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The Sustainable Luxury List: Considered Series
Our luxury list is going green
By | 1 week ago
Luxury beauty, fashion, food and homeware doesn’t have to cost the earth. To tie in with our sustainability-focused content and in support of eco-conscious consumerism, every Tuesday (and the occasional bonus day in between) we’ll be bringing you a new eco-focused, zero-waste, ethically sourced or sustainable product. Guilt-free shopping starts here…
The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide
Sustainable Luxury: The Considered Edit
Strathberry
Vegan Grape Leather East/West Mini, £495
Luxury leather goods brand Strathberry has just launched its first ever alternative leather capsule, made from grape leather. With styles handcrafted in Spain, the collection has been made in Italy and repurposes waste materials from the wine-making industry – overall, the collection is composed of 80 percent renewable and recycled new materials – to support a circular manufacturing process. Long-time Strathberry supporter and LA celebrity stylist Tara Swennen joins the campaign as a brand ambassador.
Aspiga x The Cirkel
Blouse (UK Size 10), £55
B Corp British fashion brand Aspiga is dipping its toes into the circular fashion market with the launch of its first pre-loved online store in collaboration with second-hand fashion marketplace The Cirkel. Selling tops, dresses and accessories for a fraction of the retail value, the initiative aims to offer a more circular model when it comes to shopping Aspiga’s collections.
Loveness Lee
Halia Recycled 18ct Solid Gold & Lab Grown Ruby Necklace, £550
The first fine collection from London based jewellery brand Loveness Lee is made entirely from recycled 18ct gold and accented with lab-grown rubies and sapphires. With materials sourced in the UK and crafted in London, too, if you’re on the lookout for a piece of eco-friendly British jewellery to elevate your style this season, this seven-piece collection is top of our lust list. Prices range from £450 to £650, and this gorgeous Halia ruby necklace is our pick of the bunch.
Mulberry
Bayswater in Powder Rose Heavy Grain, £1,295
Mulberry bags are nothing if not iconic. One of the brand’s signature styles (and noughties must-have accessory), the Bayswater, marks its 20th anniversary this year – and in the time since 2003, Mulberry has opened up multiple ways you can get your hands on one. Opt for a pre-loved, heritage Bayswater through the brand’s circular economy initiative The Mulberry Exchange, go for a classic Bayswater on the Mulberry website or try out one of the reimagined anniversary styles. Newer versions of the Bayswater, like the one above, have been crafted exclusively from environmentally accredited and carbon neutral leather since 2022 and as of this year have undergone a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to help find ways to further reduce carbon emissions in the future. ‘The Bayswater embodies our Made to Last ethos, which is one of the reasons why after 20 years it remains an emblem of enduring style and continues to be one of our best- loved designs,’ says Mulberry CEO, Thierry Andretta.
Stelar x Bamford
Poso Shopper Bag, £275
Bamford has teamed up with accessories brand Stelar on a new line of hand-woven bags, with the aim of celebrating craftsmanship and the craftspeople involved – each artisanal accessory comes with a unique code that will connect shoppers to the craftspeople in Bali that made that individual item. Our pick is the Poso Shopper, which features a contemporary silhouette made from organic and locally-grown atta grass and cotton jacquard straps.
MAIE
The Coasters, from £25
Looking for the perfect finishing touches to add to your living space? Try these coasters from MAIE, which have been crafted from natural stone off-cuts (meaning no two will be the same) and available in marble, travertine and terrazzo. The coasters are part of the London-based lifestyle brand’s zero waste goals, as it considers new ways to use its offcuts to create beautiful homewares. Next in the series? Stone trays…
Or & Elle
Nina Emerald Ring, £23,15
Or & Elle uses lab-grown diamonds and gems and recycled gold in its superlative collections, putting sustainability and transparency at the heart of all they do. There’s no compromise on luxury, either, as you can see from this stunning emerald cocktail ring from the Nina collection.
