Introducing Reusable Cotton Wipes – Vesta Living

Wondering how you can be more eco-friendly at home? Want to be inspired by someone making waves by creating her own eco-friendly social enterprise? We've spoken to Bryony, owner and creator of Vesta Living (reusable cotton wipes) about her business and how it came about. Plus we've got some tips on how you can be a bit more eco-friendly at home.

Firstly, tell us a little about what Vesta Living is? What is it you sell?

Vesta Living makes reusable wipes for the face, body and home. They have been developed to replace disposable wipes that are made from plastic non-degradable material that never breaks down.

Disposable wipes clog the sewers and find their way into the ocean causing damage to marine creatures. Vesta reusable wipes have been developed to feel at convenient as disposable wipes. Rather than throwing them into the bin after one use, just pop them in the washing machine, ready to reuse again

We use 100% cotton fabric to make the wipes. So at the end of their life, they can be put into the compost and will degrade after six months or so.

Why is using reusable wipes so important?

I think its really important to address our throwaway mentality. Nothing that is thrown away is actually away. It has to go somewhere. Biodegradable products break down over time, but a lot of what we buy doesn't break down, so it exists in landfill or is shipped off to other countries to become someone else problem.

If we think of our waste as a whole, perhaps we can make some positive changes. For example, if you use make up removal wipes twice a day, you will use 730 per year, that's 30 packs a year. Or you could use just 20 cotton reusable facial wipes over and over again which completely degrade after use, thus reducing your impact on the environment significantly.

What inspired you to create Vesta living? How did you get started?

I was inspired to start Vesta after looking for wipes in the UK, and not being able to find anything that worked for me. I wanted to set up a company that was ethical and sustainable.

We are setting up as a social enterprise and will employ women who are survivors of trauma. We hope that working at Vesta will be a step into the working world for them.

What tips do you have for people trying to be a bit more eco-friendly at home?

I would suggest starting by replacing anything that has a more environmentally friendly alternative. Buy bamboo toothbrushes rather than plastic. Take a reusable cup out with you, rather than buying your coffee in disposable cups that can't be recycled and don't degrade.

Anything that comes in plastic packaging, look for a glass alternative. Switch disposable wipes to reusable ones.

What have you done recently to be more eco at home?

I make all my own cleaning products at home, avoiding toxic chemicals and all that plastic packaging.  It's pretty easy to do with water, bicarb and essential oils.

I order an organic vegetable box every week to bypass the plastic the supermarkets use. If I do go the supermarket, I leave as much plastic packaging in the check out space as I can.

In the bathroom, we use bar soap rather than shower gels in plastic packaging and teeth cleaning products from Geo-organics which don't use plastic.

Where can people find Vesta Living products?

You can shop a full range of our products on our website 

About Vesta Living