Invest In A Perfect T-Shirt

Pair With A Sustainable Blazer

Accessorize With Pieces Made From Recycled Materials

Pair With A Great, Organic Lipstick

Tuck In An Organic Cotton Shirt

Pair Them With A Great Shoulder Bag

Grammar, Organic Cotton Shirts

These are our go-to shirts for casual office days! We are pairing them with some great suit trousers and loafers or layering them under a classic blazer. The catalyst for starting Grammar came out of misfortune. In early 2016, Althea’s apartment building burned down and she lost all of her belongings. The difficulty she felt trying to replace her wardrobe lead her to conclude that the perfect garments for her life did not yet exist. A fan of iconic wardrobe essentials, Althea decided to apply her eye for detail and nuance to the challenge of creating the perfect white shirt, and so the brand was born. Grammar shirts are made using 100% GOTS certified organic cotton by excellent local artisans, craftspeople and women-and minority-owned businesses in New York City.

Dāl The Label's Sustainable Fashion

We could not have asked for a more perfect sustainable work wear line if we tried! These pieces are made with organic and ethically sourced materials to make luxury office wear easy to style and beautiful to wear.  Dāl The Label is a LA based sustainable ready-to wear label offering women an aesthetic that transcends trends and celebrates strong silhouettes. It was born out of a desire to create highly wearable yet sophisticated outfits that remain impactful season after season. Dal The Label was founded by Lebanese-American creative director Dana Mortada, dāl works exclusively with small factories based in their home of Los Angeles, remaining diligently hands-on throughout the manufacturing process and exercising quality control on both product and ethics.

Navygrey jumpers

These fitted jumpers are made from ethical wool and then in the perfect classic colors you can pair with any trouser or skirt. Their lightweight knits are amazing for Fall all the way through Spring. Navygrey uses handpicked superfine wool that is Woolmark certified – each raw fibre lot can be traced back to the farm that produced it, ensuring greater quality control. Naturally breathable and odour resistant, it is natural, renewable and biodegradable. Sweaters are made in a small factory in Portugal, near Porto which complies with best practice and sustainable principles. 

Ethical Jewellery

Easy for dressing up or down, EVA REMENYI is great for accessorizing any outfit and we love the bold studs and simple hoops for being the only thing you need to wear with a gorgeous chunky sweater or shirt! Founded in 2012, EVA REMENYI jewelry is handmade in a small workshop in Budapest. All Eva Remenyi pieces are made from high quality materials. The gold and silver they use is recycled and is sourced locally, while the raw brass material is sourced from within the EU. Not only do they use mostly recycled metals, they also recycle all of our scrap metal. Any leftover metal is collected and recycled and in the case of precious metals, even the powder is re-melted! EVA REMENYI mixes a fresh approach with the age-old jeweler tradition, making them the perfect staples to elevate your workwear style. 

We’re also loving Skydiamond‘s subtle pendants and bracelets! They’ve created the world’s first carbon-negative diamond – working in harmony with nature’s own processes to create something beautiful. They alchemise their diamonds in England by harvesting carbon from the atmosphere to hold it forever in a diamond. They combine carbon with hydrogen from rainwater captured in the Cotswold countryside.

Marai's Ethical Leather Bags

These bags are so beautiful and so thoughtfully made the whole team is after one! We are using their larger bags for bringing in a laptop to work, or the smaller bags are beautiful for dashing out from a work from home situation! Marai was founded with a mission to repurpose discarded hides, a major byproduct from the food industry, which would otherwise go to waste. Marai uses natural tanning agents from renewable resources and works with responsible partners that are selected with care. They support regional craftsmanship and so exclusively partner with workshops in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

Each bag is designed to last beyond a lifetime and will be a staple season after season!

Swedish Stockings

Swedish Stockings have the perfect range of hosiery for the colder seasons – this means we can keep wearing our favourite transitional skirts all winter – just with a bit more practical styling! We’re wearing the Freja Ribbed Wool Tights most days and the Doris Dots Tights  for when we’re feeling something a little different! Swedish Stockings pieces are made in a handful of small factories across Italy – renowned for their commitment to craftsmanship and expertise in the hosiery industry.

Olistic The Label

Olistic offers a new sustainable definition of the feminine wardrobe, combining minimalist silhouettes with a contemporary bohemian touch. The collection is designed with eco-friendly materials such as peace silk, wood fibers and upcycled luxury dead stock. Inspired by biomimicry, their collections are created from 100% natural and organic-certified fibers. Some of their more classic silhouettes and styles would elevate any work outfit!

Why Switch to Clean Hair Care?

Soft, shiny, bouncy hair is what we are all after – right? But what is the cost of achieving that? Conventional hair care products are filled with ingredients, that are harmful to us and the planet. A very common ingredient in these conventional products is synthetic fragrances. Most labels simply just say the term, ‘fragrance’, but behind that ingredient is a ton of hidden chemicals used to mimic more expensive natural scents. 

