Our Summer Solstice Rituals For A More Conscious Lifestyle

What are Summer Solstice Rituals?

The word solstice comes from the Latin ‘solstitium.’ It combines ‘sol’ (which means sun) and ‘-stit’ or ‘-stes’ (which means standing or still). The name comes from the Romans noticing that the sun looked still during a solstice. We think this serves as a beautiful reminder for humans to take a moment to slow down. Reflect and reconnect with the world around us. It’s a reminder that there is always time to pause, to breathe, and be present.

The solstice invites us to embrace renewal in our fast-paced world. As seasons change, we can appreciate what nature offers. This shift encourages us to live more slowly and mindfully. Having a set of Summer Solstice Rituals is a great way to embrace this ethos. In this article, we will share ours with you. And some of our favorite sustainable products to support these. Ethically made, with the planet in mind. These summer solstice rituals will help you enter the new season with awareness.

Summer Solstice Swim

Going for a summer solstice swim as the sun rises, is one of the most truly magical rituals. Whether in a serene lake. The open sea. Or a peaceful river. A solstice swim immerses you in the natural world. Allowing you to reconnect with the beauty, wonder and the magic of the natural surroundings. For those of you who reside in a somewhat cooler climate, this could be a great opportunity to try cold-water swimming! It has fantastic physical and mental health benefits. 

The shock of the cold water essentially sends your body into fight or flight mode. Forcing your body to deal with the stress of adapting to the cold. With this, we are also forced to be wholly present in the moment. The cold water stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Triggering the release of endorphins. Which is why people tend to feel a natural high and a sense of exhilaration or euphoria! 

KYE Intimates is one of our newest sustainable brands. Offering a beautiful collection of luxurious intimates made for your every day. Their pieces balance softness and functionality, sensuality and versatility, romance and modernity. KYE draws inspiration from real people and true connections. It reminds us to nurture a kind relationship with ourselves, our loved ones, and Mother Earth.  Their ethical swimwear is timeless. Made in Los Angeles; this product uses medium-weight, double-layered Amni Soul Eco. They chose this fabric for its ability to biodegrade.

What to wear

KYE Swim is intended to nurture our connection with bodies of water. Which is why we thought they’d be the perfect brand to feature in editorial. Inspired by Sea Ranch’s Ohlson Recreation Center, this open-air complex blends with the California coast’s landscape. KYE Swim offers harmony, comfort, and functionality. These pieces are designed to empower the modern woman. Allowing you to feel comfortable, confident, and self-assured in their sustainable swim line!

Dining Al Fresco:

Many cultures have celebrated summer solstice rituals. It’s a time for community gathering and joy. Longer days and warmer weather make outdoor dining great for socializing with friends and family. Whether it’s a barbecue, picnic, or dinner party al fresco! We have some great sustainable homeware brands! They’ll help you get ready for summer and make your dining experience even better.

How to serve

R+D. LAB’s ethical glassware collection combines function and purpose in a unique way. They believe in the beauty of form and the power of color. And also admire the character that comes from skilled craftsmanship by artisans in Italy. They team up with small traditional manufacturers. Together, they create products that are functional, sustainable, and meaningful for today’s life. Their wine glasses are made from borosilicate glass. This glass is pure and resistant. Each glass is shaped using a traditional mouth-blowing technique.

We’ve also featured another stunning sustainable homeware brand, Feldspar Studio. Feldspar is inspired by the daily items their grandparents used for over fifty years. Their goal is to create beautiful objects that last. They focus on an elegant, simple design that endures through changing trends. We love the focus on longevity. Feldspar’s ceramics match our belief in choosing pieces that last a lifetime and beyond!

Their timeless ceramics are ethically made using fine bone china, the strongest type of ceramic. Most of the British factories that originally made bone china pieces have closed down. Making the production of china from start to finish in the UK is becoming increasingly rare. Each of Feldspar’s pieces is crafted by a family-run pottery factory in Stoke-on-Trent. A bid to champion British production. And its traditional craftsmanship, proving it’s perfectly possible to make things from start to finish in the UK!

Dressing Sustainably

Here at Rev, we stand by mindful consumption. Particularly when it comes to clothes! With endless micro-trends and fast-fashion brands churning out cheap clothes. And living in a culture that puts pressure on people to have a brand new outfit for every occasion. It can be really hard to make more sustainable fashion choices. The disposable culture has a much greater negative impact on our environment than most realize. With the textile industry being one of the biggest polluting industries and contributors to climate change.

We believe in buying less, but buying better and quality over quantity! Slow fashion and sustainable fashion brands are great alternatives. They focus on design and production while keeping the planet in mind. Slow fashion encourages people to invest in timeless, high-quality pieces that stand the test of time. Instead of feeding into short-lived trends. Our sustainable brands create timeless designs. These styles flatter and adapt to your changing look each season. Making them the perfect versatile pieces! Switching to sustainable fashion can be liberating. And definitely a good one to add to your list of summer solstice rituals.

