Feel Good approved: ways to reduce your plastic use in 2023
February 2023
We pride ourselves on being eco-friendly, plastic free and easily recyclable. However, we know being eco-friendly and cutting down plastic for the rest of your life isn’t as easy as just picking up a pack of Feel Good.
If you’re looking for some other easy ways to cut down on ‘greening up your life’ – look no further.
Here are some simple switches to cut down a little bit more on your plastic use…
Switch to bar soap instead of those that come in hard-to-recycle plastic bottles
Next time you’re adding shop to your trolley in your weekly shop, maybe consider your options. Bars of soap have a much lower environmental impact, due to packing being more minimal and paper-based.
This is compared to liquid soap which is packaged in plastic disposable bottles.
Use matches instead of plastic throw-away lighters
If you’re a candle lover, you might have a few plastic lighters hanging around your house. But how about switching to matches instead? It may be a small step to cut down on plastic, but every little helps. And, doesn’t it feel much classier?
Switch to cans or glass instead of plastic drinks bottles
Instead of buying a plastic bottle of water from the supermarket every time you’re thirsty, why not invest in a reusable bottle?
Over 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year. Scientists predict that by 2050 they will contain more plastic by weight than fish. By switching to a reusable bottle, the average Brit can save around 150 single-use plastic bottles from use every year.
Switch to pencils instead of plastic pens
Another small but might tip you might not have thought of. Instead of buying cheap plastic pens that you’ll inevitably lose, or break and spill ink everywhere, go for a pencil instead! That way you can erase all your mistakes, including any relating to plastic use…
Got any more ideas? Let us know on Instagram @feelgood_eco
Now available in Tesco!
January 2023
We’ve got some great news to kick off 2023 as Feel Good is now available in Tesco!
Less than two years after we launched in Waitrose, you can now pick up a pack of Feel Good in three supermarket chains – Tesco, Waitrose and Booths, as well as online retailer Ocado. We’re so proud of the leaps we’ve made and it just goes to show that supermarkets are really increasing the ease of which shoppers can pick up sustainable swaps in their weekly hauls.
Made from 100% recycled materials, including magazines and office waste, Feel Good launched in April 2021 as a more sustainable alternative to virgin fibre products. The brand has been well received by UK retailers, with the product’s availability in selected Tesco stores nationwide and online as the latest example.
Coming in recyclable paper packaging, all source material comes from the UK and Europe and comprises of fibres at the end of their life cycle.
Thinking of giving us a try but want to know more? Head over to our FAQs to find out what we’re all about.
We’ll also have more news on where you can buy Feel Good very soon, so look out for updates and get chatting to us on our social channels: Instagram and Facebook.
#WorldToiletDay 2023
November 2022
November 19th is recognised #WorldToiletDay Yes, a whole day dedicated to the toilet!
In the UK, we take the humble toilet for granted – we’re sure we can find a toilet in any public space we go to and we can usually be confident we won’t be… caught short. But, did you know there are approximately 3.6 billion who people don’t have access to a safe toilet? Toilets are key to preventing disease in our communities.
The UN is dedicated to providing a toilet for all by 2030.
Access to sanitation is recognised by the UN as a human right. Everyone should be entitled to have affordable access to sanitation, throughout the world.
Not sure what to do with your leftover toilet rolls? With Spooky Season around the corner, you can magically transform these little bits of cardboard into some creative Halloween decorations.
Here at Feel Good, we care about the environment and creating sustainable solutions by repurposing this bathroom item, to decorate your home in a fun, easy and eco-friendly way, with minimal extra materials.
Take a look at these 5 creative craft ideas!
Bat
Hang these little critter’s from your ceiling to make your space feel like a bat cave.
Step 1: Start by painting the outside of your roll with black paint.
Step 2: Cut out two eyes and spiky teeth with white card (a more eco-friendly solution to plastic googly-eyes).
Step 3: Next, cut out some bat wings with any card you have – old cereal or tissue boxes work well here – and paint black.
Step 4: Stick the wings onto the back of the roll with glue or tape.
Spider Sweet Holder
Sprinkle these little spiders around and fill them up with spooky sweets.
Step 1: Paint the inside and outside of your roll with black paint.
Step 2: Using scissors, cut out rectangles facing each other on the roll, approximately ¾ of the way up – these will be the front and back of the spider.
