Blue Labelle
Blue LabelleFrom an organic skincare range to pure essential oils, premium ingredients of the highest quality are used to hand-make all Blue Labelle products on-site in small batches. The result? Very little waste, beautiful glass packaging, and quality natural products. Their flagship store on the Isle of Wight, opened in 2017, is run on 100 percent renewable energy. Exclusively natural products are used to clean the shop, too, and founder Pascale Edwards-Labelle walks or cycles to work most days.
All Blue Labelle products are registered with the Vegan Society. To name a few, the Blue Labelle Biologique range of award-winning facial, cleansing, and body oils are completely natural and organic, their lip balms are housed in post-consumer recycled plastic tubes, and their Moroccan Spa Range uses Rhassoul Clay to create one hundred percent natural face masks. Their most recent product launch, the Glow Powder Cleanser, lathers up on contact with water thanks to the addition of a naturally derived surfactant, found in coconuts; it has received ‘glowing’ reviews from the natural beauty community.
Blue Labelle skincare products have won awards including from the Green Parent Magazine’s Natural Beauty Awards, and their shop won Best Natural Skincare Boutique in the Lux Life Magazine Awards.
Aurum
AurumHandcrafted jewellery inspired by Icelandic nature, Aurum stands for Ambition, Understanding, Responsibility, Unity, and Mindfulness. Established in 1999 by goldsmith and designer Guðbjörg Kristín Ingvarsdóttir and Karl Jóhann Jóhannsson, MBA, the jewellery label puts emphasis on design, sustainability, quality, and customer care.
Carefully created by its founders in their workshop in Reykjavík, Aurum recycled sterling silver jewellery is inspired by nature, resulting in pieces that are both modern and timeless. Aurum source materials from Fairtrade-certified companies, obtain exclusively recycled and re-refined precious metals, and purchase only certified and conflict-free stones and diamonds. All of their packaging is environmentally friendly.
Launched to commemorate the brand’s 20th anniversary, the new collection, Erika, encapsulates the spirit of Aurum’s origins – picture a picnic in the Icelandic countryside, a young girl fascinated by the delicate flowers, collecting them for her mother, and writing a fairy tale in her diary about her hopes and dreams.
Vegware
Vegware‘Espresso yourself sustainably,’ encourages the slogan of compostable packaging brand Vegware. Offering plant-based disposables made from renewable, lower carbon, reclaimed, or recycled materials, Vegware has expanded their operations from Edinburgh, Scotland, across the UK, USA, Australia, and Hong Kong, with distribution throughout Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean.
Made from two layers of sustainable board, Vegware cups are lined with PLA, a renewable material derived from plants. As a result, Vegware products can be composted as normal with food waste, or, for those that may not have access to commercial compost, through RecycleBox – Vegware have partnered with UK recycling company First Mile to provide post-back courier recycling service. In under 12 weeks, your coffee cup transforms into a soil improver, helping local plants grow.
Vegware have recently introduced the Gallery Collection, bringing their plant-based cups to the world of special events, entertainment, and business with limited edition designs through a collaboration with UK-based Coburg House Studios. Who said choosing sustainability has to be boring?
Botánico Vida
Botánico VidaWith the belief that there is no place for petrochemicals in family skincare, mothers Kristy Cimesa and Hannah Becker set out to develop Botánico Vida, a natural skincare range offering genuinely natural, therapeutic products with authentic and honest claims. Free from synthetic fragrance and colours, parabens, PEGs, and sulphates, Botánico Vida are campaigning hard to stop the use of mineral oil and other petrochemicals in skincare.
An award-winning, specialist skin treatment, the Botánico Vida Omega Oil has been clinically proven to increase skin elasticity by 45 percent, helping the skin stretch during pregnancy or a growth spurt, as well being dubbed a cure for all skin conditions, from scarring and stretch marks to dry, inflamed skin. While running the global skincare and spa brand Elemental Herbology, Cimesa became enamoured with the efficacy sacha inchi, one of the world’s richest plant sources of Omega 3, 6, and 9. To create Omega Oil, sacha inchi is combined with argan, avocado, and rosehip oils, and infused with vitamin E and calendula to deliver nourishing fatty acids directly into the skin.
