Tips for a sustainable Christmas

At Christmas we are all guilty of indulging a little more than usual. Whether it be with food, clothing or shopping. This year we thought we'd share our annual tips to a sustainable and conscious Christmas

See below for our guide to help you enjoy a sustainable one!

Plastic-free Wrapping Paper

Sadly, most wrapping papers cannot be recycled because of the printed pattern on them so this year we have found some eco-friendly, sustainable wrapping paper to ensure your Christmas is as sustainable as possible

Reusable fabric gift wrap. The perfect way to wrap your eco-friendly gifts this Christmas to minimise your waste. Shop a variety of sizes in different pattern and colours and keep them to wrap presents again and again.

Sustainable Crackers

Christmas crackers can contain a lot of plastic and aren’t always recyclable. As one of the most essential parts of any festive celebration, we thought we’d show you how to make this Christmas tradition as sustainable as possible.

If you haven’t got time to make your own or just don’t want the fuss of finding gifts and jokes to go inside, we’ve found some crackers you can buy in supermarkets and high street shops that have little waste.

The second option is to use reusable crackers. is a sustainable way to celebrate Christmas whilst also reducing your waste too. These crackers come flat packed for you to fill with personalised gifts for all the family – to reuse them next year, by simply replacing the ‘snap’ and they're ready for festive fun all over again. Better still, the packaging they are shipped in, is 100% recyclable too.

Sustainable Christmas Crackers

Eco - Friendly Christmas Star Bunting Home

 

Grasspaper Christmas Star Cards 

Why not send a plantable card to your loved ones this year! its the gift that keeps on giving. When you finish with your card the biodegradable paper can be planted in a pot of soil, the seeds will grow and eventually the paper will decompose.

Handmade - Christmas ornament Reindeer 

Shop local and sustainable this Christmas, help out independent, sustainable brands, who make it their mission to help the planet. After the last few years stuck in-doors, during covid; what better way to give the gift of giving, during this festive period than to give back to your local community.

Vouchers

Giraffe -Wooden Animal Trophy Heads

Wooden toys, felt ornaments, e -gift cards, biodegradable wrapping paper, just a few other options to take note of.  

Whichever you decide to try have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, from all of us at Madia & Matilda

Green Biodegradable wrapping paper 

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Living More Sustainably in Autumn

During Autumn the daylight becomes shorter and the temperatures are lower. Due to this you may find yourself turning on more lights within your home and keeping the heaters on for longer. It’s typical for us to do that but let’s keep in mind that being sustainable is relevant all year round.

So, here are some tips on exactly that! 

Sustainable Matters

Unplugging
Saving energy is the most common way of staying sustainable. During this time of the year the energy price will go up due to the amount of sources you will end up using to keep warm. Just unplug the things you aren't using, especially the electronic devices. Chargers could be plugged in and still draw power, even if the device isn’t on charge. Bringing up the electric bill and wasting energy. So, we suggest unplugging chargers and all electronics when not in use.

Keeping Cosy

We all want to keep cosy. This can also link into your energy bills, as we tend to gravitate towards putting the heating on as mentioned previously. So, maybe it’s time to start looking into something that would be of use and would also avoid rising bills but also keep you nice and comfortable. Below are just a few examples:

• Insulation - This isn’t something you usually think about during the warmer weather but can be a big help any time, especially during the colder seasons. Adding insulation to rooms, behind wall heaters and in the ceilings will help with both cold and hot weather. It lowers your energy bill as the temperature within your home will remain the same. So, no need for heaters being constantly on.

• Thermal Curtains - Thermal curtains, or thicker ones, can help insulate your windows by preventing the cold air from looming in and keeping the warmth inside. Having them drawn closed during the night will provide extra insulation.

• Door Draft Stoppers - Ever notice how most doors tend to have gaps, especially near the bottom? Well those little areas tend to let out the warm air you want to keep and let in the cold breeze. A door draft stopper is made specifically to be laid at the bottom of the doors to cover up those locations and to keep the chilly air out. I’d highly suggest investing in one. However, if you don’t have the money you could also just use a thick blanket, one you preferably don’t use, and put that near the bottom of the door. It works just as efficiently!  Door Draft Stoppers are Uber sustainable, you could make one like we do with off cuts of old materials, if you're up for the sewing challenge

Garden Work

We know it’s colder out and it seems cosier to sit at home curled up in blankets, with a nice warm drink and watching a movie or two but taking the time to move around daily and getting fresh air will help you during the cooler months. 

