Wrapping it Up

Many of us know that the Christmas tree became popular in the UK in the mid-19th century, when Queen Victoria’s husband Albert brought over this tradition from Germany. Victorian trees were decorated with cakes, sweets, ribbons, paper chains, popcorn strings and candles. The candles in this photograph were collected by Oswald Fitch between 1885 and 1905 and were donated to the museum by a family in Minchinhampton.

Christmas tree candles (1972.193) and decorations (Y1993.20)

The metal holders to the right would have clipped the candles onto the branches of the tree. The remaining decorations date from the first half of the 20th century, a time when most Christmas trees in homes were real ones. All these decorations are made from recyclable materials, garlands from paper, baubles made from glass and metal. Many modern tree decorations such as baubles and tinsel are made from plastic which takes hundreds of years to decompose when it ends up in landfill. A more sustainable alternative is to buy them second hand or choose decorations made from natural materials, to make edible ones or forage for natural foliage. While we might not want to go back to burning candles on our trees due to the fire risk, we can choose LED lights that reduce energy use by 90% and we can make sure that the energy to power them is from a renewable source.

Artificial trees were created in Germany in the late 19th century in response to deforestation. First they were made from goose feathers dyed green. In 1930 Addis Housewares Company created a tree made from brush bristles and in the 1950s aluminium trees were popular. Since the 1980s artificial trees have been made from PVC, meaning that they are no longer recyclable. A 2 metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of 40kg, meaning it would need to be re-used 10 times to give it the same footprint as a real tree. During the 10 to 12 years of growth of a real tree it captures carbon and provides a habitat for wildlife. It is best if it is grown locally and organically and is FSC certified. After Christmas having it collected means it can be recycled rather than decomposing and releasing methane. For a small donation getting your tree collected can help a good cause and the environment (find details here https://www.stroud.gov.uk/environment/bins-rubbish-and-recycling/christmas-tree-recycling). It is even better to have a potted tree, either bought or rented, meaning the tree can go on growing to be reused next year.

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This set of dominoes was a Christmas gift to Jack, Cecil and Arthur in 1904. We only know their names because they are inscribed onto the base of the domino box (see above) but we don’t know who they were or who gave them their gift. The dominoes are made of stained beech wood and bone, drilled with dots that are painted black and held together with a central metal pin. It is quite possible that it was a hand-made gift, a classic game made from natural materials that would last a lifetime. We can learn a lot from this example, by choosing quality over quantity, gifts that are ethical and sustainable or second hand (why not look back over previous Sustainable Stories for tips). With around £42 million of unwanted Christmas gifts ending up in landfill each year, this diagram is a really simple and useful way of helping us rethink gift buying.

Ethical hierarchy of gift buying - this is example is sourced from www.powershop.co.nz

Many of us would much prefer the gift of time, whether a helping hand with domestic jobs or a day out with loved ones (or actually all by ourselves!).

If you are choosing to give actual gifts this year, we can reduce our impact on the planet by thinking how we wrap them. This postcard was given circa 1915 and shows a traditional and reusable method of present wrapping: hessian and string finished with a sprig of holly. The card was given to Miss Joan Visger, signed with love from Mrs. Knight, although we don’t know who either of these people were.

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In the UK each year we use over 8000 tonnes of wrapping paper at Christmas, which is approximately 50 000 trees. Wrapping papers that are foil-backed or use glitter aren’t even recyclable and neither are plastic tape, ribbon and bows. Alternatively, we could put presents into a reusable stocking or paper gift bag without wrapping. Magazine pages, newspaper or old paper from a previous Christmas could be used and tied up with string or cotton tape. Old textiles can be made into drawstring gift bags or furoshiki cloths (a traditional Japanese method) providing a quick and reusable way of wrapping. If choosing wrapping paper, look out for FSC and PEFC symbols or choose recycled paper.

There are many more ways to reduce our impact on the planet this Christmas, such as thinking about what we eat, limiting waste and finding greener ways to travel to see loved ones. There are plenty of resources online to help us with this, including this useful local resource from Stroud District Action on Plastic https://www.actiononplastic.org/a-holiday-season-without-the-waste/.

