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07: is Plant Faced Clothing the way forward to ethical & stylish attire?

Ethical & Stylish Street Wear - what's not to love? From the get go, there is a lot to like about the Plant Faced Clothing brand . That's even before you discover that they plant trees for every item purchased, and that they are queer owned and operated (Plant Faced, 2021). Vegan garments, non-toxic dyes, attractive designs, recyclable packaging...the list goes on... (Plant Faced, 2022) If the website doesn't draw you in, the good on you rating should.  Plant Faced Good On You rating details linked here With a new year's resolution to completely cut out fast fashion from my clothing diet, Plant Faced was top of my Christmas list. As Santa granted my sustainable garment wish, I am excited to share my thoughts on this brand and my experience so far. Eat Plants Gothic Roses Tee  I was initially attracted to the rose design and bright red text which overlap, and I like the subtle slogan too. Many of their items promote sustainable lifestyle with cleverly written text, s...
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05 : packaging sustainability - is plastic fantastic?

 





Is Plastic fantastic?

Cheap, sturdy & easy to access, it is no wonder that this material is so popular for packaging (Plastic Europe, 2021). We rely on plastic to store our leftover food, to sit on a park bench and even for our mobile devices. So is is all bad? 

The answer is no. The problem is using plastics for single use purposes when there are more sustainable alternatives. Unfortunately, single use plastic cannot be avoided at all costs with lack of readily available substitutes, for example COVID-19 tests. 



ALDI: "GOODBYE SINGLE-USE, HELLO REUSABLE"



ALSO ALDI: 




As supermarkets are laden with single use packaging, it is too easy to fill up our trolleys with plastic which may harm the environment. 




However, there are many ways in which we can reduce the use of unnecessary single use plastics. Here are some of my suggestions...
  1. Bamboo toothbrush: now readily available at local supermarkets, we can now incorporate sustainability to teeth time! It takes 500 years to break down a plastic toothbrush, but only months for a biodegradable alternative (Tieso, 2021).
  2. Silicone straws: I tried to use metal straws when I first started uni, but I didn't take to them. The silicone straws I picked up from Asda are my favourite, and are multi-coloured! a win-win!
  3. Reusable coffee cup: a must have for an on-the-go coffee lover. There are reward systems in many places for those who bring their disposable cup!
  4. Vegetable bag: before shopping, pick up one of these reusable and recycled bags and fill up with loose veggies & fruit!
Additionally, zero waste stores are becoming more common. Recently an Asda Refill Station launched in Glasgow, and so did a dedicated sustainability store in Leeds, which you can see more of here. On top this this, there are local sustainable shops such as Re:Store and Rainbow Turtle.

More information on soft plastics: 




What are your tips for reducing unnecessary plastic waste?

References

Eco & Beyond. (2021). Why Plastic Is Good! (Some of the Time). [online] Available at: <https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/why-plastic-is-good/> [Accessed 1 November 2021].

Tiseo, I., 2021. Lifecycle of plastic products | Statista. [online] Statista. Available at: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/> [Accessed 3 November 2021].

Plastics Europe. (2021). Knowledge hub • Plastics Europe. [online] Available at: <https://plasticseurope.org/knowledge-hub/> [Accessed 1 November 2021].


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  1. UnknownNovember 5, 2021 at 3:08 AM

    This is so eye opening- 500 years to break down a toothbrush! And nowadays they often contain batteries too. I’ll definitely be going for the bamboo option next time. Bamboo cutlery also readily available instead of plastic. Great post, thanks for the info!

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    1. Kat McCallumNovember 5, 2021 at 3:14 AM

      Yes it is quite a sobering fact! Bamboo cutlery is a great idea! Thank you for your comment :)

      Delete
  2. UnknownNovember 10, 2021 at 12:30 AM

    Since reading your blog I've been seeking out fruit and veg which is not wrapped in plastic. Not an easy task though...the supermarkets still use it widely. If anyone out there knows of a list of food shops that have moved significantly away from plastic packaging, I would be interested in seeing it. I'm not meaning mini trials...I mean shops that havee made a serious move away from plastic packaging, and not just more blah, blah, blah.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 10, 2021 at 6:24 AM

      I agree, it is difficult to avoid single use plastics in mainstream supermarkets.
      Take a look at these companies who are reducing single use waste:
      ClubZero (https://www.clubzero.co/about, https://www.clubzero.co/news/clubzero-launches-partnership-with-just-eat-kings)
      GoodClub (https://www.goodclub.co.uk/)
      Package Free (https://packagefreeshop.com/pages/about)

      Delete

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