What to wear

Dāl The Label is a new sustainable fashion brand. They offer a beautiful collection of timeless everyday wear. Their pieces show effortless feminine elegance, perfect for any occasion. All of Dāl’s pieces are ethically made by a handful of small factories in Los Angeles using eco-friendly, recycled materials. The Cupro Bias Slip Dress in Sand is a versatile piece. It’s a wardrobe staple that easily shifts from a casual daytime look to an elegant evening dress. Wear it with sandals and a denim jacket for a stylish daytime look. For an evening event, try strappy heels and bold jewelry for a more refined style. Dāl The Label has it all! They have sustainable shirts, organic t-shirts, classic trousers, formal blazers, and beautiful dresses. They have the perfect collection for those wanting to start a sustainable capsule wardrobe!

If you’re a regular reader of our editorials, you’ll know that Olistic The Label is our go-to for versatile, beautiful dresses fit for any occasion! Olistic, the first French sustainable luxury brand, redefines the feminine wardrobe. It blends minimalist shapes with a modern bohemian flair. Their collection uses eco-friendly materials. This includes peace silk, wood fibers, and upcycled luxury deadstock. The Pluma Ikebana Dress uses GOTS-certified organic linen. This lightweight and breathable fabric is ideal for warm spring and summer days. It features a rafia buckle belt, a V-neckline, and carefully crafted sleeves for a resolutely feminine silhouette. We really think you’ll be feeling your best in this beautiful maxi dress!

Finding Time for You!

As we celebrate the summer solstice, a time of sunlight and natural energy, it’s a great opportunity to pause and create your own wellness rituals. Finding time for ourselves can be tough in our busy lives. But if you have a moment, doing something you enjoy can boost your well-being. Seasons change, and it’s a great time to embrace mindful consumption in your daily life.

Conscious Skincare 

Taking some time in the morning or evening to build a skincare routine can be therapeutic. And really rewarding once you start to see results. Choosing organic, natural skincare products is a smart way to care for your skin. They nourish and protect while also supporting sustainable farming. Reducing your own environmental footprint is important. Organic skincare products use natural botanicals and ingredients for real results. Without the use of harmful chemicals or damaging the environment. Instead, our ethical skincare brands work with the environment!

Be Here Farm + Nature has a beautiful line. We felt it was the perfect brand for our Summer Solstice rituals editorial. Each product comes from a certified biodynamic farm. This farm spans three hundred acres of family-owned land atop a spring mountain in Saint Helena, California. They work with nature to grow the highest quality ingredients supportive of your wellbeing and lasting health. Each botanical is planted, nurtured, grown, and harvested by hand at Be Here or wild harvested across their property. The plants are solar infused at their peak, just hours after harvest. This process uses the sun and moon’s rhythms to draw out their healing properties!

Also consider

At this beautiful time of year with an abundance of natural light, we’d encourage anyone to get outside whenever possible! Spending time outside in the sun is key for making vitamin D. This vitamin helps your bones and boosts your immune system. Exposure to the sun is a natural mood booster and is great for reducing stress and boosting your energy levels. We’d also recommend anyone being exposed to the sun for long periods of time to invest in a reliable, natural SPF.

This can help protect and nourish your skin while preventing signs of premature aging. Check out Team Dr. Joseph’s High Protection Sun Cream SPF 30. This fast-absorbing sunscreen combines hyaluronic acid and sea buckthorn. It offers strong protection against UVA and UVB rays. Team Dr. Joseph’s entire sustainable range is vegan, natural, and cruelty-free. It also takes a holistic approach that honors the skin’s balance!

Introducing Obakki – One of our latest organic skincare brands!

We thought this would be a great opportunity to showcase our latest organic skincare brand, Obakki Skincare. Formulated with nature’s wisdom in mind, its commitment to sustainability is at the heart of every product. Every product uses the purest natural ingredients. These are hand-picked or wild-harvested. They aim to give you healthy, glowing skin. These raw ingredients are sourced from women-led cooperatives they partner with in Africa. They provide training in skills that can earn money. This includes shea butter processing and natural oil extraction. This investment helps transform whole communities.

The summer solstice is a time when we celebrate the natural world around us. Many skincare products contain harmful ingredients like palm oil. Its production destroys ancient forests and threatens wildlife worldwide. We love that our organic skincare lines, like Obakki, use only natural ingredients. They are always free from palm oil, so they won’t harm the environment.

Obakki’s natural skincare line is great for a summer solstice self-care ritual. Use it for a morning refresh or a calming evening routine to rejuvenate your skin!

Moments of Mindfulness

Whether it’s taking a long walk in nature or practicing yoga, moving your body can be a great way to de-stress after a long day. Yoga can be particularly good for helping your mind unwind and taking some time for yourself. These moments of quiet and calm have a number of health benefits. Helping to reduce stress and improve your mental clarity. 