So as we wrap up a year of Sustainable Stories (pun intended) it might all seem a lot to take in, a lot of decisions to contemplate. But all we’ve learnt from our ancestors and their objects can be put in simple terms that hopefully we can carry with us into the new year. When we buy something we can take a moment to ask ourselves:

·         Do I need to buy new? (Can I make do and mend, repair, repurpose, buy second hand?)

·         If buying new, where does it comes from? (Who made it, how far has it travelled, what is it made from?)

·         What will happen to it after I’ve used it? (Is it reusable, repairable, recyclable?)

Most importantly of all, let us remember that every little change can make a difference.

A Clean Sheet

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In 1910 Star Engineering Co Ltd of Wolverhampton invented this hand-powered vacuum cleaner.  The company usually made bicycles, electric fires and wheels for horse-drawn vehicles. The vacuum worked by pumping the concertina drum up and down to suck up the dust. While such devices required more exertion than a modern vacuum cleaner, they were simple to master and usually more efficient than using a broom. It wasn’t until 1912 that William Henry Hoover’s upright vacuum cleaner came to Britain. Even so Star Engineering continued to make this one until 1938.

In the early 20th century domestic cleaning was done without electricity, either using a simple mop and broom or hand-powered vacuums and washing machines. Such mechanical devices were less likely to break than our modern electrical equivalents and easier to repair. On the other hand the advance of labour-saving technology liberated women who traditionally carried the burden of domestic chores, by giving them more time and thus more control over their lives.

While most of us wouldn’t want to give up our electrical cleaning devices, we can still consider more carefully how we use them. When electrical devices stop working, could they be repaired rather than thrown away? If they do need replacing, ensuring the new product has a good energy efficiency rating can reduce energy bills and thus carbon emissions. Even better we can switch to a renewable energy supplier or consider generating our own power using solar panels, so our devices aren’t being powered by fossil fuels.

Do we always need to use an electrical device? For small jobs would a mop, broom or dustpan and brush do the job? We can use our dishwashers more efficiently by making sure they are full and save water by letting them do their job. Most experts agree there is no need to rinse items under the tap first, just scrape off any food solids into the food waste caddy. Do the clothes need to go in the washing machine, could they be worn a few more times or spot cleaned? 90% of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water. Washing full loads and using cool temperatures saves energy and is better for the clothes too. Dryers use nearly as much energy as a fridge, and 30% more if the lint filter isn’t clean, so air drying is best.

In an earlier blog post we learnt about the multiple uses of a simple bar of soap but there are also other household store cupboard items that can be used for cleaning. This information leaflet for Irish Linen lists some traditional methods for removing stains.

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 It describes removing most stains with soaking and soap and removing fruit and wine stains using table salt and lemon juice. In general it suggests that looking after a linen means “it lasts a lifetime!”

While some cleaning products from the past are no longer advisable due to health concerns, some of them still work just as well. Baking soda can be mixed with water to make an oven cleaning paste (leave overnight and scrape off), sprinkled onto carpets then vacuumed to remove smells and mixed with vinegar for a fizzing toilet bowl cleaner. Lemons have antibacterial qualities. Leaving lemon peel in a jar of vinegar for a few days creates a powerful all-purpose cleaner. Diluted white vinegar is good for removing stains and a 50-50 solution is good for cleaning windows. I’m sure our ancestors would have many more cleaning tips for us and would advocate us putting away our plastic bottles of chemicals in favour of some tried and tested methods and a bit of elbow grease.

The Road Less Travelled

This Pedersen bicycle dates from circa 1900, a time when the motor car was a luxury item mostly used for leisure. Cycling at this time was growing in popularity providing everyday people with an affordable form of private travel for the first time. The Pedersen however was something different, its design consisted of 21 triangles, making it stronger and lighter design than similar bicycles. It was designed by Mikael Pedersen of Denmark who moved to Dursley in 1893. At the height of its success the Dursley Pedersen Cycle Company employed 50 people who produced over 30 bicycles a week. But the Pedersen proved too expensive for everyday people costing about 9 times the average monthly wage of a rural worker. Production stopped in Dursley in 1917.