Step 3: Cut three slits on each side, also ¾ up the roll – these will be the legs. Where the legs start, bend them outward and fold downward toward the end of the leg.
Step 4: Draw on a couple of googly-eyes and a mouth with spiky teeth with white sharpie or paint.
Step 5: Cut a black circle made of card, the same circumference of the roll and stick to the leg side of the spider.
Step 6: Finally, fill up the top of the spider with whatever sweets you like!
Goofy Ghouls
Halloween doesn’t have to be too scary. Add a little silliness with these goofy ghouls.
Step 1: To start, paint your rolls white on both sides.
Step 2: With black paint or sharpie, add on two eyes and a mouth – these can be a little wonky.
Step 3: Finish off your ghosts with two arms by cutting out the arms with white card, and stick them onto the sides.
Mummy
Got a little extra toilet paper? Make this super simple mummy with only two steps!
Step 1: Wrap several pieces of scrap toilet paper around the roll and stick together with small drops of glue.
Step 2: Simply draw two eyes onto your roll and voila!
Castle
Feeling extra creative? Why not try out this challenging spook-tacular castle.
Be as creative as you like with the size and formation of your castle.
Step 1: Paint your rolls black or grey and leave to dry.
Step 2: Draw on your designs in black, white, or grey sharpie – draw cobbles, windows, front door and some vines.
Step 3: Carefully cut out your windows with scissors or a craft knife.
Step 4: Create a grassy base with green card and shape like a lawn. Draw on some bunches of grass for extra detail.
Step 5: Position a few of your rolls for the first level and glue together. Now attach these to the green base.
Step 6: Cut out a shaped piece of card for the second floor and paint it the same colour as your castle. Glue this onto the top of your lower level.
Step 7: Now position your second level tubes and glue them together, as well as onto the second floor base.
Step 8: Stick two tubes together to create a tall turret and add a cone on top by cutting a pattern for a cone and shaping it with coloured card.
Step 9: Cut some small squares out around the top of the tubes to give a castle wall effect.
Step 10: To enhance your castle, place electric tea lights into the windows and watch them glimmer in the dark.
Step 11: Take your castle to the next level, with mini pumpkins, cauldrons, and a witch.
Whether you’re moving to your first halls at university or helping someone prepare for the first big step out of the nest. Packing for university can be overwhelming. Especially if you’re making the effort to be eco-conscious, in between freshers’ fairs and pot noodles.
We’ve asked around Feel Good HQ, and here are some things the team wish they had taken to their first uni accommodation and found some options that’ll help you feel good about your first halls.
A bath mat
It might not seem essential, but whether you have a communal bathroom or you share one, a bath mat is essential. They help keep the bathroom just a little cleaner, and they can look pretty cute! Urban Outfitters is the ultimate option for a funky bathmat.
Candles
You’ll probably want to air out and freshen up your room as you move in. You might be tempted to get some plug-in air fresheners, but make sure you go for candles instead. Plugin refreshers not only use unnecessary electricity, but are often made with toxic materials that make them hard to recycle.
Flip flops
Okay, hear us out. We know the UK isn’t necessarily a year-round, flip-flop-wearing country but… If you’ve got communal showers, flip-flops are a must. You never know what germs are lurking on those communal shower floors…
A pack of toilet rolls!
(helps if it’s Feel Good)
In all the fuss and rush, sometimes the essentials get forgotten. But make sure you’ve packed some toilet rolls, so you don’t have to run to the shop as soon as you’ve moved in! You can also guarantee someone else will have forgotten so you can be there to lend a helping hand by sharing a roll. But, if everyone in your halls remembered this essential, you can rest assured that you’re stocked up for a while!
Festival season is well underway, with Glastonbury kicking off next week.
Glastonbury has always been a pioneer of sustainability, this year is no different. Climate activist Greta Thunberg will be taking to the main stage to make an impassioned speech about the climate crisis. Everyone who has bought a ticket to the festival has also been asked to sign their ‘Love the Farm, Leave no Trace’ pledge, encouraging festival goers to limit their impact on the site.
Here are a few of our tips to help you have a more sustainable festival…
Eco-glitter
Glitter is a festival staple, but most traditional glitters contain micro-plastics. These plastics will linger around the festival site long after you’ve packed up your tent. Opt for eco glitter instead which is often made from biodegradable plant cellulose and is a lot healthier for the environment!