If you have a garden, spend some time getting it ready for the upcoming seasons. Autumn is the perfect time to plant many trees. Doing it around this time will give them enough time to develop a root system, deep within the ground, over the winter months, reducing their water needs during spring. 

Composting

If you didn’t know, there are a lot of things that you could use to create compost, especially during Autumn. Those pumpkins you use during Halloween? Instead of just throwing them away, you could roast the seeds and make a delicious snack! Pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious, containing fibre and essential nutrients such as magnesium and zinc. The rest of the pumpkin will compost down quite quickly, however if the pumpkin is on the thick side, then it will take a little longer to break down. So, it’s suggested you cut it into pieces if you want it to rot down quicker or disappear into the bulk of the compost. 

Now, Autumn is known for it’s falling leaves. Most people will add the fallen leaves to their garden chores by raking, bagging and throwing the leaves away. Adding to the waste piles. What most don’t know is that fallen leaves are good for your lawn. Dead leaves are part of the life cycle for plants and soil. Leaves are basically free compost from mother nature! Leaving leaf piles can cause the grass below to die, so it’s recommended to gather the leaves and then distribute them evenly throughout your garden. Leaves help a lot more than you think and can insulate the soil throughout the winter, protecting the life that thrives within the dirt below. 

Gardening

Long-Term Clothing

This is an overall good idea when purchasing clothing. You want to make sure it lasts and can be suitable for other weather types, or just to keep aside for Autumn without having to buy new clothing each year. You could even go through your current clothes that fit the season and upcycle them. Repair them in other words or if you don’t have the experience to do it yourself, you could always bring it into the Madia & Matilda store. We upcycle clothing too, and if you have a specific idea for how you want your clothes to look then we’d be glad to listen. 

Upcycle

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

New in Autumn

Autumn is approaching faster than any of us anticipated. This means your summer wear won’t be appropriate for the upcoming weather. Which is why you’re here! Looking for something new and suitable for Autumn’s breeze.

If this is your first time discovering Madia & Matilda, we are a brand dedicated to producing sustainable garments. We are focused on zero waste, hand crafted, ethical women's wear. With that in mind you are just in time for their new product arrivals.

New In Store

The Lounge Suit

Lounge wear has become a popular outfit choice over the Covid years. It’s cosy inside and outside the house. Perfect for running those daily duties! So, why not try it out? This lounge suit is comfortable, breathable and ideal for the upcoming weather change.

Lounge Suit 

Slim Cut Trousers

Shorts are just not enough to keep you warm. So, it’s time to ditch them and bring out some trousers. How about checking out these essential ankle length slim fit trousers. Designed to fit your body type! It’s also a great essential.

Slim Cut Trousers

Polo Neck Polo neck tops and sweaters have always been in fashion during this time of the year. So, how about you check out our simple jersey top, with long sleeves and a ruched polo neck. A choice for day-to-day wear.

Polo Neck Top

Cotton Coats

During this season, the first thing people tend to gravitate towards are coats. We now have a new range of up-cycled wool coals

In recent years the coat in fashion seems to be Puffer Coats or Jackets. The coats and jackets are usually padded, filled with down feathers. The outer layer is usually synthetic fiber such as nylon or polyester. Now, that’s not very Eco-friendly. You can come across ethical coats; therefore we would suggest researching and considering the best option; why not try out coats that are made with organic cotton, lyocell or soy fabric.

Organic Cotton Jacket

Jumpers/Sweaters

Jumpers are traditionally made out of wool but can also now be made up of cotton, synthetic fibres, or any combinations of what has been mentioned. Ignore the synthetic fibre and you’ve got yourself some non polluting jumpers!

Wool is one of the oldest high-performing, sustainable materials around. It has several reliable attributes, such as: rapidly renewable, biodegradable, recyclable and can be produced organically. So, a good old woolly jumper doesn’t seem to go out of fashion during this time of the year.

