Browsing Tag

Sustainable

Introducing Eurthlin and their Vegan Handbags

Posted on November 20, 2019

Because we love our handbags, but we also want to be eco-friendly. Dubai based brand Eurthlin is the first in the region to launch a luxury vegan alternative brand for conscious consumers.

It goes without saying, if you’re going to rival the likes of the Goyard and LV tote, you need to be memorable. To me, that means a conversation starter and that is exactly what Eurthlin is. It isn’t a trend-led brand looking to capitalize on the instagrammer’s of the world, it’s a thought-provoking piece of design that ensures you a guilt-free shopping spree.

Inspired by the elements; fire, water, earth and air, the brand’s signature repeat pattern print is combined to make a unique yet not overpowering logo. The brainchild of recent vegan herself Natalie Daghestani, Eurthlin is a culmination of compassion and craftsmanship with a sustainable edge. The vegan leather is aesthetically similar to animal leather and the collection boasts 3 must-have styles for all discerning fashionistas out there.

“Eurthlin only uses 100% PETA-Approved Vegan materials and is proudly registered with The Vegan Society. The bags are also ethically produced with care, with each piece sporting a GOTS-certified organic cotton lining made from natural seeds without the use of pesticides, a dust bag that has been made from recycled bottles and their mailer pouches are home compostable.”

For the fair-trade conscious too, the brand’s production facility has been certified by Brussels-based auditing firm Amfori BSCI – the leading business association for open and sustainable trade. Adding to their sustainable edge, Eurthlin has also committed to plant one tree in the Amazon for every piece sold in collaboration with OneTreePlanted.org to assist with this year’s globally highlighted reforestation.

Branding these beauties is of course the icing on the cake and you can add your piece of personalization through their online ordering service too.

Recommended

TRIBE: Nothing beats natural

Posted on July 16, 2019

Sourced from around the world, Dubai’s favourite eco-conscious interior styling store TRIBE is where I head when it comes to finding furniture for my new home.

This earthy hotspot is a treasure trove of handmade, sustainable and natural products that are crafted around the world and curated by Dubai based Jo England. Their network of over 1000 artists extends to over 25+ countries, believing throughout that each piece should be sustainably created and ethically sourced. Fair-trade is also a key measuring point for the TRIBE team and their artisans are assured fair wages.

In this day and age where conscious consumerism is in the spotlight finally, organic and natural materials are having a resurgence and outdoor-indoor furniture no longer needs an introduction. Having a place to breathe in the home is important too, so each piece is designed to bring a taste of the tropics to you, helping to create a really comfortable and creative space for you to enjoy. Their studio space allows for a little more freedom of expression too, with a dedicated customization technician to add a little more personality into your home.

I have some gorgeous pieces from TRIBE, like my bedroom headboard in rattan, but with my new space needing some more warmth downstairs too, I chose this gorgeous island hanging chair. Inspired by the beach and designed for swinging the afternoon away. Not only is bamboo a beautiful looking material, it’s also fast-growing, strong and easy to harvest… making it a super sustainable material source.

Focusing on social responsibility too which is of uber importance to me, TRIBE plant’s trees and supports reforestation. As well as sponsoring a unique organization in India, which educates children (as seen on Netflix in ‘Daughters of Destiny’).

Fitness Recommended

Rituals Launches Soulwear

Posted on January 22, 2019

Rituals Cosmetics is the first brand in the world to combine home and body. Each product, over 400 in total, is inspired by an ancient Eastern tradition and Soulwear is no exception. The Home, Yoga and Sleep wear draws inspiration from the heritage of ancient Asia. The clothing line features carefully curated colours and symbols from the Far East.

Prints and designs reminiscent of original Chinese and Japanese fashions, made with soothingly same soft, high-quality fabric that really is good for both at home relaxing and on the mat exercising. The soft cotton leggings are my favorite, not designed for heavy sweating, more suited to yoga and reformer pilates.

