Energy efficient
We ask ourselves how efficient the use of energy is during consumption of the product that we are considering retailing.

As much as a quarter of all UK carbon dioxide emissions come from the fuels we use in our homes. Total UK electricity use in 2005 was 407 billion kilowatt hours. 29% of this was by UK households. 8% of energy supplied to UK households is wasted in electronic equipment left on standby, equivalent to 4 million tonnes of CO2 annually! Clearly we can make an impact on these figures simply by using electronic devices more sensibly, and switching them off. 

An alternative is to consume products that use energy from renewable sources (currently only 5% of UK supply is from renewables). Biome Lifestyle offers wind-up/ solar powered radios and torches, which have a rechargeable battery. By winding up the radio/ torch or by leaving it in daylight, they become fully recharged. This is hugely energy efficient and avoids disposal of harmful batteries.

 Fairly traded/ cooperative produced
Globalisation is a wonderful thing when it allows us to buy goods from around the world in our local stores in the UK. But when huge retailers are competing to sell at the lowest possible price, their purchasing power can be globally damaging. Small farmers and factories in the developing world face selling prices driven down so much that they are barely able to meet their basic production costs. They can find it impossible to invest in their businesses, pay living wages, or even feed their families.

“Fairtrade” goods have passed scrutiny by an internationally organised independent body which aims to protect producers from the ravages of globalised purchasing. The idea is that at every link on the distribution chain the needs of the weakest are respected by the strong. And at the end of the chain we who buy the product can be confident that no one was exploited unfairly to bring it to us.

Biome Lifestyle believes that fairly traded products are integral to ethical living. Where our ranges are sourced from outside the UK you can be absolutely sure that we have checked and double-checked to make sure that they are produced and sold to us under fair terms. Where products are “Fairtrade” certified, we have said so on our web-site.

Biome Lifestyle has an ethical policy and does not believe in the exploitation of labour in developing countries in order to keep manufacturing costs low. We prefer to work with profit sharing co-operatives such as the Sensatia Cooperative in Bali, who produce our soaps. Bali and its warm and welcoming people are one of the world’s major sufferers from global attacks. Not only through the experience of two devastating bomb attacks, but also from the collapse of their tourist industry in the bombs’ aftermath. We are proud to help their cause by promoting this beautiful range of soaps to our customers. Every bar you buy will generate direct employment for the Sensatia co-operative, and will indirectly benefit the villagers of Jasri, Karangasem. And 15% of the cost of all our sales will be directly redistributed to the co-op’s workers and their families.

Hand-made in the traditional way by a small co-operative in Bali, our soaps are formulated using locally grown and harvested raw materials. They are based on coconut oil and use no animal products, no synthetic colours and only naturally perfumed oils. You’ll love them! Commercially produced soap can take months to biodegrade, and can damage the bacteria used in the UK’s effluent systems. Because our soaps are all-natural they break down in 24 hours. So no more guilty feelings as you watch your bath water drain down the plughole! Finally…… our inner packaging is biodegradable, and the outer is recyclable. 

 Locally produced

Plane travel has almost caught up with road travel in terms of pollution levels and the impact on global warming – in 2005 air travel contributed 3.5% of all climate change emissions and that is likely to rise to 15% by 2050. One flight from the Far East to the UK produces the equivalent emission of 3 typical cars in a year.

Hence Biome Lifestyle has a preference for locally produced items. Whilst many of the materials cannot be grown in the UK (organic cotton, bamboo, organic coconut oil) we favour working with UK designers and manufacturers. The organic sheepskins and reclaimed Scottish mill wool throws are exceptional homewares that have been produced in the UK, supporting local industry, whilst minimising the emissions associated with their transport to you. Where we are offering products that have been produced abroad, we always try to ensure that no air-miles are built into the distribution chain, using the slower but less polluting option of sea-freight.

 Organic
Biome will always favour products where the materials used are organically grown, thereby reducing the toxins in the product. For example, Biome Lifestyle’s towels, bedding and bath robes are manufactured with organically produced cotton.

