💚♻️💚 And so, here it is.. The last day of the #shopethicalinstead challenge with the theme ‘Black Friday’ of course! This is a bit of a funny one for me, because in some ways I can see the appeal of Black Friday deals- if you’re on a small budget and need to make your money stretch on Christmas gifts, it can be helpful when something is heavily discounted. However, when you look in to it’s connotations with Thanksgiving- which is actually pretty bloody awful from the perspective of the Indigenous peoples of America- and the commercial side of this ‘Sell, sell, sell!’ attitude, it certainly doesn’t do the planet any favours. In the midst of an environmental crisis and a global pandemic on top of that- people are being urged to buy more STUFF made with cheap labour and no thought about its environmental consequences. Plus, as a small business owner you’re very very pressured to take part and make more sales- but actually in fact with a lot less profit and return for your hard work. When you see something you’ve put a lot of love into sell for a lot less- it can sting a little! And for what? So you can compete with the corporates and multi national companies? Nahh. You’re alright. I’ve actually had a few messages this year asking if I’m doing any offers for Black Friday- so here you go; 10% of any sales today will be donated to @greenpeace -because frankly, I care more about the impact this is having on the planet. Thanks @shopethicalinstead it’s been a good one! I’m now going to give my brain a rest! 😂. XxC-M. (Image description: A banner that reads ‘Green Friday. 10% donation to greenpeace.org with every purchase!’ against a blue leafy background with a tree branch in the middle). #blackfriday #greenfriday #smallbusiness #smallbiz #mycreativebiz #handmade #handmadewithlove #ethics #ecofashion #supportsmallbusiness #slowfashion #fuckfastfashion #fashion #ecofriendly #etsy #etsyshop #btnetsy #etsysellersofinstagram #madeintheuk #madeinengland #thereisnoplanetb #blackfridayboycott #ethicalfashion #thinkbigshopsmall #shoplocal 
💜♻️💚 The penultimate theme for the #shopethicalinstead challenge is simply ‘Shop Ethical Instead’! So here are some shots of the purple dungarees I made, that are part of the ‘Acid Lilacs’ collection and available to buy on Etsy! If there is any way, no matter how big or small, with whatever budget you can afford- that you are able to shop ethically this Christmas and think about the planet too when you do! Please give it a go. Xx C-M. (Image description: 3 photos of blufruit midi size model Hannah (a white lady) wearing purple corduroy dungarees and shoulder frills shirt underneath. She is surrounded by leaves on a stone wall behind her and on the grass under her feet. She is looking at the viewer in 2 photos and holding on to vines in 1 of them). @shopethicalinstead #dungarees #purple #purpledungarees #autumn #aw20 #blufruitclothing #blufruit #smallbusiness #smallbiz #supportsmallbusiness #handmade #slowfashion #madewithlove #madewell #sewing #sewistsofinstagram #madeinengland #madeintheuk #uniquefashion #purpleandgreen #upcycled #upcyclefashion #recycledfashion #recycledclothing #ethicalclothing #ethicalfashion #blackfriday #fastfashionsucks 
🌊🌞💘 So with today’s #shopethicalinstead challenge theme being ‘Favourite ethical find’ I was trying to narrow down my favourite- be it a local ethical supermarket or low waste/refill shop, a local ethical underwear company, a couple of ethical and living wage fashion labels, a few favourite eateries! When I realised all of my favourites have been found in my favourite place to live.. Brighton! Since living here (officially) for the last 9 years! I have found so many other small businesses that I love and even more so, found a place where many people genuinely care about each other and the environment. Of course it’s far from perfect! And there are always some things that aren’t so great about living in a city- apart from the gaudy, kitsch and tacky Britishness of it (I love that)- but I still enjoy living here anyway 😊. It truly feels like home here and whenever I’ve returned from being away I always feel home- which I haven’t in any other place, even where I grew up in a London suburb. If you aren’t from here and you get the chance to visit in the future, I’d highly recommend it! XxC-M. (Video description: A beautiful sunny day with a strong breeze and the waves hitting the shoreline. What’s left of the old west pier is visible in the background). @shopethicalinstead #brighton #brightoner #brightonbeach #sunnyday #sunshine #sunskysea #beachlife #britishbeaches #britishbeach #british #sea #waves #home #thesoundofthesea #smallbusiness #brightonbusiness #supportsmallbusiness #blue #water #seaside #sunshine #beachday #beachlover #sealovers 
💜💜💜Just a reminder that all small businesses need your support right now, despite whichever algorithms, settings, or bias these online platforms may have! Every like, comment, save, share and purchase make a huge difference- so if you can see this post, feel free to give it a like! I’m also currently taking custom orders if there’s anything you fancy on the blufruit Etsy shop/ website 😉 Xx Charlotte-Mary. (Image description: Black text against a purple floral background with the words ‘small businesses like mine need your support!’). #supportsmallbusiness #smallbusiness #indiebiz #mycreativebiz #shopsmall #thinkbigshopsmall #indiemaker #slowfashion #handmade #supportlocal #buylocal #madewithlove #ethicalfashion #creative #mycreativelife #maker #smallbiz #smallbusinesssupport #shopsmallbusiness #shopsmallthischristmas #shoplocaluk #madeinengland #madeintheuk #handmadewithlove #etsy #btnetsy #etsysellersofinstagram 