Picture plenty of understated colours with peeks of red and delicate floral patterns. Here’s a sneak peek at my favorites from both the home and yoga collections…

HOME: The collection showcases a selection of lightweight tops, cardigans, wrap jumpsuits and soft trousers for women, as well as unique sweaters, t-shirts, polos. hoodies and trousers for men.

YOGA: Carefully designed to ensure freedom of movement for both men and women. The collection features a subtle palette, combined with soft and breathable fabrics that promise unrestricted movement in every pose.

fashion

Ethical Fashion in Australia

Posted on December 6, 2018

Photo by Tochi Onwubiko on Unsplash

When it comes to fashion, sustainability is truly the key word of the decade, and for a good reason. The fast fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world and its impact on the environment is devastating. However, there is a silver lining here – more and more people are becoming aware of the state of our environment and are turning to ethical fashion in order to try and preserve it, which resulted in an increasing number of brands that are hopping on the sustainability train. Prepare to feel optimistic as you read through the list of some Australian labels that exist in this sphere of fashion.

Reformation

Photo by Rebecca Orlov | Orlov Design Co on Unsplash

Reformation is a brand that has always been committed to sustainable fashion. Apart from using deadstock fabric and repurposed vintage clothing to make their designs, they also avoid cotton and opt for more environmentally-conscious fabric options such as Tencel, viscose and Modal. They also have a practice of publishing a quarterly sustainability report to their consumers, which makes them a great ethical brand you can feel good about buying and wearing.

Adidas

Although Adidas is an extremely popular brand in Australia and the rest of the world, not many people are aware of the fact that it’s one of the most ethical fashion brands. Being careful about the impact on our planet while still creating extremely fashionable Adidas sneakers, they are truly leading by example. Fashion designer Stella McCartney has even teamed up with this company in order to create a revamped vegan version of the classic Stan Smith model and support sustainability and cruelty-free fashion.

Spell The Label

Photo by Nazym Jumadilova on Unsplash

Spell is an Australian label that designs beautiful bohemian clothing, but they are also very committed to sustainable fashion. Their plan for 2025 is presented on their website in detail, consisting of the transparency of their supply chain and the use of sustainable fibers, as well as environmentally-friendly dye and printing practices, just to name a few. They are already using ecologically-conscious fabrics, such as Modal and Tencel, but are in the process of incorporating recycled nylon and organic cotton into their production process as well. As far as dyes and prints are concerned, their focus is on the responsible use of water, energy and chemicals.

Bon

Bon originally started with the idea to create an excellent line of staple t-shirts that can be dressed up or dressed down and worn on many occasions for years to come. But apart from their versatility, they also have a strong commitment to sustainability. They use certified organic cotton jersey for all of their t-shirts and sweaters, which is spun, woven and dyed in Australia in a certified, eco-friendly manner. Their leggings are also made from lycra derived from recycled PET bottles, and the lining from unused parts of cotton plants at a factory with near 100% recycling.

KowTow

KowTow is a New Zealand label that makes incredibly chic and wearable staple pieces. They pride themselves in using sustainably sourced materials, while being exceptionally ethical. In an effort to eliminate the slave trade, they also provide certified rights and safety to all of their workers.

KitX

Photo by Coline Haslé on Unsplash

Each KitX collection is full of luxurious, intricately designed pieces that often feature asymmetrical hemlines and unexpected cut-outs. But apart from being highly fashionable, their clothes are also made using eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Their main focus is on the traceability of fibers that go into their fabrics, which is why they only use certified organic, renewable and recycled manmade fibers, as well as non-hazardous working materials. Not only do they put a lot of effort into making sure they don’t damage the environment, but they are also very serious about the fair treatment of their workers.

Well Made Clothes

Although they do produce some clothing items under their own label, Well Made Clothes is less of a brand and more of a hub for sustainable and ethical fashion lovers. They stock a large variety of Australian, as well as global fashion labels that abide by ethical and sustainable practices, meaning you can rest assured the clothes you wear were produced responsibly if you choose to buy them here.