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Nonetheless cycling was a major form of transport for everyday people at the time. From 1869 to 1876 Stroud resident Alfred Luke Randell wrote a diary in which he often mentions making journeys by bicycle or foot. His first entry on New Year’s Day in 1869 describes getting the train to Kemble and then walking the 4 miles to Cirencester. In Cider With Rosie which starts in 1914, Laurie Lee conjures an image of a typical weekday morning in the Stroud valleys:

“This was the hour when walkers and bicyclists flowed down the long hills to Stroud, when hooters called through the morning dews and factories puffed out their plumes.”

This photograph shows working men lined up outside the Stroud Brewery’s Fountain Inn at Uplands in Stroud. It was taken by Henry Lockyer of Stonehouse who was working as a photographer between about 1905 and 1920.

2007.183/2437 Wilf Merrett collection

At the end of 1904 there were 23000 cars on Britain’s roads. Today there are 31.7 million cars, making up 82% of licensed vehicles. 22% of UK emissions of carbon dioxide come from road transport making it a major contributor to climate change. In addition, vehicles emit other air pollutants which impact on the health of people and wildlife. A growing desire for larger cars such as SUVs is increasing emissions as a large car emits about 85% more greenhouse gases per km than a small car. Plus cars are being used for shorter journeys. In England around 60% of 1-2 mile trips are being made by car rather than on foot.

Many are making the switch to electric cars which don’t produce emissions. However they still have an impact on the planet due to the energy and resources used to make the batteries and the difficulty in recycling them at the end of their life. Progress is being made as some car manufacturers are establishing battery recycling and re-use schemes. Plus using renewable sources of electricity to charge electric cars further lessens their impact. Despite the complexities, electric vehicles produce significantly less emissions over their lifetime than a conventional internal combustion engine.

Taking a local bus emits just over half the greenhouse gases compared to driving in a car alone. Car pooling through such groups as Liftshare Stroud (through Transition Stroud) is another way to reduce our impact. Cycling is good for our health and the environment and electric bikes are available to make longer journeys easier. We can choose for parcels to be delivered with the daily post rather than by a separate courier or use businesses that offer green deliveries such as Bike Drop.

While using public transport or an electric car might not be possible for everyone, there are ways to make our journeys more efficient. We can look after our cars by maintaining the brakes and checking tyre pressure so it drives efficiently, turn off the engine when it isn’t moving, drive at a steady speed with less braking and open windows instead of using air conditioning. When replacing a car, we can look at its emissions and choose something small and economic. But even better is to do as our ancestors did and walk and cycle more, walk to the shops or to work, walk the kids to school. Even trading 1 or 2 journeys a week can make a huge difference.

Food For Thought

Before World War One, local residents would have bought their food shopping from a series of independent stores owned and run by locals: butchers, fishmongers, bakers and small grocers like this one.

This postcard from the Wilf Merrett collection shows R. Dean Greengrocer in Stroud (2007.183/174).

Shoppers would have given their list to the shopkeeper and an assistant would have gone about measuring out what was needed and packing it up. Paper was the main form of packaging; some would have had paper bags like this:

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Fawkes & Sons had been grocers and corn dealers since the 1870s and from 1902 expanded into wine and spirits. This bag shows their shop on Kendrick Street in Stroud and the products listed suggests much of their stock came from the UK.

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This receipt from April 1961 shows the purchases of food ranging from flour and currants, to marmalade and corn flakes from another Stroud grocers H. Plested & Son. The receipt is made out to Mrs. Bessie Marsland who lived in Theescombe, wife of William Robert Marsland who was foundry manager for local company Newman Hender. It is one of over a thousand receipts and bills from local businesses dating from 1942 to 1961, reflecting how shopping at this time was predominantly local and independent.

In 1948 the Co-op opened its first self-service shop in London in 1948, marking the beginning of supermarkets in the UK. The “stack it high sell them cheap” approach was soon adopted by others and in 1964 the first out of town superstore was opened in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. In Stroud the first supermarket arrived in the 1960s, offering prices that small grocers couldn’t compete with. Today Stroud has 4 big supermarkets, with another on the way and in the UK 89% of people regularly buy their groceries from supermarkets.

