5 Easy Sustainable Swaps For 2022
By Denise Sarfo
Your new year’s resolution is to live a more sustainable lifestyle and this time round you mean it!
However, it can be a bit daunting to commit to a sustainable lifestyle. And as with every revolution, there are pitfalls. Although we live in an era where sustainability has taken centre stage, many people still feel overwhelmed trying to make it a part of their lives. “Where do I start?” “How much of my life am I willing to change?” “Going the sustainable way is expensive, I just don’t have the budget for it”. Sound familiar?
Well with the help of this post, this time around you will be able to stick to your sustainable resolution. The world as we know it is going through ‘an awakening’ if you will. There are a lot more conversations about the world we live in, from climate change, to the harm of fast fashion. As such consumers and brands alike have come to realise and champion the sustainable movement.
Take small steps…
The temptation to go full-on out when you decide to live an eco-friendlier life is a common one - and to feel the pressure from self-appointed experts in the movement. So take small steps before you throw away a pair of leather shoes you owned long before you considered going vegan, or swap to shop exclusively at expensive organic shops even when you’re on a tight budget. Efforts like this could just make you feel you’re likely to fall at the first hurdle. And remember that sustainability can be done on a budget too. Which brings us to our easy sustainable swaps...
5 Easy Sustainable Swaps For 2022
1. PURE COTTON CLOTHING BASICS
We’re great advocates for shopping pre-loved, but for cotton basics that inevitably wear out and need replacing, we have a solution. Sustainable cotton t-shirts, loungewear and accessories, ethically made in Portugal.
And one of the things that Fferal is here for, is dispelling the notion that you need to break the bank to play your part in this sustainable movement. You can start small, and by small, we mean really small with an £8 Kid's ethical T-shirt, or swap your polyester mix face covering for our pure cotton neck gaiter.
And for sustainably made gifts, how about matching family PJs? All of our clothing is gender-neutral too, so it’s easily passed on between family and friends.
2. PERIOD PANTS
Although regular pads and tampons are the most common and convenient in our society, one cannot dispute their harmful effects. The majority of sanitary products on the market contain large amounts of plastics, which end up in landfills and in our waters. In addition, use of these products may expose you to harmful chemicals that have been associated not only with disruption in hormonal levels, but to ovarian and cervical cancers.
There are now a number of eco-friendly feminine products on the market, such as menstrual cups and period pants, and it's a great time to get familiar with them. If this is your first time looking into more sustainable feminine products, period pants are one of the most popular alternatives; not only are they safe for the environment, they are very absorbent (especially if you suffer from leak anxiety), come in varying sizes, and can be washed to reuse again and again. Moreover, they are durable, meaning you get your money’s worth. Sounds like a great deal, right! We’ve tried and tested and recommend Cheeky Wipes period pants.
3. REUSABLE FREEZER BAGS
A great swap for the home is using reusable freezer bags in place of disposable freezer bags. They may be a bit pricey, but comparing them to the continuous purchase of fragile disposable bags are economical in the long run. Not only are they durable, you will be reducing your impact on the environment. And they make great lunch bags too!
Moon Moon sell dishwasher safe reusable freezer bags.
4. BEESWAX WRAPS
Plastics find their way into so many domestic items on the market, and since you’re all about making better choices coming 2022, why not give beeswax wraps a go. A great substitute to the use of cling film. Beeswax wraps are beneficial in a variety of ways, aside from the obvious environmental benefits; when well taken care of these wraps are reusable, preserve the freshness of your meals, possess antibacterial properties (beeswax is naturally antibacterial), and can be used in the freezer. Oh! Did we mention they last up to a year? Yep, they are that durable. We love HanaBee’s beeswax wraps.
5. ORGANIC COTTON BEDDING
Up to 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester globally, and it has a huge environmental impact. If you want to avoid plastics in your bedding, shop pure cotton. Our Scandinavian style bedding is made from 100% organic cotton, even the fastenings, and is suitable for sensitive skin. Our duvet sets even arrive in a cotton drawstring bag. Shop our organic cotton white duvet set.
Let us know in the comments if you try any of these environmentally sound alternatives, or have any more to suggest. Thank you for helping make the world a better place!