While fashion practices are slowly starting to shift throughout the industry, we, as consumers, are the ultimate creators of change. With that in mind, there has never been a better time to support brands and labels that are leading the way in creating a cleaner and greener future.

Featured

Go Green With Eco Gifts

Posted on January 30, 2018

What do you get the person who has everything… and by everything I mean you have no idea what they actually need. I find shopping for my friends and family to be a little tricky so I normally but them something i know i’d be happy to receive – like something shiny or fitness related, but this year, sustainable and ethical is also a prerequisite.

Check out my top suggestions below for anyone who’s looking for something a little different this year:

Veja
Right now I love products that are made differently and the VEJA sneaker project is made with a really positive process. Using organic fairly traded cotton for the canvas of the shoes, wild and fairly traded rubber for the soles, they also use solely recycled plastic bottles to create their unique technological fabric! Made in Brazil, these beauties can be bought in Dubai’s favourite athleisure hub, Hautletic.

Wildwood Sunglasses
These WildWood frames are without a doubt the perfect pair for the beach and all manner of outdoor adventures in the U.A.E.. Based in Dubai, these wooden sunglasses aren’t just for show, as they are fully U.V. protected. They’re on an eco-friendly fashion mission too, having recently teamed up with The Nature Conservancy and plant a trees through their ‘Plant a Billion’ campaign for every product they sell. 1 sale = 1 planted tree…

Wild Body Active
These gorgeous mats from Wild Body Active are keeping me energised. Not only are they gorgeous to look at, their aim is to produce eco-friendly mats that are both unique in design and super functional too. Made from premium microfibres, the mat will absorb sweat making for a supremely grippy surface suitable. They are all 100% recyclable, biodegradable and free from PVC, chlorine, phthalates, latex, silicone and all other toxic nasty’s. Launching new to the market are their training kits, similar to TRX trainers, these are perfect for when you need to workout without a gym.

*As published in Women’s Health Middle East, January 2018.

fashion

Bedouin Studios X Houndsditch

Posted on November 25, 2017

It’s great that locally based brands are taking the #PLASTICfreeSEA ethos seriously. Andraya Farrag of homegrown brand BEDOUIN just took a jump into the world of swimwear, launching in collaboration with Lisbon-based, London-born brand, Houndsditch for SS18.

Houndsditch is an environmentally friendly brand that produces their collections using post-consumer recycled materials, including plastics that would otherwise end up otherwise polluting the oceans.

“I wanted to make buying swimwear as fun as wearing it,” says Andrew Young, founder of Houndsditch.

Their gorgeous hand designed prints, with exotic hints of flora and fauna are processed into fabrics, which are then used to make the custom-made pieces. Houndsditch’s production line is predominantly made to order, which helps to further minimize fabric wastage – a relatively new concept for the conscious consumers, but one which is making a mark.

“I couldn’t wait to join forces [with Houndstich] and create a capsule collection of swimwear that perfectly compliment and co-exist with the BEDOUIN SS18 RTW collection.” Farrag of Bedouin

Designed to be mix and matched with the ready to wear collection, the Bedouin swimwear boasts an overarching Cuban theme, whilst also influenced by the elements.

Exuding cool tones of white, wheat, shades of pink, green warmed up occasionally with a hint of orange and contrasted by black. Leopard, beetles, moths and fantastical foliage are interwoven into an array of multi-colored prints.

*Cover image shot poolside at Vida Downtown*

Recommended

The Adidas X Parley Pledge

Posted on September 24, 2017

We are facing a world now that has some serious problems, but one of the key ones for me is the opportunity of a #PLASTICfreeSEA. adidas have teamed up with Parley to help bring this awareness home, to the frontline as it were, the consumer.

