The Power of Positive Shopping: Social enterprise Blue Patch launches new directory connecting sustainable makers

On February 4th 2021, the virtual doors to a new directory created exclusively for sustainable British and Irish businesses will be thrown wide open, including: Harriet’s Plants, Rose Fulbright London and Nafisi Studio.

Blue Patch’s new directory features both makers and service providers, allowing people to discover and connect with outstanding sustainable businesses. This will also help to keep  money within local communities as well as cut carbon miles. 

Jane Langley, founder of the social enterprise Blue Patch comments, “The pandemic has highlighted fragilities in our economy especially when it comes to supply chains, it has also given us time to pause, and reflect on the world we inhabit. Our worlds have just become much smaller. With shop closures and restrictions, we’ve had to become more creative in the way we shop, and with more time we are scrutinising practices, and there is real appetite for businesses to reflect our values especially around kindness and the environment. At Blue Patch, these are the values we want to showcase as such, the businesses that we promote have to demonstrate these credentials.

Blue Patch offers inspiration and allows users to buy directly from small businesses and their official stockists from handcrafted furniture, plastic-free paint, heritage ceramics, ethical fashion, ecological cleaning products and courses ranging from sustainability to seasonal cooking. There are also insurance, logistics, construction, investing and energy experts on board. All members care about their communities and are actively doing their part to be kinder to the planet and contribute to the green economy.

Harriet’s Plants 

Harriet is based in Staffordshire and her business operates from the greenhouse in her garden. She trained at the Eden Project in Cornwall and her ambition is to slash the carbon footprint of the house plant trade.

Rose Fulbright London

Rose creates elegant silk nightwear in the capital. She trained at the London College of Fashion and comes from a dynasty of designers, her grandfather was the architect Clough Williams-Ellis, a pioneer of ecological conservation. Rose’s grandmother Susan Williams-Ellis was an artist and potter and founded the Portmeirion Pottery. Rose prints her grandmother's imagery onto her fabrics.

Angus Ross

In Highland Perthshire, on the banks of the River Tay, Angus Ross creates handcrafted, sustainable furniture, sourcing oak from a beautiful ancient mixed woodland, a few miles downriver, which they manage to provide local, ethical and sustainable wood.

Nafisi Studio

Down south, in Sussex, design duo Kate and Abdollah from Nafisi Studio handcraft Sussex Chairs, very much in the spirit of William Morris, they use wood locally sourced, often using offcuts and reclaimed pieces over fresh timber. The Nafisi Studio is run the workshop on renewable energy! Abdollah was recently seen on the BBC TWO series ‘The Victorian House of Arts & Crafts’.

Centre for Alternative Technology 

Education is critical for the times we’re living in and the Centre for Alternative Technology, in Llwyngwern Quarry, Machynlleth, Powy is the place to go! CAT has pioneered solutions for sustainability for 40 years and teach us how to save the planet, build a tiny house, grow organically, support biodiversity...it’s one of the most beautiful places in the country too.

Delphis Eco

Cleaning is on our minds just now and Delphis Eco’s British made, professionally certified, plant-based ecological cleaning company offer the world’s first cleaning products sold in 100% PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) packaging! Not only is the product friendly to the environment, but it’s also very effective and they hold two Royal Warrants.

Ethex

It matters where you put your money and Ethex, a social enterprise, provides a platform for everyone to invest in renewable energy, community projects and all things good. In fact, Blue Patch itself invests in community-owned renewable energy through Ethex’s easy to use platform.

Terre Verdi

Beauty brand Terre Verdi’s founder Alessandra de Gregorio's skincare products are accredited by the Soil Association and COSMOS, they are cruelty free and vegan too. 

As a social enterprise, Blue Patch’s mission comes full circle - they invest 100% of their surplus income into community owned renewable energy, through their members Ethex. So far Blue Patch have shares in Brighton Energy Cooperative’s Solar Schools (2019) and Low Carbon Hub, Oxfordshire (2020). Eventual profits from these investments will fund campaigns to promote sustainable living and new green economy. Signing up to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, via the SME Climate Hub , Blue Patch aims to be zero carbon by 2030. With their website hosted on a green server (carbon offset) and office running on Good Energy they are off to a good start. Blue Patch will also be helping members to engage with the Race to Zero campaign and audit their carbon footprints by researching appropriate tool kits and carbon saving actions.

Explore the revamped Blue Patch directory here to discover hidden sustainable and quality businesses on your doorstep. Our vision for the future of the economy is vibrant, prosperous and green. Join us and be a part of it, or simply browse and enjoy the wealth of principled local businesses and sustainable creativity near you.