UK Ethical product thread

[SummerRain]

Okay so I hope people don't think this is just doubling up... but I thought it might be nice to have a thread for ethical products. For example, discussing buying fair trade products, environmental products, products without palm oil, etc, in the UK.

I know personally while I am very dedicated to vegan living, there are lots and lots of other causes out there and I'd like to put more thought into other ethical buying also.

So here are some things I've started noticing recently:

Fair trade:

Fair trade cotton wool in co-op
Fair trade spices in Sainsburys
Fair trade flowers in Tescos

British grown:
Flowers grown in Britian in Sainsburys
Sainsburys fruit and veg have a clear british flag if grown in the UK
Pick your own places are really good for cheap, locally grown, fresh food - the one I've been to near me is cheaper than the supermarkets by far. They don't just do strawberries, but lots of other fruit and veg too.


And here are some things I'd love some help with:

Fair trade coffee pods for senseo coffee machines, unfortunately I bought the machine without checking, and I'd struggled to find any so far.

Palm oil free biscuits. Most things I haven't found palm oil in, but they are in the biscuits in my cupboard and I have a feeling they'll be in most vegan cheap biscuits.

British produce: I'd love to buy more british produce, when there's a choice in the supermarket I buy fresh fruit and veg grown in the UK (which is easier in the summer) and I try not to buy things out of season (and therefore not british grown).

So yeah, share the ethical products you love and ask questions about ethical products you're searching for!

 

[shyvas]

Hob Nobs aren't made with palm oil.

I also like Sainsbury's because they have the Union Jack on their products. I always buy their Fair trade spices and ground coffee. I have 3 bags of it in my freezer.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

AlterNet's 2017 Ethical Holiday Shopping Guide: 16 Gifts Under $100

 

[hungryraccoon]

I'll follow this thread as I'm after recommendations/ideas also.

Able & Cole are good for veg - they send British, organic & seasonal(important) fruit & veg all in recyclable packaging (no bloody plastic either.) & they have things like lentils too.

However, they do sell meat etc as well so it's up to you if you would be happy to buy from them.

There's lots of bamboo toothbrushes around now rather than buying plastic ones. & a metal razor with replaceable blades is obviously better than throwaway plastic ones.

Natural soap bars rather than bottles & bottles of shower gels. As you can see I'm really trying to cut down on plastic a bit at the moment!

 

[Moll Flanders]

Able & Cole are good for veg - they send British, organic & seasonal(important) fruit & veg all in recyclable packaging (no bloody plastic either.) & they have things like lentils too.

However, they do sell meat etc as well so it's up to you if you would be happy to buy from them.

There's lots of bamboo toothbrushes around now rather than buying plastic ones. & a metal razor with replaceable blades is obviously better than throwaway plastic ones.

Weird, I just read or heard about bamboo toothbrushes a couple of days ago. Where do you get yours from? I have to use really soft toothbrushes, though. Are they soft?

I used to try and be much more ethical with buying when I first went vegan, but then it fell by the wayside. I used to order a fruit and veg box from a company called Farm Fresh (they sell meat too) but there was often something in the box that I didn't like. I could go back to ordering a fruit box as I like most fruit. My husband eats eggs and I buy organic and "free range", but I know that probably doesn't mean that much.

I'm going to spend less and order less from Amazon and elsewhere in 2018. I do buy some of my clothes from charity shops, but I have enough at the moment and I'm going to try not buying any new clothes for the whole year. Apart from undies and socks if needed.

 

[hungryraccoon]

Weird, I just read or heard about bamboo toothbrushes a couple of days ago. Where do you get yours from? I have to use really soft toothbrushes, though. Are they soft?

I used to try and be much more ethical with buying when I first went vegan, but then it fell by the wayside. I used to order a fruit and veg box from a company called Farm Fresh (they sell meat too) but there was often something in the box that I didn't like. I could go back to ordering a fruit box as I like most fruit. My husband eats eggs and I buy organic and "free range", but I know that probably doesn't mean that much.

I'm going to spend less and order less from Amazon and elsewhere in 2018. I do buy some of my clothes from charity shops, but I have enough at the moment and I'm going to try not buying any new clothes for the whole year. Apart from undies and socks if needed.

I'm the opposite & would waste fruit so just get a veg box. Luckily there are various different types of boxes & you can add on items like a normal shop too they have some vegan things too - we got some Seitan things before.

The last bamboo toothbrushes I got were from etsy! That's actually a really good place to find zero waste products etc anyway. Love etsy.

That's a good with the clothes. Clothes are probably my biggest problem because I buy a lot & don't seem to be able to stop...

 

[hungryraccoon]

Oh sorry, forgot to say that the bamboo brushes I've had are very soft. A bit too soft for me tbh, so you should be fine

 

[Moll Flanders]

I forgot to look for the bamboo toothbrush.

I am trying Dr Bronner's at the moment. It is vegan and you can use it for all different types of things other than a face wash or shower gel, like laundry, or apparently for even brushing your teeth. I'm not sure about the last one.

18 Uses for Dr. Bronner’s Soaps! | In The Tea Garden

 

[PTree15]

I like Dr. Bronner's. I always take that when I go camping. I've washed my hair with it in a pinch.

Don't know how I missed this thread originally.

 

[silva]

I like Dr. Bronner's. I always take that when I go camping. I've washed my hair with it in a pinch.

Don't know how I missed this thread originally.

I used to use it in a foaming soap container! I think it was about 1/4 bronners and rest filled with water. Foamed very nicely. It was a foaming hand sanitizer we had at work and were disposable.
I tried it on my hair and it was awful! Sorta greasy, but just really icky.
I liked it as a toothpaste! A drop of peppermint and baking soda, then my dentist said to avoid peppermint oil and baking soda. You get such different opinions about baking soda from dentists. Mine said too abrasive and ph was bad

 

[Moll Flanders]

I tried it on my hair and it was awful! Sorta greasy, but just really icky.

Yes, my hair is past my shoulders and I thought the same, it felt like I had conditioner left in. I've had the same experience when I used other vegan shampoos, made my hair feel weighed down and horrible.

I have used it in the bath, in the shower, as facial wash and for shaving my legs and it was great for that, though.

 

[Pirate]

I absolutely love Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioners. My hair's never felt so nice, and I've used it for about a year and have had no build up. *Swishes hair*

 

[Moll Flanders]

I absolutely love Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioners. My hair's never felt so nice, and I've used it for about a year and have had no build up. *Swishes hair*

I just bought some Faith in Nature stuff from Holland & Barrett as they have their penny sale on.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

Fair trade cotton wool in co-op
Fair trade spices in Sainsburys
Fair trade flowers in Tescos

I know this is an old post but I thought I should perhaps point out that fair trade flowers might be good for the grower but bad for the community if they are grown on land which would be better used for food for the community. It depends on where they are grown. I would think twice before buying flowers from Africa.