Sustainable Valentine’s Day Ideas for Planet Lovers
11·01·22
Consider this your alternative Valentine’s Day guide, because we think Valentine's Day needs a facelift - it can get a bit too traditional, exclusive and competitive for us. But at it's core it is a beautiful opportunity to celebrate the love we have for each other, and, take the opportunity also to celebrate the love we have for ourselves and our abundant Mother Earth. So we’ve covered all the bases for an eco-conscious, Earth-connected Valentine’s Day full of gratitude and appreciation, from what to wear, what to cook and where to stay, right through to sounds and scents that will feed your soul. And you don’t have to be coupled up to enjoy these ideas, enjoy alone or with your pals - forget the dusty traditions and feel the love.
What to wear
Most “What to wear on Valentine’s Day” guides will tell us women how we can bring some sex appeal with lace, silk and sultry tones, and men, you better don a suit, and turn up with a box of Milk Tray, ok!? The go-to guide to seduction seems to be well and truly stuck in the past, so we’ve dusted it off with Valentine’s looks from three of our favourite brands that bring a bit of romance thanks to luxurious and contemporary pieces that feel good for you and were made with respect for the planet.
FACON JACMIN RENATTA PEACH SILKY DRESS & PAIGE TWO-TONE GREY JEANS
A lightweight peachy dress made from Japanese silk with openings on the front and back, plus slits on both sides for free-flowing movement. Paired with Facon Jacmin’s two-tone jeans made from 100% Italian grey cotton denim - soft and loose-fitting, with five handy pockets. Elegant and comfortable, the perfect outfit for a Valentine's day spent in or out.
Shop the dress | Shop the jeans.
POND RED HEART EARRINGS
Pond’s limited edition miniature roman heart mismatch earrings are made from recycled 9ct gold, vintage heart-shaped glass and recovered freshwater pearls. A timeless look for Valentine’s day, or wear them daily as reminder to be compassionate to yourself.
Shop the earrings.
GOOD GOOD GOOD NAMIB ORANGE HERRINGBONE TROUSER & DINNER JACKET
Handmade in an heirloom textile mill in Cape Town, these wide-leg trousers and jacket are made from a former chenille throw in a herringbone pattern - this is the only suit you'll find us wearing to work or play.
Shop the trousers | Shop the jacket.
Where to stay
Looking for a romantic or relaxing escape? Ditch the city and find yourself an eco-escape where you can get up close and personal with nature. These eco-lodges and hotels are the perfect settings for deepening your connection with a loved one, yourself and the planet. Don’t even think about checking out before you’ve hugged a tree!
THE UNBOUND, AMSTERDAM
An eco-escape that’s super close to the city of Amsterdam, The Unbound cabins are set within the serene greenery to the West of Amsterdam. Fine wines and classic dishes are delivered to your cabin door, while you cosy up by the fire or do a bit of late-night stargazing from your terrace or hot tub. Pay a visit to the yoga and meditation pit, or the kitchen’s organic vegetable garden, and don’t forget to spend some time in the famous barrel sauna on the lake.
Book a stay.
LE BARN HOTEL, 45-MINUTES FROM PARIS
The ideal setting to unwind, just outside the hustle and bustle of Paris, Le Barn is a country refuge in the heart of the enchanting Rambouillet Forest. Spend time relaxing in the spa, horse riding, enjoying open wide spaces and sampling restaurant dishes crafted using fresh ingredients from their vegetable garden.
Book a stay.
Set the mood
The right scent has a transformative, almost intoxicating, effect on the senses… a bit like LOVE. Create your own romantic haven with these heady, eco-friendly smells from our favourite scent artists who prioritise natural ingredients and planet-friendly packaging
CREMATE NATURAL INCENSE TIN
Inspired by 70s LA surfers and skaters, long-gone summers and the Earth movement, Cremate’s all-natural incense is a dreamy aroma for all the lovers out there. Light up a Middle Way incense with a rich yet subtle, gentle yet woody scent to set a blissful mood or, if you like your scents with a bit more passion, Mary Mother of God is the one for you.
Shop the scent.
PAT GUZIK CREAMY MOOD CERAMIC CANDLE
Handmade in Kraków, Poland, this ceramic candle is fragranced for happiness and fulfilment with notes of bergamot and cedar, to help you keep the fire of love burning. Using 100% natural waxes from rapeseed and soy, natural wicks and essential oils, it's a truly planet-friendly candle. The beautifully glazed ceramic candle pot can continue to be used long after the candle burns out.
VERDANT ALCHEMY ASCENT MINERAL BATH SALTS
Spend sometime taking care of your mental and physical well being with Verdant Alchemy's natural, vegan and toxin free bath products. The pink Himalayan salts are naturally uplifting and energising with geranium rose and ho-leaf oils that uplift the spirit, and lavender oil that calms the soul.
