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Elastine

I wear mostly natural fibres but occasionally have problems with elasticine. I thought this referred to elastic. So when the label said 95% cotton 5% elasticine I thought the article of clothing contained elastic. I was kind of confused to find my jeans contained elastic but considered it essential in my knickers. Obviously more research was needed.

What is elasticine? also called Spandex or Lycra

elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It can be stretched up to 7 times it’s own length and snaps back into shape. So yes like elastic in that sense.

BUT rather than a stretchy piece of white stuff threaded through your waistband, it is used in a blend with other fibres. It is often mixed with natural fibres such as cotton to help them keep their shape.

There are two principal methods used in processing elastane. One is to wrap the elastane fibre in a non-elastic thread – either natural or man-made. The resulting yarn has the appearance and feel of the outer fibre used. The second method involves using pure elastane threads, which are worked or woven into fabrics made from other fibres. The added elasticity makes such fabrics more comfortable to wear. Blends with elastane depend on the type of fabric and the end use.

On care labels elastane is often designated as “EL”.

For cotton clothes that need a lot of stretch like socks and knickers it is almost impossible to find them elasticine free.

Why is this a problem?

It is a polyether polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPonts Wikipedia

Basically it is a non biodegradable plastic. The problem with non biodegradable plastic fibres is that they shed when the fabric containing them is washed. They are then swooshed into the drains in the waste water and, too fine to be filtered out, they end up the rivers and sea. Once there, being plastic, they don’t biodegrade. They are now amongst other problems, being eaten by plankton with worrying effects.

And then there is this….”Spandex is made from several chemicals that are known sensitizers. TDI and MDI (Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate; Methylene bisphenyl-4,4-diiisocyanate) are precursors of the polyurethane used to make spandex. TDI, a toxic chemical, has proved carcinogenic and can cause severe dermatitis. MDI is also toxic. Manufacturers of spandex products must use strict quality control procedures to ensure that no residual unreacted MDI or TDI exists in the final product.

Why I boycott….

Seemingly, wherever scientists look, they’re finding plastic fibers contaminating the environment. Often, plastic textile fibers are the dominant source of plastic pollution found in surveys. Plastic fibers have been found in the sediment surrounding beaches, in mangrove groves, and in Arctic ice — even in products we eat and drink. “The average person ingests over 5,800 particles of synthetic debris” a year, a recent paper in PLOS finds. And most of those particles are plastic fibers.

Read more here

 

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Noodles

Finally managed to score some plastic free noodles!Its back to the wonderful Leeds Market. I love it. Its a great place to buy #plasticfree almost everything. Read a review here

And its been made all the better by the opening of the JarTree where you can take your own packaging and buy just about everything you might ever need, plastic free.
Address: Leeds Kirkgate Market, Unit BS1, Leeds LS2 7HY

Phone: 07470 033404 https://www.facebook.com/thejartree/

You can see a picture diary here of all the products stocked including NOODLES!!!!

Or visit the website for more. They are continually updating the product list here:
http://www.thejartree.co.uk/store-product-list.html

And they welcome all suggestions in store too!

Food & Drink

Here is a list of food types category with purchase details

Don’t Live In Leeds? More Plastic Free Food Shops Here.

There are a growing number of plasticfree/refill shops in the U.K. Here are our latest finds.

Buy On Line
None near you?. Sad face? Don’t worry. There are and increasing number of shops selling plastic free food online. And they  send them out in plasticless packages.

You can find others, HERE

N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Sponges

You want a sponge? You could try a natural one but please do be sure it is sustainabley harvested… like these
Sustainable Sponge Farming
Sustainable Sponges are grown in the sheltered lagoons of Pohnpei, Micronesia. Sponge farming in Micronesia was started by the Marine and Environmental Research Institute of Pohnpei (MERIP) as a means of generating a sustainable livelihood for local community members, many of whom have no access to running water or electricity, and little means of earning money.
Read more and buy here.

If that doesn’t appeal you can buy biodegradable, cellulose sponges such as these.

ProDec Cellulose Large Size Sponge
Details:
100% cellulose for extra absorbency
Holds up to 20 times its own weight in water
150 x 115 x 40mm
100% natural cellulose sponge. Ideal for washing down and sugar soaping surfaces, hanging paper and cleaning tiles. Can also be used to help create special stippling effects. The super absorbent cellulose structure can hold up to 20 times its own weight in water, and when wrung out will wipe down surfaces leaving them virtually dry.
Buy them From ebay.

N.B.
You can get bath time versions that are more attractively shaped.
I have yet to find one in #plasticfree packaging

For washing up and wiping down I use these biodegradable cellulose sponge in compostable #plasticfree packaging. Fantastic. And I composted them in my bin when done. Read more here.

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Anything But Plastic Online Shop

Anything But Plastic sells alternatives to plastic products in order to reduce everyday plastic consumption and help tackle plastic pollution. As well as trying to provide plastic free alternatives, this shop wants its customers to make informed purchases and promote sustainable buying practices.

The aim of Anything But Plastic is to bring together as many as possible of the individual brands and companies that produce plastic free alternative products and provide a platform of convenience for the average consumer to purchase these goods. Cutting down on plastic should not have to be hard, inconvenient or time consuming. With this site I hope to get rid of these obstacles, which will hopefully bring about some positive change and make going plastic-free an easy choice.

Website:
www.anythingbutplastic.co.uk

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/anythingbutplastic/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/trashplasticnow
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/anythingbutplastic/

More

This shop sells plastic free floss… and you know how hard that is to find.

Please note…
This post was written by the contributor. and  is  a PfU.K. Directory submission.

And the Pf U.K. Directory is…?
…a directory of UK-based groups, organisations businesses and individuals who are responding to the problems presented by the misuse of plastic. That does not mean anti-plastic necessarily but certainly plastic-problem aware.

The DIRECTORY is to promote their fantastic work. Read more here…

Got a project?
It is very easy to get a project featured. Each contributor submits a short synopsis of their project, focussing on the plastic aware element and I post it. You can read the submission guidelines here.

