Our Love of Local Continues
We can’t help it. We are always on the lookout for those local businesses that are going the extra mile – champions of the South West that are doing their part to heal the planet, reverse the damage and forge a new path. Over the last few months our eyes (and mouths) have been open wide and we’ve spied another six brands that are – we believe – nailing it.
better.
better. is a Dorset-based contemporary accessories brand with a focus on sustainability. Founded by Uschi and Nathalie, a mother daughter combo, their mission is clear and simple – to make fashion better full stop. Their range of funky knits is entirely made from recycled fibers and recovered materials. Handmade and packaged in completely recyclable packaging too, the brand delivers on every level of sustainability and ethics.
One of ETHICLY’s greatest loves is where a brand makes use of waste to create something new. So we simply just love everything the better crew are doing. Fast fashion has to become a thing of the past and as consumers, we must learn to buy fewer and buy better to make best use of our planets limited resources. There is no better starting point than buying from brands like better.
Bare Necessities
Forget the Apple Store, we think Bare Necessities is the new face of retailing. Targeted at providing zero waste, ethically produced goods to the planet conscious, this Wareham store opened in September 2019 and has already moved its self-serve, gorgeously rustic merchandising into larger premises – all while continuing to provide a delivery service during lockdown restrictions.
A complete grocery store with a difference, selling everything from pasta, grains and flour, to milk, mooncups and clothes pegs, Bare Necessities runs under five core principles. They advocate, live and breathe the tenets of; no single use plastic, BYO container (or buy one is store to use and use again), organic and vegan friendly where possible, ethical sourcing, and reuse first – where they are aiming to reduce not just the amount of plastic being used but also the amount that goes to recycling. Their mantra is clear – reduce, reuse, recycle.
Owner Cheryl wanted to open her store to ‘turn back time’, but we think Bare Necessities is the store of the future – and the future is caring, and plastic-free.
The Mumpreneur Collective
Founder of this international business mum’s support and training network, Erin, left a high-powered job in TV production in 2008, after having her first baby and deciding to reshape her working life to align with her new priorities. Evolving over the next seven years – through building new businesses, forging new partnerships, and even a wholesale family move to Abu Dhabi – the Mumpreneur Collective was created as an online community for Mum’s juggling business and family, wherever they were in the world. This collective offered these women the opportunity to feel supported and connected to like minded, independent self-starters.
Now back in the UK, and based in Bournemouth, Erin has added The Cocoon Club offering to her portfolio – a supportive network for new small business owners including master classes, guest speakers, expert advice, business surgeries and continual support.
We love this form of nurturing, cooperative and encouraging enterprise, using the power of digital to bring women together as they build their businesses towards success.
Kite Clothing
There is so much to adore about Poole-based Kite clothing for kids. Bright, fun, durable and cosy kit for children from newborn to 11 years old, all these hard-wearing tops, dungas, skirts and swimmers (and so much more) are made from organic cotton, recycled plastic bottles or fabrics approved by OEKO-TEX. Like us, the founders are passionate about protecting the planet and, as responsible clothing manufacturers, they have put sustainability at the heart of their production process since they launched their first range in 2007.
This brand leaves no stone unturned with the end-to-end supply chain – ranging from the cotton grower to their embroiderers – successfully inspected to ensure that comprehensive organic and ethical standards are met. Across the Ethicly business we have plenty of opportunity for small people to put these beautiful clothes to the test, and collectively we vote ‘yes’ for this brand of sustainable fashion.
Raw Being
The husband and wife team behind Raw Being, Jayne and Tom, are ‘on a mission to inspire others and promote ‘real honest food’. With Jayne’s background in nutrition, and Tom’s sweet tooth, a brand that’s all about natural, raw maca, baobab and cacao products makes perfect sense. This is a company born from a love of simple, natural and nutritious ingredients, alongside a desire to create a socially and environmentally responsible business. Raw Being is available across a range of independent stores, farm shops and whole food stores.
Bringing ethical, organic, delicious chocolate to the masses? Now there’s a mission we can really get behind.
Almond and Co
More delicious food! Pre-prepared daily special vegan meals, dried pastas, seeds and cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables – and frankly everything else you’d expect from a well-stocked grocery store – Almond & Co have it all. They are – they claim – ‘dedicated to finding tasty produce and clever products that look great, work hard, and don’t cause any unnecessary harm to the planet’. This sounds like a pretty good aim to us.
With a refillery for dried goods on Poole Road, Westbourne, and deliveries available to the BCP area throughout the Covid-19 lockdown, this brand is doing good end-to-end, for the planet and the community.
Oh, and did we mention the doughnuts? Ah, the doughnuts!
Missing Alert
Are you a Bournemouth-based business doing good and have not been featured here – Don’t panic! Simply drop Nikki a line on nikki@ethicly.co.uk or call 01202 946 649 to get listed.
