As you read this we’ll be driving through the French countryside, narrowly avoiding divorce as we take another wrong turn. One day we really must buy a sat nav. If you read my earlier post about summer essentials for kids you’ll know we’re off on holiday 🙂
We’re going to a tiny hamlet in the South of France, to cycle, swim and indulge in camembert and vino. And as promised I’ve manage to find the very best of sustainable and ethical fashion for your summer holiday. I’ve even found a swimsuit made from recycled fishing nets! Take a look below:
Gladiator Sandals
The sunshine always brings out the bohemian in me, and these  Ibiza Sky Gladiator Sandals  from IRIS are the perfect antidote to urban life. They’re playful, colourful and fun. Handmade in Crete by local craftsmen, the sandals are then brought back to London where they are adorned with pom poms and other jewels. New mum Anastasia, is the brains behind the brand. She’s been producing bespoke embellished sandals for over a ten years.
Statement Jewellery
Also from IRIS are these incredible statement bangles. They come in an array of bright colours with chunky beads and metallic details. As you know I love layering my jewellery, so I’ll be wearing them all on one wrist to glam up my swimwear. I’m hoping their wow factor will distract from my post pregnancy wobbles. Their fastening is magnetic so you can attach them together to make a necklace too. How versatile.
Swimwear
Yes this is the swimsuit made from recycled fishing nets. It’s from Asos’ Eco Edit and was very reasonably priced at just ÂŁ20. The price however does make me question where this swimsuit was made, so I have tweeted Asos to ask. The fabric is sustainable as it’s made from yarn made from recovered fishing nets and other waste materials. In a commitment to supply chain transparency, Asos have published a list of all the factories they use for their own brand on their website. That said, they still only score 43% on Fashion Revolution’s Transparency Index. This shows they still have quite a way to go in this area.
Fake Tan
When you have skin the colour of mine a natural tan is not an option. So I’ll be faking it with Green People’s organic self tan lotion. It has 89% certified organic ingredients and uses dihydroxyacetone derived from sugar to give my skin a brown tanned appearance. It’s non streaky and gives a nice golden healthy glow. You’ll be seeing it in action in all my photos!
The Towel
The weather forecast looks good, so instead of taking a bulky towel, I’ll be taking this hammam towel from Hammam Havlu. Light weight and quick drying, it is also multi functional. It can be used in place of a traditional towel, as a sarong, mat for Laurie to sit on or even as a light weight blanket for him. But not all at the same time! All towels are ethically made by a small family business in Denizli, Turkey.
Exfoliant
Everyone knows before you apply fake tan you need to exfoliate. The Soap Co. have just developed a new product, the Exfoliating Soap Pebble. It’s handcrafted in the Lake District and is a bar of soap encased in wool from local Herdwich Sheep. It smells amazing as it has bergamot and mint essential oils in it. The Soap. Co is an ethical luxury soap company that employs those who have a visual impairment or are otherwise disabled or disadvantaged. To read more about The Soap Co. and the amazing work they do please click here.
Organic Sun Lotion
And finally to protect my skin I’ll be using Green People’s Scent Free Sun Lotion SPF 30. Because I have such pale skin I need a high SPF. It’s also very moisturising to help prolong any tan I might get! There are great benefits in using natural suntan lotion over mainstream versions, here’s why:
- Ingredients don’t clog pores like conventional lotions do, so reduces the chance of suffering from prickly heat.
- Free from artificial fragrances & chemicals that might cause irritation.
- 30p from the sale of each bottle goes to the Marine Conservation Society.
Also our skin is our largest organ so I think we really need to consider what we are putting on it. I have read several articles claiming conventional sun lotions contain synthetic chemicals that can be hormone disrupters, and have other health effects. I’ve not done enough research to 100% verify this, but it is definitely food for thought. Please click here to read one article I found useful.
Shop Sustainable Summer Essentials
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emerald Statement Bangle*Â | IRIS
Nautical Statement Bangle*Â | IRIS
Pure White Statement Bangle* | IRIS
self tan lotion* | Green People
Exfoliating Pebble* | The Soap Co.
Scent Free Sun Lotion* | Green People
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hi there. Such interesting thoughts on the sun tan lotion and I am definitely going down that route. I also love the look and the multipurpose use of the towel. Thank you. Am thinking of you on your holidays in beautiful France! Enjoy xx
Author
Ah thank you Ann, we had such a lovely relaxing holiday (hence my delay in responding to you). I found the organic suntan lotion worked just as well and i didn’t come out in any horrible spots which I sometimes do with traditional lotions. x
Love all of these things, especially the sandals!! Enjoy France, we’re going in August and I CANNOT wait for cheese and wine and French pharmacies!!
x