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Mouthwash & Tooth Whitener

A peroxide mouth wash can help whiten the teeth. But only do this occasionally as there are lots of conflicting reports on the healthiness of such activities. This is a useful read 

Mouthwash Mix: 1 part hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1 part water. Rinse mouth, then spit out. Discard and left over solution or use it as extra solution.

For another great mouthwash recipe try this blog
or this one for lots more
And don’t stop at the mouthwash, there are lots of wonderful sounding things in there.

Read more about peroxide HERE

More

This is an interesting read. DIY tooth whitening from Colgate http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry/teeth-whitening/article/how-to-make-your-own-teeth-whitening-paste-0315

See a full range of homemade #plasticfree personal care products here 
And find out how to make lots more stuff HERE
Find all plastic free personal care products here…

Ingredients

An introduction to some of the stuff you need to make the above

Disclaimer
Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

I am telling you of my own experiences for your information only. You should do a lot more research before proceeding.

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Sun Block Creams & Lotions

 The following information is for guidance only. None of the following recipes or tips have not been tested on anyone other than me. I strongly advise you do your own research and proceed very carefully. Sunburn is painful, ages the skin and potentially very dangerous.

Disclaimer

Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

If you want a better informed opinion I suggest you head on over to the Aromantics website. They will sell you everything you need to make sun tan lotion including recipes you can download as a PDF. They have been in this game for years and are far more qualified then I am.
The following is an account of my own experiences which may help you in your own research.

A Tannning History

I realised that I needed sun tan / block lotion and lots of it. And it needs to be applied regularly. Even in cloudy weather. I came to this conclusion just as I was giving up plastic. So not only did I have to learn to use sunblock and had to learn how to make it. I have been using zinc based, home-made sun block lotion for about 5 years now. I know it stops me from burning because I burn when I don’t use it. Obviously it has not been tested in a lab and I cannot guarantee results.
I cannot guarantee the SPF factor or that it is not doing unseen damage.
I still try to limit my exposure to the sun but I feel this cream definitely helps me. I offer this personal account for discussion only. If you do decide to make your own lotion please do more research.

There is lots more information about sun protection here. Do read up before you decide to make your own.

Why Sunscreen
Sunscreens help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin.
There are two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB
UVB is the chief cause of sunburn and linked to sun cancer. UVA rays, penetrate the skin more deeply, and contribute to photoaging.
You need a cream that protects from both.
Creams protect in following ways
Physical sunscreens reflect the sunlight
chemical sunscreens absorb UV light

Physical blockers
Physically block the rays of the sun by covering the skin in a thin coating of white powder that deflects the light. They include Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide.
They can leave white sheen on the skin.
Chemical Blockers
Most other sunscreen ingredients beyond titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are chemical sunscreens
Physical blockers tend to be more stable, while chemical sunscreens may degrade and are often paired with other sunscreen ingredients to increase stability. (See more information at AMF.org.)
Some people are allergic or sensitive to chemical sunscreens.

Sun Block Active Ingredients
Against UVB (290-320nm):
Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA), Cinoxate, Dioxybenzone, Ensulizole, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Octisalate (Octyl Salicylate), Oxybenzone, Padimate O, Sulisobenzone, Trolamine Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
UVA (320-340nm):
Dioxybenzone, Ecamsule (Mexoryl), Helioplex, Meradimate, Oxybenzone, Sulisobenzone, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide
UVA (340-400nm): Avobenzone, Zinc Oxide

SPF
Sun protective factor provided by cream is measured in SPF
SPF factors only measure protection against UVB. You will need a cream that also protect from other kinds of rays.
SPF4 filters out 75% of UVB
SPF10 filters out 90% –
SPF15 filters out 93%
SPF25 filters out 96%
SPF30 filters out 97%
SPF50 filters out 98%
SPF100 99%
Source

Applying Cream
Sunscreens are unlikely to be fully effective after 2 hours
According to the skin cancer organisation  “you need to apply 1 oz – about a shot glass full. Studies show that most people apply only half to a quarter of that amount, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is lower than advertised. During a long day at the beach, one person should use around one half to one quarter of an 8 oz. bottle. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.

Buy

Anything But Plastic online sell this – Shade Sunscreen for £9.75 for 100ml
But at that price I will also have to continue making my own.

Making Sun Block At Home

The following information is for guidance only. None of the following recipes or tips have not been tested on anyone other than me. I strongly advise you do your own research and proceed very carefully. Sunburn is painful, ages the skin and potentially very dangerous.

Disclaimer
Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.

If you want a better informed opinion I suggest you head on over to the Aromantics website. They will sell you everything you need to make sun tan lotion including recipes you can download as a PDF. They have been in this game for years and are far more qualified then I am.
The following is an account of my own experiences which may help you in your own research.
I use
Zinc Oxide
This is a fine white powder that coats the skins and so reflects the damaging and burning rays of the sun.
It protects the skin from UVA, UVB and UVC.
I am currently researching  Microfine Titanium Dioxide. 

Using Zinc Oxide

This is a fine white powder easily available on line.
It coats the skins and so reflects the damaging and burning rays of the sun.
It protects the skin from UVA, UVB and UVC. According to www.aromantic.co.uk website (where you can buy zinc and get advice on how to use it),
It is one the oldest and most effective sunblock and
It can be easily added to base lotions and oils.

No to Nano Zinc

So zinc is great BUT it is a white powder and stronger mixes can sit on the skin like a pasty mask. Make your lotion too strong and you look like Marcel Marceau. You don’t burn but you look freaky. To counter this some suggest using nano zinc.
Nano or micronized zinc oxide is zinc oxide that  has been ground to a very fine powder to reduce the size of its particles. Anything with a particle size smaller than 100nm is considered a nano particle. This means it spreads more easily and does not leave a white sheen on the skin.The worry is that particles this size may be able to enter the body.
Because of that I use normal zinc. In stronger concentrations it does leave a slight white sheen. It can also leave white marks on dark clothes. Wear white linen is the obvious answer to this. Or work on your locked in a glass box mime.

