From A Sustainable Bag Brand To The Hotel Homeware Line We Love
If you’re keen to be inspired to live more sustainably, August’s Eco Edit will not disappoint. We’ve handpicked some of the brands creating gorgeous things with thought, from the sustainable bag brand that’s created quite possibly the ultimate basket bag, to the much-loved Cotswold’s hotel creating homewares with a conscience. As well as natural beauty brands, cute childrenswear and the label that only makes capsule pieces.
Akatue
It’s no secret we’re a big fan of the humble basket bag here at The Handbook and if you’re in the market for one, we’ve found a brand that is not only creating beautiful, high-quality designs but ticks all the boxes when it comes to sustainability and ethics too.
Akatue was set up in 2018 by ex-sSaville Row tailor, Liberty Clayton, who, inspired by her own family in Ghana wanted to create tangible, progressive careers for artisans across Africa. She now works with a team in Ghana to create stunning high-end accessories, from baby bags to basket bags and sunhats. Sustainability is also at the brand’s core, using ethical and thoughtful materials and processes from the straw they use to the dying techniques.
The price point is not too high, but it is fairly priced to respect the wages of the artisans who make the pieces, with bags starting at £54 and hats around £70.
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Anatomē
A brand that looks after your wellbeing whilst factoring in the greater wellbeing of the planet is hard to find, but that’s exactly what Anatomē are proud to promise.
Founded by Irishman, Brendan Murdock, Anatomē fuses his odyssey for equilibrium with his botanical expertise. And he is no stranger to the skincare and wellness space, having previously launched the much-loved men’s line, Murdoch. Anatomē, however, feels far more “beauty and health from within” focused, almost like a modern apothecary.
Expect wellness teas to help you sleep, nourishing natural oils to give your skin a healthy glow and fragrances that tap into the senses.
The brand’s hero product is its Overactive Mind Sleep Oil – a rare 16-ingredient essential oil blend that encourages deeper sleep by soothing and calming an overactive mind. Rich in terpenes, this scent is ideal for those who struggle to fall asleep, quieting mind chatter and anxious nighttime thoughts. We’re sold.
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Asket
Asket was founded in 2015 in Stolkhom in the pursuit of living with less – shopping less, buying less and wasting less. In doing so they have built a permanent collection of capsule pieces for both men and women. Pieces that won’t date, will work with existing items in your wardrobe and that will last.
Think the perfect white T-shirt, the throw-on grey marl sweat or the go-with-everything linen shirt and you’re on the right track.
So dedicated to this ethos are they, that they work on one piece at a time, perfecting it until they are happy customers will only have to buy it once. They also never launch limited collections or seasonal drops, it’s all about a consistent, timeless wardrobe.
Asket also hold brilliant incentives for customers to make their wardrobes work hard and longer, such as care, repair and take-back programs which all help towards keeping clothing in use and out of landfill.
Pieces that won’t date, will work with existing items in your wardrobe and that will last.
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Bertioli
Have you ever stayed in a hotel and wanted to take every inch of the decor home with you? Well, you kind of can if you’re lucky enough to bed down for the night at quintessentially Cotswolds country hotel, Thyme. They have a sister brand called Bertioli and it’s the most charming collection of homewares, from pretty wild flower-inspired fabrics to pretty pastel hand-blow glass and classic table linens you’ll keep forever.
Bertili is a brand driven by a love of the natural world, with a mission to reconnect people to nature, protect wild spaces and inspire living in harmony with the natural world. That is why they are proudly part of ‘1% For The Planet’, which means they donate 1% of revenue to environmental causes. From their partnership with Plantlife – a British conservation charity working nationally and internationally to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi – to Tusk, a charity that safeguards the wildlife and habitats of Africa.
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The Bonnie Mob
You may be familiar with the childrenswear brand, Bonnie Baby – Gwyneth Paltrow has famously been a fan for her own brood. Well, they’ve grown up after 10 years in the business and now go by the cooler, older sibling moniker of The Bonnie Mob.
The aesthetic? Fun, age-appropriate and playful with pieces that lean into the free-spirited nature of childhood and the wildness of being a kid. As they say, this is a brand for “the den builders, the wildlife hunters, the felt-tip masterpiece makers,” sure to spark many an adventure for little ones aged newborn – seven years.
What’s more, The Bonnie Mob are dedicated to bringing joy to little one’s wardrobe without compromising the planet. Firstly, they are a GOTS Certified Organic brand, use specialised machinery to ensure as little fabric waste as possible, and even offer rental options for those who don’t think investing in pieces is for them.
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The products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however, The Handbook may make a small commission on some products purchased through affiliate links.