Got any old jumpers lying about? Here's a suggestion! How about fixing them up? Repairing old jumpers, or even combining two into one. Recycling is becoming apart of everyone's daily life, so why not give it a go with worn out clothes.

Over-sized Sweater

If you liked what you read and found it interesting why not check out our site. We have many more choices in our store. Along with some new items coming soon!

https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Why shopping is a powerful mode of activism:

 At Madia & Matilda, we recognize that a sustainable lifestyle is not restricted to the clothing that you wear. Therefore, we are actively expanding our product range to include ethically-sourced, zero-waste home wear, cosmetics and food. By doing so, we are providing a single platform to support your personal Eco-conscious journey.

About Curated Brands?

To fulfill your needs without comprising those of future generations, you must adopt a zero-waste mindset which will inform your everyday choices. Vegan, organic, recyclable and refillable options will enable you to live with a reduced environmental impact. As such products become more accessible and easily purchased through the Madia & Matilda website, we look forward to growing our community of conscious consumers.

Vegan Products

All products sold by Madia & Matilda are sourced from cruelty-free, sustainable brands, including small independent and local retailers. We only partner with retailers which meet our strict environmental and social criteria. Investing money into ethical businesses funds and supports the development of the ethical practices which are necessary to prevent further social and environmental damage. As consumption is the underlying cause of land, air and water pollution, changing the way you shop is a powerful mode of activism. 

Accessories

In order to minimize our supply chains carbon footprint, we look to partner with brands which offer drop-shipping services. Instead of receiving and holding stock from organisations, we ask retailers to send products direct to our customers to avoid unnecessary travel-induced carbon emissions. Drop-shipping also allows the price of products to remain a true reflection of their value, without incorporating additional transportation charges.

 

Madia & Matilda Sale

Why not take a look at our range of curated beauty, food and home wear brands here:
https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/brands

And stay updated with our new product launches by subscribing to Madia & Matilda’s newsletter: https://madiamatilda.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=dd3a3c37b58f95a068260ca98&id=2da065a778

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Whats New From Us

 

At Madia Matilda we create timeless pieces centred on quality and longevity.

Our styles are brought to life by carefully selected materials that create individuality and vintage prints. We value the versatility of natural fibres and are introducing a line of T-Shirts and knit along side our upcycled collections

Furthermore, we have been working collectively with scap (Sustainable Clothing Action Plan) since 2013,  to reduce the carbon, water and waste footprint of clothing sold in the UK by 2020.

This work has informed our efforts to question where and how the raw materials we use are grown and produced, enabling us to make more considered choices

We know we will face many challenges during this journey.  we are committed to change and do better, so each year, we will share our progress towards our goals.

Learn more about our efforts to reduce the social and environmental impacts of our materials in our processes page on our website

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

TEDX talk

The TEDx is a program for local and self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, you can expect talks, videos, live speakers and deep discussions in small groups. 

TEDxSTROUD

If you don’t know me already, let me introduce myself. My name is Shalize, and I am the designer and director of Madia & Matilda. I was asked to take part in the TedxStroud event to talk about my journey in the world of sustainable fashion and how I have built a brand with the business model of having zero waste practices.

 

I am honoured to have been part of this event, speaking alongside 7 other inspirational women. It has always been a lifelong ambition of mine to be able to give a speech on something which I am so passionate about and believe in so strongly. It has been a challenging process along with the struggles posed by the coronavirus pandemic over the past year, nevertheless we persisted and were able to put on a fantastic virtual event.

My speech covers topics which I believe are extremely important to the future of sustainable fashion such as ‘Zero Waste’, ‘Fast Fashion and Waste’, ‘Upcycling’ and ‘The Future’. As I have mentioned in my speech – “now more than ever, there’s more choice for sustainable fashion”. Although we are not completely there, the journey to becoming more sustainable in our fashion practices is well and truly underway as the possibilities these days are increasingly growing. 

My most important piece of advice is this – going forwards, take every day as it comes. With each day believe we can do better and improve upon yesterday. In the future we hope to introduce natural, planet-friendly fabrics to Madia & Matilda, but there is scope for collaboration, and I am excited to see what change we can bring and not be a part of the problem. 