Since we absorb everything we put on our skin, these chemicals have been found in breast milk and have led to harmful disruptions in the human body. Dimethicone, which is a type of silicone is another common ingredient to avoid. It is actually a type of plastic, which can create a shiny effect on the hair. But really, it creates a buildup of product on the scalp, clogging your pores, and stopping natural moisture and nutrients from entering the pores. Horrible right? 

I’m sure you’ll be familiar with the next scary ingredient, sulfates. They are chemical detergents, meaning they are really strong cleansers. However, they are far too strong to be used on our skin or hair. They strip the natural oils and moisture we naturally produce, which can actually lead to dry and brittle hair. If you find you have an itchy scalp or even eczema or psoriasis, it may be caused by sulfates. They are so commonly used because they are inexpensive and create that soapy lather that makes us think we are getting a deep clean.  There is a massive list of nasty chemicals that companies fill their haircare with. They do so to create a product that is cheap to make and made to last. 

It’s time to ditch the plastic, chemically filled haircare products and switch to organic, plant-based, and zero-waste shower products.

Gentle Shampoos

Conditioners

Masks

Treat & Ditch The Heat

Skip The Plastic Too!

100% PCR Bottles use 88% less energy, lowering carbon footprint.

100% PCR Closures 73% lowering carbon footprint vs. virgin oil based plastic.

100% PCR Boxes sourced from FSC Certified Board (for all), comprised of 100% recycled material PCW.

1. Hemp Is Environmentally Beneficial (For The Soil, Air, And Water)

Some of the major benefits of growing hemp is that it can regenerate and replenish the environment it grows in. Making for an excellent addition for gardeners and as a rotational crop for farmers. It is also incredibly resilient and can flourish no matter the soil or air quality, or with limited rainfall.

In fact, it takes less water to grow compared to cotton and trees, even though hemp has a large amount of cellulose. The plants themselves are known to clean the air, as they produce oxygen during their growth cycle. Growing hemp also reduces soil toxins and improves soil quality by removing nitrogen from the atmosphere and absorbing toxins from the ground.

2. Hemp Grow Easily And Without The Need For Toxic Chemicals

You can easily experience the benefits of growing hemp. It is called weed for a reason. It grows in just about any condition and without many resources as mentioned above. Hemp is also better for the environment in terms of pesticide use. Aside from being completely organic and resistant to disease and pests, hemp requires little fertilizers or pesticides. This means that there are fewer harmful chemicals entering our water systems.

Any pesticides sprayed on hemp soil will be absorbed by the roots of the plant itself and used as a natural defense mechanism against insects and pests. Hemp’s resin can also replace any need for excessive fertilizers in farms that grow it.

3. Hemp Is Bee-Friendly

Some of the other major benefits of growing hemp is that it is friendly to bees. As a result of hemp’s low-impact, no-till practices and its high number of nectar-producing flowers, the hemp industry is considered to be one of the most beneficial for bees. According to many beekeepers, hemp plants are used as an alternative when other flower sources aren’t as abundant.

Fields of hemp plants are even known to produce a large number of queen bees, which improve hive health and fertility rates. A healthy swarm of bees is the cornerstone of any successful and sustainable farm and garden ecosystem.

4. Hemp Eradicates Deforestation And Reduces Carbon Emissions

Deforestation contributes to about 25% of all global carbon emissions. Growing hemp could not only halt this process but reverse it entirely. This is because hemp plants have the ability to absorb CO2 from the air. According to studies, a single acre of hemp cultivation can absorb as much as 4.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year!

This is great news for our planet. Deforestation may be one of the most pressing issues at hand and hemp could help save it! Hemp is also renewable and a viable option for the lumber industry. This is one of the major benefits of growing hemp.

5. Hemp Improves Soil Quality And Purifies Water

Hemp can soak up to 3 times its own weight in water, thereby improving dry climates and farms with moderate or low rainfall. In terms of water consumption, hemp only uses about 37% of the amount that cotton does per acre cultivated. This means increased profit margins for farmers who grow hemp as an alternative crop in addition to their usual farming repertoire.

Hemp actually cleanses the soil it’s growing in, preventing erosion and acidity issues, and leaves the soil rich with nitrogen. Hemp also removes CO2 from the air and stores it in the roots during photosynthesis (making hemp a renewable resource).

Decreased soil erosion means more fertile land for hemp cultivation and a healthier ecosystem overall.

There are numerous ways hemp can benefit wildlife. For example, shade-grown industrial hemp crops provide food and refuge for birds, deer, beaver… the list goes on!

6. Hemp Production Preserves Wild Animal Habitats

In a study conducted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission in 1994, it was found that over 40 species of animals live among and depend on outdoor hemp fields. This includes:

– White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

– Eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)

– Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Additionally, hemp harvests also offer a great source of food for animals in the fall.

