Enjoy some guilt-free fun in Bristol this autumn with our pick of eco-friendly, sustainable, and Earth-kind activities.
Autumn is nature’s most beautiful season. The trees light up in a blaze of colour, the crisp ground crunches underfoot, and harvest season brings with it a bounty of tasty treats that are ripe for picking. It’s a time to be grateful for our natural surroundings and explore all the fun ways of preserving our environment better.
Bristol’s Sustainable Fashion Week, foraging experiences, and mindful moments are the perfect way of celebrating this season whilst doing their bit at keeping this beautiful city lush and eco-conscious. You can browse our full and incredible selection of local, independent hosts who champion sustainability, but here's a brief round-up of this week's top eco-friendly experiences to get you in that autumnal mood.
The Boro Repair Society x Bristol Sustainable Fashion Week: 17-19 September
Bristol Sustainable Fashion Week has been in full swing since Saturday, September 11 and the festivities will be continuing for the rest of the week until Sunday, September 19. There are many workshops and events, both online and in-person, but one we are particularly excited about is The Boro Repair Society x Bristol Sustainable Fashion Week workshop.
What is Boro repair? Boro stitching is a traditional Japanese art that mends clothes so that you can see the stitching. The visible mend trend has been picking up steam on social media as more and more people choose to move away from fast fashion and are keen to keep loving the clothes they already have.
Why not give some extra TLC to your clothes as you unearth some old favourites for the autumn/winter wardrobe switchover? During this Boro Repair Society workshop you'll rework and repair your clothes until they are entirely new. The best bit about this experience is that you don't need any skill to pick it up!
--- Book The Boro Repair Society x Bristol Sustainable Fashion Week here
The Pop-up Clothes Swopz Shop: 18 + 25 September
Want to get free clothes AND make some space in your wardrobe? Swopz Shop's ingenious pop-up is the place to be on Saturday, September 18 at Propyard and Saturday, September 25 at Oldbury Court.
At Swopz Shop you get tokens for each piece of clothing you bring in and then you can use those tokens to take home something that you love. Entry is £5, but you can enter for free if you list 3 items on the Swopz Shop website.
At Propyard, think kid-friendly, laid back festival vibes with food vendors an indoor bar that's stocked with refreshments. Although there will be tickets on the door, it's recommended that you get your Pop-up Clothes Swopz Shop tickets beforehand to avoid missing out!
--- Book The Pop-up Clothes Swopz Shop here
Intro to foraging wild & medicinal foods: 22 September - 8 October
Autumn is one of the best times to take up foraging! Not only are orchards and berry bushes bursting with fruit, but it's also mushroom season! With Little Wild Catering and your host Dave, you'll unearth some of the tastiest morsels that you wouldn't find in your average supermarket.
In the otherworldly beauty of Gobin Combe, you'll spend three hours foraging for a feast and then sit down to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy a wild food picnic.
One of the highlights of this experience is the knowledge you can take away- how to eat more sustainably, where you can find food for free, how you can use food to fuel and heal, and how you can enjoy your natural surroundings to the fullest.
--- Book your intro to foraging wild & medicinal foods here
Artisan soap making workshop: 2 October
Making your own natural soap is one way of making sure you treat your body and the environment with a bit of love- and it's a great skill to pick up if you enjoy giving handmade gifts. You'll love this experience if you are into anything beauty, homemade, or sustainable.
The possibilities of soap making are endless and you can incorporate recycled or foraged materials in your creations once you've gotten to grips with the basics. During this workshop, your host Karen will show you how to create your own hearty honey and oatmeal loaf that's choc-full of super soothing and luxurious coconut oil and vitamin E- an absolute treat for the skin!
Karen will take it one step further and show you how to make your own lip balm by creating a batch on the day- you'll also be able to take this home too!
This workshop is the ideal way to appreciate traditional techniques and to start your journey into natural and sustainable beauty products with an artisanal twist!
--- Book the artisan soap-making workshop here
Wellbeing and mindfulness experiences: All year round
Mindfulness and wellbeing come in many forms depending on what speaks to you. Your idea of mindfulness might be a guided walking tour around Bristol to soak in the history, you might need to dance out your emotions, you might find that a chilly outdoor swim makes you feel alive, you might find your zen in doing something creative, or you might be yearning for some relaxation and guided meditation.
Autumn is one of the best months to take things a bit slower and look after you. After a hectic summer, snuggly knits, soul-warming drinks and golden leafy hues bring with them a tranquillity and peacefulness.
This is your chance to reconnect with yourself and nature, wind down, and take a moment to appreciate all the lovely things around you. One of the key elements of a sustainable and healthy future is your mental health and happiness.
We have selected a mix of lifestyle and wellbeing experiences that would suit anyone because everyone deserves to take time for themselves.
Mindfulness isn't just about green juices (though we do enjoy the odd smoothie), it's about doing something that takes you out of your worries and negative thoughts. Wellbeing is that warm and comfortable fuzzy feeling- which is what autumn is all about!