✂️💜✂️ As today’s #shopethicalinstead challenge theme is ‘Make it last’, I thought I would repost this photo of some wash labels that go into most blufruit items. I always remember the Joan Crawford quote “Treat your clothes like the good friends they are.” when it comes to making clothes last- whether that means washing them with care, repairing them or even upcycling or customising them! Fast fashion has made people very complacent about the amount of work (and materials, energy, etc) that has gone into their clothing- making them easily throw these items away, which is why I started re-making in the first place! To think that people used to cherish their tailored clothing and even hand down important pieces, to the situation we’re in now where everything is disposable. Maybe if we respected our clothes a little more, the process of making and crucially the people who make them, we can change this throw away, fast fashion culture. And it can start as simply as washing your existing clothes a little more carefully. They’ll thank you for it! XxC-M. (Image description: A pile of white hand wash labels with the words ‘Handmade In England’ on them, on top of some black satin fabric). @shopethicalinstead #handmadewithlove #handmade #madewithlove #madewell #makeclotheslast #madetolast #slowfashion #fuckfastfashion #fastfashion #fastfashionsucks #whomadeyourclothes #ethicalfashion #upcycling #upcycledfashion #recycledfashion #madeinengland #madeintheuk #fashion #fashiondesign #shopsmall #smallbusiness #thinkbigshopsmall 
‘Buy less, choose well’ is today’s #shopethicalinstead challenge theme 💚💙💜 Which is a great mantra when buying fashion. Although I tend to make slightly over-the-top and eccentric pieces (rather than simple basics), I like to think that the buyer is choosing something that represents their own taste and style and is getting an upcycled piece that will be loved and worn many many times. A great place to start also, if you want to inject a little colour and flare into your wardrobe- but are not sure where to start- is with accessories. Even the smallest elements of colour and pattern can make an outfit, and the great thing about accessories is that they can be worn with so many outfits! From upcycled scarves like this one, to shoulder bags, collars, hair bows and even face masks, I love to make low waste accessories that are as unique as their wearer and of course good for the planet too! XxC-M. (Image description: blufruit model Keilah, a slim mixed race woman is standing side on in front of a large pampas grass and looking up. She has an upcycled purple and cranberry scarf on that’s draped over her shoulder and worn with the lilac striped wrap dress. Both are from the current ‘Acid Lilacs’ collection on Etsy). @shopethicalinstead #upcycled #upcycledfashion #accessories #recycled #recycledaccessories #upcycledaccessories #purple #lilac #checkscarf #tartanscarf #slowfashion #ethicalfashion #handmade #handmadefashion #madewithlove #etsy #btnetsy #etsysellersofinstagram #autumn #aw20 #scarfseason #sew #sewing #sewistsofinstagram 
Hello Sunday 🙃 Today’s theme for the #shopethicalinstead challenge is ‘Give back’ 💜♻️💜 which reminded me of my ‘Re-Upcycling Service’ where customers can literally send back their used blufruit items- whether they’re damaged, no longer worn or just not suitable- to me, so I can re-use them again for another design/s. Not only does this mean that you as a buyer get a massive 50% off your next blufruit purchase, but it also means that, that item can be remade again and closes the loop a circular way. I love that I can do this because it’s much more friendly to the environment and I have no problem taking something I’ve made back if it’s no longer being loved. (Plus I love a challenge!).. If you have any questions about this service or would like to use it yourself- just send me a message! XxC-M. @shopethicalinstead (Photo description: Photo of an image from the website, with some floral fabric, scissors and measuring tape, next to a description of how to use the Re-Upcycle service). #circularfashion #blufruit #upcycle #upcycling #recycle #recycling #fashion #upcycledfashion #antifastfashion #saynotofastfashion #madeinengland #madeintheuk #ecofashion #greenfashion #slowfashion #mycreativebiz #supportsmallbusiness #buyhandmade #thinkbigshopsmall #discoverunder1k #makersgonnamake #studiolife #mumwhosews #maker #fashiondesigner #ecofriendly #ecofashion 
‘All that glistens’ is today’s #shopethicalinstead challenge theme, which reminded me of this gorgeous fabric! 💫💜💫 It’s one of many fabric remnants I’ve collected over the years, so of course it’s been made into a few pieces 🙂 (-two of which are currently available on the Etsy shop!). I do love a bit of metallic print/ fabric and I’ve used them often in previous collections in different forms, because of course it’s super bold and super festive! XxC-M. @shopethicalinstead (Image description: A close up flat lay photo of some jersey fabric. It is covered in rows of abstract shape patterns with bright shiny gold, mint green, lilac and peach). #metallic #fabric #print #pattern #repeatedpattern #gold #handmadefashion #sew #sewistsofinstagram #slowfashion #oneofakind #ooak #uniquefashion #bold #boldisbeautiful #etsy #btnetsy #etsyshop #etsysellersofinstagram #fashiondesign 
‘Conscious consumer’ is today’s #shopethicalinstead challenge theme 💚♻️💚 which made me think about this post I saw on @sustainableish during the first lockdown here in the U.K. It’s reassuring to hear facts like this when you’re also trying to be more sustainable in not only the work you do, but your lifestyle as well! Over the last 2 years or so I’ve tried to make several changes at home to help reduce our waste and use of plastic. From making reusable wipes/cloths and choosing green energy sources, to re-filling bottles and buying loose fruit and veg locally, there are so many everyday changes we can make in order to be more sustainable. I think we’re lucky here in Brighton to have resources to help do these things, especially when it’s not always affordable for everybody- but the fact that more people are becoming aware of this is very encouraging. I hope people also start looking at the clothes they wear too and make changes to how and where they buy their fashion.Xx p.s. I’d also recommend using the search engine Ecosia instead of google, as it plants a tree every time you search for something! (Image description: A screenshot of a ‘Sustainablish’ Instagram post that says ‘Google searches for “How to live a sustainable lifestyle” have increased by more than 4550% over the last 90 days’). #sustainability #sustainable #ecofriendly #greenerlife #thereisnoplanetb #climatechange #eco #greenfashion #slowfashion #ecofashion #planetfriendly #upcycling #recycling #recycledfashion #upcycledfashion #thoughts