The best eco friendly shops in London
It's not all hemp and recycled sandals
If you've seen 21 Jump Street then you'll know it's not cool to live your life at the expense of the planet. Not even Channing Tatum can get away from that fact.
So do yourself - and the planet- a favour and be kind to Mother Earth; look after her and she'll keep on spinning for years to come.
Plus, things have moved on from the 70s - not everything Eco is made of hemp, there's some pretty cool, desirable stuff out there.
C'mon... let's hug.
Named after a Hindi god with the head of an elephant, Ganesha sells homewares, accessories and gifts from their riverside shop. All their products are fair trade, and they work directly with small producers in India. The shop uses a green energy supplier - Good Energy - and is furnished with recycled items.
Unpackaged
Cafes & Coffee Shops
197 Richmond Road E8 3NJ
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Unpackaged sells organic food and beauty products, but rather than use plastic bags and packaging customers are encouraged to bring their own tupperware and carrier bags. As well as keeping costs down this means reducing harm to the environment by producing less waste that would end up on a rubbish tip.
This shoe shop in Covent Garden has been selling footwear made from natural materials for over 30 years. They stock shoes for men, women and children, a vegan range, and famous brands like Birkenstock.
Karavan
Household Stores
167 Lordship Lane SE22 8HX
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Karavan's clothing and household goods are made from renewable sources and produced in the UK wherever possible. T-shirts made from bamboo viscose, gardening equipment and recycled metal barbecues are a few of the wares on offer.
For cosmetics to be stocked by Content they must contain no chemicals, and the companies must not do animal testing, be Soil Association certified, and make donations to developing areas. You can either by products from the shop or choose one of their treatments, such as facials, accupuncture and cupping.
Folklore
Interior Design & Decoration
193 Upper Street N1 1RQ
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If you're looking for unique homeware and furniture the ethical shop Folklore in Islington is a good place to start. Their tables, chairs and light fittings may not be the cheapest around, but they're built to last, helping to reduce waste. Items are from small producers or individual designers rather than being mass-produced, and each year they donate 10% of their profits to charity.
Danaqa
Fashion Shops
281 Portobello Road W10 5TZ
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The ethos behind Portobello Road's Danaqa is to support female producers of jewellery and clothing around the world. The jewellery is made by women in Nepal who have suffered domestic abuse, and leather for handbags is purchased from Ethiopian families whose livelihood depends on it.
Family Tree specialise in gifts like jewellery, handprinted scarves and scented candles. As all their products are handmade numbers are limited, but this means you're buying something few others have while contributing to the livelihood of individual printmakers and designers, rather than huge corporations.
This independent shop sells shoes, clothes and wallets for men and women that are animal-friendly, made from recycled materials, and/or manufactured in Britain. Whether they're in the UK or overseas, The Third Estate only stocks products from suppliers that pay a fair wage and ensure their employees have safe conditions to work in.
Top designer Stella is commited to sustainability, from providing employment crafts people in Kenya to using green energy provider Ecotricity in all their stores and offices. An item from this luxury brand certainly doesn't come cheap, but at least your money is (at least partly!) going somewhere worthwhile.