Plastic Free July
As residents of Cornwall, we have a deep connection with the marine environment; not just because we’re a peninsula, surrounded by ocean on three sides but also because many of us live here to enjoy the water-based activities that our beautiful location provides. This means that plastic pollution is a topical issue, an issue which is the driving force behind the Deckchair Shop brand.
Our ethical roots
Started in 2020, the Deckchair Shop was setup as the online store for our existing B2B brand South Westerly windbreaks, which was founded in 2009. As a popular holiday destination, Cornwall silently suffers the darker side of domestic tourism; poor-quality, single-use and often plastic-ridden beach accessories being discarded across our county. This includes items like PE polyethylene bodyboards, polyester beach shelters, synthetic nylon camping chairs and polypropylene windbreaks. This problem inspired the development of the Deckchair Shop product range, which includes ethically manufactured and plastic-free hardwood, canvas and cotton deckchairs, windbreaks and parasols. As we approach our 15-year anniversary, we are proud to be Europe’s largest manufacturer of such ethical products. With this virtue being at the core of our company values, we are taking the opportunity of Plastic Free July® to elevate the plastic free discussion among our ethically minded audience.
Plastic Free July
“Although the size of the plastic waste problem is frightening, the numbers tell us that small steps can make a big difference.”
Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, founder of Plastic Free July
Businesses thrive when there is a demand for the product or service they supply, which gives us as consumers more power to drive change than we sometimes realise. If we make conscious ethical choices about how we spend our money, we will force industry to better serve our ethical demands. It’s the small everyday decisions that we make that can make a big difference.
Some of the biggest plastic polluters are our food and drink, cleaning and beauty industries, the biggest players of which still largely package their fast-moving consumer goods in plastic. They are getting away with this because legislation and consumer habits have yet to demand change. Yet.
Positive participation
Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. The mission is to encourage us to refuse single-use plastics for the month of July.
There is a wealth of information on the Plastic Free July® website to educate and inspire us to get involved in this mission, from purchasing reusable coffee cups and water bottles to sourcing refillable cleaning and beauty products. We are being encouraged to consider how the products we buy are packaged, and to support and engage with brands that have a truly ethical backbone.
Interrogate, celebrate, collaborate
In our capitalist economy we have the power to scrutinise companies’ ethical practises and only buy from those who align with our values. Let’s remember to celebrate those businesses too. We’re all aspiring for a cleaner and more sustainable future for our planet, and we can help each other by shouting about the good work we’re each doing; from your own plastic-reducing efforts at home and in the workplace to the brands we find that are doing valuable things in the ethical marketplace. Social media is a great place to be raising this conversation!
As a brand, we only work with partners who align with our ethical beliefs and we’ll be doing some shouting too, so watch our social space for some positive news and partner offers throughout the month of Plastic Free July®.