Using Zinc In Homemade Sun Block

None of the below have been tested in lab and you have no accurate way of knowing  what SPF your lotion has. Proceed sensibly! If in doubt Make your lotion stronger then dilute as you tan.

Too much zinc and you end up with white clown makeup. In this case you may have been overcautious.

You can add zinc to
home made creams and lotions (if you want to make a lotion there are some recipes here)
ready bought lotions
a base oil such as coconut oil.

20% zinc oxide  will give an approximate SPF of 30. That is by weight. So you weigh your base say 100g of cream then you add 20% or 1/5th of zinc. Which is 20g of zinc.

You can see from the ratios below that SPF 15 is not half of SPF 30 so you cannot use that scale to work out your SPF factors.
For SPF 2-5: Use 5% zinc oxide
For SPF 6-11: Use 10% zinc oxide
For SPF 12-19: Use 15% zinc oxide
For SPF >20: Use 20% zinc oxide

These ratios were taken from DIY Natural. They have not been tested in a lab proceed with caution

Recipes

Lotion
Oil
Masking Cream
Oily Lotion

Sun Block Oils
Zinc
Oil – I have used both coconut and rice bran oil

I used to add zinc to creams and lotions. More recently I have cut out the middle man or rather the cream and started adding zinc directly to oil.

Which Oil?
I guess you could do this with any oil but I prefer a lighter oil less gloopy than say olive oil.
I have usually used coconut oil as a base because it is light and easily obtained in glass jars. Some claim that coconut oils has an ability to deflect burning rays but the claims made for coconut oil are prodigious. Do not rely on coconut oil alone.
The problem with coconut oil in the UK at least, it solidifies below a certain temperature. This sun tan lotion needs to be liquid and well shaken before use because the ingredients separate. So if you use coconut oil, warm and shake it before applying.
More recently I used rice bran oil which is much cheaper and easily available. At least that is the case in Thailand. It is a light oil and does not solidify.

Advantages Of Oil
Oily creams and oils are great for the beach because I feel they don’t wash off so easily in the sea as home made lotions do. And the oil itself seems to act as an added protection against the general drying effect of salt water and heat. My skin doesn’t feel as itchy. But then I am only using two ingredients no fragrances, no preservatives.
They give your skin a rather nice sheen.
And it is As Cheap As Chips
Adding zinc to rice bran oil is super cheap which means you can liberally apply this lotion. Very good if you are on a budget. Plus I get to use the oil for other things.
The disadvantages? – well it is rather… oily…

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE
The ingredients separate so the lotion must be well shaken before use. If you are using an oil that solidifies like coconut you need to be sure it is liquid and well mixed before use.

SOME OILS MAY MARK YOUR CLOTHING. EXPERIMENT FIRST

Sun Block Lotion
Zinc
Thin Lotion
Add zinc to a lotion.
Find out how to make Lotion here

Masking Creams
Very strong and thick. To be used on vulnerable areas that burn easily.

First I make my own rather thick cream and then add the zinc at 20% ratio. This makes a super thick cream which is difficult to rub on large areas but great for masking specified areas. I use it to protect my great big nose and around my eyes.
For general application it is too tough and sticky.
Find out how to make cream here

Oily Cream
Zinc
Cream
OIl
You can thin the above thick cream down by adding oil. N.B. You cant use water for this. Add water and your cream starts to separate when you try to rub it on.
Oily cream goes on way more easily but obviously the more you dilute is lower the SPF factor.
The advantage of this cream is that it is thicker than oil alone so easier to apply – less dribbling.
It does not separate.

Store Bought Base Creams & Lotions
Apparently you can add zinc to a store bought cream to make a suntan lotion. I have never tried this as I gave up shop bought years ago. But considering the success off adding it to oil I can see no reason why this wouldn’t work. Do remember that zinc makes your lotion thicker and much whiter. It might be a good idea to use a thin lotion as a base.
Apparently it helps if you warm them first.
Let me know how you get on!

Applying Cream
Sunscreens are unlikely to be fully effective after 2 hours
According to the skin cancer organisation  “you need to apply 1 oz – about a shot glass full. Studies show that most people apply only half to a quarter of that amount, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is lower than advertised. During a long day at the beach, one person should use around one half to one quarter of an 8 oz. bottle. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.

Fragrance
Many recipes on line suggest adding essentials oils. In my opinion there is no real benefit to be derived from this as
they may make your skin more sensitive to light;
essential oils are resource hungry, have a large environmental footprint and should only be used on special occasions.
You can read more here

PLASTIC SPOILER

You can buy zinc on line.
It will come in a plastic bag- booo.
The best you can do is ensure the bags are polythene and so can be more easily recycled.
As I get huge amounts cream out of one small bag of ingredients, I consider it a worthwhile compromise.

Travelling Plastic Free For Months
This discovery massively reduces your plastic when travelling. I carry all my own home made plastic free toiletries with me to avoid creating plastic waste which can present something of a problem. A years supply of sunblock is a lot to carry. So now I compromise. I take my own zinc and buy coconut oil (or rice bran oil) while travelling. I mix the zinc into the coconut oil to make a sun tan lotion great for the beach.

N.B.

Lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group  for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Fairshare Fabrics All Years

Summary

In 2015 I pledged to  use no more than my fair global share of fibres and they had to be sustainably sourced. I was trying to determine what is a reasonable amount of clothing/furnishings.

In this post you will find information on the following

  • Synopsis – how much of each type of fibre I have used – for both clothing and furnishing
  • A break down by year – 2015 to 2019
  • What I started with
  • Know your fibres
  • Other terms used
  • The fair share project

Synopsis

Fair Share fabric weights updates

In 2015 I pledged to  use no more than my fair global share of fibres.

How Much

However there can be little doubt that we in the UK are consuming fibres in a hugely unsustainable way.
Heres how many textile fibres are produced annually: Total fibres, both natural & synthetic, around 8.5 million tonnes Rough calculations suggest that the average amount of fibres per annum, per person in the world, works out at 11.74 kg.

