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While at the Fussy headquarters we celebrate Mother Earth every day, officially, April is Earth Month. This is the perfect time to think about what you love about our unique planet and how you can celebrate it.
This doesn’t mean you have to strip down, put some flowers in your hair, and dance in the moonlight (although, you do you, hun). Appreciating the earth can be as simple as walking a little slower on your lunchtime stroll, listening to the birds, or stopping to smell the spring flowers.
Ok, so we’re a little hippy at heart.
Most importantly, Earth Month is about doing your bit for the planet. For most of us, this year has brought a huge amount of change into our lives. But for better or worse, Mother Nature has provided us all small moments of joy and comfort.
And what better way to give back to the planet than by spreading some sustainability love to your pals - and yourself! Luckily, giving the gift of green living doesn’t have to be difficult (or too expensive) in 2021. With so many cool brands out there - *cough* Fussy *cough* - finding the perfect eco-friendly gift for a loved one, yourself included, is easy.
How to spot a sustainable brand in 2021
The shops are open and the sun is shining, well, when it’s not snowing that is (WTF April?!), and we’re ready to get our retail therapy on. But with so many brands out there claiming eco-friendly sainthood, it can be tricky to spot the sincerely sustainable from the posers.
A number of things can determine whether a company or product is sustainable, but just like the food industry with confusing terms such as “free-range” and organic”, finding a truly green brand can feel like a minefield.
But never fear, Fussy is here! And we have a few tips that will help you spot whether a brand is sustainable or not.
1. Research - this has to be the mother of top tips when it comes to brand sustainability. Figure out what matters to you, then have a little dig into the brand and see if they meet your standards. Transparency is the bare minimum nowadays, so if a brand makes it hard to find certain information, like where their factories are based, that’s a red flag.
The next few tips will all follow on from big daddy #1 but all deserve attention in their own right.
2. What fabrics and materials do they use? A brand’s primary fabrics can provide huge insight into its eco-friendliness. Look out for terms like natural, organic, recycled, and upcycled. For the safety of dyes, look out for the following certifications: Bluesign Certified, GOTS Certified, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEXⓇ. If you wanted, you could really deep dive here and look into the water/energy use of each fabric type as well.
3. What are their production methods? We are a wasteful society. Although brands like Fussy are trying to change that, it’s just a fact. A few things to ask to determine how wasteful or efficient a brand’s production process is are: how many products or styles do they offer? How many stores do they have? What shipping methods do they use for overseas deliveries? These are all things that will feed into the waste caused by producing their product.
4. How inclusive are they? The intersectionality of sustainability and anti-racism is something that everyone should be aware of in 2021 and every brand calling itself sustainable should be playing an active role in the fight against racism. To figure out how dedicated to the cause a brand really is, look out for BIPOC representation on their website and social media. Search for evidence of support of BLM organisations as well as full transparency of their company’s diversity.
These are just a few things to have in mind when looking for a sustainable brand in 2021, but if you have the time, let yourself go down that rabbit hole.
Meet our Fussy friends
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the world of sustainable branding and are not quite ready to put on your investigator hat, we’ve put together a list of our top 5 brands that are great for when you need an eco-friendly gift that won’t cost you the earth.
1. Who: KanKan - A brother from another mother, KanKan gives you soaps that do good.
How it works: Get your ‘forever bottle’ filled with a sensational soap of your choice, made with all-natural ingredients by the way. When it’s finished, you simply order your aluminium can refill from the KanKan crew and hey presto! Zero plastic waste, delightfully clean human!
Perfect for: Your mum who likes to spend way too much money on fancy hand soaps but never reuses the bottles.
2. Who: Ocean Bottle - Small bottle. Big impact.
How it works: Sharing Fussy’s goal to reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans, for every bottle sold, Ocean Bottle donates to Plastic Bank who ensure that the equivalent of 1000 plastic bottles is collected from coastal communities around the world. Plus, they have a limited edition Earth Bottle to celebrate Earth Day!
Perfect for: Your friend who cycles to work and tracks every single step on their smartwatch.
3. Who: Haeckels - natural skincare and fragrances straight from the ocean.
How it works: The sea is not only the inspiration for this Margate-based skincare company, it’s its very essence. Founder Dom Bridges and his small team produce simple handcrafted products that showcase the natural ingredients sourced from the surrounding coastline. Honesty is everything for this brand and honestly, they’re amazing.
Perfect for: Your sister who is feeling stressed with work and deserves some pampering.
4. Who: Hunu - the coffee cup that fits in your pocket.
How it works: We’ve all got that one reusable coffee cup sitting in our cupboard that’s getting dustier by the day. The honest truth is, that being environmentally friendly isn’t really that convenient. Well, Hunu has answered all eco-conscious coffee lover’s prayers with their cleverly designed reusable cup that folds down to less than 2cm thick! You know how we love a nifty design.
Perfect for: Your coworker who gets their coffee from Pret every day and claims reusable ones are just too clunky.
5. Who: Pangaia - the materials science clothing company on a mission to save our environment.
How it works: Pangaia is a global collective that brings scientists, technologists, and designers together to create everyday essentials by using innovative tech and bio-engineered materials. Whether it’s recycled fibres, materials made from plastic bottles, or bio-based fabrics, this direct-to-consumer brand has got the science of sustainable clothing down. Oh, and they’ll plant a tree for every product sold.
Perfect for: This one’s for you, baby! After the year we’ve had (and sticking with us ‘til the end), you deserve to treat yourself to the comfiest and greenest clothing around.
Of course, there is no better gift than the feeling of sweat-free pits and a clean conscience. Now that’s something that everyone can enjoy, especially with summer just around the corner. So, let Fussy give you the gift of feeling fresh every day of the year.
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