Here are the problems our oceans face:
Parley: “A massive amount of plastic trash ends up in our oceans every year. The ocean currents have formed five gigantic, slow moving whirlpools where the plastic collects, nicknamed Vortex. Recent studies indicate that at least 40 million pounds of plastic has accumulated and is floating in the North Pacific Ocean alone. The majority of the plastic debris remains in the Vortexes, however a significant percentage of it washes onto our coastlines daily.

After sunlight photodegrades the plastic into small pieces, aquatic life and seabirds mistake these fragments for food and ingest it. While it’s difficult to know exact figures, a 2012 report from WSPA indicates that between 57,000 and 135,000 whales are entangled by plastic marine debris every year in addition to the inestimable – but likely millions – of birds, turtles, fish and other species affected by plastic marine debris. New studies show that ingested plastic damages the internal organs of fish. This also raises the question about the safety of our seafood.”

#adidasparley

adidas are working with Parley to help prevent this plastic entering our oceans by transforming it into its most popular sportswear products. What they are essentially doing is spinning the problem into a solution. Helping to change ‘the threat into a thread’.

This is done with through their Parley A.I.R. Strategy – a plan that they hope will end plastic pollution. Raising awareness for this awesome collaboration, throughout the week of oceans day, back in June, 59,138 runners around the world ran 572,712 km to give a voice to this cause and the fragility of our oceans.

Take action here!

But what can we do? The key now is to stop adding to the problem – Avoid! So when you’re out shopping… say no to plastic bags. No to micro beads and next up, No more new plastic in our supply chain. If you’re walking around the city too, anywhere you see the waste, helps to intercept this problem – even if it’s not yours! Pick it up and put it in the bin.

The adidas X Parley – Parley White – initiative is ultimately aiming to redesign the plastic economy, so that we choose our products more carefully and in the end, we hope there won’t be any single use plastics left. This is their collaboration so far…’White’ is a wake-up call to the world about the coral bleaching crisis threatening the oceans and preventing approx 11 plastic bottles from entering the ocean with each pair!

ULTRABOOST PARLEY

ULTRABOOST UNCAGED

PARLEY ULTRABOOST X

travel

Kuramathi – The People’s Island

Posted on April 18, 2017

So far on my travels to this beautiful blue archipelago, the island’s have been one beautiful breathe of fresh air and nothing but relaxation awaiting you. They all persuade you with a wide array of sandy, tropical and underwater sanctuaries to explore and all have a similar variety of cuisine on offer, with copious luxury-laden opportunities for you to fully enjoy your weekend away. Kuramathi is however, without doubt, the island you could quite happily move to more permanently. Kuramathi went through major refurbishment in 2009, where more than a third of the rooms were completely redone and environmentally friendly methods implemented across the island.

It is the Maldives but on a much larger scale, boasting 1.8km from tip to tip, it’s the largest one I’ve visited so far. It houses 4 different water villa complexes and it’s actually fairly easy to get a little lost in the midst of all their footpaths. I was a bit affronted by the golf buggies tearing up and down the island as their main mode of transport, because I wanted nothing more than to remain barefoot and enjoy the jungle trails as I had done on the past few islands. Here however, they are more of a necessary evil, especially welcomed when the giant fruit bats start flying about in the canopy and you can’t quite see what’s making all the noise!

One of the nicest traits the island has is the full community vibe in the middle of it, where staff are kept almost hidden in other areas, here there’s frequent football and cricket matches held in the middle of the island for their 1000+ employees. Amidst such a big community, it’s a welcome sight to see the sustainable hydroponic garden producing all the deliciously fresh produce and plant life across the island.

If you’re looking for a longer trip then this is the perfect place for you to enjoy getting lost in. Not only is there plenty to do above the water during the day, the evening’s are well covered with restaurants like Reef – the local seafood restaurant, with a substantial wine cellar, that boasts nothing but 100% fresh catch where nothing goes to waste – all set to the sound of absolutely no music, so that you are settled solely by the waves all around you in their open dining hotspot.

