These eathically made sustainable undies are mighty good

Imagine if your undies were ethically made, environmentally friendly and came with a carbon offset. This was the idea for Hannah Parris and Elena Antoniou, founders of Mighty Good Undies, an ethical and sustainable underwear brand that supports communities and offsets carbon emissions from the production of each garment. 

With a decade of experience in public relations working with many brands from luxury to fast fashion, Elena started to feel there was something devastatingly wrong with the whole system and wanted to do something about it. She was drawn to develop an ethical brand that not only produced good quality garments but empowered consumers to make better choices for the planet.

Hannah, an accomplished social science researcher specialising in environmental impact, was already working in the ethical textile space and had made strong connections with internationally recognised organic and Fairtrade suppliers and production mills. She had met with organic cotton farmers and makers, and through this was able to see a positive side of the fashion industry where the production of environmentally friendly garments could sustainably support its producers and suppliers. Together, the powerhouse duo set out to create an environmentally friendly brand that encompassed high ethical standards, and in April 2016 Hannah and Elena launched Mighty Good Undies. 

With transparency at their core focus, Hannah and Elena choose to only work with trustworthy and certified farmers and manufactures to produce their garments. Their manufacture, Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, has a partnership with cotton producers, Chetna Organics, and together the companies have Fairtrade and Organic cotton (GOTS) certifications for all Mighty Good garments. Their Fairtrade factory commits to Fairtrade benefits for all workers in addition to offering subsidised housing, educational fees for all children up to university level, free transportation to and from work, subsidised meals, medical care, interest free loans, annual bonuses and guaranteed yearly pay rises. “When you support a Fairtrade brand, it means quite simply someone was paid a living wage in a safe environment,” Elena explains. 

Hannah and Elena strive to be as conscious as they can in every decision they make. One of their core philosophies is to not use plastic packaging, instead they use certified organic cotton draw sting bags. In addition to this, they have matched up each pair of Mighty Good Undies with an internationally certified carbon emissions offset. For every garment sold, Mighty Good company purchase 1 kilogram of carbon emissions. “This is just another small way of us trying to look at our business holistically and mitigate any damage we may cause through our business,” Hannah says.

Eager to expand their range and tackle other eco-issues, Elena and Hannah are in the process of developing a washing bag that mitigates microfibres in the washing machine, a problem that has increased with the excessive use of synthetic fabrics. What mighty good work!

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Tim Silverwood - a passionate advocate for protecting our oceans

Growing up in an environmentally friendly household, Tim Silverwood developed a keen interest in sustainability throughout high school and later furthered his environmental pursuits at university and through a career in conservation. Tim spent many years throughout his twenties travelling, but it was a trip around Asia that awakened him to the true impact of plastic pollution and waste. “I was shocked and devastated to witness rivers choking on trash, beaches covered in pollution and waste being dumped directly into mountain streams. I realised that waste and pollution were serious issues and only getting worse, I wanted to do something to turn things around,” says Tim.

An avid surfer, Tim felt compelled to help the ocean he loves so dearly. In 2009, Tim’s desire to change the state of plastic pollution coincidentally lead him to two like-minded people, Amanda Marechal, and Roberta Dixon-Valk. Amanda, a keen surfer, initially came up with the idea of collecting rubbish after each surf and, after consulting with her friend Roberta, a marine ecologist, together they formed the concept of Take 3. After Tim was introduced to the pair in 2009, they decided to officially register and launch the organisation in 2010.

Witnessing pollution and littering made Tim more aware of the disconnect that exists between humankind and the biosphere that sustains us. “Humans have quickly forgotten, or conveniently ignored, the fact that we are living, breathing animals that share a remarkable biome with millions of other living creatures. We are not separate from the natural world; we are part of it. The pollution from single-use plastic and other complex human-made materials marks a key moment when a species, us, is sacrificing life for future generations and countless innocent creatures. I simply can't justify the price we are currently paying in the pursuit of a convenient lifestyle,” says Tim.

