Oxford was recently ranked the second most sustainable city in the UK! As it's the place where Y.O.U Underwear was founded, and where we have our Oxford Covered Market Shop, we wanted to share some of our top tips for having a green stay in the city!
The sustainability ranking was based on things such as renewable energy sites, nature and park accessibility and electric car charging ports. Oxford has been a Fairtrade City since 2004, which means that the local council passed a resolution to support Fairtrade - something we're passionate about as a Fairtrade business ourselves. Recently, Oxford introduced the Oxford Zero Emissions Zone, to reduce air pollution in the city.
We want to share our top tips for being more sustainable when visiting or living in Oxford, from the best veggie and vegan eateries to where to shop for your essentials...
Where to Eat
- Delish: Oxford's first and only Vegan Indian Restaurant
- Cafe Kraken: a plant-based café serving delicious vegetarian and vegan food and fantastic coffee.
- Green Routes Cafe: Oxford's Most Exciting Vegan Brunch, homey, intimate locale with a plant-based menu offering bagels, subs & other brunch bites.
- Organic Delo Cafe: Independent, family-run spot selling artisan and organic breads, plus snacks, cakes and teas.
Where to Shop
- Flo’s Refill Shop: They sell unpackaged staple foods and refill detergents (for washing dishes, clothes, and humans) and some environmentally sound baby products. Their products are sold by weight or volume, which means you can buy exactly what you want, and bring back the empty container for more!
- Y.O.U Underwear: Come and visit us! Our underwear is classically stylish, made from super-soft organic Fairtrade cotton and PETA-approved vegan, Y.O.U underwear is as good for the world as it is for your wardrobe. We're the highest-scoring B Corp in the UK, proving our commitment to putting purpose above profit. With a buy-one-give-two promise, meaning we donate two pairs for every pair you purchase. Truly changing the world with Your Own Underwear.
- OxUnboxed: Oxford Hub’s non-profit refill shop, making low-plastic shopping available in central Oxford. They sell a wide range of bulk dried food, loose-leaf tea, toiletries, and household cleaning products. They're also a registered TerraCycle collection point.
- Charity and Vintage Shops: Why not shop second hand? This blog post shares the best charity and vintage shops across Oxford, where you can find a bargain and a unique piece!
- Uhuru Wholefoods: An organic wholefood shop selling a wide range of foods for vegetarians and vegans
- Fairtrade at St Michaels: For a dazzling range of products which are unique, hand-made, planet-friendly, quirky, useful, tasty and gorgeous – and which transform the lives of producer communities around the world.
- Indigo: A beautifully curated sustainable living shop, which sells clothes and accessories for men, women and kids as well as ethical homewares.
Where to Visit
- Hogacre Eco Park: Hogacre Common is a fourteen acre site less than a mile from the centre of Oxford, to the south-west of the City and within its fertile flood plains. Bounded by streams on three sides and only accessible by foot, it features field, woodland and aquatic habitats and hosts low carbon community activities and events.
- South Oxford Farmer’s & Community Market (organic, locally grown, refills): A weekly market selling locally grown and produced food and non-food goods. Including bread, organic veg, meat, eggs, street food and refillable.
- Medley Manor Farm (pick your own): A small, family-run farm who have a pick your own open to the public in the summer months. They also have a cafe that's open on weekend, with homemade icecream.