Global share 11.74 kg per person
of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres.
The rest is synthetics.
As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres.
Just so you know a kingsize double duvet cover from Ikea weighs in at 991 grams and a Marks & Spencer short-sleeved tee-shirt is 156 grams.

2015 

Natural fibres 3103 used of 3800 allowance – under by 697g Synthetic 3.2 kg

2016 

  • Natural fibres  4240 used of 3800  – over by 440g  (The running total for both years sees me under by 257g)
  • Synthetic 318g  (running total 3518)
  • Regenerated 45  (running total 45)

2017  

  • Natural fibres 3920 used of 3800 allowance – over by 120g (The running total for all years sees me under by 137g)
  • Synthetic 609  (running total 4127)
  • Regenerated 224  (running total  269)

2018 

  • Natural fibres 2915 used of 3800 allowance – under by 885g
  • (The running total for all years sees me under by 1022g)
  • Synthetic 0  (running total 4127)
  • Regenerated 0 (running total 269 )

2019

Natural fibres 5096.5 used of 3800 allowance – over by 1296 (The running total for all years sees me over by -274g)

Synthetics 1125 (running total 5252)

So up until 2020 and the van insulation even with buying bedding I can keep to the 3.8 kg target. However…….

By Year Breakdown

2019

This year I bought a wooden duvet and bedding  that I didn’t really need. Both were to trial. The review will be forthcoming. But this did of course up my total for this year.

Natural

Homemade

  • Grey dress homemade 366 

Bought

  • Mostly Natural but bought always includes some synthetic fibres – see proviso
  • 2 Cotton Bras from matalan 124
  • Knickers 3pairs 80
  • socks silk 31
  • Linen pants spain 364
  • Coduroy pinafore 403
  • Cardigan merino 183
  • White tee shirt Spain 121
  • Grey linen shirt gifted 187
  • Duvet cover bought 2 for the van divide by two 991
  • Orange cushion cover bought 2 for the van (divide by 2) 129
  • Pillow cases 2 light grey (divide by two) 126
  • Orange cushion cover bought 2 for the van (divide by 2) 129
  • Pillow cases 2 dark grey (divide by two) 126
  • Woolen duvet light 2500 (divide by two) 1250

Synthetics 

Rucksack

Large 44-litre capacity makes it possible to fly without checking in baggage to the hold. Lightweight yet durable design 0.7kg (1.5lbs).

Puffa jacket 200g (approx?) synthetic fabric and ?? feathers

I do wonder if you can make your own. Heres a link to someone who has DIY Puffer Jacket

Raincoat in a bag

we wanted waterproofs that were small and easily carried in our hand luggage rucksacks. bought these cheap as chips synthetics. Fabric: Breathable and waterproof nonwoven polypropylene. Weight: 220g

2018

Home made

  • liberty sleeveless made from yellow fabric I bought in India 175
  • Shorts blue weave from Japanese cotton 142
  • thin cotton shorts home made 136 
  • Shorts blue weave from Japanese cotton 142
  • thin cotton shorts home made 136
  • Cardigan knitted from Shetland wool 315

Bought

  • pyjamas Bottoms 212
  • pyjamas top 203
  • Jeans from M&S 619 Contain elasticine
  • Bali dress. A very light weight cotton grey dress 230
  • merino jumper. Great to wear but has gone way too bobbly 220
  • long sleeve top contains elastine – present 158
  • long sleeve top contains elastine – present 158
  • poll tax tee shirt 132
  • Indian kurta top. Bought this Mumbai India 215

2017

I needed warm as were were spending January in Spain. Contrary to popular opinion it can get very cold. Despite this the houses are not built for the cold and what with the tiled floors and wall and high ceilings can get pretty uncomfortable. can Warm lounge wear is the order of the day.

Then we went backpacking from India to Indonesia. Where yoga pants were the order of the day.

Clothes

Home made

  • Billy Bunter shorts 168
  • grey silk wool mix trousers 275 Palazzos
  • Liberty dress 218
  • Heavy silk sleevless  over tunic 245
  • Woolen 3/4 sleeve long tunic 293 MuMu Two

Clothes

Bought

  • Knickers 6 pairs 157
  • japanese socks 59
  • Brown shorts Malaysia 257
  • green skinny fit trousers  3% Elasticine 357
  • My cardigan is falling apart so I bought a new cotton cardigan from TK max Pure cotton it weighs in at 187 g
  • Girl gang tee shirt bought in Malaysia 159
  • Khaki tee shirt bought in Malaysia 155
  • PARIS tee shirt bought in Malaysia 165
  • Soul mate vest 148
  • Striped T shirt bought in Malaysia 134
  • My sarong weighs in at 212 g From Indonesia pure cotton very thin very beautiful. 212
  • cashmere pyjamas weigh in at 517 g
  • Towels from japan 214

regenerated

  • Yoga leggings Parkinson’s 224 Viscose 224

synthetic

  • crop top for yoga x 2 153
  • japanese socks 59
  • Grey rain coat
  • japanese hat 100
  • synthtic straw hat 100
  • Bikini top blue 97
  • Bikini top Decathalon 100
  • BikiniM&S 200
  • Leggings Bought in Ubud 222

2016

Returned home from backpacking the tropics. The days of 2 teeshirts, a mu-mu of modersty and backpackers bloomers were sadly over. I desperately needed some new clothes. The next three weeks saw me busy sewing. The design brief was a little more complex this year. Not only did the clothes have to be sustainable & plastic free, they had to be rather more dressy than I am used to. because at Easter we were fulfilling a long held dream – to be in Seville for the Santa Semana and the Feria. Then back to rather less showy Huddersfield for what I thought was going to be a hot summer. There were a couple of hot and steamy weeks I sewed sleeveless frocks and cool skirts. Then the weather turned obvs! so I had to quickly put together some rather warmer shirts. And buy some T shirts to wear under them.

Had hoped to be back on the road by winter but it was not to be so I had to make a thick skirt that I can wear with wooly tights and leggings.

