By Lauren Holloway, Maybe Mabel
This week, we feature Lauren Holloway, founder of the brilliant British brand, Maybe Mabel on the Potter's Block. A creative soul, Lauren taught herself to make bags back in 2013 using a dusty vintage Singer sewing machine, creating her first collection from the bedroom of her flat. The rest is history!
Much like Keeeps is a slow-living brand, Maybe Mabel is a slow-fashion brand that focuses on functionality as well as aesthetics and originality. All of their products are centred around sustainability and ethical sourcing, for example all leather is repurposed from offcuts that would otherwise have ended up in landfill and their scraps are donated to community projects.
So, without further ado, please have a read of Lauren's article below. Enjoy!
Hi, I'm Lauren! If you’re anything like me, you probably struggle to decide what to get your Dad for Father’s day, I mean, what do you get the man who has everything and probably needs nothing right? So instead of the usual pair of slippers or bottle of red why not choose a gift with a little extra thought…
I’ve put together 10 SUSTAINABLE FATHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS from independent businesses and makers doing great things for the planet, who use sustainable materials or methods in their work or are fighting important environmental causes.
So grab a cuppa, sit back and check out these great, ethical gift ideas for Dad.
1. NATURALLY DYED SOCKS £26 – OTTOWIN
2. CHOPPING BOARD £35-£45 – TAMMY CRAWFORD-ROLT
Tammy Crawford-Rolt designs & handcrafts geometric wooden products, furniture and bespoke pieces from her workshop in Bristol. She is fascinated by geometry and the natural world and uses sustainable and organic materials. I have seen Tammy’s pieces so I can vouch for the high quality and beautiful crafts-woman-ship of her work! Each one of her beautiful chopping boards is unique so you can be sure to give Dad something one-of-a-kind.
3. REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE £40 – OCEAN BOTTLE
Ocean bottle make sustainable stainless steel water bottles partly made from ocean bound recycled plastic. With every sale Ocean Bottle fund 11.4kgs of ocean bound plastic which is equivalent to 1000 plastic bottles. They have over 4300 plastic collectors working both full and part time in countries where plastic pollution is at it’s worst and Ocean Bottle make sure they receive a fair income. Their award-winning bottles keep drinks both hot or cold, have an anti-leak lid and are dishwasher safe. The perfect bottle for those long summer, or winter, walks.
4. SHAVE KIT £45 – WILD SAGE & CO
Wild Sage & Co are a family-run business based in the valleys of the River Wye and are one that I know very well from the Bristol market scene, plus I use their amazing products so I also know how great they are! They create cold-processed soaps, balms and natural skin care, and even use their homegrown herbs in their products. They use minimal packaging and use biodegradable and recycled materials wherever they can. Their eco-friendly Shave Kit makes a wonderful Father’s Day gift and is a great way to reduce plastic consumption.
5. DOPP KIT GIFT SET £44 – MAYBE MABEL
Maybe Mabel is a slow-fashion brand who handcraft beautiful handbags and accessories from sustainable and reclaimed materials. Their focus is to create products with purpose, that go against our fast-fashion throwaway society. Their Dopp Kit gift set comes with a recycled leather washbag, a Wild Sage & Co soap and a bamboo toothbrush and is sent in plastic-free packaging. This lovely zero-waste bathroom set makes a great practical, stylish and eco-conscious gift that any Dad would be happy to receive.
6. VEGAN CHOCOLATE GIFT COLLECTION £19.99 – RAW HALO
Raw Halo make organic, raw, vegan-friendly chocolate bars using ethically-sourced ingredients from small, organic farms. Their chocolate is produced with a social enterprise chocolate factory that help people reach their full potential. They also plant one tree for every 50 bars sold and use 100% plastic free and sustainable packaging. Their gift collection is a selection of 10 delicious flavours from their range and comes beautifully presented in a letterbox gift pack. These bars will definitely keep Dad’s chocolate cravings at bay for a week, or two!
7. BLACK GERALDO WALLET £20 – FROM BELO
From Belo design beautiful handbags and accessories from waste materials such as plastic bottles, decommissioned seatbelts, tyre inner tubes and umbrella fabric. All the material is sourced in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and each piece is handmade by a team of local artisans who are paid a fair living wage and work in a safe, well-ventilated environment. The Black Geraldo Wallet is made from decommissioned seatbelts and recycled plastic bottles and each one sold donates a meal to Casa de Maria, a charity who helps the homeless in one of the poorest communities in the area.
8. REFILLABLE LEAF LEATHER JOURNAL £30 – JUNGLEY
Jungley is an eco-lifestyle brand that celebrates sustainable living and kindness to both the planet and each other. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable, and made in harmony with nature. Their luxury accessories are handmade from a range of leather alternatives including teak tree leaf, banana leaves and upcycled truck tyres. The A5 Refillable Leaf Leather Journal is made from fallen or sustainable harvested teak leaves which are dried and naturally dyed and then sealed with a non-toxic laminate. Each notebook is totally unique and makes a great one-of-a-kind gift for journaling life’s adventures.
9. OLIVE OIL £13.50 – SHIPPED BY SAIL
Shipped by Sail are another small business who I know very well as it was founded by a good friend of mine (and I’ve also done some of their product photography). They transport ethically-sound goods from both Portugal and Columbia via emission-free traditional sailing ships. They are passionate about bringing high-quality produce to the UK in a sustainable way and once on land, the produce is transported in electric vehicles using energy from renewable sources. Their olive oil comes from a number of small family producers in the village of Sabrosa in north-eastern Portugal and it has a slight peppery aroma which makes it perfect for dipping, dressings and cooking. I use Shipped by Sail olive oil regularly and it’s absolutely delicious, plus it come in a refillable glass bottle meaning no plastic waste. If Dad is a bit of a foodie then this beautiful olive oil will be his new go to for any recipe.
10. EXTRA LARGE MUG £32 BY JESS SARSON – KEEEPS
Keeeps was founded in 2020 with a vision of creating sustainable careers for British Potters. They sell functional pottery handmade in the UK by both emerging designers and established ceramicists. All their products are made from no-waste materials and are sustainably and ethically sourced and their packaging is all biodegradable. This extra large handmade mug by Jess Sarson is perfect for soups, hot chocolate, or when a large coffee is needed! Rest assured this will be Dad’s favourite mug for years to come.
Well, there you have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed my suggestions for interesting, ethical and unique Sustainable Father’s Day presents for 2021. I’d love to know what you think and which are your faves, leave a comment and let me know!
Blog written by Lauren Holloway of Maybe Mabel Handmade.
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