Freddie’s Flowers
Floral Subscriptions, from £25
Freddie’s Flowers has become the first international flower delivery service to achieve a B Corporation certification. The flower specialists have implemented responsible sustainability practices, including a grow to order model and biodegradable packaging. Most importantly, they’re beautiful.
DIRT x BEABOND
Coco Locket, from €300
Botswana jewellery label Beabond has teamed up with Arizona Muse’s charity DIRT on a new capsule collection in support of soil regeneration, raising funds for DIRT’s projects in Zimbabwe by donating 30 percent from sales of the new Coco Locket to learning centre and eco-village Kufunda. According to the UN, land damage caused by humans is felt most extremely in sub-Saharan Africa – impacting food, water, carbon and biodiversity. One of the simplest ways of restoring degraded land in the area is by changing farming methods and practicing regenerative agriculture to prevent soil erosion. The collection, which features three Coco Locket designs, is made up of sculpted seeds inspired by the endangered Coco du Mer in the Seychelles; the largest seed in the world, it is associated with divine femininity and ‘a source of life with unlimited potential’.
GANNI
The Bou Bag in Fiery Red, £345
Danish label GANNI launches into spring with a new line of bags made from leather alternatives. Following the brand’s commitment to phase out virgin leather from all of its products by 2023, the Bou bag comes in recycled leather and ohoskin (a luxury leather alternative made of waste from orange and cacti farming). There are six colours to choose from, from pretty pink and rich caramel to a fiery red. ‘This is a bag made to follow you everywhere,’ says Ditte Reffstrup, Creative Director at GANNI. ‘I’m also so proud to be launching this silhouette in next gen fabrics that bring us one step closer to becoming free from virgin leather by 2023. It’s such an exciting moment for us and I can’t wait to see people make it part of their everyday life.’
Pretty Ballerinas x Amelia Windsor
Joanna Show, £199
Pretty Ballerinas has teamed up with British royal Amelia Windsor on a new capsule collection. Inspired by illustrations created by Amelia during her travels to Menorca, the collection is packed with summery patterns, bright colours and fun designs. The two have also taken steps to ensure the collection has been thoughtfully created, having used recycled garments for the canvas, recycled rubber for the soles and digitally printed designs.
UpCircle
Kaolin Clay Face Mask, £20.99
This March, we’re celebrating B Corp Month here at Country & Town House. One of the ways we’re marking the occasion is by putting a spotlight on some of our favourite B Corp brands – such as UpCircle, which announced its certification at the end of 2022. UpCircle is known for upcycling over 20 different by-product ingredients from varied industries – including the argan, tea, juice, date, olive and wood industries – which it uses to create its richly nourishing skincare formulas. You can find out more about the brand from our interview with UpCircle co-founder, Anna Brightman.
Two Drifters
Signature Rum, £40
It’s nearly time to celebrate the end of a busy working week! We don’t know about you, but we’ll be welcoming the weekend with our feet up and a glass of Two Drifters rum in our hand. The Devon-based brand, which specialises in delicious carbon negative rum, is B Corp certified and run by husband and wife team Gemma and Russ Wakeham. We’ve got our eye on the distillery’s signature blend, a dry rum with notes of French oak, orange peel and muscovado sugar. Delicious.
Anya Hindmarch
Universal Bag, £10, available in Asda and Co-op stores from February and March respectively
Continuing the ‘I Am Not A Plastic Bag’ campaign started 16 years ago by Anya Hindmarch, the British luxury brand is back with new versions of its iconic Universal Bag (an alternative to the single-use plastic bag) to help sway our shopping habits with our favourite food retailers. On this occasion, Hindmarch has teamed up with Asda and Co-op to create a green and blue version of the Universal Bag. The bags will be available to pick up from Asda and Co-op stores in the UK this spring. Find out more about Anya Hindmarch’s ‘This Is Not A Plastic Bag’ campaign here.
