Tag Archives: ethical

PoZu Shoes

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02682379-89CC-4DB7-A00F-146379CA2551Shoes.. I think we all like shoes. From the stereotype shoe addict to the person who likes practicality and comfortability. As a teenager I thought it was cool to have as much shoes as I could possibly have. I started a collection and it actually didn’t matter if I liked them or not. Nowadays I am super picky! I actually don’t like any shoes, apart from a few of the same types. But then still, whenever there is a stitch in the wrong place or in the wrong colour or any little detail I don’t like, I find them a no no. Mostly I like basic things, cuz I find something ‘too much’, quite quickly. Since I’m vegan, I also want my shoes to be vegan. And lately, I also want them to be sustainable, meaning, made of 100% sustainable materials, ethically sourced.. and of good quality. You can imagine that I didn’t buy shoes for quite a while, because this was impossible to find.

IMG_6539_polarrA while ago, via a friend on Instagram I discovered PoZu shoes. PoZu shoes are vegan. At first I saw they do a StarWars theme. I liked the look of most of the shoes, but I am not a StarWars fan myself and it felt weird walking around in something that is linked to something I don’t like. Then I scrolled a little further down and I discovered that they also do non StarWars themed shoes and.. I loved them! They are like the Converse style, but with their own shape. I got so so excited! And on top of that I discovered that they are sustainable, made with natural rubber and organic cotton (and guess what.. ethically sourced!). I was so happy that I instantly ordered a pair. Black ones, cuz I like black shoes the best. They came very quickly and IMG_9879_polarrI was so nervous to try them on, because I really wanted them to fit. They did! They didn’t only fit, but they were super comfortable too. Because they feel so different and comfortable I wanted to know why this is and I discovered that they have a footbed made out of coconut fibre. How original! I loved them so much, that I ordered another 2 pair on that same day. I almost wanted to just get 2 pair of the exact same shoes, but eventually I went for a white variety (nice for the summer) and a blue one (in the lower model). They arrived very quickly again and I love them so much.

IMG_7432_polarrI got them in the summer and I especially wore the black ones a lot. If I now turn them around, the soles still look exactly the same from when I bought them. They are such good quality. This and all the other reasons why I am so excited, is why I wanted to share this with you, because I think shoes like this should be out there more. I often get questions, about where to get sustainable fashion. Well.. these are the shoes of the future, made of all natural materials.

The name ‘PoZu’ (ポーズ) comes from Japan, meaning ‘to pause’. They chose this name with the mission to create ultimate footwear, that is good for your feet and for the planet. They do man and woman shoes, StarWars themed, high boots, low cuts and even wellies. As part of their ethical promise, they pledge 10% of their profit to charity. You can learn more about the type of charities via the website (below). Can they be any more cool?

>> CLICK HERE to check out all PoZu shoes! 

FD33EBD4-5AA6-4665-B5D2-7C2CF61A8DFFTheir new collection looks amazing as well! They now have shoes made out of apples and I had to keep myself from buying another pair. I mean, it would define the fact of sustainable shoes if I’d buy new shoes every month. Though, their newest shoes (the VIM) are revolutionary I’d say. They are water proof! I might get a pair of those, because they come in super handy on my vanlife travels. Especially in the UK, where it is so wet. They will be perfect to use as light hiking shoes.

Are you struggling to find a pair of good vegan shoes that are also made with all natural materials? I can’t recommend PoZu more! They are my number one shoe brand at the moment. I’d love to hear your experience with them and see what pair you picked! Or if you have any questions about the shoes, feel free to ask me. You can do this down below or you can tag me on Instagram via my brand new (!!) account @freedomevermore or via @planetmanel. Thank you! X

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0Waste #5: Cleaning

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Assuming you’ve read my ‘0Waste #1: Intro‘ – ‘0Waste #2: Kitchen Swaps’ – ‘0Waste #3: On The Way Swaps‘ and ‘0Waste #4: Beauty Swaps‘, I’d now like to introduce you to some simple things everyone can do to produce less (chemical) waste whilst cleaning!

SOAP NUTS 
We all need to wash our clothes once in a while. We sweat, we spill and we get dirty in all sorts of ways. What laundry soap do you use? There is a ton of choice, but did you ever think about what will be best for the environment? I never did, until a few years ago. All the soap you use will go through the drain and most of the laundry soap contain horrible chemicals and are not biodegradable. This is why I use soap nuts. I once bought a bag from Ecozone and I’m still using that same bag and it’s still pretty full. It last for soooo long. I use 5-6 nuts per cycle and I use those same nuts at least 3-5 times. So imagine how much money it will save you as well. It’s super easy to use and it’s such a natural product. I love them!

SUPERMARKET CLEANING PRODUCTS 
If you don’t want to make your own cleaning products, then at least try to use natural products that won’t harm the environment and come in a recycle bottle (and make sure you do recycle them properly!). The 2 most popular brands are Method and Ecover. Method is my favourite out of these 2 as their products smell amazing. I do sometimes use the fabric softener from Ecover for my towels and bed sheets. Both brands are biodegradable though and are safe to use around children and animals. I’d still recommend making and using your own products whenever you can, but otherwise this is a good alternative.

SPONGES/CLOTHS
Most cloths are made out of plastic, you need to search a little if you want anything else. You can get cotton cloths, which are a good choice, but I also really like these. They are a combination between a cloth and a sponge. They are lovely to clean with (tables, surfaces, bathrooms, kitchens etc.) and the best thing of all, they are biodegradable. You’d probably think ‘but what about the plastic that they come in’? Guess what.. it’s biodegradable too (in municipal composting facilities). There are 5 cloths in 1 pack and each cloth can be used up to 300 times (as in, you can machine wash them for 300 times) and after that they can go into the compost. I like using these or I’d choose a cloth made out of organic cotton, hemp or bamboo.

MAKE YOUR OWN
It’s totally easy to make your own cleaning products. I will give you a recipe that is a nice all-rounder and you can use around the kitchen, bathroom, all services (be careful with granite, stone and some wooden services though!) and all other things you can think of. I use the peels from the lemons I use in the morning for my morning water and the ones I use for my salad dressing, this way I use them again in such a good way. If you don’t consume lemons regularly (you should though, hehe..), you can maybe make a nice lemonade and use those peels. Anyway.. First step: purchase a nice glass bottle with a spray option (brown glass) and then follow this recipe:

Makes: 500 ml

Ingredients:
-Peels of 6-8 lemons
-250 ml white vinegar
-Essential oils (optional)
-Fresh rosemary (optional)
-250 ml water (spring or pre-boiled)

-Weck jar (500 ml)
-Glass spray bottle (500 ml)

-Put the lemons in the weck jar (until it’s nicely full, you don’t need to stamp them in) and fill it up with the vinegar.
-Add a few drops of essential oil or include some fresh rosemary.
-Give it a little stir before closing the weck jar.
-Put it away in a dark and dry place and leave it for about 3 weeks.
-Use a fine colander to separate the water from the lemons/rosemary.
-Pour it into your spray bottle and fill it up with cold (spring or pre boiled) water.
-Clean, clean, clean!

What cleaning products are you using? Will you make your own? I’d love to hear how you get on. Please let me know in the comments below, by tagging me on instagram or by using #planetmanel. Thank you! X