Sincerely Shalize  -  Madia & Matilda 

How consumers can become zero waste

Becoming a zero waste consumer is essential, and you're definitely making a huge positive impact on the environment and the world. So don't worry, every single individual makes a huge difference. Keep going; it really is working! The zero waste generation is a big deal, and it is encouraging communities to get on board. 

The world is beginning to embrace sustainability and jump on the zero waste movement. Remarkebly after David Attenborough's Blue Planet II in 2017, a follow up on the 2001 documentary. Attenborough tells the compelling stories of the world's deepwater inhabitants, creating an irreversible relationship between the earth and mankind. Other inspirational television such as the movie A Plastic Ocean in 2016, where Craig Leeson reveals the terrifying impact of pollution and the vast amount of plastic materials dumped on the earth's soil. 

More and more sustainable products are beginning to take the market, with more entrepreneurs siding with zero waste and companies discovering how easy it is to contribute. We love that at Madia & Matilda, we can rent clothing; this is a great way to produce less waste and a cheaper alternative to buying clothes you will only wear for a specific occasion or event!

So how can you be a zero waste consumer? 

It's pretty easy and very possible. Here, let us help you get started if you haven't already! At Madia & Matilda we pride ourselves on our sustainable ethics, as a little goes a long way. 

Check out our sustainable ethics at : https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/sustainable-matters 

First of all, have a clear mindset. Sometimes we simply cannot be bothered to do the little things, such as recycling or being mindful of waste. That's understandable; we are only human. However, we can change this mindset by embedding zero waste routines into our daily lives just like any other activity, that way it does not become an 'extra' task; it just becomes normality. If you make it normal, it encourages others around you to do the same. Make zero waste lifestyles something that should be a reality and a necessity. 

Take a look and do some research if possible, to inform yourself more on the zero waste movement; look at TerraCycle for inspiration. 

Another great idea is to buy your shopping in bulk, or buy from local produces that do not use over excessive packaging like the supermarkets. However, fingers crossed that supermarkets will be eliminating plastic soon to come, and we have high hopes for this change. For example, Iceland has vowed to eliminate plastic packaging on its own products by the latest 2023. With these encouraging statistics, other supermarkets have jumped on board such as Morrisons, they are in the middle of trialing plastic bags into paper bags and hopes by 2025 to have mastered this task.  

Electric cars are also becoming very popular, and they emit fewer greenhouse gases than petrol cars being run by electricity. Many companies are hoping to switch to electric within the next decade, such as Ford. So, maybe consider switching from petrol to electric, or even hybrid for the current moment. Reducing your amount of petrol stops air pollution from increasing. 

Another great tip is always carrying bags in your car, in case you go shopping last minute and need a bag! I know it is easy to forget, this way if you have them already there, what is really stopping us. If you are clothes shopping, take a look in your wardrobe and see if you really need everything or you can pass it on or recycle. More garments are bought than ever in 2020 and 2021, with a statistic of 57% of these materials going to landfill, and 35% of materials in the supply chain also being put to waste. Make sure you read up on where you are shopping and shop for sustainable brands like us! Madia & Matilda. 

Image from: https://www.commonobjective.co/article/fashion-and-waste-an-uneasy-relationship 

It is important to become part of the zero waste movement, simply because we are the change!

Images from: https://pixabay.com 

                                                    

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Sustainability books to read

With sustainability at the core of what we create, thought we'd provide you with the tools to become a change maker. So, If you want to go change the world or simply learn a bit more about your environmental footprint and the changes you can make, here are a few good reads to get into

Wear no evil - How to change the world with your wardrobe - Greta Egan 

The  Human Age - The world shaped by us - Design for Asun Dan Le (Braungart)

Over dressed - The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion - Elizabeth L. Cline

Organic Cotton Dress

Fashionopolis - The price of fast fashion and the future of clothes - Duna Thomas

Live Green - 52 Steps for a more sustainable life - Jen Chillingsworth

Or, if you are looking for fiction we found these books to enjoy!

The Testaments Margret Atwood

City of Girls, Elizabeth Gilbert

Cross fire - Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Blackman

Sincerely Madia & Matilda