Looking for a way to explore the reef’s but finding the water a little chilly? We’ll there’s two options for you here… Kuramathi offers a unique diving experience like no other – in a submarine! Expect to be fairly surface-side most of the time, so it’s ok for those who are a little claustrophobic like me. If you’d rather get a tan in the process too, take out the monokini– a see through canoe – for the afternoon. It’s a great way of being able to drift across the reefs and spot all the fish below without getting wet. But if you are a diver… this island has a full Hyperbaric Chamber available to you too – especially if you’ve been out on one of their early morning boats to Hammerhead Shark Point – only 8 minutes by boat from Kuramathi and these gorgeous creatures can be seen all year round!

If you’re an early bird like me, there’s a sunrise yoga session that’s sure to stretch you out, after all, it’s hard doing almost nothing ☺ If that’s not for you however, the spa certainly will be! Treat yourself to the signature massage (which I’ve checked – differs from island to island) and enjoy the post-relaxation thrum of the jungle around you.

Because it’s such a vast island, the eco-sanctuary and marine station have a much bigger job of keeping it all growing. We spoke with their resident biologist who’s having a tough time with the thorny crown fish in the area, attacking what’s left of their mostly bleached reefs. It’s not a total loss though as if it’s even 10% of the Maldives at their best, it’s still 100% better than most other places in the world!

fashion

H&M: Holding Fast Fashion Accountable

Posted on February 21, 2017

I love it when great minds come together and the team at one of the most famous high street brands in the world, H&M, are certainly on the right track. It is estimated that more than 1 million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every year, most of which ends up in landfill sites. So sustainable textiles have to be the future.

Launching their latest CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE collection, H&M are without a doubt pushing forward in this industry, with 20% of their pieces now made from more sustainable materials, with the aim each year to increase this share. One of their key elements in this is BIONIC; a recycled polyester made from plastic shoreline waste. H&M notes that they are one of the world’s biggest users of recycled polyester and one of the biggest buyers of organic cotton. Their goal is ultimately to have their cotton 100% sustainably sourced by 2020.

This year, supermodel and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova starred in their campaign too, so don’t think that the pieces are in any way lacking style, just because they use a different material…

fashion Recommended

BaemBu: The Dubai Based Eco-Brand

Posted on July 21, 2016

It’s said that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is today. The Earth is in need of our help and there’s no better time to really be living authentic and organic!

Fashion is an industry that’s producing TONNES of waste, besides that you should also be conscious about where your clothes come from, who made them and what material they are being made with! (After all, you don’t really want your clothes to live longer than you do).

The key to being a conscious consumer is to look for that guarantee. One of my close friends started her ethical journey a couple of years ago now and is helping to persuade the region into adopting a more sustainable style. Did you know that 80% of the environmental impact of clothing occurs post-purchase, so it’s a great reminder to cool wash our clothes and hang dry!

BaemBu is her collection of unique blended T shirts and hoodies, comprising of 70% bamboo viscose & 30% organic cotton. Completely organically grown, sourced and made under fair trade regulations, Aimee Changco and her partner Matthew King ensure that even the printing on them uses organic water based ink.

Having received accreditations that include ‘Fair Wear Foundation’, ‘Soil Association’ and ‘Confidence In Textiles’, we can be sure that BaemBu is nothing but eco-friendly. They have some amazing natural properties too, such as being; hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, UV protection, moisture wicking as well as insulating, so you can literally take them everywhere!

You can get your BaemBu T’s here or spot Aimee and Matt around the UAE from Cocktail Kitchen to Market OTB, The Change Initiative and in a variety of cool pop-ups across the city. Not only do they help promote a more sustainably sourced future for Dubai’s fashion landscape, they also run the ‘Shoebox Love’ campaign during Ramadan so make sure you follow them for more ethical initiatives coming up!