Supermarkets offer convenience and choice, with thousands of different products under one roof and at prices that suit a range of budgets. But longer supply chains lead to more food miles and more packaging to preserve the food. On average the food on our plates travels 1500 miles, with foods from the other side of the world now being a common place part of our diet. Much of it wrapped in single-use plastic that puts pressure on the recycling system or goes straight to landfill. The energy and resources used in food production is often wasted, because over 10 million tonnes of food is thrown away in the UK each year. Food production and transportation accounts for around 25% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Over 50% of habitable land and 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture. It is undeniable that the food we eat has a huge impact on the natural environment, wildlife and those who work in the industry. Our ancestors would have brought home their shopping knowing most of it came from local suppliers, with a banana shipped from abroad as an occasional treat. Today the impact of the food industry on the environment is a vast and complex matter which leaves consumers with complicated choices.

In the Stroud District our food waste is sent to an anaerobic digester which turns it into energy and fertiliser and SDC have great tips on how to prevent wasting food in the first place (see link below). Consumers have the opportunity to buy local produce at the farmers’ market and independent shops, reducing food miles and supporting the local economy. Organic food is readily available locally, being farmed in a way that uses less energy and is better for the environment, people and wildlife. Dried goods can be bought packaging free at shops like Loose or Bisley Green Shop. Although some supermarkets are working to lessen their environmental impact, shoppers can push for more sustainable practices by making considered choices. Looking for certifications (organic, fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, Marine Stewardship Council etc.) and thinking about where food has come from and how it’s packaged can help us reduce our carbon footprint. Why not take your own cloth bags for loose fruit and veg and containers for fresh produce from the counters? Most of all we can learn from our predecessors by shopping locally, shopping seasonally and only buying what we can eat.

(https://www.stroud.gov.uk/environment/bins-rubbish-and-recycling/bins-and-recycling-containers/which-bin-should-i-use/food-waste-bins-and-caddies/how-can-we-all-help-reduce-food-waste)

A Short Circuit

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Rowlett began making toasters in 1945, with this one dating from about 1950. This toaster was used at a time when electrical appliances were designed to be repaired and local engineers were widely available to maintain and fix such domestic goods. For example, this receipt from 1959 shows the servicing and replacement of a faulty valve for a television by a firm in Gloucester. The television was either rented or owned by William Robert Marsland who lived in Theescombe and was a foundry manager at Newman Hender.

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The Berry’s Magicoal Fire was owned by Patricia Pinnell, a teacher who lived in Stroud. She bought the electric fire for 3 pounds 11 shillings in 1951 from R. Lewis of Stroud, who supplied, installed and maintained electrical goods and systems. This page from the warranty shows that a renovation service was offered to make the fire “as new”. On the back is written: “This fire is designed and constructed to give you many years of trouble-free service.”

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While Rowlett, who continue to manufacture toasters today, provide a range of spare parts and accessories to extend the life of their appliances, they are one of few toaster brands that do this. The vast majority of electrical appliances are no longer designed to be repaired easily or cost-effectively. This has contributed to the U.K. producing the second most electrical waste per capita in the world, after Norway. This amounts to 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste, with only 17% of it being recycled.

As early as 1954 American industrial engineer Brook Stevens popularised the term ‘planned obsolescence’, suggesting products should be designed to become obsolete before they would naturally fail and buyers should be encouraged to want something newer and better before it was actually necessary, in order to boost sales. While the benefit of electronic goods becoming cheaper and more easily accessible to everyone must be acknowledged, many are now frustrated by their short lifespans. Mobile phones are being built with batteries designed to wear out after 400 charges, which are glued into the phone or can only be replaced using a specialist tool. Software updates can result in devices no longer being compatible, forcing replacement. Similarly, most washing machines now have sealed drums so for the common problem of failed bearings, a new machine is needed because the cost of repair is prohibitive. So those wishing to repair come up against the barriers of cost, lack of availability of spare parts and of contractors.

On 1st July this year the government’s Right to Repair law came into effect. Manufacturers are now required to make spare parts available for simple and safe repairs by consumers and to make further parts available for repair by professionals. Currently this only applies to dishwashers, washing machines, washer-dryers, fridges, televisions/electronic displays and some non-consumer electronics. Without any regulation of price of parts this doesn’t remove the issue of replacement being cheaper than repair, but it is a positive step in increasing the lifespan of some electrical goods.