  • 1 wool socks homemade 73g 73
  • socks from Debenhams 45
  • socks from Debenhams 45
  • Denim Long Shorts 316g 316
  • Linen Pants 414g 414
  • Corduroy Skirt 300g 300
  • stripy cotton skirt gifted 231g 231
  • The Bombazine Skirt 541g 541
  • Wrap Skirt 249g 249
  • Tabbard Frock 149g
  • Ebay Woolen jacket 180
  • Choir Boy grey smock top 132
  • Liberty Lawn Shirt red poppies 96g
  • Offset Tunic blue & white 157g
  • Vogue lawn top cross bodice 110g
  • Wrap shirt  108g
  • Wrap Shirt Lawn Chiffon 90
  • 3/4 sleeve T 156g each 156
  • 3/4 sleeve T 156g each 156
  • New spotty top from M&S 160g 160
  • Black vest gifted turned into seat cover for the van 144
  • grey vest 105g
  • White vest gifted 105g
  • Yorkshire Wool Waistcoat 178g

Regenerated Fibres

Bamboo is a regenerated fibre and falls somewhere between natural and synthetcic. Some biodegradae some do not. Bamboo is a form of regenerated fibre. Personally I dont like it but the socks were a gift. Read more here 

1 ankle socks bamboo skull & crossbones 45g

Synthetic Fibres

  • Huge circular skirt 243g
  • New Swim Top 75g
  • Total 318g

2015

3103 Total 3800 Allowance – Under 697 3.2 kg of synthetic fibres.

Got home and parked the van ( after living in it for a year) We left the U.K. in May and travelled from Kazakhstan to Indonesia. Mostly overland only flying when there was no alternative to places where the ferries no longer run – sigh.

My clothes had to see me through monsoon, snow and blazing tropical heat. I made most of my backpacking wardrobe before I left. Being on the road doesnt mean I can’t sew. I made my headscarf and backpackers bloomers while traveling.

Natural Fibres

  • 1 pair of knickers 28
  • Cashmere cardigan gifted 220
  • Blue teeshirt cotton gifted 226
  • Teeshirt from Thailand – cotton 123
  • Cotton Hat 2 20 
  • 1 scarf 7 
  • Flannel  7 
  • Sheet and pillowcase from srilanka 940 

Made

  • Synthetic Fibres
  • Ridiculous coat  and a new raincoat to replace it.Synthetic Fibres
  • leggings Synthetic Fibres
  • Crop top

2014 – what I started with

  • Bought
  • knickers
  • 2 pairs of trousers
  • 1 nightie
  • 1 Bra
  • Had
  • Tops, Cardigans & Jackets
  • 4 no Long Sleeve Tops – cotton
  • 1 grey – 2010
  • 1 striped – 2009
  • 1 blue – 2011
  • 1 red – 2014 year
  • Ranging from 5 to 3 years old except the red which was bought last year.
  • 6 no T Shirts & Vests – cotton (10)
  • 1 grey – had for ever.
  • Marks & Sparks 2014 156g each – no hangers
  • 1 black
  • 1 navy
  • 1 pale grey
  • 1 vest – years plus
  • 2 no Other (12)
  • wool tunic that I made from woolen fabric I have had for years. I have been wearing that for 18 months? Possibly longer.
  • Cotton shirt bought in India 2011
  • 2 no Warmer wear & Coats (14)
  • 1 synthetic jacket pre 2011
  • 1 nylon raincoat pre 2011
  • 4 no. Bottoms (18)
  • Shorts Summer 2014 Synthetic Fibres
  • Trackie bums cotton don’t know how old – over a year.
  • Thin long trews hot thin cotton bought Summer 2014
  • Thick long trews cold corduroy Autumn 2014 Marks & Spencers
  • 1 no Skirts & Dresses (19)
  • Linen dress made for Observer Awards 2014
  • Underwear & Sleep
  • Knickers (20)
  • I have counted knickers as one because for some reason I feel shy about telling you how many pairs of pants I own!?
  • Philippino pirate pants
  • M&S sometime last year
  • France 2014 a pack of knickers
  • 2 no Bras (21)
  • 1 reasonable bought spring 2014 synthetic fibres
  • 1 utterly awful that I only wear when the reasonable one is in the wash. At least 2 years old
  • 4 no Socks (25)
  • 2 thin pairs of socks – new before we left – gift.
  • 2 thick pairs of sock – made by my mum.
  • 5 no Sleep & Swim (32)
  • 1 nightgowns warm
  • 1 nightgown cool 2014 M&S
  • 1 Merino long johns 3 years at least
  • 2 bikinis years old– all synthetic
  • Towelling dressing gown
  • thin cotton dressing gown
  • 7 no Outerwear Hats & Shawls (39)
  • 1 wool hat 2013
  • 1 straw hat 2014
  • 1 wool scarf gift 2013
  • 3 pairs of gloves
  • 1 no shawl
  • 2 no Work in progress (41)
  • Spotty dress work in progress bought from charity shop
  • Sleeveless long vest / sleeveless tunic most cotton bought in Malaysia 2011
  • 4 no In storage (The cupboard we don’t talk about) (46)
  • Coats
  • 1 smart – wool years old
  • 1 very warm sheepskin second hand ages ago
  • 2 waterproof  walking coat- synthetic years old
  • 1 raincoat – synthetic cant even remember when
  • Other fabrics
  • back packers flannel

Clothes that have died

I had to buy a new raincoat to replace the stupid, non-weatherproof rubbish I got from T.K.Max.

1 blue patterned Teeshirt. Bought 2013 Singapore lost by the laundry in 2015 Thailand

Cotton Cargo Pants bought Summer 2014 Mountain Warehouse- dreadful purchase fell apart in less than a year.

Corduroy Trouser bought autumn 2014 Marks & Spencers worn almost continually in the autumn and winter of 2015. Died in the Spring of 2015 in China. Not exactly long lasting but one shouldn’t expect too much from corduroy and they did get worn a lot!

