Shopping: interiors inspiration

Shopping: interiors inspiration

Duvets filled with recycled PET plastic, an eco laundry wash bag to stop synthetic fibres getting into the water system, wooden wall pots for keeping mini cacti on display and beautiful fair trade grass baskets from Senegal...there's much to whet the appetite of the discerning eco-minded shopper this month

By Noah Dugall
Eco Duvet from The Fine Bedding Company

Sleep sustainably with machine-washable Eco Duvets from The Fine Bedding Company are filled with micro fibres produced from recycled PET plastic bottles. From £45 for a single 4.5 tog duvet. 

Vegans and allergy sufferers are eschewing feather-filled duvets in favour of synthetic microfibre ones. Well, if you want to feel virtuous about your microfibre, choose a product that's filled with fibres made from recycled PET plastic bottles. The Fine Bedding Company offers a new Eco collection and Habitat too has duvets filled with recycled PET fibres. Sustainable sleep or what...

Guppyfriend from BuyMeOnce.com

Microfibres, however, have been shown to shed while being machine washed, with fibres ending up in the sea and in our waterways, adding to plastic pollution which is harming sealife and our drinking water. So we're being urged to wash synthetics in ultra fine mesh bags that catch these tiny fibres, which we can then dispose of in the bin. Guppybag is a new polyamide and generously sized laundry bag - 50x70cm - and it costs £25 from BuyMeOnce.com. A recyclable product itself, it will also extend the life of your synthetic clothes and bedding. 

Alex Nolte from Guppyfriend says we have to take plastic waste seriously: 'Tiny plastic pieces from our synthetic clothes are found in the ice of the Arctic and the remotest parts of the deep sea. The Guppyfriend washing bag is a first proven solution to prevent microplastics from entering rivers and oceans. However, it is a stopgap and there's much more industry and consumers need to do to keep harmful microplastics out of nature and our food chain.'

It's hard not to love wood and it's hard not to be enchanted by the mini cacti and succulents that are all the rage. So Wall Pots from Dutch innovation site Crowdy House are a steal at 29 euros for a set of three.. Hang your little plants on the wall and enjoy the improved air quality they offer.
 
Wooden Wall Pots from Crowdy House, set of 3 29 euros. www.crowdyhouse.com
Artisanne fair trade grass baskets are handmade in Senegal. They have been given a contemporary look, with subtle colours and patterns. www.artisanne.co.uk
Guppyfriend laundry eco bags will catch micro fibres from your synethetics, fibres which have been shown to end up in the oceans. Available from buymeonce.com . Bag 50x70cm, £25
Real flowers preserved..will last for a year. The Magic Flower Company
Guppyfriend bag to catch micro fibres from synthetic clothes in the washing machine. From BuyMeOnce.com
Re-useable cardboard crackers by Bea Thackeray at Keep This Design. UK made, you can fill them with your own small gifts. Pack of three £9.75
Crochet yourself a deck chair
DecorMarble range from Amtico, £165m2. Recyclable vinyl
PET plastic bottle cushion from Pentatonic, which makes products from waste materials. pentatonic.com

For top-end recyclable flooring, vinyl giant Amtico has launched its DecorMarble range for those who want the look of marble without the cost or problems of upkeep. DecorMarble is still, however, a fairly premium product at £165m2, but if you're doing the floor in a small bathroom or loo it shouldn't break the bank. Amtico vinyl is 100 per cent recyclable.  

And for a suitably stylish laundry basket to enhance your beautiful bathroom, look at the Alibabas from Artisanne. This company has really done a lot to modernise the grass basket, working with women weavers in Senegal to produce contemporary designs with subtle colours and patterns. As well as laundry baskets, you'll find baskets suitable for storage everything from clothes, to books, to kids' toys. 

June and July are popular months for weddings and if you're hosting any dos you might like to consider Bea Thackeray's very pretty re-useable - and recyclable - cardboard crackers. They're made in the UK and you can fill them with little gifts of your choice. When not in use you just press them flat and store in a drawer. You put in a new 'snap' each time you use them so you always get that satisfying sound. Keep This Cracker packs of three cost £9.75. 

And if you love real flowers but hate it when they die, why not invest in some stems or arrangements from The Magic Flower Company? They've found a way to keep flowers looking fresh for up to a year by replacing their natural sap with a glycerine based mixture, while the colour of the petals is enhanced with organic dyes. Stems from around £7. 

Get knotting
 
Forget traditional deckchair stripes.. this is 2018 and everyone's into macramé, so knot yourself a comfortable chair. If you're someone who likes a bit of challenge, then you'll enjoy Wool Couture's macramé deckchair kit (£59.99). Made with larks head knots and square knots, it really isn't that hard to make and it's a fun project with a comfortable chair to relax on in the garden at the end.  Find a standard deckchair frame (not included in the kit), remove the contents of the box and get knotting. The kit comes  in a choice of 10 colours. 
 
 
Black spot on patio before use of Black Spot Remover from The Patio Black Spot Removal Co
And voila - after use
Energy saving Hoover H7A1TCE integrated heat pump tumble dryer, £599

Gardens, gadgets and machines

If your garden patio is looking less than immaculate thanks to the dreaded black spot - and we're not talking Blind Pugh and Treasure Island here - then you might be interested in a new liquid from The Patio Black Spot Removal Company that claims to kill black spot from natural and synthetic stone (which is caused by lichen spores) using a formulation that is biodegradable, bleach-free and harmless to pets. (We have not yet tested the product but we will be doing so soon.) 4L container £69.60

Tumble dryers are considered bad news because of their gas guzzling ways. However, if you live somewhere where it's nigh on impossible to get clothes dry naturally - you might live in a tower block or on a remote wet island in the north Atlantic - then take note that Hoover has launched an integrated 7kg heat pump tumble dryer with an A+ energy rating and a price tag of £599.

Heat pump models are more efficient than conventional dryers, temperatures are 30 per cent lower and they use 50 per cent less energy, which not only saves money but helps keep clothes in good condition for longer. Unlike conventional tumble dryers which expel the hot air used to dry the clothes, Heat pump technology cleverly conserves and reuses it.  During the drying process, hot air circulating inside the drum absorbs moisture from the clothes. The air travels through the evaporator, which extracts the moisture. In Hoover models, this moisture is then transferred to the in-door Aquavision water collection system for easy emptying.
 
 
 
Viva Lagoon reclaimed oak dining tables are made in Romania and can be made in the size you want. Large 8-seater table £1,500. www.vivalagoon.com
Witloft sturdy leather aprons for the serious barbecue chef..from £90. www.wit-loft.com
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To get more use from your balcony, German brand Rephorm offers bright modern balcony planters with a shelf that's ideal for a laptop - so you can work in the fresh air - or for putting wine glasses/cups of tea on. They're made from recyclable rotation-moulded polyethylene and can be bought online for around 138 euros.
 
And for the keen barbecue chef, a leather apron from Witloft is a must. It looks trendy, it'll get better with age and aprons really are essential if you're working with food are they not? Prices from £90
 
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