Alongside the increased availability of online repair tutorials and digitised operating manuals, there is a growing community repair movement. Locally volunteers at Transition Stroud Repair Cafes offer tools and advice on mending clothes, toys and small electrical appliances, as well as an opportunity to sharpen blunt tools. Stonehouse Share and Repair shop repair electrical, mechanical, wooden items, clocks and textiles for the cost of parts and a donation, and offer tools for hire so you don’t have to purchase your own. There are changes even in mobile phones, with refurbished phones becoming increasingly popular and one company is creating phones that are modular in order that they can be easily repaired and updated. Steps are being made to close the loop, to move away from a linear approach of make, use, dispose to a circular system (or you could say a circuit!) where the faulty product is brought back into use, either by repair or re-use of parts.

Penultimate paragraph updated 16.08.21

Daft as a Brush

In the early 20th century, it wasn’t uncommon to receive a visit from a door-to-door salesperson, with a suitcase of brush samples for every domestic use. The objects below represent a small selection of brushes of this period from our collection, used for a variety of different purposes.

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These shoe brushes date from the early 20th century and were used locally. On the right is a brush made in the UK by Victory. The brush on the left formed part of a shoe cleaning kit of brushes, cloths and polishes.

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This hearth brush shows how simple functional items could also be decorative, being hand-painted in green with red and white flowers.

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These 2 pairs of hair brushes (left) and clothes brushes (right) belonged to Edmund Philip Kynaston Potter who lived from 1909 to 1990. They were part of a larger set, given to him as a present when he was a young boy and decorated in silver with his initials. While not everyone could have afforded initialled brushes, they show how a simple hair brush could be a treasured item kept for a lifetime. All of these brushes were built to last and made of wood and natural fibres. When William Kent established Kent Brushes in Hertfordshire in 1777, his simple wooden and natural bristle brushes became the model for brush design for the next 2 centuries. Aside from wood, brushes at this time were made out of ivory, silver, brass and later celluloid and Bakelite, with bristles made from metal, boar or horse hair.

We continue to use a number of different brushes in our homes today, brushes for cleaning, brushes for hair, brushes for teeth. But in many cases they are frequently replaced and made with synthetic materials that take 100s of years to degrade in landfill. So what are the more sustainable alternatives? An easy swap is to trade a plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one. Bamboo is strong and versatile, it is quick to grow without the need for pesticides, the plant doesn’t damage the soil or environment and at the same time absorbs carbon. As with wood it is important to check the bamboo is sustainably sourced, that it is not overfarmed at the detriment of native wildlife. Alternatively, plastic toothbrushes, toothpaste and other oral care products can be recycled at Terracycle drop off locations.

Hairbrushes made from natural materials might cost more but should last many many years. When they are no longer suitable for hair, they could be used for cleaning. Plastic sponge scrubbers commonly used in many households for cleaning, are made from fossil fuels and release microplastics into the water system. Natural brushes, coconut scrubbers or loofahs (why not grow your own) for cleaning and washing up, can be put in to the compost at the end of their lives. Alternatively, old (but clean) socks can be made into a cloth called a Tawashi (you can find instructions online).

While there is a brush for every purpose, the same applies to cloths. The vast majority of disposable wipes are made from plastic which take 100 years to break down in landfill. With the UK using 11 billion wipes a year, they create fatbergs in our sewers and wash up on our beaches, emitting microplastics into the water ways and harming marine life. They can be easily replaced with washable natural fibre cloths, for cleaning, washing and wiping children’s hands and faces and babies’ bums!

Talking at length about brushes (and cloths) might seem daft. But investing in a few of these as our great/grandparents would have, is a simple way of reducing our impact on the planet.

A Little Goes a Long Way

It may not be the most glamorous object in our collection, but soap in one form or another has been doing its job for thousands of years. There is evidence that the Babylonians were making soap as far back as 2800 BC. But it wasn’t used for personal hygiene, but for cleaning and medicine. It wasn’t until the second half of the 19th century that cleanliness became associated with the prevention of disease, and improvements in manufacturing meant soap was cheaper and more widely available for everyone.  This unused pack of soap belonged to a Stroud resident and dates from before 1984 (when the halfpenny was taken out of circulation). Sunlight soap was designed for washing clothes and general household use. It was first developed by Lever Brothers in 1884 and by 1887 they were making 450 tons a week. As a result of this success the large factory built near Liverpool with a purpose-built village for the workers, was named Port Sunlight. Although Lever Brothers soon developed a soap for personal use and flakes for household use, Sunlight soap continued to be used and is still being used in some countries today, for personal as well as household uses.

