How to Make Sustainable Gift Choices - Our Seasonal Guide!

Subversive Threads

Meet Bee

Bee is the one woman team behind Subversive Threads – courageously switching between the design process, pattern making, garment construction, fabric sourcing, marketing and packing……..the list goes on! Nature and fashion lover Bee, a keen purposeful, cathartic and meditative sewer, started her business from her spare room in South Wales with only one sewing machine. Now she has a shop, studio and thriving online store! Bee draws her unique inspirations from all things art, vintage and music, but, most of all, it’s in her lucid dreams that her unique ‘threadies’ start their journey to fruition!

What is on offer?

Browse through a quirky, fun loving sustainable, ethical collection of garments completely handmade from start to finish in Wales using reclaimed fabrics. Choose from cwtchy joggers, fluffy jumpers, her unique ‘Long Janes’ (a feminine twist on ‘Long Johns’ that we love!), dresses, dungarees, kimonos or hats, bags and accessories for the perfect gift!

Sustainability Credentials

Never lacklustre, these subversive ‘threads’ are bold, brave and beautiful and designed to challengingly ‘subvert’ the devastating social and environmental impacts of ‘fast fashion.’

Did you know that a recent survey by Google found that the fashion industry accounts for 20% of waste water and 10% of carbon emissions globally!

Subversive Threads boasts an impressive eco ethos by striving to be as genuinely environmentally conscious as possible. All fabrics are up-cycled or dead stock, all packaging is recyclable and grown from a sustainable source, the electricity Bee uses is renewable, garments are designed to be as versatile and hardwearing as possible to promote longevity and zero waste techniques are used during production. You can rest assured no ‘green washing’ is going on at subversive threads and each piece is lovingly made to be worn to shreds!

Oh, and the aptly named Bee, shares the love for our amazing bees too! As you can see above you will find them featuring frequently in her handiwork.

Find Subversive Threads at…

Somerset Brush

Meet Jo

The lovely Joanna is a very busy bee indeed! A self taught painter, artist and founder of Somerset brush, which sells in local emporiums and online, she manages every aspect of her business whilst caring for three young boys! My goodness! Joanna delights in the beauty of the natural world and nature; originally from London but now relocated to the Somerset-Wiltshire border, she relishes in the artistic influences offered on her doorstep, in particular drawing inspiration from the bees in her garden. A versatile talent, Joanna also has a keen enthusiasm for painting seascapes and absolutely loves the challenge of a commission!

What’s on offer?

Shop Somersetbrush and you’ll find a wealth of sustainble, handmade gifting options for suitable for the whole family. Opt for exquisite watercolour bee paintings, hand embroidered bee scarfs and cosy hats -perfect for the winter months –or mugs, reusable cloths and tote bags.

Or how about a hand painted bee iridescent glass bauble for some ‘bee-utiful’ festive decoration?

Maybe a hand crafted bee serving board would make the ideal pressie for the bee loving cook in the family? With so much choice this store is a must-browse for bee and art lovers alike. Somersetbrush even stock hand embroidered baby suits for the little ones in the family, and, for all you fur baby parents, why not contact Joanna for a bespoke pet portrait or accessory featuring your four legged best friend!

Sustainability Credentials

At Somersetbrush care is taken to be gentle on our planet. As well as promoting the awareness of bees and nature, the brand hand paint, hand embroider and pack their range from home, reducing their carbon footprint - no factory production here!

The products are designed to last and be reused time and time again – their chopping and serving boards are made from bamboo, a highly sustainable, natural renewable resource, and all orders are shipped via Royal Mail - the delivery company considered to be the most environmentally friendly, to boast the lowest carbon footprint and recognised as being the ‘industry leader’ in championing sustainable delivery.

Joanna also employs mainly watercolour paints to produce her gorgeous works. Watercolours are considered to be the most environmentally friendly painting medium given that the brushes and materials can be cleaned using warm water, whereas oil based paint, being non water soluble, requires the use of harsh chemicals and toxic paint thinners for cleaning up brushes and utensils.

Find Somerset Brush at…..

Jewellery by Annamarie

Meet Annamarie

Delve into the imaginative world of nature loving Annamarie and discover an enchanting array of creative, ethical jewellery - handmade just for you. Annamarie’s passion for jewellery was sparked inside her from a young age when she lovingly would string homemade clay beads together. This natural flair teamed with an enthusiasm for learning about folklore and myths, led to the creation of her unique nature-meets- fantasy jewellery range. From her workshop based in the wonderful countryside of Monmouthshire, South Wales she enjoys watching the wonder of nature through the changing seasons, the reflection of which shines through in her pieces. Creating bespoke engagement and wedding rings to be cherished is something Annamarie finds particularly rewarding.