7. Hemp Is A Great Rotation Crop For Farmers

Farmers who grow hemp are more likely to make higher profits than those growing other crops. In fact, they can even grow it without sacrificing any of their usual farming practices. This means that one of the benefits of growing hemp is that it can be profitable without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers.

8. Hemp Is Stronger Than Cotton

Hemp is very strong compared to other natural fibers; it’s literally stronger than steel! Since hemp fiber is stronger than cotton and naturally UV resistant, it makes the ideal material to manufacture durable fabrics for clothing, shoes, and backpacks.

Unlike other plants that are turned into fibers (cotton), hemp grows vigorously and does not require pesticides during cultivation or processing. The hemp plant produces strong fibers with a low-lignin content (the part of the plant that binds fibers into a yarn). This is exactly why hemp yokes can be easily manufactured.

In fact, the United States could save up to $100 billion per year if we replace cotton with hemp for our clothes and other textiles.

9. Hemp Is Stronger Than Wood Fiber

Hemp fibers are one of a kind. They can be used to create almost anything – from clothes, shoes, rugs, furniture, construction materials (such as cement), biofuel… you name it! The hemp plant is also one of the strongest natural fibers. It has been known to produce stronger commercial and industrial products, including rope and canvas.

Hemp’s inherent strength and durability are due to its cellular structure, which is similar to bamboo and oak trees, allowing hemp fabrics to resist breaking from flexing or hardening. It is truly a superior natural resource that can be used as a building block of materials for literally anything.

10. Hemp Can Be Made Into Plastic Materials That Are Biodegradable

Products made with hemp fibers or seeds will break down in landfills over time. It is known for hemp to produce plastics that are 100% biodegradable and recyclable, yet they have many of the same uses as petroleum-based plastics. The good news is that this technology is already being used today! Industrial hemp has been used to produce a strong plastic called Bionect, which is more environmentally friendly than some petroleum-based plastics.

11. Hemp Can Be Used In The Production Of Biofuels

Industrial hemp is a natural resource that could help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It has been estimated that if hemp were legalized, it would produce more oil than what we currently get from fossil fuels over

## Hemp can help the environment… and our health!

For decades, hemp was banned for being a “drug”, when it couldn’t be farther from the truth! Marijuana has psychoactive effects that get people high while hemp has none of that at all. In fact, hemp is not a drug… it’s an amazing resource!

12. Hemp Paper Is Eco-Friendly

Hemp can make paper products that are much more eco-friendly than wood-based papers and can even be recycled more than once. It can also be used to make some of the most sustainable packaging materials in the market today. Hemp packaging uses less energy and fewer natural resources, as hemp fibers are stronger and thinner than paper. If you think about it, we use paper every day and hemp could easily be used to make our paper products instead of cutting down more trees.

Conclusion

Hemp is the most environmentally friendly crop in the world. And as you can see, hemp is not only great for fashion, food supply, medicine, and more — but for our planet as well.

Many of hemp’s other uses are endless and incredibly useful to our society, as we will see over time that hemp can benefit us all; from farmers to businessmen and women, to consumers and citizens, hemp will be sure to “save the planet” in more ways than one!

If you want to learn more:

Check out our podcast with Stephen Smith of Onda Wellness

Slow living resolutions with Stephen Smith of Onda Wellness

Check out our Youtube Channel

Follow us on Instagram @revenvert

Build The Skin Barrier

In the heat of summer, a healthy and hydrated skin barrier is vital. Skin dehydration actually interrupts proper barrier function, and we formulated Active Treatment Essence with this in mind. Along with hydrating hyaluronic acid for extra plumping and luminosity, pre and probiotics, alfalfa, marine algae, and a full-suite of B vitamins, including the niacinamide form of B3, help to fortify the skin’s first line of defense. Grape seed, a powerful foundational oil found in Active Botanical Serum is one of many ingredients rich in phytoceramides, which aid in collagen production and maintain a strong lipid barrier to effectively retain moisture.

Up The Antioxidants

More time enjoyed outside also means extra exposure to environmental aggressors like UV and pollution. The natural protectors in Active Botanical Serum, such as carrot seed oil rich in the antioxidant vitamin A (as beta carotene), rosehip, and turmeric shield the complexion and repair oxidative damage.

Clear Out Congestion

Time to breathe and just be is a highlight of summer, and the skin similarly needs to breathe to look its best. Ensuring pores are properly cleared of excess sunscreen or sweat buildup keeps unwanted skin issues, like breakouts, at bay. Skin detoxifying whole greens, including dandelion, nettle, alfalfa, and moringa, are part of the Active Treatment Essence infusion, while natural acids and enzymes, gentle but effective micro-exfoliators, clear out pores. The organic hazelnut oil in Active Botanical Serum is a key source of linoleic acid, to balance skin and prevent clogged pores.

