Happy Earth Day! Last year, we shared a blog post about the steps we were taking—both personally and within our ceramics business—to combat the climate crisis. This year, we’re back with an update on our sustainability journey, celebrating our wins, sharing what we’ve learned, and reflecting on the theme of this year’s Earth Day: “Our Planet, Our Power.”

The Earth Day organisation is encouraging global support for renewable energy and a collective push to triple clean electricity generation by 2030. That’s a huge goal—and one we’re doing our bit to contribute towards in our own ways.

Powering Our Handmade Ceramics Sustainably

In last year’s blog, we told you about our manufacturer’s solar panel installation. We’re thrilled to share that our ceramics supplier in Sri Lanka now operates 100% on solar electricity!

Here in the UK, we also took some big steps. With grant funding and a bit of landlord nudging, we’ve massively improved the insulation in our workshop. Our new mega-insulated roof has hugely reduced our energy bills, and it's a lot less chilly.

Individual Action, Collective Change

We believe that real change comes from everyday actions—both big and small. Last year, we encouraged you to take your own Earth-friendly steps. This year, we wanted to share a bit more about how we’ve kept the momentum going.

Megan’s been on a mission to boycott fast fashion. After learning about the unethical practices of major clothing brands (SHEIN, H&M, ZARA etc...), she’s started learning how to sew and repair her own clothes, opting for a more sustainable wardrobe (cheaper too). It’s one lifestyle shift that really adds up over time, and we think if more people gave it a go, it would put pressure on these big brands to take responsibility.

Hannah and Dave have been tending to the land in France, practising organic gardening with the no-dig method. Their home is now a mini nature reserve—complete with tawny owls in the barn, nesting birds, and trees planted by squirrels and jays. As Hannah puts it: “Rewilding often means just stepping back and letting nature do its thing—and it's magical to watch.”

Buying from us supports our dedication to sustainability

We want to thank our customers too! Every time you choose to shop with us, you’re directly supporting a sustainable ceramics business that prioritises people and the planet

Thanks to your support...

• We have invested in a more energy-efficient kiln, LED lights, heaters, and are exploring the installation of solar panels at our workshop to sustainably offset our electricity demands.

• Our kitchen textiles are printed on organic, unbleached cotton, ensuring environmentally friendly products without compromising quality.

• a portion of the profits of certain designs are still going to charities we believe in: WeCare Sri Lanka, RSPB, Born Free, and Act For Wildlife. Check out our Tiger, Dog, Puffin and Orangutan designs for sustainable and charitable gifts!

Looking Ahead: Our B Corp Journey

In the future, we would love to become a certified B Corp—a rigorous but worthwhile journey. Certification would formalise what we already do: put purpose before profit and hold ourselves accountable for our environmental impact.

It’s not easy, but we believe that sustainable handmade homewares should be the norm, not the exception. Every piece we make reflects our values.

Join the Earth Action

The Earth Day organisation encourages us all to “educate, advocate, and mobilise.” So, consider this your invitation to: 

• Take action in impactful ways- sign petitions, boycott and join rallies if you can!

• Make a small pledge to yourself (like cutting out plastic, supporting local makers, or switching to greener energy)

• Shop consciously from businesses aligned with your values

Have you struggled to find eco-friendly, handmade gifts?

If you're concerned about the planet and have had trouble in the past finding a sustainable gift company, we'd like to reassure you that, in addition to all of our other activities, our packaging is 100% recyclable!

Everything is neatly boxed in 100% recycled cardboard. To keep our designs protected in their boxes, we use recyclable decorative tissue paper or recyclable corrugated cardboard. To make sure certain designs are extra cushioned, we will also use puffed wheat packing chips. We get a few questions about these, as they look very similar to plastic packing chips. They are, in fact, totally biodegradable, and they can go in your compost!

So, there will be no nasty plastic surprises when your order arrives! Our ceramics are heirloom-worthy investment pieces, made with respect for the earth in mind. Not contributing unnecessary waste to landfills is a top priority for us.

For the perfect ethical ceramic gift, our Monkey and Orangutan Egg Cups are wonderful offerings for someone who loves animals and the environment. When you buy these novelty Egg Cups, £1 goes to the Born Free Foundation. This charity works hard to combat the exploitation and suffering of both wild and captive animals and helps to conserve the natural environments they live in.

If you have any ideas for what we could do to improve/what you would like to see us do in the future, let us know by commenting here, messaging us on Instagram, or emailing us at sales@hannahturner.co.uk. We’ll sign off with a heartfelt thank you—and a reminder that your choice to support us is helping us contribute to a better, greener future.

Thank you!
Hannah & the team