Bring a bottle
We all know that hydration at festivals is important, ESPECIALLY when you wake up in a boiling hot tent the morning after maybe one too many beverages…
The convenience of bottled water is tempting, but the majority of festivals have plenty of water taps with safe drinking water around the site. All you need is your reusable bottle and you’re good to go!
Pack a mac
UK festivals and rain go hand-in-hand. Be prepared and keep dry by packing a pack-a-mac or light raincoat. You can avoid forking out a fiver on a bright orange single-use rain poncho. And save your style creds in the process.
Recycled toilet paper
If you’ve never been to a camping festival before, here’s a tip: take your own toilet roll. In fact, even if you’re going for a day and not camping – take your own toilet roll. Those festival portaloos are bound to run out so be prepared and keep a single roll in your bag for emergencies. Even better if it’s recycled toilet paper…
For more sustainability tips, make your you check out our other blogs, or head over to our Instagram!
Small Changes to Make in life To Be Greener
May 2022
Grow your own herbs
It’s so easy to grow your own herbs and can save money in the long run! Especially with spring on the way, setting up a little garden area or shelf space near a window for sunlight would help you go green. If you love cooking, you will know how necessary herbs are and drinking too. After all, what’s a mojito without mint?
Try Plogging
Wait, what even is plogging? It’s basically the new running craze that is saving the planet. The combination of jogging with picking up litter started in Sweden, and it makes you feel 100% physically and mentally. You get to feel good about doing something green and getting your daily exercise in.
Shop local
Local businesses are fundamental to economic growth and reducing our impact on the environment. It is often more expensive and sometimes less convenient but can be a small change in your life just to pop into a local shop for products. The good news is this will have a big impact if it becomes a habit for you and a step toward being greener.
Sell/Donate your clothes
Keeping up with clothes trends or kids growing older (and taller) will mean lots of clothes that will be thrown out. But instead why not donate to your local charity shop or to sell them to get some extra cash! Also with the thrifting trend being so popular, there is a profitable niche market.
Eat less meat
Don’t worry if you missed Veganuary or might have failed your vegetarian diet for 2022 resolution. We are starting again with a mini target here to eat less meat, such as doing 2 or 3 vege days in the week. Meat is responsible for many greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural industry o my simply reducing your intake of meat can already have a big impact on being greener.
Use Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper
A lot of trees are cut down to make toilet paper rolls. In the UK alone, an estimated 7 million trees are cut down every year just to make toilet roll that is flushed away. We must stop flushing our trees. The best solution? Recycled paper! This is what Feel Good promotes with their toilet paper products and how key sustainability is, helping you all to be greener.
If you want to find more tips and tricks then head over to our social channels and join the chatter!
It’s April and although the weather might not have got the memo, Spring is here! This means it’s time for a big spring clean.
A spring clean gives you the chance to reset and refresh your home. We would advise regular tidy up so the job isn’t as daunting, but either way, we’ve got you covered.
Read on for our easy (and of course, eco-friendly) cleaning tips …
Make yourself an all-purpose cleaner
Starting off with a cleaning tip that is not only eco-friendly but can save lots of pennies. Make your own all-purpose cleaner.
Using a homemade, all-purpose cleaner and popping it in an old spray bottle means you’ll be cutting down on products with lots of plastic packaging.
Simply mix 150ml water, 60ml white vinegar and 40ml surgical spirit (optional essential oil for fragrance!)
You can use this everywhere: worktops, the hob, cupboards, mirrors and glass for a streak-free, quick-drying clean!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy
Lemons are an asset to any eco-friendly cleaning routine, with both antibacterial and antiseptic qualities.
Rub a slice of lemon on a cutting board to remove germs. Go a step further and dip lemon halves into salt and use them to scrub your pots back to their signature shine.
Another top tip is to use a lemon half to clean tricky cheese graters! Save your sponges from getting shredded by wiping graters with lemon before washing. It’ll loosen up anything stuck inside.
Clear the closet
We’re all guilty of it. Keeping items of clothing that no longer fit us, suit us or are falling apart because of sentimental value. It’s time to take inspiration from Marie Kondo and get rid of what doesn’t ‘spark joy.’ Whether you sell old items online or donate to your local charity shop, there are still ethical considerations.
