From reducing your single-use plastic consumption to switching to environmentally-friendly alternatives to everyday products, there are plenty of eco-friendly businesses in Gloucestershire offering innovative ways to help the planet – with SoGlos rounding up some of our favourites them in this hot list.
Wholly Gelato
Reduce your carbon footprint by making the short trip out of Gloucester to Wholly Gelato, where you can fill up on fresh milk using its milk vending machine. Reusable Wholly Milk bottles are available to buy on-site, or you can bring your own reusable vessel for the 'milkbot' to fill up.
Providing unpasteurised, unhomogenised, 'cream on the top' goodness, visitors can also create their own DIY milkshake by adding a syrup shot — who knew saving the planet tasted so good?
Stroud Brewery
Stroud Brewery prides itself on producing high quality organic beer in a sustainable and energy efficient way. Its products are made using Soil Association-certified organic ingredients which never degenerate the environment, ecosystem or soil.
As a certified B Corp, Stroud Brewery is a leader in green manufacturing processes and has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2023. Its latest collaboration with The Wild Stroud Group means it also offers its leftover beer 'slops' to locals as an organic slug repellant, helping the community's gardeners get rid of pesky pests while reducing waste, too.
Greenshop Paints
Greenshop Paints in Bisley has one of the biggest selections of ecological, planet-friendly paints in the country, stocking everything from indoor emulsion to weather-resistant outdoor options. Located between Cheltenham and Stroud, the Greenshop Group also has solar and rain-harvesting businesses on-site.
Its expert staff are on hand to assist with advice on ecological home makeovers — plus there are gift and food sections where visitors can shop for locally made products, too.
Lovesay & Mo
Offering a range of handmade, planet-friendly, organic clothing for children, Lovesay and Mo is the brainchild of Gloucestershire-based Megan Shepherd.
The business came about when Shepherd struggled to find unisex baby clothing that was eco-friendly. Using her degree in textile design, Lovesay and Mo was born and now offers a small collection of cotton jumpsuits for children up to the age of three.
Food Loose and Plastic Free
Offering plastic free shopping in Cheltenham, Food Loose and Plastic Free is centrally located on Grosvenor Terrace, just off the High Street.
Open Monday to Saturday, the store sells organic and Fairtrade dried goods, refillable washing-up liquid, toilet cleaner, shampoo and liquid soap, with shoppers asked to bring along their own containers along to fill up.
Field Fresh Skincare
Field Fresh Skincare is a Gloucestershire-based company which creates a range of plant-based products using natural ingredients.
The company encourages customers to ‘blend it yourself’ with a range of kits packed with locally sourced herbs, oils, fruits and flowers, designed to create fantastic natural skincare solutions that are good for the environment, too.
Migration Studios
The first recording studio dedicated to carbon capture launched in the Cotswolds back in October 2021.
The unique independent recording studio channels 100 per cent of booking proceeds into the environmental arts charity, Platform Earth, to help tackle climate change. The first project it is helping to fund is the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project, which is working to restore and rewild the Sussex coastline.
Ben Ryan Hair
Cheltenham independent hairdresser, Ben Ryan Hair, is passionate about sustainability. The salon uses products from haircare brand Davines, which uses organically grown ingredients and has been awarded coveted B Corp status.
Ben Ryan Hair also recycles 90 per cent of its rubbish; has a renewable energy supplier and uses eco lightbulbs in its salon; and cool washes all of its towels and hangs them to dry instead of using a tumble dryer. Even the coffee it serves to customers is sustainably sourced.
St Paul's Vintage
Forget fast fashion and join the second-hand clothing movement, with Cheltenham's St Paul's Vintage being a great place to start. Eye up retro jackets, stylish sunglasses and trendy trousers at the store on Albion Street, or browse the online store which offers delivery in eco-friendly packages.
The team at St Paul's Vintage do pop-ups at various locations, too, including the popular DEYA Brewing Company, so keep an eye on on its social media for where you can shop for your next sustainable look.
