Climate change and our responsibility to protect our environment are not just high on the news agenda, it is a priority for many Cumbrian businesses and events organisers in the county.
Last month’s Woolfest highlighted how business and environment can work better together. Organisers encouraged visitors to the original British wool festival and celebration of nature’s finest fibres to bring their own reusable cups and water bottles.
The organisers also arranged for ALL the waste which was collected in bins around Mitchells Mart in Cockermouth to be recycled.
However, it was the stallholders which highlighted the ongoing work of Cumbrian businesses to be ‘green-minded’ and green with their actions.
A perfect example is Shear Delight, the Lake District Fibre Farming business which had a stall at Woolfest, with some of their flock in the pen next to them. The animals next to the wool represented the low carbon footprint of this local business.
Their philosophy is simple – as they say on their website: “What we love most about the farm is being with the animals but the next best thing is making the most of what we have.
“Much of the UK’s historic economy was built on wool and it’s so sad that from a farmers’ point of view, shearing the sheep is hardly worth the trouble.
“Many farmers burn the fleece or give it away as they see it as worthless. We both hate waste so it has become very important to us to make our wool business profitable, encouraging other farmers to think of wool as an asset again. Also, in terms of the environment and sustainability, wool is completely compostable in a year and synthetic fibres will not compost at all.”
Another great example of running a business without ruining the planet was The Soap Dairy. Another Cumbrian family business which makes natural handmade soap on their Lake District farm using rich and creamy Jersey milk, with no palm oil and no plastic.
Their micro-dairy makes traditional Cold Process soap using Jersey milk from the farm’s dairy cow, what would traditionally be called a ‘house’ cow as she provides milk for her calf as well as the household. The artisan Jersey milk soap is inspired by the local culture and ecology, the changing seasons and conservation farming.
Fiery Felts promoted their Environmental Policy clearly on their stall, and sold fleece natural dying kits in Kilner Jars and brought their fleeces to the festival in biodegradable paper sacks.
Medieval Colours is a relatively new business which took one of the mini-stalls at Woolfest, which provides smaller producers to attend the event.
Katarzyna Stasinska of Medieval Colours says: “Our yarns are naturally dyed – which means that we dye them using plants and minerals with no chemicals added, in the same way, like people did hundreds of years ago and how they still do in traditional cultures.
“Natural methods of dyeing are far more friendly for the environment – we use limited amounts of water and heat and no harmful chemicals! Our plants are bought from gardeners or picked from nature with big care (we pick only plants being common species). So if you choose naturally dyed yarn you choose ecology as well.
“We named our shop Medieval Colours because our main inspiration is heritage and history – especially Medieval history. We receive colours from plants traditionally used for dyeing for centuries, some of them we pick by hand in meadows and forests, other ones we order from like-minded people (those lucky ones with herbal garden).
“Tansy, madder, woad, weld, gallnuts…and dozens of other plants, every one of them has its own tale.”
And Woolfest organisers are already planning Woolfest 2020, 26 and 27
Are you organising an event and putting into acton ways to reduce waste and negative impact of the environment? If so, we’d love to share your story on cumbria24. Please get in touch, email us today.