Protect The Décolleté

The delicate skin of your face starts lower than you may think. The neck and décolleté are equally prone to sun spots, dehydration, and dullness if not properly protected. Be sure to apply your Vintner’s Daughter products, and of course your sunscreen, to the neck and chest along with the face for dewy and radiant summer skin.

If you liked this article…

Be sure to check out our podcast and editorials:

Our Podcast with April Garguilo of Vintner’s Daughter

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Stay - INNESS, New York

To start off celebrating some of our best of the US for this year’s Labor Day, we are sharing INNESS, a beautiful country retreat tucked in the hamlet of Accord in New York State. Situated between the Catskill and Shawangunk mountain ranges are their 220 pastoral acres. Home to a hotel, restaurant, member’s club, golf, tennis, and abundant leisure activities. 

Inspired by the diverse regions of the Mediterranean, INNESS’s restaurant menu features simple, rustic fare like handmade pasta, vegetables, fish and meat–locally sourced, whenever possible. Seasonal dishes will incorporate produce and fruit sourced from INNESS’s own kitchen garden and orchard.

Do - Preparing The Garden For Fall

If your weekend isn’t filled with with picnics and parties, take the long weekend as a perfect opportunity to spend some quiet time with mother nature and begin preparing your garden for Fall. By now much of the early summer produce will be gone and your garden may be looking a bit bare. Why not try getting in some beets and root vegetables for those Fall roast vegetable bakes!

We are taking gardening inspiration from Ron Finley and as always Charles Dowding when it comes to transforming your Summer garden this September!

Wear - Loup Charmant

One of our US based fashion favourites for Labor Day is Loup Charmant. Responsibly made with the craftspeople of New York City and Madagascar since 2006, Loup Charmant are Pioneers of organic and responsible luxury resort wear that is airy, beautiful and made to be timeless. 

The Loup Charmant story started in the early 2000’s as a search for fine organic cotton. After coming upon a cooperative of family farms in India growing and milling the heirloom quality cotton, founder Kee Edwards decided to heroically purchase their inventory on hand to save them ceasing production due to the low market for organic cotton being unable to support operations. A true inspiration and they produce the perfect sustainable pieces to purchase close to home this season!

Wear - Only Essentials

One of our newest fall arrivals coming from the US, Only Essentials produce luxuriously soft basics crafted from 100% ethical merino wool. Their New Zealand Merino is ZQ Certified which ensures it is grown and certified to the highest of quality, meets environmental sustainability benchmarks, and adheres to animal welfare and social responsibilities. Certified ZQ growers are required to provide and care for their animals in accordance with the five basic freedoms, ensuring this Merino is mulesing-free.

Cook - Strawberry Burrata Salad

As we come to the end of Summer and start preparing for our Labor Day picnics and dinner parties, this Strawberry Burrata Salad by Athena Calderone AKA EyeSwoon, is the perfect way to use up the last of your summer produce. The best thing about simple summer salads is that they are adaptable based on what you have available. We hope you take inspiration from this gorgeous salad by either creating it fully from scratch or re-creating it, using what you already have!

Drink - Avaline Wine

Co-Founded by Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, we are newly obsessed with this US based organic wine brand! Ahttps://drinkavaline.comvaline produce an exclusive range of their own vegan & organic wines. Contrary to how the Alcohol industry typically operates, Avaline have taken a completely transparent stance on their wines, sharing full ingredients lists, label transparency and core producers.

Pick up a couple of their Rosés or Sparkling Whites for the perfect dinner table addition. Alternatively, they stock sleek Rosé and White cans for a last minute picnic pick up!

The Rooster, Antiparos

Overlooking the unspoiled beach of Livadia, The Rooster, Antiparos is built within a 30-acre land of hills, old local homes, rocks and sand dunes.

“In quietness, wellbeing of our body, mind and spirit, fueled food ingredients and daily activations, The Rooster team encourages you to connect with, Our House of Healing, our landscapes’ escapes, our houses, our Secret Garden, our Farm, our tailor-made Days In The Rooster Design and the unspoilt front beach of Livadia.”

Eumelia Organic Farm, Laconia

Eumelia is “A unique regenerative agritourism & ecotourism farmstay accommodation. Stay and experience our organic farm or visit us for the day. Enjoy olive oil tastings, wine tastings, farm to table cooking classes. Taste our famous zero kilometer organic vegetarian cuisine under the starlit sky.”

“Our organic farmstay is designed along the principles of biodynamic farming & permaculture and our hotel facilities use entirely eco-friendly materials and eco-technologies, making eumelia the most ecological & green, farm and hotel in Greece. We recycle, create compost, use geothermal heating, solar water heating and recycle water with the natural root method. Located in the Peloponnese, in the region of Laconia near the village of Gouves, we welcome guests from around the world throughout the year.”

