What is it made from?
3 x Reusable Make-up Remover Pads – Organic cotton muslin on one side, and gently exfoliating bamboo fibre on the other. Each pad is approximately 3” (7.5cm) across.
3 x Reusable Nail Varnish Remover Pads - Bamboo, Rayon Felt. Each pad is approximately 3" (7.5cm) across.
3 x Natural Loofah Disks
1 x Natural Konjac Sponge
Where does it come from?
Handmade in Wales, UK.
Is it sustainable?
Konjac sponge - The roots of the konjac plant, which is native to South East Asia. It has been used in many capacities for over 1,500 years in countries where it is grown. Konjac can be eaten and is often used as a vegan alternative for seafood. (That doesn’t mean you should throw your sponge into a saucepan and serve it for dinner when you are done with it, who would want to eat something you’ve cleaned your face with for months?!)
Organic Cotton – Cotton needs a ridiculous amount of water to grow. It is also very labour intensive because cotton is sensitive and attracts lots of pests. Therefore, in terms of materials, cotton is not the most sustainable as a rule, as there are better alternatives. Unfortunately, many of the alternatives, like hemp, aren’t grown on the same scale. Cotton is much better if it is organic. Organic means no pesticides for one. If you spray pesticides all over your cotton, they are going to get into the water, which will be absorbed by the soil, resulting in pesticides in the water supply. Not to mention all the other toxins used in the production and manufacturing of cotton. Buy organic cotton because the alternative is appalling.
Loofah – Is a dried-out vegetable. The loofah plant is part of the cucumber family and is completely natural and biodegradable. The fruit of the loofah can be eaten. Once ripened, the fruit is very fibrous inside, and if left to dry, the skin will come off leaving just the dried-out skeleton of fibres inside. This is what becomes the loofah you see hanging out in bathrooms everywhere.
Bamboo rayon – This fibre is used as a renewable alternative to plastic fibres such as nylon. Materials labelled as bamboo is a type of viscose called rayon. The cellulose in the bamboo is dissolved, then converted into a fibre. Other plant materials can be used to create rayon, but bamboo is seen as a better option, as it is very quick to grow so can replenish quickly in comparison to modal, another viscose style material which comes from beechwood. Although considered a ‘natural’ fibre, the production process is not necessarily very eco-friendly as some poisonous gases are given off as a by-product during its production. These days, these gases are mostly captured and neutralised, but worker safety in developing countries that produce this fibre can be an issue. New methods of producing viscose, such as the lyocell process, is a completely closed-loop system and allows almost no by-products to escape, making the manufacture of viscose in this way ‘neutral’ from an environmental standpoint. Bamboo viscose can be made in a closed-loop system.
How about ethical?
Tabitha Eve Co handmake most of their products in their studio in Wales. They pay their local workers at least the National Living Wage. Tabitha Eve Co make sure that those products which aren’t made in the UK come from suppliers who fit in with their ethos and live up to their ethical and environmental standards.
Extra good stuff:
Tabitha Eve Co try to use to most ethically produced raw materials they can find, and use organic fabrics wherever possible. They have a zero-waste ethic, and most of their products are designed with this in mind. They reduce wastage in the making process by using fabric scraps as stuffing for other products. Mistakes made during sewing don’t result in items being discarded - they sell all their ‘seconds’ on as well. The packaging they use is minimal, is made of recyclable cardboard, and is plastic-free. Tabitha Eve Co also supports a few charities through their sales.
Conclusion –
Self-care in a box, a lovely gift for those who care about the planet and their appearance. Us eco-friendly types aren’t all dirty hippies, honest! (…No offence to any dirty hippies out there, you do your thing.)