What’s on offer?

Jewellery by Annamarie use traditional silversmithing techniques in conjunction with the comparatively new medium of silver clay, showcasing the exciting symbiotic potential of joining both mediums to create unique, detailed works of art in precious metal.

Perhaps you or someone you love revel in the magic of nature, everything enchanting and otherworldly? Then Jewellery by Annamarie fits the gifting bill! Exquisite earrings, charms, bracelets and necklaces await your perusal. Designed rich with influences from creative artists such as Tolkien, CS Lewis and Lewis Carroll, you’ll be sure to find an exciting fusion of nature meets fantasy running through the collections.

Sustainability Credentials

In contrast to her imagined worlds, Annamarie is ever conscious of our planet, fully understanding the necessity of protecting our environment. This informs the choices of her small business. Jewellery by Annamarie always opts for eco silver, works with fair trade or recycled precious metals and ethically sourced gemstones. All her packaging and boxes are recycled and biodegradable, even the tape she uses is fully recyclable rendering her brand as zero waste as possible.

Ah and look… and her latest pieces include a ‘bee-utiful’ bee range – right up our street of course!

Find Jewellery by Annamarie at….

The Little Welsh Choc Co.

Meet Ali

Did you catch Ali on James Martin’s Saturday Morning show chatting about all things Welsh, chocolate and sustainable? ‘Chocolate made the nice way’ is the mantra of this Cwmbran, South Wales based online brand which embraces all things ethical. It all started with Ali’s mum, Glynis Pope who taught herself to make truffles to sell at fundraising events – her lush delights were so well received she found herself busier and busier making her chocolate délices for friends, family etc.

Around the same time Ali, also a firm chocolate fanatic, was embarking on a quest to live a more eco friendly life – she felt upset by the plastic wrappers on her fav chocolate treats and even more so on reading the ingredients list of palm oil, soy, gelatin and E numbers - she wondered where was the actual chocolate? So, cue a lot of hard work and the award winning, sustainable and ethical Little Welsh Chocolate Company was founded!

What’s on offer?

A mouth-watering range of all things chocolately – and who doesn’t love a chocolate treat as a gift?

Pick from artisan selection boxes, welsh liqueur truffles, solid bars, salted caramel hearts, vegan or dairy free…there is something to suit all tastes!

Sustainability Credentials

What’s more you can rest assured that the brand is kind to our planet and you – the team are totally committed to making their chocolate and running their business the ‘nice way’. All bars are handcrafted using the finest organic chocolate, enriched with only organic essential oils and using only natural, locally sourced ingredients. Never ever will any palm oil, soy, artificial colours or flavourings find their way into their chocolate.

As well as loving the fact we can indulge our sweet tooth without worrying about ingesting chemicals and E numbers, we are really impressed by their pledge to our environment. All packaging is 100% recyclable, they opt for fairtrade ingredients ensuring farmers and producers are fairly paid and last year 100% of this little company’s energy was provided by renewable resources!

Operating as a zero waste brand, if any plastic is received from suppliers it is taken to a local business (Capital Valley Plastics) to be recycled and turned into damp proofing for local building works- how amazingly thoughtful is that?

I have to say I have my eye on the uniquely Welsh seaweed spiced rum and raisin truffles –won’t they make a delish ‘man’ gift.

Find the Little Welsh Chocolate Co. at…..

Lines Brewery

Meet Tom

Lines Brew Co was created in 2016 by planet loving, beer enthusiast Tom Newman. Tom started home brewing at just 15 and later gave up a promising consultancy career to pursue his brewing dream – he now runs his own unique, eco based brewery Lines Brew Co in Usk, South Wales.

What’s on offer?

Pop over to their online shop for the ideal, eco friendly gift for the discerning beer drinker in your life. With a range of specialist beer, lager and pale ale you can be sure to choose something just that little bit different to the usual supermarket offerings! Lines even design and sell their own branded merchandise -why not treat a brew fan to a stylish, practical T-shirt?

Sustainability Credentials

Lines are committed to brewing exotic and blended farmhouse beer whilst striving to be as fully sustainable as possible by locally sourcing produce and brewing using renewable energy. This includes reducing carbon emissions through technology, recycling waste locally and using local grains and fruit; the brewery also give back to the community by partnering with local farmers to share their spare grain/composting hops. The team use only biodegradable and recyclable materials to brew and package their ever changing choice of beers.

Find Lines Brew Co. at.....