As a family-run business, The Eco Stall’s founders have always been environmentally conscious, but struggled to find places in their local village to purchase eco-friendly homewares. As a solution, The Eco Stall was created as a primarily online store, making sustainable solutions more accessible to a wider audience. For Melanie, the company helps to protect the environment through selling “simple items we all use each and every day”, adding that “positive changes start at home first and foremost”. While the founders recognise that many people are initially resistant to alter their existing habits, they note that any change “no matter how big or small” can make a difference, and the Eco Stall’s strong presence on social media aims to educate people on the steps they can take.

The Eco Stall’s aims align with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To name a few, The Eco Stall’s zero waste initiative promotes ‘responsible consumption and production’ (goal 12), and ‘climate action’ (goal 13). Furthermore, despite being an online store with a consumer base across Europe, The Eco Stall has made working closely with local communities a strong priority. Partnerships with local charities and organisations such as Helping Hands Sunderland, If U Care Share and Durham University all work towards goal 11 of ‘sustainable cities and communities’ and have helped to spread the sustainability message further.

One key product, the adverse environmental impacts of which Melanie thinks most consumers are unaware, is the plastic toothbrush. “We change our toothbrushes maybe every three months if not sooner. Every plastic toothbrush ever used since the 1930's is still laying somewhere, which is quite staggering!” Using bamboo toothbrushes is an easy eco-friendly alternative and can be implemented by the whole family at a relatively low cost. Once worn out and the bristles are removed, the bamboo handle can be used as compost or thrown away, where it is biodegradable. Other founder-favourites from The Eco Stall include their dry hair shampoo, mineral toothpaste and the 2in1 shampoo bar.

For The Eco Stall and other businesses based mainly online, it is important to be conscious of and reduce carbon emissions and waste arising from the shipping process. The Eco Stall’s orders are shipped with “completely recyclable, compostable and reusable” packaging, with postal deliveries sent out in bi-weekly intervals to minimise the resulting carbon emissions. The most local deliveries done on foot, free of charge to the customer. Melanie emphasises how this also allows the company to develop relationships with customers in the local village.

Thanks to sustainable alternatives like those sold by The Eco Stall becoming more widely available, Melanie notes that “consumer habits are slowly shifting”, with people becoming “mindful of how they can do their bit to reduce their carbon footprint”. Although many new sustainable options may not be 100% zero waste or plastic free, any step in the right direction is beneficial as sustainability will gradually become the norm. Looking to the future, The Eco Stall hope to grow their business even further, with one of their current key focuses being the company’s educational campaigns, which they plan to change every quarter. In the words of Melanie, “planting a tree for every order, for example, is great …. But we would also like to bring awareness to other causes such as the oceans, beach cleaning, and clean water in countries that need it”.

You can find out more about The Eco Stall and shop their selection of products at https://www.theecostall.co.uk/ . You can also follow them on social media @the.ecostall (Instagram) and The Eco Stall (Facebook)

By Lily Clarke

The Eco Stall - everyday products with a greener purpose