Eco Shopping Online

Having recently moved I’ve had to forsake the beautiful Green Backyard, despite living 5 minutes away now.

Updates will appear in the next week including information about the June Beatroots, but I thought being as my life has still been wrapped up in everything eco friendly, I’d share some handy urls and tips on living green on a budget.

This information came about after hours of being bored at work and trolling the Internet for beautiful things for my home… and myself.

In 2 weeks I have literally searched over 60 sites trying to find products, clothes, materials all in the lines of fair trade, organic and on a budget.  This is what I’ve come up with and willing to share - enjoy.

Homeware:

New Age Living (www.newageliving.co.uk) is an excellent source for eco friendly home ware.  This includes unique handmade rag rugs made with all the colours of the rainbow, bamboo wind chimes, recycled glass suncatchers, crystal balls, jewelry and more.

The range is amazing, but the best part is most products are sold at bargain prices, so you can revamp your living room for less than £35.

Clothes:

Charlottes Web (www.charlottewebuk.com).  This is a site for females that like dressing really differently from the norm, high street tank top and skinny jeans aren’t available here.

Tye dyed playsuits, multi-coloured trousers and sunny summer maxi dresses are some of the clothes in the range.  Made with organic cotton and fair trade, the range is definitely suited to certain individuals only.  However, the prices still beat the high street and the sale section is even better.

Shoes:

If you like nice shoes like any decent individual does; look no further than Javari (www.javari.co.uk).  Forget factory polyester, most of their shoes are well priced, with handmade soles and made from hemp or other natural fibres.

Pumps, trainers and boots fill the site, with many styles for male and female.   Delivery is free and arrives the next day, the only downside is the company only delivers Monday-Friday and it has to be signed for.  For those of us that have to droll the 9-5 work routine, this is a huge inconvenience.

Social Community with Shopping:

Ethical Community is the one stop site for shopping and socializing.  Hosting individual sellers like an online market place, whilst offering the option to chat and e-mail with like-minded people.

Anyone can sell on the site, providing the products are handmade, eco friendly or fair trade.

Two students put it together as a university project, who have since adapted it into a fully functioning online work of art, where you can spend hours learning more about going organic, originally developed the site.

Check this website out at www.ethicalcommunity.com

More updates as promised will be available soon on the Green Backyard website www.thegreenbackyard.co.uk and this blog.

Stay tuned and keep coming down on the volunteer days Wednesdays & Sundays, where you can really learn to be green!