PROVINCE APOTHECARY LOVER'S OIL
An all-natural massage oil with a sensual blend including ylang ylang oil, rose absolute, jojoba seed oil, cedarwood oil and fractioned coconut oil. Treat your skin to a softening-massage-for-one thanks to the rich and moisturizing base, or invite your date to share a heightened massage experience. Available online and in-store at our neighbours, The Labour Department.
Shop the scent.
Books & sounds
Often when we think of Valentine’s Day, we focus on external and frankly over-dramatic displays of affection, but we think it’s also a great day to go inwards too, taking time to reflect on life and our love for people and the planet. These books and sounds help us to do just that.
MORT GARSON’S MOTHER EARTH’S PLANTASIA
Mort Garson’s 1976 album is an electronic earth record made especially for plants and plant-lovers alike. Blissed-out 70s vibes provoking mind-expanding thoughts. A true homage to Planet Earth.
KATE TEMPEST’S ‘HOLD YOUR OWN’
A poetry book from the UK’s most accomplished spoken word poet, Hold Your Own centres around the myth of Tiresias, a blind, gender-fluid prophet, to artfully weave together contemporary social commentary and autobiography with classical Greek mythology.
MERLIN SHELDRAKE’S ‘ENTANGLED LIFE’
Merlin Sheldrake’s 2020 book delves into the magical world of fungi, exploring the mind-altering, life-saving and planet-saving properties of this little-explored microorganism. Read to understand your connectivity to the planet through a miraculously microscopic lens.
PATTI SMITH’S ‘JUST KIDS
An honest account of her romance and friendship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe, set against the backdrop of the New York art scene and political and social upheaval of the ‘60s and ‘70s. A moving memoir from an absolute icon.
What to cook
If you want to go planet friendly, then a vegetarian or vegan Valentine’s dinner is on the cards. Whether you’re a sucker for a classic dish, you like tastes that transport your senses to faraway places (something we all need right now!), or you want something you can pull together without being a trained chef or bartender, we’ve got something from our favourite planet-friendly cooks, for you.
THE INDIGO KITCHEN’S PEANUT SPINACH STEW
Amsterdam based blog ‘The Indigo Kitchen’ by Jason Tjon Affo is full of fun and colourful vegan dishes and soul food, all of which are accessible to all. The peanut spinach stew is guaranteed to bring a smile to the face, thanks to the super cute rice ball! A colourful, comforting stew that closely resembles a traditional African peanut stew, it’s also packed full of goodness and flavour.
WOONHENG'S PAN FRIED STEAMED BUNS
Dubbed ‘plant-based deliciousness,’ Malaysian-born WooHeng’s recipes are all plant-based with an Asian twist. Inspired by using the freshest market produce from her upbringing in Kuala Lumpur, she covers noodles, dumplings, curries and more. Her perfectly-formed pan-fried steamed buns (sheng jian bao) have got our heart.
I AM SOPHIA ROE
Chef and writer, Sophie Roe, is passionate about food and tackling food injustices, such as access to nutritious food, industry whitewashing and building more equitable and sustainable systems - as discussed in her book 'Counter Space'. Sophie also shares video recipes online that all can enjoy - one of our go-tos is her gluten-free vegan peanut butter miso cookies.
THE VEGETARIAN SILVER SPOON
A cult-classic cooking bible for veggies and non-veggies alike, Silver Spoon recipes bring you the best of meat-free quintessential Italian dishes. Putting colourful vegetables at the core, the stunning photography - courgette flowers, figs, succulent peaches and more - is enough to get your mouth watering.
BEESWAX WRAPS
If there is one thing we don’t love, it’s food waste. Beeswax Wraps are a zero-waste way to keep your food fresh to be enjoyed after Valentine’s day. Washable and sustainably made, there are also Vegan wraps available.
So fresh and so clean
Give your body the attention it deserves this Valentine’s day. It’s carried you around since day one, so you could say it’s your longest relationship :) Lather up with a natural, aromatic ingredients, melt the day’s makeup away, and break up with plastic products - take care of yourself, without hurting the planet.
KANKAN STARTER SET
KANKAN starter set is a hand wash or body wash in a glass bottle, complete with refill in the signature can. Formulated with natural ingredients and 100% fragranced with essential oils, the aromas of juniper, lemongrass, mandarin or lavender uplift the senses - this will get you into a positive headspace.
JUNGLE CULTURE RAZORS
Jungle Culture's eco-friendly range of razors are touted as "the last razor you'll ever buy". A line of sustainable razors that are infinitely reusable and are a much better look for your a plastic-free bathroom.