Amanda, Roberta, and Tim have always known there was something special about the #take3forthesea action. “It is so simple, catchy and gives anyone, anywhere the opportunity to give back to our spectacular planet,” says Tim. They have seen huge growth in public awareness of the Take 3 message without the need for expensive advertising campaigns or media promotions. While they have directly visited over 150,000 school students and delivered hundreds of community activities, their major impact has been through social media with the Take 3 hashtag (#take3forthesea).

In 2011, Tim joined a three-week expedition to study the accumulation of plastic in the North Pacific Sub-Tropical Gyre, commonly referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. “It was an incredible experience that opened my eyes to the vastness of the ocean and the scale of the plastic pollution pandemic,” Tim recalls. Seeing the problem firsthand motivated Tim and he began building his network of colleagues globally who were similarly committed to addressing the problem. This gave Tim the platform to stand up and demand changes with confidence. “I knew more than ever that change was critical and entirely possible,” he says.

Tim points out that there is no ‘floating island of plastic’ in the North Pacific nor in any of the five major oceanic gyres. “Yes, there are higher levels of plastic gathering in these naturally occurring ocean vortices, but the plastic is still highly dispersed, mostly small, microplastics, and not always on the surface, it descends deep into the water column,” he said. Tim believes the media has largely contributed to the misunderstanding of the ‘garbage patch’ which has resulted in lots of attention to bold plans to clean it up, but Tim says this is not the ‘silver bullet’ answer to the problem. “If we are serious about solving plastic pollution we have to stop the problem at the source. That means addressing our consumption, our waste production, our waste management and the leakage of our waste into the environment and waterways,” he says.

“I have always loved the expression that, we are the people we have been waiting for,” says Tim. “As someone who has been working on this issue for over ten years, I can proudly say that we have come an incredibly long way.” Waste and plastic pollution are now key issues discussed in all sectors of society in countries like Australia, the UK, and many other areas. Tim believes the only reason people are discussing plastic pollution solutions is because people have taken action themselves by liking photos on Instagram, signing petitions, sharing viral videos, watching documentaries, purchasing reusable products and picking up rubbish. “As Dr. Seuss writes in The Lorax, ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not,’ " says Tim. “So, whatever you are doing, keep it up, and do a little bit more.”

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How to filter your water with charcoal

Kishu Binchotan charcoal is an active carbon made from tree branches.  Due to its extremely porous structure, Binchotan charcoal is renowned for its ability to absorb impurities, unwanted tastes and odours from water such as chlorine and releasing beneficial natural minerals. It can also be used to purify indoor air, keep closets, drawers, and refrigerators free from odour, dampness and mould and improve the health of soil and plants.

 

Kishu charcoal is made from Japanese Holm oak, which grows on the forested hills of Kii Peninsula. Oak trees are not logged, but instead, branches are cut off selectively leaving the tree alive and healthy. To make Kishu Binchotan charcoal, oak branches are stacked inside kilns and baked at incredibly high temperatures over several weeks. Oxygen is then shut off and turned on again and its flow slowly increased. This centuries-old process turns wood into carbon, and at up to 98 per cent, Kishu Binchotan charcoal has the highest content of carbon of any charcoal making it one of the purest and highest quality charcoals available on Earth.

 

How to use Kishu Binchotan charcoal to filter water

1. Before using, boil the Kishu Binchotan charcoal stick for 10 minutes, remove and allow to and cool completely. It is now ready to be used. Re-boil the charcoal stick every two to three weeks to get rid of everything it has absorbed. Also, take care not to drop the charcoal stick as it is easily breakable.
    
2. To purify tap water for drinking, place the boiled and cooled Kishu Binchotan charcoal stick into a pitcher of water. Leave for a minimum of five hours, or overnight for best results. The charcoal stick will alkalise the water, absorb chemicals and toxins, and release beneficial minerals into the water. The charcoal stick will stay hard and not discolour the water. One stick will last for approximately three months if you boil it every second week.
    
3. Once your Binchotan charcoal stick has reached the end of its indoor life, improve soil health by recycling it in the garden. Break the charcoal stick up into pieces and mix it into new soil or apply it over a garden bed. The Binchotan charcoal will improve the movement of air and water through the sol, alkalise the soil, and reinforce trace elements.

