Something Good
A Newcastle store making it easier to live the zero-waste lifestyle.
What is it: A sustainable living store with a plastic-free pantry and a refillery, Something Good is bringing the zero-waste lifestyle to Newcastle (and possibly beyond if its popular online service is extended).
Why you’ll love it: Founder Lauren Wedderburn, an architect by training, has applied an ethos of great design to create a minimalist, light-filled space that makes supporting a more ethical lifestyle much easier for all of us. Confused by the implications of the choices that you make in a regular supermarket run, Lauren has chosen a selection of products that not only fit the store’s carefully curated aesthetic but also the rigorous set of values (biodegradable, plastic-free, and not tested on animals) on which it is founded.
What you need to know: Here you’ll find the everyday items that you use in your life and in your home – the porridge you make for breakfast, the coffee that wakes you, the oat milk you’ve now switched to, the body wash you apply in the shower — but without the environmental devastation. Gone are single-use plastics and none-reusable packaging: Dried goods, like cereals and spices, nuts and pasta, are dispensed into compostable bags or long-use containers; bath, kitchen, and cleaning products distributed in refillable bottles so you buy only what you need.
Where possible Lauren sources locally, supporting the independents in her community similarly striving for a better way of living, like handmade chocolate from Tynemouth, natural deodorant produced a walk away, and coffee beans ground and roasted in North Shields.
Purchases also support one of the shop’s two charity partners: tree planting with the Tree Sisters — whereby money for a tree is donated with each delivery or each birthday of loyalty club members, and The Hygiene Bank, alleviating hygiene poverty through a buy one / donate one scheme.
How to bring this into your life: The pandemic has driven more of us online for our food shopping. Replace an Ocado order if you can with click and collect from a zero-waste store. Something Good even offers local delivery by electric cargo bikes or a zero transmission van.
Why we think it matters: When we read that microplastics have now entered our water supply and that traces have been found in our bodies, there’s no hiding the devastating impact of our consumer choices anymore. From killing seabirds and marine life to accelerating climate change, that throwaway water bottle lasts longer than the thirst you had when you bought it. Similarly, we’re overbuying when we shop, with an estimated 33 to 50% of all food grown globally never eaten. By buying less and buying what you need, you can reduce the amount of food that goes moldy in your fridge or is forgotten at the back of a cupboard. Stores like Something Good present an alternative way of purchasing our food and products for our home in a way that not only feels good but does our planet good too.
In their own words: "Our little shop brings together all of the products we use ourselves to make our everyday routine a little less wasteful, and a little more sustainable! Everything we sell is tried, tested, tasted and loved by us, so we can make it simple and affordable for you to make some small changes, too.
We make sure each product is thoughtfully designed, well crafted, and sourced from only the best growers, makers and creators. And we make sure to champion local small businesses at every opportunity."
Something to do: Many more of us are turning to plant-based eating as a form of environmental protection, but many of our cosmetic products also use animal derivatives in their ingredients. If you are making the switch to vegan, look on your bathroom shelf as much as your kitchen fridge. Lauren recommends Pamoja skincare, as a planet-friendly go-to.
To find out more: Website / Instagram / Facebook
Additionally, try The Good Life for more on pursuing a zero-waste lifestyle.
The Good Life | A conversation on sustainability with founder Shelley Brown
The Good Life is one of those stores we’d love to have in our neighborhood. We chatted to its founder on why local matters more than ever.
We lured Shelley Brown away from stock-taking to talk to us about The Good Life, the waste-free mini market that she founded in northern England just a year ago. We discussed why local still matters, what led her to start the space, and how to deal with the challenges of being a store owner. This conversation restored our faith in our High Streets to do good for our communities, our planet and ourselves. We hope you feel the same!
What inspired you to start The Good Life?
The Good Life had been brewing in my subconscious for some time. It was the sudden death of my sister which spurred me to start the project with my father. It became something positive to focus on during a very dark time.
How do you bring a sense of community and connection into your space?
The Good Life is very much a community enterprise. It has been unexpected quite how much! Customers constantly tell me what the shop means to them and what it has done for the area. It’s been so rewarding. I live down the road in Heaton Moor and my daughter goes to Didsbury Rd School, a four-minute walk away. I knew that when I opened a shop like this it would be vital that I was connected to its location. The Heatons is full of independent businesses and the residents are passionate about supporting them. It is an area where people tend to stay. The shop stock has been built around the customers; if they ask for something, if I can get it I will!
Do you ever think about wellbeing, your own or others, in what you do?
Wellbeing is very much connected to The Good Life. I have always embraced life, but even more so since losing my sister. It is not unusual for customers to bring us home-baked goods, cards, and flowers. The shop has become an open space for customers to come and have a coffee or sometimes a glass of wine, to have a chat or even a cry. I feel very connected to my customer base; some have become dear friends.
Are you finding that there's an increasing interest in sustainable lifestyles? Do you think that people are starting to change their shopping habits? We've noticed more people going on plastic fasts and bringing reusable cups, for instance.
Absolutely. A change is certainly happening and people know they have to make changes. We are also seeing big corporations responding to a demand for this because of the action of individuals.
What one thing could people do to live a more sustainable life?
Refill! The household/beauty refill side of the business has grown month on month since we opened. We look for new products all the time. As well as the obvious choices like laundry liquid we now do everything from micellar water to deodorant to baby oil. It's a very easy swap for people to make and massively reduces their personal waste.
Why was a physical space important to you (rather than online)?
This business is all about relationships. The internet has, of course, contributed to the death of the High Street, but also the death of communication. Our demographic is from 0-90 and I am very aware of the isolation that older generations must feel and how important shops like this are to them.
What’s the best thing you did to achieve this dream?
I just got on with it! Failure was never an option!
What’s been the toughest moment and how did you get through it?
It's a financial juggling act. Building the stock has been hard as it's vital to buy in large bulk to compete with the supermarkets.
Who or what did you draw inspiration from?
I drew inspiration from other zero waste shops to build my base stock. An old friend Pete helped me realise my shop vision through the design process and Charly Tudor (introduced through Pete) was vital in creating the brand identity.
The shop is named after the TV programme. My sister and I watched it growing up and I re-watched it all after her death. It's not an original name, but I couldn't call it anything else!
What would be on your ideal High Street?
I love living in the Heatons because we have what a traditional High Street looks like. Independent shops offering everything from glasses to gifts to clothes. We even have an independent cinema. I hate cheap shops selling crap. Budget supermarkets who rip off suppliers and farmers. Convenience stores that sell air-freighted food all year round! We have lost the value of good, local, seasonal produce. The high cost of living has forced people to demand cheaper and cheaper foodstuffs and it's been to the detriment of the planet and of the nation’s health.
We wanted to mention how much we love the apron 'We're Naked in Here!' and your design approach overall.
All down to our designer Charly Tudor! It was certainly a talking point!