, but rivers, pools and baths work well too.  I have a huge pink roll top bath I get in every night without fail. Equally, I love getting dressed up and drinking champagne with good friends in a fancy place.  Live music and singing is a passion too and the summer is my favourite season.  I adore feeling warm in the sunshine.

What inspired Vesta Living?

I had, like most people, watched Blue Planet in pure horror last year and despite trying to make some changes to our buying habits already, I knew that we couldn’t go on consuming as we once had.  I listened to a podcast where someone talked about simply starting by making replacements in house hold items from disposables to reusables.  By doing this, you could tackle one area at a time and make huge differences, without feeling overwhelmed and as though you had to be immediately perfect at Zero Waste. So buying a reusable travel coffee cup, swapping out plastic toothbrushes for biodegradable bamboo ones, plastic bags to reusable bags and disposable wipes to reusable wipes.  Simply buying products in glass over plastic and avoiding fruit and veg wrapped in plastic.  When I started to research reusable wipes, I found that there weren’t many places in the UK you could find them, at that time.  So I decided to start making and selling my own. The emphasis being on ensuring that using reusable products didn’t impact your lifestyle.

Why do you think it’s so important that we all use reusable wipes? 

Disposable wipes are a massive tax on the planet.  Most wipes are made of plastic and come in plastic packaging too.  Most wipes don’t degrade, and even the ones that do, take 20 or so years to degrade and in that time have already caused damage.  So many wipes end up in our sewer systems, they form colossal fat bergs which cost the UK £100 million to remove each year. They also shed fibres, known as micro plastics which are found in marine life and in return are in our food chain.  The whole wipes that make it out into the ocean are swallowed by marine creatures such as turtles who mistake them for jelly fish. They then sit in their stomachs, unable to be digested and slowly kill the creature.

I think we all need to start taking responsibility for our planet.  I wish retailers and large corporations would make the changes when it comes to single use plastics, but they just won’t.  So it must come down to the consumer.  And we are powerful, we make decisions about the kind of world we want to live in every time we spend our money.

What were you doing before Vesta Living?

Before Vesta Living, I was a Lingerie and Swimwear Buyer but I was made redundant whilst on maternity leave.  After that I worked for a “value” retailer with very debatable ethics and lasted 6 months or so.  After the birth of my second child, I started my own shop selling organic kids clothing and then had a couple of jobs working for local small businesses.  It’s so clear now how my past job experiences have propelled me into this role.

What impact do you want to have on the world? 

Wow… that’s a big question.

I’d like to think that where I achieve success I can bring someone along with me.  Vesta is a collaboration, of creatives, photographers, graphic designers, sewists, makers… I couldn’t do what I do without them and in turn I’d like to support them too.

But, I’d like to live a fairly low impact life.  Consuming less and experiencing more.