Published 09 Jun 2025

Sustainable Picnics

It’s SUMMER! It’s chucking it down and we’re not so worried about droughts anymore. The trees have put a growth spurt on and making up for lost time.

The worry now is whether the weather will behave for outdoor events.

Have you seen our range of picnicware and outdoor projects and stuff? I’m always looking for new things to make out of recycled plastic. Basically, if we’re going to use plastic in our lives, then we should use recycled and keep the circular economy circulating. As I’ve said before, plastic has a lot of useful properties – it’s durable, lightweight and affordable. So, I thought I would get some moulds for tableware, get some recycled plastic, and get some sets made. Easy peasy. How wrong I was!

Although most of our plastic waste comes from food containers, it was really really hard to find food safe recycled plastic. Eventually, I found a manufacturer who had already been through the same process, but had figured it out and made a range of tableware out of food safe recycled plastic. There are two versions; both are durable and long-lasting, but one set is super durable, the Al Fresco range, and the other is a bit lighter and easier to carry to picnic sites, the Adventure range. Both types will last for years but are readily recyclable when they’re worn out. They are food safe, melamine free and fine to put in the dishwasher.

High quality Recycled plastic picnic set

We also have a set made out of bio-plastic from waste sugarcane. It’s a modular set that packs away into a neat kit with a handy carry strap. The cups and cup-holder are particularly useful for avoiding calamitous drink spills when picnicking. You can get the whole kit, but also the separate parts in case you want a bio-plastic spork and knife set but not a colander. Or vice versa.

Modular picnic set with carry strap made of sugar cane bioplastic

If you loathe all plastic and want plastic-free picnicking, then our enamel set is for you. These add a touch of retro class and luxury to any outdoor event. What I also love about these is that they are oven proof so you can use them for everyday cookware as well. The large plates double up as pie plates for example, and I often use them for heating something up in the oven as they fit in the dishwasher and are easier to clean than mucking up a whole oven tin.

enamel outdoor plastic free picnic set

We’re excited to bring you some new sustainable picnic rugs! These are made by Tweedmills in Wales, of wool or recycled wool, with a practical waxed cotton waterproof backing made specially at our request. They come in two sizes and a range of styles, so have a browse.

Tweedmill rug made of recycled wool in a tweed pattern with waxed cotton background

Here's hoping for a brilliant summer!

Group of Herdwick Sheep

Sally Phillips

Inventor of Chimney Sheep

British Wool Rugs
eco-living
recycled plastic
summer
sustainable lifestyle
PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

PlanetCare Microfibre Filter Starter Kit

£140.00 78.57% £30.00

How does it work?

This ingenious washing machine microfibre filter kit uses cartridges to physically catch and retain the fibres that come loose when you wash your laundry. Each cartridge will last around 15-20 loads of laundry and is easily replaceable in just a couple of minutes.

Fibre retention is based solely on physical retention with the help of clever patent-pending technology.

You can also send the used cartridges back to us and we'll forward them on to PlanetCare. They will ensure that they are reused or recycled.  This ‘closed loop’ system ensures that there is minimum wastage throughout the whole process.

Something to think about:

Doing the laundry can have a huge environmental impact, whether that be using tons of energy running the washing machine and tumble drier - or the pollutants that are released from the products you use. Using a microfiber filter is just one way of reducing that impact. Why not make a few more changes - we've tons of handy tips in our blog.

 

What's in the box?

You'll get everything you need to fit your PlanetCare washing machine filter with these handy starter kits, meaning you can get it in place and start catching microfibers straight away.

The Mini Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  •  3 cartridges. These can last up to 60 washes.

The XL Starter Kit includes:

  • 1 housing top with a cup, 1 holder, 4 screws, 1 tube (1.5m), 1 silicone lubricant, 1 counter, and 3 filter replacement cartridges.
  • 13 cartridges. These can last up to 260 washes.

    Note: All the filter cartridges are 100% recycled and refurbished for use again and again via a closed-loop service.

       

      Is it easy to install?

      The microfiber filter is very easy to install. In fact, for most washing machines this process takes less than 10 minutes. The filters are compatible with all types of washing machines.

      There's actually a handy how-to video and a useful installation guide  you can take a peek at if you need a little bit more guidance.

      It’s a good idea to position it high enough above the floor/surface so the cover can be removed to change the filter and position the device so that it is easy to screw the cover back after each filter change.

      Please note: you will need 13 cm on the side of the washing machine and approx. 60 cm in height clearance so that you will be able to easily unscrew the housing and change the filter comfortably.

      The filter must be placed outside the washing machine on the drain hose. It should not be raised above the height of the drain hose exiting the washing machine. The hose length should be held to a minimum. Raising the filter and a long drain hose will both reduce the efficiency of pumping and filtering and should be avoided.

       

      What are the dimensions of the filter housing?

      The filter housing alone, without any attachments, measures the following:

      • height 325 mm, width (hose attachment direction) 122 mm, and depth 130 mm.

       

      Is the microfiber filter easy to use?

      For the first load, just make sure the filter cover is replaced correctly and screwed tight before using the washing machine. Try a short wash and make sure all connections and covers are fixed and watertight.

      It’s also a good idea to hold the top of the device when replacing the filter cover to avoid putting pressure on the bracket fixings when unscrewing the cover.

      After that, you do not need to do anything until the cartridge is full.

      >Easy!

       

      How does the closed-loop system work?

      When your cartridge is full you can send it back to us directly, simply go onto the delivery website Parcel2Go and produce a label to send the cartridges to us, don't forget to include your order details as we'll refund you the postage cost. We then send these off to PlanetCare who disassemble the cartridge and remove the fibres and filtering medium.  This is done in a controlled environment, ensuring that caught fibres do not pollute water or the environment.

       

      What does Planetcare do with the fibres?

      >At the moment PlanetCare is safely storing the used filtered materials. Once they have sufficient quantity, they will reuse/recycle it all. At the moment they are planning to reuse the materials by converting them into insulation mats. But, they're always on the lookout for viable solutions and will choose the best available option to reuse/ recycle the fibres.

      The waste will never be burned or sent to a landfill!

      The remainder of the cartridge is cleaned, and fitted with a new filtering medium ready to be used again.

      Read More