100% British made and Eco
I’ve always been a true nature lover and lover of animals. I was brought up on the great outdoors, nurtured with nature and always encouraged to investigate the natural landscape and beauty around me.
I learned about global warming at school, back in the 90’s and have always been worried about climate change, but it was probably over the last 5 years that it became real for me.
Documentaries such as ‘Blue Planet’ and ‘War against plastic’ have alerted us all to the climate crisis, but I have also seen the changing environment each year with my own eyes as my favourite quiet spots have changed since my childhood and are now a shadow of what they used to be. Seeing the loss of wildlife and the impact of human activity locally caused me to think about my actions and what I can personally do to support our natural world.
I remember sitting in the garden one day watching the butterflies in the sunshine darting from one flower to the next, passing bees on their journeys and my cat watching them all intently. An overwhelming emotional urge came over me as I sat thinking about how incredible our world is. Everything around me became silent and I just felt that I had to take the moment to turn my concern into something more.
How is it that we all succumb so easily to consumerism? What was this infatuation with wanting and needing things immediately? For what cause? For what purpose? For our own limited satisfaction? I felt that we have become blind to whats around us and divorced from the one thing we all have in common.
Our planet.
I remembered conversations I’d had with my Gran about her childhood and how even through the war that she’d managed to find happiness in simplicity and respect for others. I knew from that moment that I wanted to share my passion for the environment and that was when Appletree and Avalon started.
Whilst I know, that owning a business doesn’t exactly help rectify our issues on the planet, I knew that by supporting a more conscious lifestyle I could at least influence a few others to switch to more environmentally friendly products. When I started I decided that everything I stock is manufactured in the UK. This means I can ensure visibility of the supply chain, manufacturing processes and carbon footprint attached to products I list, as well as supporting small, like-minded businesses. I was certain from the start that my business must also be completely zero waste.
I also wanted to partner with a credible charity so I could see where my money was going and how it was making a significant difference. I decided to partner with World Land Trust and I am pleased to say that every single order helps me to continue to work alongside this magnificent organisation.
As a small business run by myself, every inch of my fibre is in my work. I create everything myself, from the website to the photographs you see, to packing up each of the orders that come through from customers. I hope people can see my passion and that I genuinely care about what I do and the impact I am having.
In all honesty, running a small business is hard work. There are days when I worry, I’m not doing my best, that I could do more, or that people might not even like what they see or understand why I am doing it. But, then I’ll get a review, or someone messages me to say something had inspired them to think differently and I know that all of the hard work is worth it.
From an idea in the back garden to a small business, I feel like I’ve achieved so much, but what’s most important to me is hearing from others and how they are getting on with the products that they buy or try for the first time. We are all on a journey of discovery - finding new ways to reduce our waste and improve our buying habits. The community is the most inspiring part of what I do. Learning from each other and finding new ways to improve my lifestyle is what drives me forwards.
If I could let others know one thing it would be to just try! Don’t worry about being perfect, don’t worry about getting things wrong or not being as good as the next person. I realise that there is certain priviledge that comes with making eco-conscious shopping choices and it is a slow process of raising awareness but If those that can change the way they shop, do, we will start to make a difference. We already are!
I’ve learned lots over the years, but I’m still on my own journey. I read a lot, I try to educate myself as much as possible, through credible sources, documentaries, books and like-minded people. I’ve adapted my way of living over time. Each day I feel like I learn something new. I personally think one of the best things we can do is talk to others. If you can change one person’s perspective, eventually others will have to come along on the journey!
Appletree and Avalon ® is the first exclusively 100% UK made and eco-friendly small independent (online only) Home, Beauty & Gift store. We provide our customers with simple everyday sustainable options that are affordable, good quality and are better in helping to support our natural world. We’re here to offer products that help support a more conscious way of living.
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