Wild Fawn X Burt’s Bees
Beehive Necklace, £96
To celebrate the launch of the new look Beeswax Lip Balm Tin, Burt’s Bees has teamed up with sustainable jewellery brand Wild Fawn and the Bee Friendly Trust. The result? This gorgeous limited-edition Beehive Necklace, inspired by traditional hives, known as skeps. Each piece is made from traceable silver by an all-female team in London with traditional silversmithing techniques. It’s an absolute must-hive.
Needle & Thread
Victoria Ditsy Strapless Ankle Gown in Lilac, £595
Butterfly Mark certified fashion label Needle & Thread has just released its Lavender Rose collection as a lead-up to the spring season, made up of pastel hues, delicate ruffles and romantic silhouettes. The brand has always been synonymous with an elegant, feminine aesthetic, which is very in tune with the burgeoning ‘airy styles‘ trend for 2023. But what excites us most about the collection is Needle & Thread’s commitment to using responsibly sourced materials like recycled tulle, upcycled sequins and organic cotton.
Polestar
Polestar 2, from £44,950
Design-focused Swedish car brand Polestar has just unveiled its newest vehicle, an updated version of the classic Polestar 2. Exciting new features include rear-wheel drive (single-motor only), quicker charging, increased driving range of up to 395 miles WLTP, a SmartZone front end previously introduced on the Polestar 3, more driver awareness features and a reduced carbon impact (by 1.1 tonnes) for better sustainability credentials.
‘Typically in the car industry, a facelift introduces superficial visual changes that often destroy the original intention of the car’s design theme,’ said Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath. ‘With the new model year Polestar 2, we rather went below the surface and upgraded substantial tech and mechanical components of the electric drivetrain. This is the best Polestar 2 yet, and with the updated front design with the new SmartZone, the best looking one, too.’
Piper-Heidsieck
Essentiel Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne NV, £62
As the first champagne to achieve B Corp accreditation, Piper-Heidsieck is setting an example for how the industry’s Houses are going green for good. Many changes have been made over the years by Piper-Heidsieck in a bid to lessen its environmental impact, from banning the use of synthetic pesticides to converting to 100 percent renewable electricity sources. To celebrate, we’ve selected the House’s stunning champagne, a pure Chardonnay that has been matured on the lees for 40 months before disgorgement, giving it rich, full-bodied and zesty finish. Find out more about Piper-Heidsieck’s B Corp journey here.
Neal’s Yard Remedies
Bee Lovely Hand Cream, £10
If, like us, you’re battling dry skin this winter, it’s probably worth investing in some hand cream. Sustainable beauty brand Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Bee Lovely hand cream is a rich blend of fair trade organic honey from Mexico and sun ripened Italian and Mexican oranges, and is super nourishing for skin. This is a hand cream the whole family can use (aged three years and over), and supports the brand’s Bee Lovely campaign; three percent of sales from the Bee Lovely range goes to charities that help protect bees all over the world. Find out more about the work Neal’s Yard Remedies does here.
Goldbergh
Parry Down Softshell Ski Suit in Red, rent from £96.94 for 4 days
Are you ready for ski season? Regardless of whether you’re a regular on the slopes or a first-timer, having the appropriate gear is a must. But rather than shell out on a new pair of salopettes, rent your ski wardrobe for a fraction of the price. We’re a big fan of this red suit from Goldbergh, which you can rent from size UK6 to UK14 on HURR Collective. You’re guaranteed to hit the slopes in style with these.
Polestar x CAKE
Makka Electric Moped, £4,350
Polestar has once again teamed with fellow Swedish premium electric mobility brand CAKE to release it second limited edition electric moped. The Makka, available in a light sky blue, has a top speed of 45 km/h and two ride modes for extended range or balanced performance. The design differs from the first edition of the Makka (which instantly sold out on its launch in 2021), sporting slim headlights and dampers from Öhlins as well as a detachable rear carrier –allowing for a flexible set-up that allows the owner to swap out boxes, racks, passenger seats and more.