Cotton is often classed as a ‘natural material’, however there is very little which is pure or natural about cotton when it is conventionally grown. In fact a large proportion of cotton is made up of chemicals and resins. Cotton is actually the world's most sprayed crop, using over a quarter of all insecticides. Insecticides are not only detrimental to the farmers’ and factory workers’ health (with many of the chemicals causing birth defects and cancer), but also they are highly polluting to the earth’s water tables, rivers and seas. Biome supports the farmers who have been growing cotton without harmful chemicals. Their yield is high and the quality of the cotton they grow is equal to or better than conventionally grown cotton. Their methods support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, improve the quality of soil and often use less water. Growing organically takes more time, requires more knowledge and skill, and, for now, costs more. But it's worth it!

All our suppliers’ organic cotton is grown by family farmers organised in cooperatives. Our suppliers willingly pay premium prices to these small-scale growers for their organic cotton fibre because this encourages organic practices that protect not only the environment, but also the farmers, their families, and their communities from exposure to toxic agricultural chemicals.  Purchasing their cotton at a better price per kilo helps to support local and economically sustainable production.

 Recyclable
A product and its packaging that are recyclable will always catch our interest: can it be added to your recycling bin or taken to a local recycling site when requiring disposal? We are very keen to promote recycling in the UK; it is not a hippy alternative. Of the 30 million tonnes of UK domestic waste, packaging makes up approximately 35% of this by weight and 50% by volume.

Where possible, Biome Lifestyle’s product packaging is recyclable. Additionally, should you place an order with us, you will find that the packaging used for postage is recyclable paper/ card. Our packaging is minimal and simple to keep waste as low as possible.

The one exception is Christmas – in order to prevent consumption of non-recycled paper we will be using our very own Biome designed wrapping paper for all of our Christmas sales; as well as being innovative and ‘topical’ this will be made from recycled paper and vegetable dyes.

 Recycled 
We are constantly looking for products made from reprocessed waste materials, as their consumption reduces waste whilst also preventing further drain on finite resources.

According to September ‘06 ‘Green Living Guide’ from the Guardian, up to 30 million tonnes of rubbish are produced by UK households every year. When it comes to recycling this waste, the UK is someway behind our continental neighbours. According to a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research, in 2003/4 only Portugal and Greece recycled less waste than the 18% that the UK recycled. Approximate 8% of household waste is metals, and glass which can be recycled.

Biome Lifestyle’s exclusive handkerchief vases are a great example of recycling whilst not compromising on design. They are manufactured with the waste glass or ‘off cuts’ from the designer’s day to day activities.

 Sustainable
We always ask ourselves if the materials used in making the product are from sustainable sources: made from natural raw materials whose growth can be sustained over time such as Bamboo or Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) woods.

You may have noticed Biome's growing collection of Bamboo products, including: bath mats, bath trays, and in the kitchen a number of very fashionable bamboo bowls and utensils. We are actively encouraging the adoption of bamboo as it is one of the most enduring and sustainable materials on earth:

Ø With a 10-30% annual increase in biomass versus 2 to 5% for trees, bamboo creates greater yields of raw material for use. One clump can produce 200 poles in the three to five years.

Ø It also grows the fastest: measured growing skyward at 2 inches an hour. Some species grow one and a half meters a day.

Ø Bamboo can be harvested in 3-5 years versus 10-20 years for most softwoods.

Ø Bamboo stands release 35% more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees. Some bamboo even sequester up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare. This means that whilst growing, this wood significantly contributes to reducing CO2 emissions.

Ø Thomas Edison successfully used a carbonized bamboo filament in his experiment with the first light bulb. This light bulb still burns today in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

You may also notice Biome's collection of FSC approved wood products- mirrors in Birch & Walnut, wooden spoons, duckboards and body brushes.

Ø The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world's forests.

Ø The FSC label ensures that the wood you buy has been grown in well-managed forests, giving you confidence that you are not contributing to global forest destruction.

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