Fabric Types

Dont know regenerated yarn from a synthetic fibre? no worries. Theres lots of information on fibres yarns and fabric HERE

Terms
By gifted I mean something that people have passed on to me because they no longer want it. Second hand but not purchased.
When I say cotton/ natural fibres that doesn’t include buttons and other such stuff which will almost certainly be synthetic. As might be the thread used to sew the fabric.
Unless you are talking about my own homemade clothes where I can tell you exactly what plastic has been used.

Sewing
I can’t afford to buy eco clothing but I can afford to make it. I have been stiching like a demon and this year most of my new clothes have been handmade. Sadly my sewing skills are not so great. There are some rather strange outfits in there. You can read my plastic free sewing tips here…

About Fair Share

Whats a global share?

Rough calculations would suggest that the average amount of fibres per annum, for every person in the world, works out at 11.74 kg per person This is for everything – clothes, bedding, fabrics used in manufacturing, furnishings, businesses. All our fabric needs.
of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres.
As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres.
Just so you know a kingsize double duvet cover from Ikea weighs in at 991 grams and a Marks & Spencer short-sleeved tee-shirt is 156 grams.

Why not use 11 .74 kg of natural fibres? I would argue that it is not sustainable for us all to have 11.74 kg of natural fibres a year. This is one of the promoted benefits of plastic, that it takes the pressure off natural resources. Synthetic fabrics mean less land grab to grow cotton. But synthetic fabrics like any other plastic are massively polluting.

So if we cannot produce more, we have to consume less.  This is how the equation works for me:
We cannot exceed current levels of production:
We cannot expect others to want less than we have:
We cannot swamp the market with synthetics:
Therefore I have to live with my global share of natural fibres.Which is still probably to generous to be fully sustainable.

You can read more on the subject and check my figures and sources here.

Whats Sustainable Clothing?
Plastic-free, fair-trade, ethically made and lots more.You can read my clothing manifesto here
You can read more on the subject and check my figures and sources here.

Second Hand Clothes
Can I buy or accept second hand clothes to supplement my allowance? No. I can buy second-hand but it has to count as part of my allowance.
Unless they are from someone else participating in the scheme like Ami.

Read more here

Related Posts

More About Fabric

  • Lots of outrageous textile statistics HERE
  • This is an introduction to fibres, fabrics and why you might want to, and how to sew plastic free index
  • See all textile & wardrobe related posts HERE.

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Oils, Fats, Butters and Marge

These are the plastic-free/reduced oils and butters I eat.

Vegetable Oil

Pre-packed oils always have a plastic element – if it comes in bottles it will have a plastic lined cap and probably a plastic pouring widget in the bottle top. Buy it in cans and there will be more plastic caps plus the cans are plastic lined. Read more here.
If you are lucky you might find a place that sell oils on tap. Then you may be able to use your own refillable bottle. You can find a U.K. wide list of places that sell oil on tap here
Cold pressed oils are a better option

Buy & More
Plastic free oil details here

Lard & Dripping

I have gone back to lard as the most economical plastic-free, frying option.
I also make pastry with it
It is of course an animal fat.
It is U.K sourced.
It comes in what is (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell!  Read more about that, here.
Buy & More
Plastic free lard details here

Butter & Margerine

Before the boycott I ate margerine because I thought it was healthier option but you cannot get decent margarine plastic free. It all comes in plastic tubs.
So I went back to butter.
Butter
Turns out I love butter.
I use it for spreading and cooking
It is of course an animal fat.
It is U.K sourced.
It comes in what what is (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell!  Read more about that, here.
I have to buy the paper option because foil is definitely  plastic lined!
Buy & More
Plastic-free butter details here.

Margarine
Ugh! Not so keen on marge any more now I know it is a hydrogenated fat. But I do use it occasionally for cakes. I buy  the stuff in  (possibly), plastic-free, greaseproof paper. It’s really hard to tell!  Read more about that, here.
I have to buy the paper option because foil is definitely  plastic lined!

Buy & More
Plastic-free margarine  details here.

More 

Lots more plastic-free food here.
What are  oils, waxes and butters?

Look out for these other sneaky plastics

Oil we don’t eat
Oil we don’t eat…. palm oil

Lard & dripping

I am a lard eater! Yes, I know... sounds strange right? Until now I have always used a liquid vegetable oil ...
Read More

Oil Vegetable Cooking Refill

Vegetable oil is difficult to source plastic free. Buy in glass and the metal caps will have a little plasticized disc ...
Read More

Rapeseed Oil

Rapeseed (Brassica Napus) or rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is the bright yellow flowering plant grown in swathes all over ...
Read More

Coconut Oil

Is a hard oil which has a very low melting point. When the weather gets warm it will get liquid ...
Read More

Palm Oil

While I was in Malaysia I got to see some orangutangs. Most of them were in the rehabilitation center which ...
Read More

Oil Vegetable

Pre-packed oils always have a plastic element – if it comes in bottles it will have a plastic lined cap ...
Read More

Butter

Turns out I love butter.I use it for spreading and cookingIt is of course an animal fat.It is U.K sourced.It ...
Read More

Margerine

So I gave up margerine in plastic tubs and scoured the shelves for an alternative. Back in my more innocent ...
Read More

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Online shops for General and personal products

One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see milk in glass bottle in the newsagents is beyond words. But sometime you have to buy on line. And then you come up against the prickly problem of packaging. There is nothing that enrages plastic activist in me more than researching a product that claims to be plastic free and environmentally friendly, purchase online, wait eagerly only to find it comes plastic packed.

Plastic free and plastic reduced products are of course a great step forward in the battle against plastic. But when I am buying a product I want to know how the product is packaged. There is little point buying a wooden comb if it comes in a plastic bag. If it comes via an online, postal service, onward packaging needs to be stated. I want to know how the product will be packed and the more information the better. Down to what kind of tape is used (whether it is plastic or not) and whether the invoice will be in a plastic bag on the front of the box.

Which is why I like he following companies who offer plastic free products but also consider the onward packaging.

N.B. But no matter what I say, check and double check for yourself. One mans plastic free is another’s little bit of sticky tape.

