4 pillars to sustainable shopping

GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE ECO FRIENDLY GIFT BUYING

Do I need this?

Do I have something already that works as well?

Who am I buying this from?

What is it made of?

DO I NEED THIS?

Before you buy that thing…

STOP

Check in with yourself.

Why are you buying this thing?

Are you feeling rubbish and wanting a quick dopamine hit?

Are you buying thoughtlessly? Ie, out of a habit.

Do you actually need this item?

DO I HAVE SOMETHING ALREADY THAT WORKS AS WELL

Quite often, especially when we’re buying an outfit or something for the home, we might already have something that fits the bill. Maybe there’s something already in our cupboard that works… and we’re just being lulled into the excitement of feeling that this is somehow different..

Make time to know what you have in yourhome and what’s in your wardrobe.

Do you still need this thing?

WHO AM I BUYING THIS FROM

So you do need that thing… but who will you give your hard earned cash to?

When we spend money, we are casting a vote for what we want to see in the world.

That multi billionaire who doesnt pay their own employees properly? Or is this a thing you can buy from someone who has a local shop? Who supports your community by providing essential jobs and services.

OR, is there a company you can get this from that supports those less privileged.

Or can you get this thing second hand? From a charity shop or a preloved market place?

Remember, money is energy and where you spend it is important.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM

So, now you’ve decided that you need this thing and you’ve located a reputable seller.

What are you buying? What is the item? Is it made from a material that will eventually decompose? Or can it be recycled? Will it last for the job it’s required for? Or will you have to ditch it and get another one becasue it will break?

Buy good quality stuff, made

from natural, replenishable materials, so it will last along time and then will eventually decompose..

if it’s doesn’t do this, re think… is there something else you can buy? Make a better choice for the earth.

Oh my beauties… I feel you today. I have met many of you coming from and to the #cop26climate March… and I know you are tired. Some of you are feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. That it’s all too late, that not enough is being done from the top.. that these small changes won’t make a difference… it’s ok loves. Rest a while. Feel the injustice. Cry for the earth. You are doing so much. You are doing so well. Put down your pack and let me carry the burden for a while. Let me hold the hope, so you can weep. And from my little space of this earth, I will share the faith, that the future is beautiful. That Mother Earth will recover, and balance will be restored. 🌱🙌🏻❤️📷 @isabellemortonphoto#vestaliving #vestasustainableliving#love #eco

Connection…

I felt like I was missing it a little bit.. in the space of 2 years 3 of my closest friends left Birmingham… which was a total bummer…

Tho great for trips out!

And recently, post Covid lockdown, I have sensed a real loss in people of their friendships. Everyone seems a little at sea. Maybe not seeing people in a really long time, or having fall outs, Covid isolated us in more ways than the physical.

So this week I arranged a meet up. Under the Aries full moon.. Because woman gathering under a full moon is always magic. I invited those people I’d always enjoyed a passing chat with, the ones I wanted to get to know better, but we never had the time for the deep and meaningfuls. And the more time goes on, the less likely I am to want to discuss the weather.

How are your connections?

I look forward to opening our doors so that we can connect in person. I intend to run some workshops too, though im still working out what these will look like..

And one more thing!! I’ve started a private member group on Facebook, so we can chat all things connection, saving the world, living an eco lifestyle. It’s not ready quite yet, but if you sign up to our newsletter you will hear about it first!!! Click on the link in our bio and scroll to the bottom of our page to sign up.

#vestaliving #vestasustainabliving #community #birmingham #connection #vestaprivatemembersgroup #vesta #goddess #savetheocean #plasticfree #sustainableliving #zerowaste #digbeth #shopindie #shoplocalbirmingham #independantbirmingham #westmidlands

Ross from friends screaming “PIVOT” whilst his new sofa is stuck in the stairwell, is quite frankly ICONIC…

And this week, I had to PIVOT, in the face of annoying rejection.

Let me tell you how it went.

I applied for my markets, and my best market rejected me… for the first time ever… and initially I was ok about it, but since then, I feel like I’ve missed a couple of other great opportunities to get out and meet my gorge customers and make those all important Xmas sales..

I had a whinge… felt a bit sorry for myself.. until this little voice popped into my head… “stop looking at what you don’t have and focus on what you do have…”

After a good talking to myself in the mirror, I have the best customers, incredible stockists, locally and nationally, I have a few markets with my very best people planned in and I have this amazing little space.. I have the most amazing little studio shop space…

And so my plan is to open my little shop space.. on a more permanent basis in the lead up to Christmas..

I’ve secured some fab brands and worked on some great new products which I can’t wait to share with you all.

We can’t wait to welcome you from 4th November every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

It’s organic September this month. And whilst I love any additional focus on the benefits of organic (ie without pesticides) we are committed to organic all year round. I started using non organic fabric when I started the business, but knowing that non organic fabric and cotton is so damaging to the environment and the people who grow it, made me so uneasy and we switched to an organic fabric base.

Being a sustainable ethical company isn’t just producing products that are plastic free and reusable, it’s ensuring that EVERY little bit of the business is doing its utmost to be the cleanest and most sustainable for the planet. And i’m sorry, but if your fabric isn’t organic, or grown in a sustainable way… your business is not ethical. Your business is green washing.

The pesticides used to grow cotton are so strong that often after the crops are sprayed, people can’t go into the fields for days because of the damage it causes to their health.

Organic farming relies on natural systems and cycles and looking after the earth the crops grow in. No pesticides are used, and natural methods are used to keep pests away.

Have a look at this great post by The Soil Association all about organic farming.

https://www.soilassociation.org/certification/fashion-textiles/organic-cotton-the-sustainable-choice/

#vesta #vestaliving#vestasustainableliving #organic#organicseptember #organiccotton#eco #sustainable #plasticfree#zerowaste #soilhealth #gotscertified#reusablewipes #greenwashing#cleanoceans #plasticfreeoceans#greenparenting #fabric #linen#sustainableliving #sustainablehome#greenhome #reducereuserecycle

We’ve won an award!!!! Or our amazing cloth reusable wipes have.

They won best eco product in the kitchen category in @beautyshortlist. It’s so exciting to have one of our favourite products recognised in this way. So many environmentally focussed brands won awards this year, it really feels like mindset is definitely on greener issues and climate change.

Im so proud of anyone who is moving away from using polluting single use plastics. It’s not easy when the super markets are still full of them. I know the effort involved in researching and finding more eco alternatives. And if you have little babies, even more so, i know how your time is stretched.

Thanks to the @beautyshortlist for the award, I’m very honoured.

Click here to see the full list of winners https://www.thebeautyshortlist.com