Eco-friendly gifts from 5 female-led independent businesses
Like so many others, I am trying to buy sustainably this Christmas. In my search for eco-friendly gifts, I have come across some amazing female-founded businesses, many of them local to me in London, celebrating the natural world through their sustainable art and design.
I thought I would share some…. including mine too 😉
Oré mi (founded in 2019) create handmade lifestyle products, including candles and incense, with luxurious, lasting scents. Each one is made in South London, inspired by founder Karen Olla's Nigerian heritage. The brand was born out of her desire to break the taboo which surrounds the topic of mental health in the Black community. All Oré mi creations are designed to be safe, ethical, and friendly to the planet. Using vegan-friendly soy wax, fine fragrance oils, reusable glass jars, bamboo sticks, wood pulp and recyclable packaging.
Grain and Knot was set up by London-based artist Sophie Sellu. Sophie makes beautifully tactile, fully functional wooden objects for the kitchen and home. Each item is made from reclaimed, storm-fallen or sustainably sourced timber. She releases collections every few months and you must be quick when they go live! A few items from her November release are still available.
London based Alexandra Simms is a fine art photographer whose images celebrate the natural beauty of the world around us. Her work is regularly awarded honourable mentions by the IPA (International Photography Awards) and she is often selected to hang in the prestigious Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, where her prints sell out. Her imagery covers everything from the unseen detail and beauty of plants, through to the soaring skies over Scottish landscapes. They capture mesmerising beauty to remind us of how fragile this planet is. She sells her prints in limited editions, with accessible prices for those keen to start their home art collection.
Dublin-based Ninfa Studio was founded in 2019 by Paola Di Legge after developing a strong interest in biophilic design following a corporate career under artificial lights. She has a beautiful range of sculptural vases that are 3D-printed using a mix of recycled wood fibres and bio-plastic obtained from corn. These create a unique texture, that look, feel and smell of raw wood.
Leaflace was set up by me in 2021 during lockdown in an effort to bring more sustainable options to the fresh and dried flower gifting and decor market. Leaflace brings a sculptural quality to foliage. The dried forms are all individually crafted to create lines on the blades. They are long-lasting and come in recyclable letterbox packaging. The business plants a tree with every box sold through its partnership with Ecologi.
Happy shopping everyone!
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