Related: Shave waste free and save the environment; The environmental problem with palm oil; What is a circular economy?

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5 single-use plastic items everyone needs to stop using now

Our cumulative use of single use plastic is vastly affecting our planet and while this problem on a global scale can seem overwhelming, on a personal level it is more achievable. Fight plastic pollution and say no to the below five single use plastic items below; it’s a simple action you can do to tackle the increasing plastic pollution problem.

PLASTIC BAGS & PRODUCE BAGS

Australians use an estimated 5 billion plastic shopping bags every year with around 50 million entering oceans and waterways causing fatal harm to marine life. The phase out of lightweight plastic bags has been set for seven out of eight Australian states and territories. Although this is positive step forward, the replacement offered by large supermarket chains of a thicker more durable plastic shopping bag is merely a Band-Aid solution. Prepare for the plastic bag ban with truly biodegradable, plastic free reusable shopping and produce bags.

STRAWS

Single use plastic straws are one of the most insidious polluters in the world. They are an item of convenience for most people and are essentially useless, but millions are used daily worldwide despite their harmful effects on the environment.

Used for an average of 20 minutes, plastic straws have an incredibly short ‘consumer use’ lifespan. Although recyclable, the small and lightweight design of plastic straws make them difficult to sort at recycling facilities. Instead, they are discarded in landfill or blown into the environment, inevitably making their way to oceans and waterways.

The environmental effects of single use plastic items are permanent and widespread with plastic contributing to approximately 90 percent of the rubbish floating in our oceans, contaminating every square mile with 46 thousand pieces of plastic. Straws are one of the top ten items collected at beach clean-ups posing potential threat to seabirds, turtles and other marine animals.

Plastic straws are made from polypropylene which is derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource that uses vast amounts of energy to produce. These chemically produced products are non-biodegradable and when disposed photodegrade over time, causing each piece of plastic to break down into small fragments further polluting the environment and endangering wildlife.

Help reduce the environmental impact of single use plastic straws by requesting no straw with your drink or buy and use a reusable straw.

History of manufactured straws:

1800’s

Straws made from the stalks of rye grass were used in the early 1800’s to improve hygiene at restaurants and soda fountains. Unsatisfied with their weak structure, Marvin Stone designed the first paper drinking straw in 1888.

1900’s

Joseph B. Friedman designed and patented the bendy straw in 1937. The rise of fast food chains in the 1950’s increased popularity of convenience food in disposable packaging. Nonbiodegradable plastic straws made from non-renewable resources quickly replaced paper straws in the 1960’s.

2000’s

The increased production and consumption of nonbiodegradable plastic straws over the past century has contributed to the accumulation of plastic pollution in the environment. Environmental campaigns now encourage consumers to stop using plastic straws and use reusable straws instead.

COFFEE CUPS

We use approximately 1 billion disposable coffee cups each year, making this single use item one of the largest contributors to waste along with plastic bottles and bags. Many cannot be recycled as they are lined with polyethylene and take up to 50 years to degrade.

What people also forget is that it’s not just about the waste at the end, but the precious non-renewable resources that would go into making takeaway items, like coffee cups, in the first place. The environmental repercussions of disposable coffee cups begin well before the consumer has purchased their coffee where precious natural resources are used and pollutants are emitted to manufacture and transport the cups. Put an end to unnecessary waste and stop using single-use coffee cups. Choose a reusable coffee cup such as a KeepCup or dine in! 

WATER BOTTLES

The demand for convenience, driven by busy lifestyles has fostered a society with an insatiable desire for disposable solutions. At the forefront of this convenience driven culture is the excessive production and consumption of bottled water. Currently, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute worldwide with predictions of a 20 percent increase by 2021.

Bottled water is an unnecessary product developed by profit driven companies to sell to consumers at a price nearly 2000 times more than the cost of sourcing it directly from the tap. Use your consumer power to prevent further damage to the environment. Stop purchasing bottled water and invest in a good quality reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle.

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