Native Eco Villas, Santorini

Consisting of three private villas in the exclusive area of Imerovigli on the Island of Santorini, Native Eco Villas presents unique Cycladic architecture and Scandinavian decorative style, courtesy of co-founder Sophie.

“The villas are recognised for their ecologically friendly building technique and materials used during the renovation process. Eco Villas is aimed at reclamation and sustaining the organic character of the neighbourhood.”

Metohi Kindelis, Crete

The Metohi Kindelis main building is a 16th century farm and guest house restored to maintain the unique, traditional Venetian architecture.

“The result of this 30 year vision, is three guesthouses with a different ambiance in the interiors and respective exteriors, each-one with it’s own unique style and personality, offering the comfort, warmth and privacy of a mediterranean country house.”

Each guesthouse comes equipped with it’s own private pool, patio and garden. There is also a fully equipped kitchen in every unit for those who enjoy experimenting with the local ingredients and a fridge stocked with the organic produce of the farm (including an abundance of avocados!) and other local producers to prepare a rich healthy breakfast.

OKU, Kos

A picturesque, adults-only beach hideaway on the island of Kos, OKU is a luxurious Greek retreat inspired by the traditional Greek village experience, combining a modern, minimalist foundation with raw and natural design elements.

“At OKU Kos you can enjoy our restaurant day and night. Nestled between the beach and pool, the restaurant is built on a philosophy of sustainably-sourced ingredients, serving internationally-inspired fusion dishes with dedicated options for vegan and vegetarians.”

Ekies All Senses Resort, Halkidiki

Ekies All Senshttps://ekies.gres Resort is an award winning hotel located on the Sithonia peninsula of Halkidiki, in the unspoilt Vourvourou Bay. Also being a member of Design Hotels, it has become “the ultimate destination for those who seek a true “barefoot luxury” experience.”

Their incredible Greek food is another of the many reasons to stay. “With locally-produced ingredients, fresh fish caught every day from local fishermen, and infinite inspiration from the rich variety of Greek cuisine, something tells us that you will fall in love with our cuisine as well.”

ACRO, Crete

AChttps://acrosuites.comRO is a luxury hideaway in Crete with breathtaking panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. Featuring beautiful cave suites with sea views and private infinity pools.

A visit to their signature restaurant, Cremnos, also shouldn’t go amiss. “The idea behind “Cremnos” is to create a nutritional haven where we derive our inspiration from the traditional Greek lunching and dining and reinterpret old time classic recipes with a new age twist. We use handpicked, organic, fresh ingredients from small farms around the island. Our chef and his team base their menus on authentic Cretan cuisine and dietary habits that are well known around the world to be beneficial to our health.”

If you like this guide, be sure to check out our other eco travel editorials here.

Please tell us about your morning routine in the lead up to your wedding prep? 

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Serums: my Triple Level Hyaluronic Serum, followed by Hibiscus Serum. 
3. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
4. Creams: Prickly Pear Face Cream, followed by SPF 50.

Please tell us about your evening routine in the lead up to your wedding prep? 

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Serums: my Triple Level Hyaluronic Serum.
3. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
4. Creams: Hibiscus Night Cream. 

• I would do a weekly Apricot Face Peel monthly, with the exception of the month before the wedding where I would recommend no peels or scrubs because you don’t want irritation. 
• 2x per week, I would use the Pistachio Face Mask overnight instead of the Hibiscus Night Cream. On these nights, I would use the Rose Face Oil for some self-massage techniques, as well as integrating my Gua Sha. I would do this after the Cleansing/ Toning Step, and then follow with serums, eyes & mask.

What products would you recommend a bride use in the weeks before her big day? 

I would do the above routine, and stick to it, minus scrubs/ peels as you don’t want to bring anything out that month. 

On the night before the wedding, I would recommend:

1. Cleansing/ Toning: my Almond Cleansing Milk, followed by Helichrysum Toner. 
2. Facial Massage: my Rose Face Oil with Gua Sha. 
3. Mask: Pistachio Face Mask. 
4. Wash off the Pistachio Face Mask, and then Serums: Hibiscus Serum
5. Eyes: my Olive Eye Cream. 
6. Cream: Hibiscus Night Cream.

What would you suggest for the day of the wedding? 

The usual morning routine highlighted above, and ideally a lymphatic facial massage if at all possible.

What treatments would you recommend for the face in the lead up? 

This really depends on skin type, but I would start six months out, and do more ‘intense’ treatments six and three months prior to really prepare the skin. I have highlighted what I did below: 

• Fraxel Laser with Jasmina Vico six months prior:  an extremely effective treatment for any scarring, sun spots, wrinkles and signs of aging. Jasmina Vico is a skin health specialist with 16+ years of experience, renowned for her high-tech yet holistic approach, based in London.    
• Microneedling with Jasmina Vico three months prior: an effective treatment for any scarring, as well as to deliver anti-ageing benefits, stimulating the skin’s natural ability to heal itself by producing collagen and elastin.
• Targeted laser with Jasmina Vico six and three months prior on my broken capillaries around the nose area. Jasmina did this twice to remove my few broken capillaries. 