 


Sin Plastico
We are a plastic free and zero waste store. That means, we ask our makers and distributers to send us everything in bulk or with the less packaging as possible.
We do use Kraft and corrugate cardboard to wrap and fill the boxes. And even our tape is made of paper and vegetal glue.

They are based in Spain but ship to the UK. They have a great range. Check it out HERE

Based in the UK Is Boobalu with a great range of stuff

You will receive your order either in reused, recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Green mail bags are biodegradable and pink mail bags are recyclable. You can also choose plastic free packaging at the checkout page.


Less Plastic

always either reuse cardboard boxes that have come to us or our friends and neighbours, or use brown paper wrapping with brown paper tape. We pad our parcels with recycled/reused paper or newspaper. Also have you seen our infographic trying to inspire other online businesses to do the same? Visit the WEBSITE

And Keep

Please have a look at www.andkeep.com. Eco-friendly, sustainable and reusable products. Postal packaging is always recycled. I’m a public speaker on plastic Pollution too and passionate about helping people to make more mindful purchasing decisions while helping them on a plastic-Free or zero waste journey. All packaging is paper or cardboard.

Read more HERE

Ingreens

A great selection of stuff can be found HERE
We have asked all of our suppliers to refrain from using plastic when packing our items. In the factory world, poly bags, bubble wrap and stylofoam are commonplace. Understandably the items need to remain intact, yet not at the cost of the environment. So far, all suppliers have accommodated our no plastic.

Your parcels:For months in the lead up to the launch we have been saving packaging and also asked neighbours and friends to donate theirs. We haven’t invested in any packaging yet, when we do, we can assure you it will be from a sustainable source. At the moment, your orders are packaged in a circular economic way, that you can continue.
We make the ‘padding’ from shredding junk mail and books are falling apart.
Paper Parcel tape:We don’t use sellotape we use paper based tape that can be recycled or can biodegrade.

The aim of Anything But Plastic is to bring together as many as possible of the individual brands and companies that produce plastic free alternative products and provide a platform of convenience for the average consumer to purchase these goods. Cutting down on plastic should not have to be hard, inconvenient or time consuming. With this site I hope to get rid of these obstacles, which will hopefully bring about some positive change and make going plastic-free an easy choice.

Website:
www.anythingbutplastic.co.uk

More Here

For reviews of some products featured above and other categories for #plasticfree online shopping including food… yes #plasticfree food on line. And I don’t just mean vege boxes!

Some Reviews Here

Anything But Plastic Online Shop

Anything But Plastic sells alternatives to plastic products in order to reduce everyday plastic consumption and help tackle plastic pollution ...
Read More

Cleaning Liquid Refills

ECOVER  do all of these products and you can get your plastic bottle refilled. To find where Ecover have a refill ...
Read More

Fabric Offset Warehouse

Offset Warehouse is a social enterprise which brings together a huge range of hand-picked eco fabrics and haberdashery, ideal for ...
Read More

Greencane Tissues/ Paper Productsd

A while ago a company called Greencane sent me some tissues through the post. Not just tissues but toilet paper and kitchen ...
Read More

Handwash

I know a lot of people like a liquid hand wash. Personally I prefer soap but whatever. So this hand ...
Read More

Hodmedods – British Grown Beans, Grains & Pulses

Did you now you can get homegrown British beans, lentils (soon) and even Quinoa. Many of them organically grown…. Introducing ...
Read More

Loose Food On Line

One of the joys of living plastic free is mooching round the local shops seeing what you can source. And ...
Read More

Online shops for General and personal products

One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see ...
Read More

Soap hard/bar

I use soap to wash my body (I don't like using soap on my face so I cleanse with oil and ...
Read More

Live Free Here

Our enormous index of #plasticfree products and lifestyle hacks has been updated. Have a look

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Borax

Borax occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. The most commercially important deposits are found in Turkey; Boron, California; and Searles Lake, California. Also, borax has been found at many other locations in the Southwestern United States, the Atacama desert in Chile, newly discovered deposits in Bolivia, and in Tibet and Romania. Borax can also be produced synthetically from other boron compounds.
WIkkipedia

Proper borax is No longer sold on the shelves in the UK. You have to make do with a borax substitute from Dripak.

“Borax Substitute is sodium sesquicarbonate – a mineral compound, with similar pH to borax, making it ideal for cleaning and laundry. It is gentler than Soda Crystals yet stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda.

Using Borax Substitute around the house
Uses Borax Substitute as a:

Multi-purpose cleaner – Mix it with some water to form a paste. This makes it an excellent scouring agent that offers more cleaning power than Bicarbonate of Soda.
A water softener to help keep your washing machine clear of limescale.
To make your own bath salts, simply add some perfume or essential oils and a drop of food colouring to some Borax Substitute.”

That said you can still buy borax from Ebay

Uses

You can use real borax for the above and
Can be used to make a fire retardant spray
To deter moths

More

Borax, washing soda, bicarbonate or all three. What should you use for your cleaning needs? A comparison HERE
See all out #plasticfree cleaning aids HERE

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Tana Lawn Tunic

I didn’t actually need another tunic top but I have been possessed by a sewing demon and I simply cannot stop buying fabric especially when I came across this.
Liberty Tata Lawn.
It was in Abakan a Manchester fabric shops At first I thought it was some strange kind of silk. Maybe even a synthetic fibre. It was so fine and was covered in lovely design of what looked like pomegranates.
Abakan is a rather grim no nonsense shop which sell huge heaps of synthetic fabric by weight. For sure they have a small craft fabric department but since the disaster of the endlessly creasing Tabard Dress I am right off craft fabric. To find something so lovely and so obviously suitable for shirts was rather a shock.Which led to a quick bit of research.

