Waste Not Want Not – Five tips for shopping smarter this Christmas

Waste Not Want Not – Five tips for shopping smarter this Christmas

Christmas can be costly, in every sense of the word. From overspending on unwanted presents, to throwaway decorations, wrapping paper and of course, the long-forgotten Christmas jumper at the back of your wardrobe. There’s no denying that this time of year can be particularly unkind to the environment.

Shopping smarter and more sustainably can ensure that your festive plans don’t cost the earth. Making small changes in certain areas of your festivities can add up to a huge difference.

Sustainable shopping expert at British Wool, Graham Clark shares five practical top tips to guilt-free Christmas shopping.

Say no to fast-fashion gifts

As the pounds start to add up it can be easy to turn to fast-fashion outlets at this time of year. A recent study found that nearly two in three (62%) Brits admit to finding it hard to avoid fast-fashion options whilst shopping [1]. A quick scan of a fast-fashion retailers’ website and you’ll be served numerous tempting discount codes whilst on site, and via social media ads, emails and more. But ask yourself, how can they afford to discount so heavily?

Whilst a purchase like this may help you to save money in the short-term, the long-term cost on the environment is unavoidable. You’ll likely end up with a poor-quality gift that won’t see next Christmas. Opt for more durable and sustainable items like a British Wool knit sweater or a cosy pair of quality socks or gloves for those winter nights in or out.

Gift something that your loved one can treasure for years to come, by buying better, you’ll ultimately help them to buy less.

Support local

Shopping sustainably doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money on an expensive brand. Investing in local businesses can be a great way to find gorgeous, one-of-a-kind gifts or decorations that will help to support a family or small business owner over the festive season.

Why not create a sustainability check list? Before you buy, think carefully if this garment fulfils the criteria on your list. Is it biodegradable? Recyclable? Organic? Is it made using sustainable manufacturing? Is it traceable? Has it already been recycled? One garment probably won’t tick every box but if you feel like it’s ticking most then that’s a good start!

Ditch throwaway décor

If this year is anything like previous, 75% of Brits will be gearing up to spend a shocking £185.00 on Christmas decorations [2]. From extravagant Christmas trees, to covering your house from top to bottom in festive cheer, it’s safe to say the trend of excess is taking over.

Look out for eco-friendly décor such as wooden hanging ornaments or recycled festive bunting. Put simply, just avoid buying poor quality decorations which will result in you binning and rebuying next year.

Get crafty and create your own, why not knit Christmas decorations for the family or get the kids involved and create dried orange garlands or leaf baubles. And if at all possible, avoid the tinsel!

Reduce, reuse, recycle

There’s plenty of initiatives now that help make Christmas more sustainable. If they offer it in your area sign up to have your Christmas tree replanted after use – or even do it yourself and replant and reuse year after year.

Look to recycle throughout Christmas wherever you can, things like reusing wrapping paper and gift bags, can be a great thing to do, preventing waste and also helping you to get your money’s worth.

This advice stands across almost anything you’re purchasing at Christmas, look to reuse first and if that isn’t possible go for the most sustainable option.

Get creative

Thankfully a lot more people are considering and aware of conscious consumerism in 2022, but rather than immediately switching to new shopping resources, why not consider if you’re purchasing too much?

Is a new outfit for the Christmas party an absolute must? Will anyone notice you wore this Christmas jumper last year? If you must purchase for a special event or occasion, look outside of the box.

You can find really amazing pieces at wardrobe swaps or in vintage stores that will allow you to create a stylish wardrobe without costing the earth. Or why not try your hand at upcycling older clothing items? You’d be surprised at how different an outfit can be using a little creativity.

For more information on British Wool and sustainable shopping tips, please visit: https://shop.britishwool.org.uk/wool-clothing-apparel/

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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