And then, I would recommend doing monthly facials three and two months prior; I did: 

• Two buccal facials with Michaela Bolder three and two months prior to the wedding. Micheala has over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, and is based in London. Michaela’s signature facial is focussed on easing muscle tension using pressure points and unique massage techniques to lift and sculpt the facial contours. She uses a unique buccal technique, accessing different pressure points and passages from inside the mouth helping to further lift and set the muscle, release and clear out blockages, aid lymphatic drainage. 

And then, the month of, I would just do lymphatic drainage weekly: 

Weekly lymphatic drainage massage with no peels/ scrubs or extraction.You don’t want to do anything that will aggravate the skin or push spots to come out. Lymphatic Drainage massage techniques to clear away toxins below the skin surface, promote blood flow and ensure my complexion was looking good!

Stay - The Bull & Last

A 10 minute walk from Gospel Oak station and at the foot of Hampstead Heath is the independent pub and coaching in, The Bull & Last. Blending in amongst Hampstead’s architecture but with outstanding amenities, The Bull and Last is an unexpected delight just outside the city centre. 

When it comes to sustainability, The Bull & Last have ensured to work alongside companies that take into account their effect on the environment. This includes sourcing their beds from the UK’s first 100% recyclable, carbon neutral manufacturer. Their coffee capsules come from Volcano Coffee Works, Brixton and are 100% compostable and Vegan friendly. Most significantly, they have created their own bespoke product range, including their skin & body care brand Woodsome, inspired by their side road, Woodsome Road. Woodsome is featured in all of the rooms to use on your stay, is created with natural & organic plant-based ingredients, is cruelty free and eco friendly (and smells beautifully fresh and luxurious too!).

Initially walking in the Dido Room with Jazz Fm playing on the on the classic Roberts radio was just as pleasurable as walking out after a relaxing and very much enjoyable nights stay. Each room has something unique to offer based on personal taste and are filled with all the amenities you could need including a mini-bar stocked with organic wines and locally sourced snacks and a place to make cocktails with their homemade pre-mixes! (Pictured left: Somerset Room, and right: Dido Room).

Dine - The Bull & Last

I wanted to mention the Bull & Last pub & restaurant separately, in order to give it credit where it is due. No need to spend extensive time searching for the perfect place for dinner when a wander downstairs will result in one of the best pub meals you will experience. However to call it a pub meal doesn’t do the chefs quite the service they deserve. 

The menus at The Bull and Last change daily, being tailored to seasonality and availability. Their wine list has a focus on European producers and they work with wine makers who produce high quality wine with minimal intervention. Also their beer list features primarily British breweries but most specifically take advantage of the infamous London scene.

Breakfast - Kalendar

Recommended by the super friendly staff at The Bull & Last, the place to head for breakfast in Highgate is Kalendar. Situated in one of Swain’s Lane tudor-style buildings, Kalendar is a 5 minute walk up the road from The Bull and Last, and the perfect place to grab a coffee and pastry to start the day. 

Kalendar is one of the remaining independent cafés in the Highgate area, and offers a local community feel to a swiftly developing area of London. 

Shop - Superette

Next, to get your senses going, head to Superette where you’ll find a huge and delicious range of independent brands, from natural wines, to cold drinks, snacks, cupboard staples and even an antipasti bar. With featured products from organic grocery store, Natoora and provisions from the renowned Spanish food brand Brindisa. You can also, if you choose, pick up a coffee and sit outside to work or simply to people watch and admire the beautiful homes and greenery.

Shop - Fam Green Grocery Market

If Superette wasn’t enough, just next door is Fam Green Grocery Market, where you will find many more independent brands and organic groceries. You can pick from the fruits and vegetables outside or head in to find even more, including a homemade smoothie bar. They have another store in Tufnell Park stocking just as much natural and organic produce as Swain’s Lane!

Re-Centre - Hampstead Heath

Although the general Hampstead & Highgate area is very relaxed already, I highly recommend taking a morning run or afternoon stroll in Hampstead Heath. A much more wild area compared to Hyde Park and the many other parks in central London, its like a taste of the countryside in the middle of the city!

“Hampstead Heath is a wild park of woodland and meadows, tucked inside north London’s Zone Two – less than four miles from the centre, though you’d never know it. It sprawls over 800 acres and boasts some of the most spectacular views in the city. This is the park that inspired C.S. Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia, that Constable spent his final years painting, and Londoners of all stripes have been coming here to escape the city for over 200 years.” 

“Today, there are few better ways to spend a Sunday in London than with a lazy ramble on the Heath, followed by a pint, or a roast, at one of our wonderful local pubs. The swimming ponds – particularly the ladies’ and men’s – hold almost mystical status among those brave enough to take a dip. Come to fly your kite on Parliament Hill, bring a picnic, and while away your afternoon.” (Hampstead Heath Official Website)

Whether you’re at the beginning of your sustainable fashion journey, or a seasoned pro, looking at the composition of the clothes we wear is key. 

