I do my best to reuse, recycle and be as eco conscious as possible here at the shop. I am old enough to remember recycling the first time round when pop bottles went back to the shop for a 10p refund! I know recycling isn’t new, but since the invention of plastic the world has gone into consumer overdrive as it’s cheap and keeps everything clean in transit.
A lovely best mate of mine has been plastic free this last 20 years and there’s still plenty we can all do to help minimise the waste we see every day. Lots of customers already bring cloth bags for their shopping and when I have them, you may be given a special handmade Mrs McGregors cloth bag for yours. I always love the reaction when I give them away! In addition to recycling my packing, I sell a growing range of recycled and eco friendly products.
When deliveries arrive, packing is given to the charity shop to wrap their china in. Larger cardboard delivery boxes are given to a lady who posts a lot of furniture around the country. This helps me move waste but more importantly, saves having to buy new packaging, which I think is a win win all round. Lots of shop stock comes plastic free; elastic, bindings, trim, lace, threads and things like webbing all come on reels so you don’t have to buy a pre packed amount, just have exactly what you need.
New from old
Toy filling – recycled from plastic bottles 
Ribbon – recycled from plastic bottles 
Sewing thread – recycled from plastic bottles
Lots of products are now made from recycled plastic. One of my suppliers has really tried hard to get with the eco friendly products and packaging and I fully support them. I buy recycled toy filling, sewing thread and a range of ribbon called ‘New Life’ which now are packaged on cardboard reels.
I also sell pre loved crafting supplies. I have a large range of pre loved card and papercraft, plus embroidery threads and kits that haven’t been used and are just in old packaging. I have some lovely large embroidery frames and some ready made tapestries that need a good home. There’s lots of pre loved ribbons and fabrics that have just been hanging around a few years and need someone to love them. Do ask, there’s a myriad of stuff upstairs that would love to see the light of day!
Ditch that single use!
For a long time now, we have stocked a range of reusable and eco friendly versions of make up/face wipes, sandwich wraps (great for back to school) and metal straws in a handy carry pouch, all made by Melissa. These are great for birthday gifts to post or a treat for yourself! They have been tried and tested by friends and family. At the moment these are all displayed in the window, so do pop in and take a look.
At the moment, bags, clothing and anything made from recycled fabrics are on hold, but as soon as we can, the ranges of recycled/upcycled bags and clothing will be back.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.