Plastic-free living may feel like a pipe dream, but there are some easy ways to cut down the amount of single-use plastics in our homes and when we're on the go...
MOVEABLE FEAST
Forget sad supermarket sandwiches in plastic cartons. New from an award-winning designer, Emilie O’Connor is a series of bamboo lunch boxes to spark our appetites. The anti-bacterial bamboo wood lid (with silicone seal to keep everything fresh) also functions as a chopping board and/or plate, meaning if you’re rushed in the morning you can still eat a healthy and freshly prepped meal at lunchtime.
The lunch boxes are available in two designs, Blue wave and Dugong (grey) and each print has taken inspiration directly from the Great Barrier Reef (5% of the profits from this collection are donated to the charity, Surfers against Sewage).
Bamboo lunch box with Blue Wave design, £16.95, emilieoconnorhomestore.com.
carbon copy
Want to do your bit for the planet? Then get a load of this: an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic bottles. Swedish brand Aarke is bringing home-carbonation back to our countertops with the world’s first sparkling water maker designed with a complete stainless-steel enclosure.
Expect compact machines coated in brass, matte black, silver or glossy white. One for kids and adults to fight over.
Cabonator II in White, £179, aarke.com.
faux film
From Harris and Hall comes a faux foil / film with good looks to boot. A sustainable alternative to cling film, think jojoba oil, antimicrobial beeswax and pine resin infused into biodegradable organic cotton to create reusable wraps in statement prints that’ll jostle for attention on fridge shelves.
The Blue Pack wax wrap multipack, £20, harrisandhall.com.
memphis on the move
Designed by George Sowden, one of the founders of the Memphis Art Movement, these cool colour block stainless-steel water bottles will keep you hydrated, and provide artistic inspiration throughout the summer and beyond.
Hay Sowden, 0.35L water bottle, shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk
string theory
Being used by fashionistas for far more than mere groceries, the string shopper has been having a style moment for some time. It’s easy to shove in your handbag when not in use and pull out, et voila, when required for transporting actual food and so much more chic than a ‘bag for life’.
Niki netting shopper, £7.50, Oliver Bonas.
in a lather
Move over liquid soap, the throw-away plastic dispenser is out and the traditional bar is back. Even better when it’s in paper packaging as pretty as the wrapping around these cruelty-free, organic soaps by Coutiver. Handmade in Colchester, Essex with olive oil, coconut oil and orange oil, they’re kind to your skin, kinder to the planet and look beautiful stacked on your shelves too.
Organic vegan soap, £4, Coutiver at Etsy.
See the best brands for recycled homewares.