Yes I’m focusing all things fabrics in this month’s column. 

Does natural always equal good and synthetic equal bad? Should I be buying vegan leather? 

As with most topics in sustainability, there is no one right answer, but I thought I’d highlight some of my favourite fabrics when it comes to shopping more sustainably.

KEEP IT NATURAL

Invest in good quality natural fabrics and you can’t go wrong. Especially in the summer months, natural fibres like cotton, hemp and linen are super light and breathable. 

Cotton – this wardrobe staple is also one of the thirstiest and most chemical-intensive crops to grow. Where you can, try to opt for organic cotton which removes harmful pesticides and other chemicals from the production process. I made sure the cotton I used in my CD Studio collection was GOTS-certified to ensure the highest possible standards in production, try and keep an eye out for GOTS labels next time you shop. 

Hemp – although hemp doesn’t scream high-fashion, it requires very little water, no pesticides, and naturally fertilises the soil it grows in – making it much better for the environment than most other crops. I’ve spotted some beautiful hemp bed linen from Casa Parini which looks beyond dreamy…

INNOVATION

I really believe that technology and innovation provide the key to solving some of the big climate issues, and love to discover (and geek out) on the latest fabric developments. In particular, ECONYL regenerated nylon is one of my favourites; used in everything from Prada backpacks to Girlfriend Collective leggings. It’s made from nylon waste such as fishing nets and carpets recovered from the ocean or landfill. The yarn can be endlessly recycled without ever losing its quality. Top tip, don’t forget to use a Guppy Bag when washing your recycled nylons to reduce microfibres being released into the waterways.

VEGAN ALTERNATIVES 

A lot of vegan leathers can be petroleum-based, so here are a couple of my favourite leather alternatives that use incredible fruit and vegetables to create amazing ‘leathers’ that are kinder to animals and the planet. 

Pinatex is a natural leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibre. The leaves are a by-product of the food industry and would otherwise end up in landfill or incinerated. Not only is this a great use of waste, it also creates additional income for the farming communities in the Philippines. 

Stella McCartney recently made headlines for making fungi fashionable! Creating a bag from mycelium, a vegan leather substitute made from the root-like structure in mushrooms. I look forward to the material scaling up and being more widely available and accessible.

Based out of Toronto Canada, BASAL was launched in 2021 by James and Anastasia, who took their very different backgrounds in neuroscience and sustainable material engineering to create a product that promotes everyday wellbeing. Together they created the Fundamental Meal, a delicious plant-based nutriment blend that offers an effortless meal that supplies you with balanced nutrition, lasting energy, and satiation. Each meal contains 35 essential whole food nutrients to support daily mental and physical wellness.

So, What is in the Fundamental Meal?

The blend is 100% natural and plant-based with a velvety smooth and yummy cocoa flavor – perfect for anyone who is vegan, gluten free, and soy free. To thrive, our minds and bodies need over 25 diverse nutrients each day – this blend makes that doable and easy. For protein you will find yellow pea and brown rice, which uniquely provide a full amino acid profile with high digestibility, without the use of soy like lots of protein powders. The pure Fairtrade sourced cocoa not only adds amazing flavor, but cacao is also rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, and has a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine. Healthy fats are an essential to get through each day, which is why the Fundemental Meal contains Coconut MCT Oil with is easier to digest compared to other fatty acids, meaning that it can quickly supply the body and brain with much needed energy. No meal would be complete without organic fruit and vegetables. James and Anastasia blended 10 organic fruits and vegetables into the meal to form an all-natural source of essential vitamins and minerals that the human body needs on a daily basis.

Each ingredient has been thoughtfully selected by distilling what the body needs at its basis, with the central idea that by boosting the body’s physical health you are also positively promoting ones mental and emotional wellbeing. “The food that we choose to eat, as it constitutes the very material that becomes integrated into our energetic systems, possesses immense power to help or hinder us as we go about our lives.”

BASAL understands that all of us face different barriers towards eating a well-balanced and nutrient rich meal – weather that is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. From time, cost, and accessibility.

That is why BASAL created the Fundamental Meal – an everyday solution that is effortless to prepare and shipped for free, directly to your door. They did not set out to replace all meals or take away the enjoyment cooking or eating, but to offer a solution for those that need a quick, inexpensive, on the go but ultra-healthy meal.

How Is It Sustainable?