All Botánico Vida products are ethically and sustainably sourced. The sacha inchi oil comes from Peru’s OMEGA Project, established in 2001 by the Peruvian government to protect and respect the environment and farmers’ quality of life, as well as aiming to reforest 20,000 hectares of the Amazon with native trees and medicinal plants. All Botánico Vida products are registered with Cruelty Free International and The Vegan Society in addition to ensuring that all ingredients are Fairtrade and eco-certified.
SAALT
SAALTSaalt was created with the vision of making period care accessible to everyone. In an era where traditional disposables bring far more profit, Saalt is committed to offering clean, toxin-free products that are not only healthier for consumers, but more sustainable for the planet. Passionate about supporting individuals in making better choices, the founders of Saalt have proved that comfort and convenience do not have to be compromised when it comes to sustainability.
The Saalt Cup is a reusable, soft silicone cup that collects your period, as opposed to absorbing it. Worn internally, it stays in place by creating a seal between the cup and the vaginal wall. Once the cup is filled, you simply empty, rinse, and reinsert the cup for another 12 hours of protection. Saalt have also recently launched the Saalt Soft Cup, which features the same design but in a softer silicone for those who have bladder sensitivity, cramping, or discomfort with firmer cups. Other products include the all-natural Saalt Wash and the Saalt Duo Pack, which includes a size small and regular in one pack.
Openly talking about periods in order to break taboos and foster a supportive community extends to Saalt’s social mission – two percent of revenue is allocated to donate period cups across the world, help turn cup users into cup mentors in their home countries, teach basic reproductive health, and fund school scholarships for girls and work initiatives for women. Saalt’s strong business ethics create a powerful vehicle to bring about positive change.
Origins of Beauty
Origins of Beauty An online boutique for the conscious consumer who values health, wellbeing, and the environment. Gayathrie Seewoosurrun’s passion for natural skincare and leading a healthy lifestyle drove her to establish an online store with the power to convey a positive message, have an impact on both people and planet, and make a difference.
Origins of Beauty offers products formulated using natural, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients, all free from harsh chemicals and synthetics, with brand partners making conscious efforts to be either plastic-free, minimise plastic usage, or use recyclable materials. Brands like Ilāpothecary, Conscious Skincare, Ethically Organic, and Antonin B Paris, for example, stay away from outer packaging, and Lena Wild use glass jars and boxes made from recycled cotton.
What we put onto our skin is just as important as what we put into our bodies. For this reason, Origins of Beauty’s range are all free from harmful ingredients, chemicals, parabens, SLS, GMOs, formaldehyde, mineral oils, and synthetics. Looking back at the origins of ingredients and choosing the organic path allows us to experience nature’s magic and indulge in guilt-free beauty and wellbeing.
Pure Chimp
Pure ChimpThe health benefits of matcha green tea have been around for years, and yet the top-quality products remained inaccessible to those with lower incomes. Without compromising on quality and sourcing directly from Kagoshima, Japan, PureChimp have developed a range of affordable matcha-based drinks and skincare products, all free from preservatives, pesticides, and artificial ingredients.
From improving mood and memory to increasing endurance and packed with nutrients like potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, PureChimp matcha drinks have been proven to boost energy levels without the unpleasant side effects of coffee. Their specially grown matcha green tea leaves are carefully ground down to a fine powder, ensuring all the natural goodness is absorbed throughout the day.
PureChimp products are packaged in recyclable glass or paper, and their small team ensures that all orders are shipped in recyclable and biodegradable materials – no plastic involved. PureChimp is a proud member of One Percent for the Planet, an international organization whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual sales to environmental causes, on top of donating five percent of their profits to global charity Save the Chimps Save the Chimps.
Connor & Company
Connor & CompanyOpening its doors to Derry, Northern Ireland, in the summer of 2019, Connor & Company is an all-new concept salon providing hair, makeup, nails, and food services all under the one roof. Clients can choose from the selection of treatments available with an option to enjoy afternoon tea, introducing a unique experience to the city. Following extensive research and refinement, founder Connor Grant has invested into creating an all-natural haircare product range, available for purchase exclusively from the salon.
Connor & Company strives to offer an exclusive space for an inclusive clientele, building a vibrant atmosphere where forward-thinking and fun is at the heart of their practice and where every person feels free to be their creative self. The team comprises of quality-driven professionals who have acceptance and understanding at the core of their beliefs, meaning that they all envision, support and enable you to be the best and boldest version of yourself. Over the next year, the salon will provide a space for fashion and beauty events for the city, as well as housing training sessions for aspiring stylists.
