Selena Young rounds up sustainable summer kit that’ll see you through countless summers. Each piece is from a South West company and boasts eco-friendly creds
Davy J Waterwear
Bathing cossies have a hefty checklist to live up to: stylish, secure, smoothing, long-lasting and, for those who care about the environment, sustainable. Plymouth brand Davy J Waterwear ticks all the boxes with its beautiful sculpting and active swimwear designed for carefree adventures in and around the water. Every item is crafted with a sustainable conscience from quality materials, and the range even includes its latest innovation: the Zero Trace Swimsuit which is fully biodegradable.
Bird eyewear
‘We’re a bunch of nature lovers turned eyewear aficionados,’ say the Bird team, who create specs and sunnies that are inspired by (and kind to) the natural environment. As a B Corp-certified company, all of its eyewear is crafted from eco-friendly materials including recycled aluminium and sustainably-sound plastic and wood. Bird follows a ‘Birdifesto’ which states: ‘We’re here to break the norms and playfully commit to disrupting an industry full of rubbish.’ If you’re eyeballing the stores for a fresh pair of shades, Bird’s range of coloured frames make a stylishly sustainable statement.
Dick Pearce & Friends bellyboards
Little ones and adults will relish the thrill of being carried from sea to shore on a wooden bellyboard made by Dick Pearce & Friends in Newquay. Whether seeking a colourful design, a sleek natural tone, or a bespoke illustration or engraving, there’s a board to suit. In a bid to stop sea lovers using polystyrene boards, Dick Pearce & Friends also offers a Surf Wood for Good service where boards are rented for free at certain coastal destinations.
Temple Cycles
Aiming to steer cyclists away from the ‘throwaway and upgrade’ culture of the bicycle industry, Bristol’s Temple Cycles build bikes of exceptional quality that are made to last. The team take a refreshing approach to manufacturing bikes, ensuring they’re easy to fix and maintain, and that spares are readily available. If you’re looking to invest in a new set of wheels to see you through decades of adventures, start by roadtesting the Classic range of lightweight bikes suitable for everyday use.
Francli Craftwear
Francli’s rucksacks are bags for life (not the kind you find in the supermarket), each painstakingly handcrafted to last a lifetime. From a converted cattle barn studio at Argal Home Farm near Falmouth (a vibrant hub of makers and creators that includes Yallah Coffee roasters), the Francli team take time to perfect each custom rucksack. Choose from a collection of sustainable fabrics and materials, customise from a selection of design features, then await your made-to-measure bag. There’s also a lucky dip colourway option for daring folk, and a wider selection of ready-to-ship and made-to-order canvas totes, leather crossbody bags and aprons.
Rooted Ocean
This Bude brand should be on any wave rider’s radar for its sustainable summer kit and clothing with a coastal aesthetic. Of course, you don’t need to be a surfer to wear one of its tees or snap up a quality picnic blanket – a summer must-have. Rooted calls its Traveller Blanket a go-to adventure companion as it’s generously sized but neatly compact for easy carrying. The blankets are 100 per cent waterproof, made using sustainable British materials and come with a lifetime guarantee.
LEOA
Slow-fashion swimwear brand LEOA was founded by Brigid Liddle with the goal that each costume or two piece could be comfortably worn in active environments – whether wild swimming or surfing. Brigid designs, makes and tests the durable swimwear in her Totnes studio, using materials such as Econyl recycled nylon (made using waste products such as abandoned fishing nets) which is pilling-resistant, retains its shape, compresses muscles and is velvety soft. Any offcuts are turned into scrunchies.
Finisterre + Darn
Cornwall’s well-travelled surf-lifestyle clothing brand Finisterre recently collaborated with DARN, a female-founded and small-scale Cornwall brand producing striking clothing and accessories in limited runs. The resulting line-up includes a DARN reinvention of the Finisterre fan-favourite Yarrel Short (pictured) featuring a sky-blue and watermelon-pink block stripe print. Made from hard-wearing organic cotton, they’ll see you through future summers and holidays in the sun.
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