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Today there are a wide variety of soaps designed for a range of different purposes. Have you ever considered how many bottles of soap-like products we have in our homes? Toiletries such as hand soap, shower gel, shampoo and shaving foam. Cleaning products such as washing-up liquid, laundry tablets, dishwasher tablets and household cleaning spray. Most likely they’re all in plastic containers or an aerosol can. In the early 20th century some people would have had just one bar of soap wrapped in paper to do all these things. Our modern equivalents use a lot of single-use plastic, hard-to-recycle aerosols and non-recyclable packaging. In the Stroud District aerosols and various types of plastic can be recycled and the household recycling rate is over 60%, exceeding national targets. Recycling saves a lot of energy compared to making from scratch. According to Recycle More it takes 75% less energy to make a plastic bottle from recycled plastic compared to using virgin materials. But while it’s always good to recycle, it’s even better to reduce and reuse. While glass and metals like aluminium can be recycled repeatedly without loss of quality, plastic can often only be recycled once or twice. For example, food packaging can’t be recycled for the same usage because plastic degrades each time it is processed.

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In order to reduce, many are switching to buying their toiletries in bar form without plastic packaging. Even shampoo, conditioner and deodorant are sold in bars. A few slices of soap in a sisal pouch provides a plastic-free alternative to shower gel. Dishwasher tablets in non-recyclable packaging can be swapped for powder in a cardboard box. While we might not fancy scrubbing our clothes with soap any more, refill services are becoming increasingly popular. Numerous shops in the Stroud District offer laundry and washing-up liquid as refills, as well as other household cleaning products and toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and hand soap. As well as reducing single-use plastic the products themselves are kinder to the environment when they enter the water system. Such little everyday changes might seem insignificant, but every effort to reduce makes a difference. As the South African advertising slogan for Sunlight Dishwash says: “a little goes a long way.”

A Good Lather is Half the Shave

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In the 19th century men would have removed their facial hair using a straight razor, more commonly known as a cut throat razor. It was sharpened using a leather strop when it became blunt, so it could go on being used for many years. These 6 razors acquired by local collector Duncan Young, originally came from Chas Clements who had a specialist shop in Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly in London. They would have been used with a shaving mug, brush and shaving soap similar to those shown below. The wooden box dating from the 1890s, contains a ceramic dish to hold the soap. Shaving mugs similar to the one shown were patented in 1867. A hard block of shaving soap would have been placed in the top, with the drain holes underneath and hot water poured into the jug. The brush was dipped into the water through the spout and then brushed against the soap to create a lather for shaving.

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In 1904 Gillette patented the double-edged safety razor, using replaceable metal razor blades. This made shaving safer and easier. The Gillette safety razor below dates from the 1930s. The handle is screwed into the head into which a blade is placed. It has its own case and a metal container to keep the razor blades in. This was a popular method of shaving until the 1970s when plastic cartridge attachments replaced the razor blades. In 1974 Bic invented the first disposable razor. By the 1980s disposable razors made up nearly a third of the worldwide market. An alternative to wet shaving was the electric razor, first patented by Jacob Schick in 1930.

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In 2019 5.5 million people in the UK were using disposable razors. With disposable razors having a suggested use of 3 to 10 shaves, the result is a lot of plastic going to landfill. While some recycling schemes are available, the composite nature of razors makes them difficult to recycle. By contrast a traditional safety razor is made entirely of metal and uses metal razor blades. Once the blades are blunt they can be put into a tin and once full go to metal recycling at a local recycling centre. The safety razor itself could last a lifetime and beyond. Using it with a shaving soap provides a less wasteful alternative to foam in a hard-to-recycle aerosol can. Electric shavers remove the need for lather or hot water and if cared for can be used for many years. Using renewable energy to power them rather than batteries makes them a sustainable option, but this is undermined by the fact that electric shavers are generally destined for landfill at the end of their life.