At REV we only work with brands that are truly ethical and passionate about creating a product that doesn’t cost the planet. When sourcing the ingredients for the Fundamental Meal, BASAL prioritized local suppliers with the majority of their ingredients being grown and sourced in North America. Their cocoa sadly cannot be grown in North America, but it is certified traceable and sustainable under the Cocoa Horizons Foundation. BASAL is committed to producing their product in small batches that are primarily sold directly to their consumer, meaning they do not over produce and often have very limited waste. The brand has chosen to package the meal in bulk pouches to avoid the waste that comes with single serving packaging. They also provide a reusable tumbler that can also be used to prepare and measure the powdered meal. The product is always packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes. Like every great brand, they are committed to sustainable evolution and will continue to adapt eco-solution as they become available on the market.

Shop the Fundamental Meal here – https://basalfundamentals.com

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

I always wake up early, around 4.30 and have a shower and a quick breakfast so I can get into work as early as possible. It’s better to be up and ready to do anything that comes up with work and if I’m in work at 6.30 I can be ahead of the game…and hopefully finish early.

What are you having for breakfast? 

Peanut butter on toast or porridge and a load of different vitamins + supplements for sleep as I’m a big fan of sleep and it’s benefits.

What’s your daily beauty routine? 

I cleanse using our Pelegrims Facial Cleanser every morning and evening before applying our Facial Balm or a mixture of Facial Oil and my SPF. I use a high SPF but it’s not amazing for my skin so adding the Facial Oil adds some goodness in there. Each week I’ll exfoliate my face or use a clay mask and recently I’ve been enjoying experimenting with some of the products in the Liberty Beauty Drop box that comes every quarter. It’s really useful for me to try all different types of products.

How would you describe your day to day style? 

Hardwearing and good for working in… I make a lot of the product myself still by hand so it’s thick denim jeans from Nudie (organic cotton and I think B corp) and a plain black t shirt.

How do you inform yourself throughout the day? What are you listening to, watching, reading?

I read the news in the evening and have the radio on in the day but mostly I like it quiet so I can focus. I love film soundtracks so thats’ what’s usually playing through the house when I’m at home but nothing too heavy. I also love Nick Cave so a fair bit of Nick Cave too.

Do you have any personal life hacks for getting through the day in the most sustainable way possible? 

I use an app called Structured which I plan my whole working week on – pretty much every moment of the day is booked onto my daily list and then I tick them off, move things to the next day or cut things out if needed. It’s really helped with being more sustainable with my time.

Can you tell us the story behind Pelegrims? 

I met Jerome a few years ago and he’d had the incredible idea itself – other brands around the world, in particular France, have used excess grapes in skincare for a while but nobody had tried it with the newly popular English Wine houses that have developed in the last 20 years. For me it was an exciting starting point because near enough zero brands in the UK (and beyond) genuinely use a raw material in their products that they have a connection to. Usually you just buy it off the shelf and that’s it but with Pelegrims we’ve been able to take the actual waste grapes from the vineyard, drive it 20 mins down to my studio in Kent and make the extraction there! It’s totally unique and as the brand grows we aren’t limited to only grapes either: our new Facial Cleanser has a Kent Cherry Extract I made which is super exciting and gives the skin an amazing Vitamin C glow

Can you share a bit about your partnership with Westwell Wines?

It’s great working with Westwell – they’re a small vineyard (comparatively to some of the wine giants of the world) and we love their low intervention style of wine making to balance nature with getting the best possible product. It perfectly inspires and sums up what we do with Pelegrims. The best thing is the proximity to Westwell from my studio, it’s that connection which really makes what we both do unique.

How do you wind down at the end of the day? 

I’m lucky enough to live right by the sea so I usually meet my partner from the cafe she owns and we go for a walk by the sea or up the canal that’s near our house. It doesn’t matter if the summer or winter, it’s great to just walk and talk about our days to debrief.

What does dinner time look like for you?

We’ve both been vegetarian for the last 4 or 5 years (I think she’s ahead of me by a few years actually) so dinner is plant based but not always super healthy… we like homemade curry and with homemade chips, veggie burgers with a salad but also more Mediterranean style maze type of meals.

What’s your night-time beauty ritual? 

I wet my face with warm water, probably hotter than in the morning, and use the cleanser but in more of a massage style to take away any stresses from the day and relax the skin. I then use the Facial Balm or a mix of the Balm and the Facial Oil and I use quite a lot so it’s a really luxury treatment feeling. I’ve also starting using CBD mint drops which seem to have boosted the quality of my sleep.

What drives you to live a sustainable life?

In terms of sustainability, I think I try and have a low impact life. I make good choices when I can and don’t ever really buy anything like clothes or excess stuff anymore because I’ve got everything I need and always make things last. The worst thing for my head is watching lots of advertising because I feel it’s designed to just sell me more things I don’t need so I keep of social media as much as I can. We limit our food waste and I always have leftovers for lunches and obviously avoiding meat brings down my  carbon footprint massively. I’m also part of Ecologi which is a carbon offsetting company so a certain amount of my daily emissions are offset which makes a bit of difference hopefully!

Words from Alexander Verier  @pelegrims