Zero waste shopping has come to Cambridge, brought to us by Full Circle Shop, the brainchild of Johanna, Emma and Paul, three friends who bonded over their mutual love of our planet. When they couldn’t find an eco shop in the city, the ecologist, the bioinformatician and the engineer put their heads together and decided to start one themselves. Product ranges include items that are plastic free, reusable, sustainable, ethical and free from animal products.
They’ve been selling from their stall on Cambridge Market since the end of last year and you’ll find them there on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Full Circle Shop also pops up at repair cafes and community markets around Cambridge and they’re looking forward to being part of local summer events like Strawberry Fair and Arbury Carnival, where they’ll be helping with eco friendly activities in the Kids Zone.
So what will you find at Full Circle Shop? Several brands of soap, deodorant and solid shampoos, including a range from Cambridge’s own Zero Waste Path Shop, toothpaste, Dent tabs, bamboo toothbrushes and shaving kits.
Laundry needs are well catered for with soapnut shells and I love the Guppyfriend Washing Bag, a clever invention that prevents plastic fibres from getting into the water via your washing machine. Add in soy wax reusable wraps, bamboo straws and cutlery, insulated reusable drinks cups and the prettiest upcycled fabric wrap and it’s easy to see how making a few simple changes can help us move to a lower impact lifestyle and tread a little more lightly on our planet.
Full Circle Shop is also a member of Terracycle so you can drop off your empty crisp and biscuit packets, toothpaste tubes and used plastic toothbrushes for recycling.
Emma, Paul and Johanna have big plans for the future. They’d like to supply wholefoods such as lentils, pulses, beans, nuts, dried fruit, flour, grains, oils and vinegars so customers can refill their own containers. Full Circle Shop is currently crowdfunding with a target of £13,000 so they can invest in food stock, dispensers and a food storage facility as well as developing their website for online sales. Achieving a stretch target of £21,000 would enable the team to be mobile across Cambridgeshire, bringing their shop out in an electric van so customers can buy and collect orders without coming in to the city.
Emma tells me, “We’ve received such positive feedback for Full Circle Shop. People really want to make a change.” For more on Full Circle Shop’s ethos and product lines as well as their future plans and their crowdfunder, which runs until 17 April, take a look at the website.
Camilla Carter set up Knitting Needle Lane last autumn, a decision sparked by the closure of her favourite local wool supplier and a family holiday in Cyprus, where she browsed happily in Nicosia’s many yarn shops and then had a light bulb moment. Returning home, Camilla built her website and started selling online. She now also has a regular Sunday market stall where she is enjoying dealing directly with customers as well as being part of the friendly and welcoming market community.
New in Cambridge 