Rigmaroles and Ragamuffins

I have just recently been given a lovely book called 'Rigmaroles and Ragamuffins', written by Elinor Kapp. It is a fascinating and amusing delve into the English language, with explanations of the origins of words and phrases we use everyday, that are derived from textile sources.

Do you ever idly wonder where the expression 'grasping the nettle' or a word like 'tenterhooks' came from, then this book provides some very interesting insights.

Thank You

A big thank you to Rupert for your lovely comments about our webshop, that you posted on your blog. Very kind and much appreciated. Of course we completely agree with everything you said, especially the bit about being "perfect for gifts" and heartily recommending taking a look!!

Is it really 107 shopping days til Christmas (well, 106 as of today)?

Bags of Change

We have recently joined 'Bags of Change' - a loyalty scheme that rewards shoppers with discounts from participating ethical, organic and Fairtrade stores, for using their "Bags of Change" bag, with the aim of banishing plastic bags forever! You can find out where the participating stores are in your area by visiting the 'Bags of Change' website.

There are two bags to choose from.

Firstly the original bag and our most popular bag to date. Available in three colourways and made from organic hemp and cotton with coconut shell buttons. It is lined for extra durability and has a very handy internal pocket. Designed to be with you everywhere. Nice and neat on the shoulder with the buttons done up, it also easily opens up into a roomy shopping bag. Extremely comfortable, lightweight, very stylish, and gets you exclusive discounts at a whole range of shops selling your favourite local, organic and Fairtrade products. Measuring 42cm wide x 38cm high (including 11cm gusset on base). Sizeable enough for all your ethical purchases. It is also washable.


The second style of bag is extremely stylish. This stylish dark brown shoulder bag is made from natural rubber sustainably tapped in the Amazon. Local tribal communities depend on rubber tapping for their survival and its production is helping to save over 900,000 hectares of rainforest from exploitation. The bag is strong and weatherproof — a fantastic ethical substitute for leather.
Measuring 37cm high x 50cm wide there’s plenty of room for your shopping and more.Best of all, it also gets you discounts at some of the best ethical independents in the UK. Measuring 37cm high x 50cm wide there’s plenty of room for your shopping and more.



If you buy your 'Bags of Change' bag from Greener by Nature, not only will you receive free postage and packing on your order, but you will qualify for 5% discount on any future order you place with us.

Soil Association Organic Fortnight

The Soil Association Organic Fortnight runs from Saturday 6th September 2008 to Sunday 21st September 2008, during which time people across Britain will be celebrating all things organic. A host of events will be taking place across the country to raise awareness of the environmental, health and social benefits of organic production.


Click here to visit the Soil Association official website for more information.

Ethical Junction

Thank you to Ethical Junction, who have now listed us in their directory. It is an online directory that brings together consumers and businesses who share a committment to ethical values. Each company listed has been vetted to ensure that ethical practices are adhered to throughout all areas of their business.

We want all our customers to be confident that we are genuine in our intentions to provide ethical products and run our business by ethical principals.

Love Food, Hate Waste

Have just found this great website, which I just had to share. With two small children and a very hectic home and work life, I am always looking for quick and easy but nourishing meals that will appeal to everyone.

Love Food, Hate Waste is a website dedicated to reducing food waste. Shockingly, around a third of the food we buy ends up being thrown away, which not only is a waste of money and resources but has serious environmental implications as well. Whilst I do try hard to only buy what we need and use what we buy, I know I could be doing better. This site has great tips and ideas on how to reduce your food bill and also has some really useful tools to help with meal planning and shopping lists. It also has help on how to measure the correct portion size, depending on who's coming to dinner and information on storing your food correctly.

I particularly like the recipes section and ideas of what to do with left overs. You simply select the food that you have leftovers of and a choice of different recipe ideas are given.

Mmm...Spanish Potato Tortilla for supper tonight!

Welcome to Greener by Nature

Born from a love of and a passion for all things vintage, textile and handcrafted, coupled with a genuine desire to try and reduce our own environmental footprint and seek out a more sustainable lifestyle, our aim at Greener by Nature is to make it easier for people to make alternative and conscientious choices, whilst fulfilling their desire for something uniquely stylish and ultimately special.

We are committed to providing contemporary eco-friendly and ethical gifts, clothing and home furnishings for the whole family, that are sourced from companies with a like vision and passion for beautiful quality merchandise that has sound sustainable, ethical and environmental credentials.

We also want to encourage as many of you as possible to get creative and promote activities such as knitting, sewing and handicrafts as constructive pastimes using vintage, recycled and reclaimed or organic and natural materials.

Please do get in touch and share your thoughts and ideas, tips and advice or even events that you think we should know about, or just because you want to.

Join us on our journey to become Greener by Nature.........................buckle up and enjoy the ride!