Sian Conway-Wood’s Gamechangers: The truly sustainable brands and products she recommends

As a recovering fast fashion addict, I try not to buy new clothes to be honest – my wardrobe is still overflowing from my fast fashion days! But the obvious essential exception is underwear, and for that You Underwear is my go to brand.

It recently became a B Corp, and is actually the highest scoring fashion brand in the world! It really deserves it too, as the company is very committed to its ethical standards. Sarah, the founder, personally visits the factory it uses in India – plus, it’s certified Organic, Fairtrade, and plastic-free, as well as body positive. It also doesn’t use any models or airbrushing in its photography and is also working to become size inclusive, too (which isn’t always easy for small fashion brands). I love that each pair has affirmations sewn into the waistband to remind you that “You make a difference” too!

Bloomtown is a certified palm oil free beauty brand, and it’s a big part of the brand’s mission. The founders Preya and Med were inspired to start the business after spending time in Indonesia and witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of deforestation there. The brand’s sugar scrubs are fantastic – the Hedgerow one is my favourite, as it smells incredible! It’s also cruelty free, and the founders donate 10 per cent of its profits to environmental and animal rescue charities.

My favourite coffee comes from Blue Goose. The founders have worked incredibly hard on its sustainability promises, but without sacrificing the flavour and quality of its coffee – with lots of its pods having won Great Taste awards. It sells compostable Nespresso pods, which are a much better alternative (and if you’ve got a food waste collection in your local area, you can just pop the old pods in there rather than them heading to landfill), or you can opt for bean or ground in plastic-free pouches. Its coffee is ethically sourced and contributes to community development too, so you know the people in its supply chain are well looked after.

Until I came across Blue Goose, I didn’t realise that the decaffeination process to make decaf uses the same solvents as paint stripper, which is really scary! Blue Goose has a decaf range made with spring water instead, so there’s no nasty chemicals involved.

This would definitely have to be Who Gives A Crap! Its bamboo toilet paper is completely plastic-free, and comes individually wrapped in really colourful packaging. It looks great in the bathroom and is always a talking point when guests come round – which encourages other people to make this eco switch too. In our friendship group we often exchange birthday gifts wrapped in the recycled packaging!

Read our review on WGAC’s toilet paper

Last year, we switched away from plastic dish sponges in favour of Seep. Its sponges are made from cellulose wood pulp and raw loofah fibre, and they can go in the home compost once they’re at the end of their life. I have to admit, I was a bit sceptical about this one at first, but they work really well – even when food is stubbornly baked on. They don’t release any harmful microplastics, and because the sponge retains washing up liquid, you end up using less, which is a good money saver, too.

Pure Lakes moisturiser is my favourite – it feels so luxurious and leaves my skin really soft. It’s a small business but it has a refill service so you can return your packaging to be refilled, and receive a discount on your next purchase. It’s great to see small businesses commit to eco–credentials and demonstrate to big brands that schemes like this are both possible and feasible.

One of my favourite circular brands is Belo. Its handbags are stunning, and Belo is turning waste materials into something beautiful. I love the bucket bag which is made from decommissioned seatbelts! It’s a waste material that most people wouldn’t think of, but Belo has built a whole range of beautiful accessories from them. As a brand, it give back to causes in the community where the materials are sourced and the bags are made (Belo Horizonte in Brazil), and when you’re done with your bag, you can send it back to the brand for recycling, so it doesn’t end up in landfill when you’re finished with it either.

The sustainable swap that I think has saved me the most money is period pants. I put off making this switch for ages, but always felt guilty about the plastic in tampons, so after several friends recommended them to me, I made it my New Year’s Resolution. And I’m so glad I switched! Although there’s an upfront cost involved, it’s saving me a lot of money every month. They’re comfortable, easier to manage than you might think, and save a lot of money over the course of a year.

Read our review of Wuka’s period pants

Making sustainable swaps can be so confusing, and sometimes you think you’re choosing a better option – only to find out it’s actually worse! I’m so grateful that Georgina Wilson-Powell, editor of Pebble Magazine, wrote her book, Is It Really Green? It helps get to the heart of so many everyday eco dilemmas that we all face and is a really handy guide to making truly sustainable swaps.

Another brand I’ve switched to that I absolutely love is Whirli. It’s a toy rental subscription, and since I have a one year old daughter, it’s become a real sustainable staple in our home! We pay £20 a month and can switch the toys as often as we like. It’s been such a good way of keeping up with her interests as she discovers the world, and upgrading her toys as she grows, but without all the plastic waste or storage requirements we’d need if we were buying them all.