While charity shops are always happy to welcome your donations, not every item goes on to have a second life. Research by Oxfam estimates ‘at least’ one million pounds of textiles donated ends up in landfills.
Easy tips to ensure your donated items go on to a loving home include making sure everything you donate is washed, checking the quality and that there are no holes or missing buttons, and checking before you donate. Make sure to call your chosen charity shop before making a trip as they make be overcome with donations and prefer you wait a week or two to take new items in.
Toothbrushes can come in handy for cleaning any awkward spots in your home. The back of your taps, computer keyboards and the grout between your tiles.
The small size and coarse bristles are perfect for cleaning stubborn grime.
The weather is finally warming up for spring so we figured it was a good time we do another nature-related craft… with toilet rolls of course! A bug hotel is a great little way of caring for wildlife and recycling Feel Good toilet roll cores.
This zero-waste idea will brighten up your garden and is super fun to make.
Bug hotels are really simple to make and have massive benefits to lots of different minibeasts and insects such as ladybirds, bees, spiders, and woodlice. Minibeasts can then use the hotels as a safe space to shelter, lay eggs, raise their young, and hide from predators.
Using sustainably sourced materials is important to us at Feel Good (we’re big fans of recycling if you hadn’t realised) You can gather most of the materials for this project from your recycling bin and the garden, but you might also need to dig around the craft box a little bit.
What you’ll need:
Feel Good toilet roll cores
Scissors
Tape/glue
Cardboard
Items like sticks, stones, twigs, dry leaves, pinecones, grass etc.
How to make your bug hotel:
Step 1:
Using the cardboard pieces, build a structure (we made a two-story hotel out of an old cardboard box) and add in the toilet rolls as tunnels on the “ground floor”
Step 2:
Add in the string, arrange however you like, to create a different texture environment on the “first floor”
Step 3:
Add the natural materials in such as sticks, stones, leaves, grass, twigs to fill out the first floor
Step 4:
Start to mix up and layer your materials and build a sort of playground for the bugs in their hotel
Step 5:
To finish off, add some leaves to the top for a little roof and pop it outside for all the bugs, minibeasts, insects, and wildlife in your garden.
Remember – be inventive!
There’s not a right or wrong way to make one of these hotels. Give it a go and share with us your bug hotels – tag us on Instagram and Facebook. If you’re looking for another toilet roll craft for the spring, check out our toilet roll bird feeder tutorial.
5 ways to be even more eco-friendly in 2022
January 2022
If you’re aiming to be more eco-friendly in 2022, you’re not alone. A survey of over 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by GoCompare, found that being more environmentally friendly was one of this year’s most popular new year’s resolutions. However, data from YouGov found, of those who made resolutions, around a quarter failed to keep any of them (23%).
Being more eco-friendly in 2022 doesn’t have to be a big commitment. It only takes a few small changes to reduce your impact on the environment:
Practice meat-free Monday
The prospect of going vegetarian, or vegan, full time might be a daunting one, but how about meat-free Monday? An easy way to do something for the planet is to have one plant-based day a week.
Plastic bags have a lasting effect on the environment. They can take anywhere from 15 years to 1,000 years to decompose and cause harm to wildlife around the country.
Using an eco-friendly bag made from biodegradable materials is an easy swap that will cut down your plastic waste.
Switch to a reusable water bottle
Instead of buying a plastic bottle of water from the supermarket every time you’re thirsty, why not invest in a reusable bottle?
Over 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year. Scientists predict that by 2050 they will contain more plastic by weight than fish. By switching to a reusable bottle, the average Brit can save around 150 single-use plastic bottles from use every year.
Turn electrical appliances off when they’re not being used
This may seem like an obvious one but, it’s one of the easiest changes to make. Leaving appliances running is a huge waste of energy that can be avoided so easily.
Set reminders on your phone to turn off your plugs when you leave for work in the morning and before you go to bed.
Switch to recycled/reusable products
Maybe the easiest change of all – switching your usual groceries out for eco alternatives! Next time you’re doing your weekly grocery shop, why not see what products you can swap out for a more eco-friendly option?
Waitrose, Booths and Ocado shoppers can make an easy swap with their toilet roll by picking up Feel Good! Unlike other supermarket toilet paper brands, Feel Good is made of 100% recycled materials and comes in an easily recycled paper wrapper!