Liberty Prints & Fabrics

I can tell you that Liberty is an amazing fabric shop in London. But also a huge part of British design history. In 1875 Arthur Lasenby Liberty  opened Libertys the shop selling ornaments, fabrics and objets d’art from the east. By 1884 Edward William Godwin  a distinguished architect joined the team and Liberty’s started making clothes. By the 1890s Arthur was working with English designers connected with the  Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movement and his fabric designs had become massively popular. In the 1920s, Liberty began to produce small floral prints known as Liberty Prints. They were printed on one of their most famous fabrics Tana Lawn, still a Liberty best-seller.
In 1924 the mock-Tudor flag ship store store was built. It was designed by Edwin T. Hall it used, timbers from HMS Hindustan and HMS Impregnable. In proper Arts and Crafts style it was built using authentic and original Tudor techniques.
By the 1940s Liberty was firmly established as the supplier of must-have silk scarves.
Come the 1950s and 60s, an Arts & Crafts revival meant even Libertys old designs were still cutting edge. Art Nouveau designs were redrawn and coloured to make them more appealing to modern designers. They were used by all the great names.
But back to me and my fabric revelation.

Tana Lawn

is extremely high quality cotton. This was taken form the Liberty website….
Taking its name from Lake Tana in East Africa where the original cotton grew, Tana Lawn cotton is unique. Made from specially selected ultra-fine long staple cotton and finished without the use of crease-resisting chemicals or irritating allergens, the result is a famous masterpiece of fabric technology: fine, cool, comfortable and durable, with brilliant reproduction of colours and prints.

Fabric & Purchase Details 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

While Abakan might be a little bit grim they  sell at a discount. Tana lawn normally retails at around £22.00 a meter I got mine for 12.00. If you cant get to Manchester they have an online store. They don’t stock the whole Tana range – for that you will have to try Liberty or other shops.

As far as I know Tana Lawn boasts no organic or fair trade credentials but it was bought locally from Abakan in Manchester and buying locally and keeping fabric shops open are both very important to me.

It is 100% cotton. I prefer to use natural fibres because on consideration they are the greenest, biodegradable option and, even better, they don’t shed plastic microfibres when washed. Just in case you need it, here is a quick  intro to synthetic, regenerated, combination and natural fibres here. And more reasons why I prefer natural fabrics over the others can be found here.

Design & Pattern
McCalls M6102 1 hour dress. Really easy. You can see my patterns here.

Fixtures & Fittings
None needed

Made With
It was  cut out with all metal scissors from the C. Booths Hardware Shop in Huddersfield, sewn together using organic cotton on a wooden reel and made using plastic free sewing supplies (you can find them here).

Sustainable Rating
Natural fibres
Fabric was bought plastic free – no packaging
Supporting a local fabric shop
Homemade by me
Made with plastic free sewing supplies

Weighs In At g.

Why the weighing? Well this item of clothing is counted as part of my fair share fabrics project. This is a self imposed rationing system. I use no more than my global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres. As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres.

More

 

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Coffee Fresh

When I first started my boycott, the only way to get plasticfree coffee was to buy the beans loose and grind them. Now theres all kinds of options from instant in your own bag to compostable pods

For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.

Buy Beans Loose

I love my morning coffee,
Can’t do with out my brew,
But Lavazzas wrapped in plastic!
So whats a girl to do?

Done got myself a bean grinder and I buy my coffee beans loose in my own plastic-free packaging

I am extremely lucky in that I can buy (fair trade), coffee beans from the superlative Coffeevolution, Huddersfield, an independent coffee shop, run by the owner. They import their own fair trade beans and roast them themselves. I give them my own bag they give me fresh, loose beans. Happy days.
There are many other good reasons to go to the café. It is not a chain the ambiance is great, and they have home made biscuits stored in glass jars. There are murals on the walls. and they have a great notice board. Smashing.

Elsewhere

If you cant get to Huddersfield there’s a list of

Supermarkets & Chains

Whittards

Whittards are. U.K. wide chain that will sell you tea loose.this from twitter
“Hi there, yes if you visit our store with your own container, we can fill it with either tea or coffee.”
They have over 50 shops. You can find one one here.
NB you will have to take your own plastic free or , better still, reusable packaging. See below for links.

“The company was founded in 1886 by Walter Whittard. It expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, and was bought by the Icelandic Baugur Group in 2005 for around £21 million.”

Ground Coffee In Compostable Packaging
Percol do ground coffee in home compostable plastic free packaging. I bought some in Waitrose. The coffee was acceptable. I composted the packaging in my home bin. Read more about this, below.

From their website
“You’ll start to notice the Plastic-Free logo on our new home compostable Ground, Beans and Coffee Bag packaging from November 2018.  Like many, we want to do more to reduce the amount of packaging (particularly plastic) we’re using, and as a UK retail brand which sells more than 4 million products a year, we have an important role to play in reducing the impact we are making on our planet”
Read more here

Online

Just got a doorstep of delivery of ground coffee in a reusable/returnable tin. Not one bit of plastic. from the @ModernMilkman_

https://www.facebook.com/TheModernMilkman/

Roasting House

We’re a micro coffee roastery based in Nottingham. We roast all of our coffee in very small batches to order. Our environmental and ethical values guide us in how we run our business. We have a zero waste to landfill policy informs our purchasing decisions and use only 100% recycled and recyclable paper packaging and labels for our coffee. At events when serving hot coffee, we use both ceramic reusable cups and fully compostable takeaway cups.
Website: roastinghouse.co.uk

Onward Packaging
Would also like to add that when I contacted on twitter they confirmed that you can order online and they send out in a cardboard envelope.

MORE COFFEE!!!!

For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.

There’s the old school stuff – paper, cardboard, leaves and other plant based materials. And then there is the new. The biodegradable plastics.

What is biodegradable?

Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem.More about biodegrading here

What is compostable? 

To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time  and the resulting biomass must be able to sustain plant life  For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards.  You can find out more here.

Composting Plastic At Home

While most agree that some plastics are compostable, they also say it can only composted in large scale municipal schemes. I say the days of large scale municipal schemes is fast approaching as governments aim to divert biodegradable rubbish from landfill sites. But more to the point, I have been composting my compostable plastic at home for years now, including Biobags, deli pots  and disposable cutlery. Read more about that HERE.

The Home Compostable verification logo clearly identifies and differentiates packaging materials as biodegradable and home compostable. This means that the biodegradable packaging will break down under specific home composting conditions back into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomass.”