Shaving as people would have in the early 20th century is regaining popularity, with a big rise in the sale of traditional razors and products. In the early 1900s shaving was an issue of hygiene, because removing hair helped prevent lice and other parasites, bacteria and odours. Advertising of shaving products promoted a clean-shaven man as being hygienic and modern. At the same time, in order to expand the market of the safety razor, body hair in women was promoted as masculine and unhygienic. With new fashions exposing women’s arms and legs, they were encouraged to shave armpits and legs. In recent years Gillette has seen a decline in sales due to the fashion for beards and more people in general choosing not to shave. So while adopting traditional shaving methods can help reduce waste, many are taking the most sustainable approach to personal grooming, which is not to shave at all.

(The title is a quote by William Hone)

Hold Your Horses

This child’s ride-on horse was donated by a local resident in 1972. It appears to be handmade, mostly of wood with a fur mane and velvet and felt saddle. It probably dates from around 1900 and has been repaired and modified during its lifetime. It was most likely passed down and played with by multiple generations.

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In 1902 (about the time our horse was made), a soft toy bear with moving joints was created by Richard Steiff. In the USA it became known as the Teddy Bear after president Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. It had mohair fur, paws made from felt, linen or cotton, glass eyes and filled out inside with wool, cardboard and metal pins. In 1907 wind-up cars were invented and the first Hornby train was made, both predominantly made from metal. Dolls of this time were made from papier mache, china, rubber or wax. The plastic toy revolution came after World War Two, when plastic technology developed and producers for the wartime military market looked for a new outlet. As the 20th century progressed, plastic and synthetic materials increasingly replaced traditional materials such as wood, metal and natural textiles.

Today plastic toys account for 90% of the market. Plastic offers many benefits being affordable, colourful and easy to clean. Most toys are not single use either, many toys can last 15 to 20 years before entering the waste stream, especially if they are passed on. However (as we have learnt in previous Sustainable Stories) plastic is made from fossil fuels, the manufacturing process leads to harmful emissions and it takes 100s to 1000s of years to break down. Many modern toys are made of different components making them difficult to recycle. Therefore plastic toys are a big part of the plastic ending up in landfill and in the sea. The issue is made worse with poor quality plastic toys, made for cereal boxes or party bags, that aren’t made to last and quickly end up in landfill.

Some companies are starting to make plastic sourced from sugarcane, or other plant based and biodegradable options. Others are focusing on producing good quality toys that last a long time, and which at the end of their life can be separated into different materials for recycling. More companies are producing toys made from wood, offering a more durable and biodegradable product. However it isn’t a straight forward switch for consumers. Toys made from MDF may look like natural wood but actually contain chemicals such as formaldehyde and adhesives. Natural wood is only better for the environment if it comes from a sustainable source. Good labelling with the necessary certifications indicates that the wood used is not contributing to illegal logging and deforestation. Some companies are using repurposed or reclaimed wood to make their toys, such as rubberwood, a waste product of the latex industry.

While navigating the sustainable toy market might be tricky and expensive, there are plenty of opportunities to buy second hand. Pre-loved toys can be easily and affordably picked up at nearly new sales and through online auction sites and social media groups. There are also opportunities to borrow from a toy libraries or join a toy subscription scheme. So although some really old toys might not meet modern health and safety standards, we can learn from the way they were built to last and be passed on to be played with again.

Make Do and Mend?

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This shirt and collar are from a collection of material belonging to Alec Cathcart, local farmer and cyclist, who was a founder member of the Stonehouse Wheelers cycling club in 1948. We have over a 100 objects of his dating from the 1940s to the 1990s including his touring bike built to his specifications in 1962. The shirt is made of cotton poplin and features a fabric label for a retailers called Hopton’s in Fishponds, Bristol. The cotton collar is 1 of 3 that could be worn with the shirt, attached using brass collar studs. This shirt is made of natural materials and its label suggests it was made in the UK. It had collars that could be washed and starched separately and could be kept and re-used with other garments. There is a darned repair on one of the shoulders, reflecting how it was common practice in the mid- 20th century to repair garments rather than throw them away when they got damaged.

Since the 1950s consumers have increasingly embraced mass-produced clothing sold cheaply to keep up with fashion trends. In the 1990s and 2000s the term ‘fast fashion’ emerged to describe companies producing low-quality clothes to follow fast-moving trends, cheap enough to be considered disposable. Each year in the UK, 350 000 tonnes of wearable clothes end up in landfill.