Practicing a series of Sun Salutations could be a powerful way to honor this special day. This sequence of poses are designed to energize the body and mind. Making it the perfect practice to add to your summer solstice rituals! Incorporating more grounding poses and meditations is another way to enhance your body’s connection to the world around you. These practices anchor you in the present moment. Forcing you to become more in tune with your body and your surroundings. They’re designed to ground and center you, fostering a deeper sense of peace and balance.

What to wear

Seela Studio has put sustainability at the heart of their brand. Developing a beautiful collection of activewear. With a focus on responsibly sourced materials and thoughtful activewear. All Seela activewear is ethically made using castor bean fiber. It’s wildly grown, so it is also biodegradable at the end of its life cycle. Jorgen House also has a wonderful range of sustainable activewear specializing in maternity-wear. Celebrating and supporting the changing states of our bodies throughout womanhood. Jorgen House focuses on sustainability. They partner with an Italian mill that collects waste materials. Which would have otherwise been disposed of. These materials go through a regeneration process. Then, they are turned back into threads for knitting.

Bringing Nature Indoors

For those busy days when there aren’t enough hours in the day to spend time outdoors. Or when the weather perhaps isn’t so ‘summery.’ We love the idea of bringing a touch of nature indoors. The summer solstice is a time to celebrate the peak of nature and its beauty. Making it the perfect occasion to adorn your home that reflects the vibrant colors and lush growth of the season. Not only do they add to the overall ambiance of your home. They also have a wonderful positive effect on our mood and well being.

We’ve featured Molten 1090’s Silver Fleck Vase as a charming piece to showcase some fresh flowers. This sustainable brand is inspired by nature and the raw power of the environment. Molten 1090’s pieces draw inspiration from Bermuda’s natural beauty and raw power. This environment shaped the founders who were born and raised there. This particular piece is made from hand blown glass. Embedded with champagne silver flecks, inspired by the landform of a volcano.

Discover these

Also featured is the sustainable home care brand, Kinfill. The Reed Diffuser in Flowershop captures the mix of fresh stems, crisp greens, and crushed petals. It creates a refreshing spring scent! Kinfill’s range is developed solely from clean ingredients that won’t harm you or the environment. We also love that they offer plastic-free, refillable options. Significantly reducing their waste compared to traditional single-use products we see so often! Their refillable bottles use Italian glass. This glass is designed to be fully recyclable and easy to recycle!

Plastic Free July

Now, let’s discuss Plastic Free July. The Plastic Free Foundation encourages people, communities, and organizations to cut down on plastic use and waste. It wants to make people aware of how single-use plastics harm the environment. The goal is to inspire more sustainable choices in daily life.

Plastic harms our environment. It doesn’t break down naturally. Instead, it piles up in landfills and habitats for thousands of years. It often ends up in oceans, rivers, and other ecosystems. This pollution harms many wildlife species living there.

Avoiding plastic can be really hard as it is used in so many everyday items. Clothes that are made from synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic are all derived from plastic. We offer many great brands dedicated to sustainability. They use recyclable materials and follow zero-waste or plastic-free policies. This approach cuts down plastic in landfills and oceans. It also supports a circular economy by conserving and reusing resources!

Embracing a plastic-free July and shopping consciously… 

Shopping consciously is a crucial aspect of Plastic Free July! Making informed choices while shopping can significantly reduce your reliance on single-use plastics and you might actually be surprised with how quickly you can adapt to this! 

– Say no to single-use plastic (Plastic straws, bags, bottles)

– Bring your own reusable shoppings bags, water bottles, coffee cups 

– Recycle and reuse! 

– Spread the word! 

– If you have access to refill stores, this is a fantastic way to reduce your own plastic and waste. If you’re London based, we actually have an editorial that runs you through some refill stores around the city! 

As we’ve already mentioned, Kinfill has a fantastic range of eco-conscious alternatives to conventional cleaning products. Refillable, 100% biodegradable and made to blend at home with tap water, Kinfill has eliminated single-use plastics entirely. Sadly, cleaning is something we find ourselves doing pretty regularly! Kinfill is a brilliant brand if you’re wanting to streamline your cleaning cupboard into just a few essential, multifunctional products. It’s also another way to seamlessly incorporate more elements of a greener way of living into your home and daily life. Do this with their brand new cleaning bundles, Spotless Home and Tidy Kitchen!

Learn more

The summer solstice reminds us to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with our world as the seasons change. It provides us with an opportunity to consider our relationship with the environment. And the ways in which we can live more harmoniously with it. This moment can inspire us to live greener and make better choices every day. So we can all play a part in building a more sustainable world for future generations.

A plastic free July might be the perfect challenge to set yourself!

Follow us on Instagram and Youtube