The clothing industry is now the second largest polluter in the world after the oil industry. Due to the energy required in production, manufacturing and transportation, it accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. Today most of our clothes (72%) contain synthetic fibres such as polyester and acrylic, which are made from fossil fuels. Each time we wash a synthetic garment more than a thousand individual microfibres are released into the water, making their way into our waterways and eventually into the food chain. At the end of their life synthetic fibres are not bio-degradable and take approximately 200 years to decompose, emitting harmful gases as they do.

Clothing made from natural fibres like our cotton shirt, also have an impact. 1kg of cotton requires 20000 litres of water to grow and the chemicals used can lead to soil degradation. The dyeing and finishing of all clothes requires huge quantities of water and in some countries these wastewaters are dumped straight into rivers. It is evident that the impact of the fashion industry on the environment is a vast and complex subject, without even mentioning the human impact.

With all these things to consider, it is difficult for consumers to know what choices to make. Sustainable clothing companies are a growing part of the industry, offering clothes made from recycled materials or organic natural materials with certifications regarding the use of chemicals and working practices. There are more opportunities to buy second hand or swap clothes and high street retailers are offering schemes to pass old clothes onto charity or be recycled. To keep it simple, many are starting to look back to what their grandparents would have done: buy less, buy clothes that last, repair or repurpose and then pass it on.

A Load of Old Cobblers

These tools were used by Mr. D. Boulton in his shoe repair shop on Parliament Street in Stroud. The cast iron last provided a base for sole and heel repairs, using such replacement heels as the 2 shown and the metal rasp was for smoothing and finishing. These are just a small selection from the many cobbler tools and supplies in our collection, representing 3 local shops which offered a shoe repair service. Items from Mr. Boulton’s were donated to the museum in 1987 and in 1988 over 200 objects came from Ben Bishop’s Shoe Shop in Minchinhampton. Further items from W. A. Jacobs, based at 47 High Street, Stroud came into the collection when it closed in June 1989. This could suggest that the late 1980s was the end of an era for local cobblers.

Before the late 19th century shoes were crafted by hand from natural materials, which made them expensive but also durable. Shoes were worn for many years, were well maintained by the wearer and sent to the cobblers to be repaired when needed. The industrial revolution brought the mass production of shoes in factories. Since the mid-20th century shoes have been made increasingly from synthetic materials, made to follow fashion trends and not built to last or be repairable.

Today around a third of shoe materials in the world are polymers such as PVC, which can take 1000 years to decompose, leaching toxic chemicals as they do. By comparison cotton takes around 6 months to decompose while leather takes 20 to 40 years. There are recycling schemes for shoes, shops in Stroud take shoes for recycling. But modern shoes are difficult to recycle because they contain so many different materials. Of the 24.2 billion pairs of shoes made in the world each year the majority still end up in landfill or an incinerator.

Some shoe brands are working to make more sustainable shoes, built to last longer, be repairable and at the end of life more recyclable. Meanwhile the practice of shoe repair continues in shops and now online. A surprising number of things can be repaired and at a cost less than buying a new pair of shoes.

1987.102/4, 1987.106/1, 1987.106/2 and 1987.107/1

Story One - Rinse and Return

This pint milk bottle is one of many in our collection, it came from Stroud Creamery which was based on Slad Road in Stroud until 1994. The milk most people used to have delivered on their doorsteps came from one of many local dairies and thus would have had very few food miles. We have examples of bottles from Severn Valley Dairy at Stonehouse, Park Farm at Paganhill and a variety of local dairies including Cainscross, Chalford, Minchinhampton, Dursley, Wotton-under-Edge and Sharpness.

Milk came packaged in a glass bottle that could be returned and re-used many times. It wasn’t only milk being sold in returnable glass bottles, but mineral water and soft drinks from companies such as Stroud Brewery and Bown & Co. It was common practice up until the 1980s to return a glass bottle to the shop in return for a small cash refund.

Today, milk delivered in glass is on the rise again as consumers consider the environmental benefits over single-use plastic. Beyond the energy savings of reusing a glass bottle, at the end of its life, recycling glass produces less C02 emissions than the new plastic most modern milk bottles are made of. Plus, glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss of quality, while recycled plastic tends to be downgraded into lesser items. In 2018 it was calculated that only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled.