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L AY E R

Without Layers, We Unra

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Layers of Content Your Guide to Sustainable Living, The Layer Way

Shopping Habits

Clothing

Going Trendless

Wardrobe Staples

Conscious Consumption

Quality Over Quantity

Community

Interior

Communication

16 Biophilia

Reach Out

18 Repurposing

Social Media

Calming Colours

Wellbeing

Work

Slowing Down

The New Normal

28 Wellness 30

Holistic Healing

Food

Travel

Grow Your Own

Reducing Waste

Go Green

Allow yourself to be multi-layered. multi-layered. multi-layered.

The Base Layer In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, re-evaluating what is truly important has caused a shift, giving birth to ‘Layer’ which embodies a new lifestyle direction where trend is of no consequence and longevity and sustainability are key. Each layer moves us forward, reflecting individual personalities and building on our pasts to strive for sustainable living, one layer at a time.

The Foundations Reset Take this time to reset, redesign and reuse. Consumerism has clouded our vision, taking away our ability to stop and appreciate the little things, the essential layers that we couldn’t live without. It’s time to challenge what you know and transform your approach.

Nurture At Layer, we believe in turning to the natural world around us for guidance and inspiration, allowing it to transform our lives. Always looking for new ways to deepen our understanding, we aim to discover new layers of sustainable knowledge and practices.

Posterity Layer is the future. An ethereal vision of considered depth and understanding. We encourage you to live a little slower, taking time to appreciate what is really important. Our wish at Layer, is to leave future generations with the planet they deserve.

Collective Community is at the core of Layer, and projecting a collective mindset will allow a more thoughtful way of living. Looking closer to home and supporting the people around you will ignite your soul. 5

Going Trendless Pushing the Boundaries

Why should we limit ourselves to trends and seasons?

For too long we have been tightly bound to trends, constantly waiting to be told what is ‘in season’, whilst pushing our most cherished items to the back of our minds.

Try to no longer think within the parameters of traditional seasons, this is how true statements are made. Objects should be solution based, not trend based. Your possessions should provide you with emotion and love, each item showing a glimpse of your soul, adding a layer to who you really are. They should be a clear representation of who we are as individuals.

shopping habits

Conscious Consumption Consumerism and aggressive marketing techniques have distorted our vision, leaving us unable to see clearly. Wear it once culture is no longer desirable. These actions are leading to the demise of our planet, the place we call home. Cherishing the earth is vital to the Layer community and the adjustments required are simple and attainable, with the aim of becoming more conscious one layer at a time. Small actions such as unsubscribing to newsletters and alerts from large brands and corporations will aid in the avoidance of these marketing techniques, which have flooded our email inboxes for too long, constantly attempting to convince us what we need.

Consuming in line with Layer’s core values will help to transform your buying habits, with sustainability and longevity at the forefront. It’s important not to dwell on our past lifestyle choices, but learn from these and allow them to inform our future considered purchases. With the shared goal of ensuring we spend our time and money on the things that matter most, the answer is individual to you, but with the help of Layer, we can achieve this together.

Hand Knotted Hemp String Bag By Etico

shopping habits

Kin Home, Birmingham

shopping habits

Community A collective way of thinking.

Who you are buying from is just as important as what you are buying. Community is at the heart of Layer, and it’s important to shift from an individualistic mindset to a collective way of thinking. Strive to become more localised in your approach to shopping, taking the opportunity to give back to your community, boosting those around you.

At a time when businesses are suffering, it’s particularly vital to support independent shops, from florists to food. Choosing meaningful gifts from local artisans is a great way to gift consciously and sustainably, and will lead you to discover individual products which have been crafted with care.

Shopping local and Independent

Wardrobe Staples The Essentials

With landfills quickly closing in on us, suffocating our planet, re-evaluating your wardrobe is a great place to start on your journey to Layer living.

A great way to reduce the size of your wardrobe without sacrificing your style is investing in versatile staples which can be worn all year round and styled in multiple ways to maximise wear. Basic wardrobe staples are key; long-lasting t-shirts, jumpers and blazers that can be layered up in different ways to create a whole host of looks. Sharing clothes with friends is another great way to expand and switch up your wardrobe without harming the environment, as well as donating, repurposing or recycling unwanted items to provide previously loved clothes with a new lease of life; practicing slow and conscious fashion.

clothing

Quality Quantity

Carefully considered purchases will provide you with the long-term happiness and fulfilment that is missing from products you constantly seek to replace. This is true for all aspects of Layer living, from the people you surround yourself with to material goods and physical experiences. It’s important to love and preserve these aspects.

Layer living doesn’t require you to deprive yourself of exciting new buys, but instead purchase with a purpose; a vision to collect iconic pieces over time which are reflective of your personality, experiences and style, adding layers to your soul. Will it last? Does it fill the void it’s meant to? Quality luxurious materials you can treasure forever, or quirky antique furniture with a story to tell, preserving these pieces to carry you through life. Cashmere by Lanificio Colombo

Clean and Green Biophilia’s literal translation from Latin is ‘Love of Life’.

Here at Layer we strongly believe in inviting the natural world into our homes and workspaces. Now we’re spending more times indoors, it’s the perfect opportunity to inject a new lease of life into your surroundings, and invite nature in.

Biophilic design is more than just an aesthetically pleasing backdrop for your WFH Zoom calls, and has been found to support cognitive function, psychological and physical wellbeing. Utilise all levels in your surroundings to maximise your elevated space, use coffee tables and wall plant hangers to create pockets of positivity throughout your homes. Aim to maximise natural lighting to add a boost and take the time to care for your plants, the excitement of seeing a new leaf emerge will make this relationship last a lifetime, and we want you to join us on this experience of healing the bond between human and nature.

Biophilia

interior

Repurposing Changing the Status Quo

There comes a time when items no longer serve their original purpose, but why should items only have one purpose? Repurposing is a great way to live in line with Layer’s values and add depth to your home and its contents.

You should fill your home with items which truly represent who you are, and what better way to do that than giving items you love a new lease of life with your personal style and flare. The lovely bouquet of flowers you received as a present can be dried, treasured and preserved and become everlasting. Being creative is good for the soul, providing therapeutic down-time to relax and create something unique.

interior

Calming Colours A Healing Gaze

During a time of uncertainty and anxiety, it’s important to surround yourself with calming colours to help soothe your soul.

The psychological effects of certain colours and shades can help you to boost your mood, energy and surroundings, and studies have shown looking at certain colours can relax you. Natural colours including blues, purples and greens will relax you, and help you on your journey to sustainability, reminding you of the natural beauty of the world around us. Choosing colours based on seasonal trends will leave your home quickly outdated, and not reflecting your authentic taste.

interior

Reach Out The effects of Coronavirus have left us unable to spend time with our loved ones, leaving physical touch as the new luxury we all desire.

It’s vital to take this time to pause, and truly appreciate those who are most important to us. To draw on treasured memories and look to the future with a positive outlook, knowing there are more great times to come. Staying in touch with friends and family boosts wellbeing, and using technology is a great way to feel close when you’re far away, through virtual quizzes, cocktail nights, book clubs and art sessions. Going back to basics and penning a personal handwritten letter will truly communicate how much someone means to you, helping the layers of relationships in your life to thrive. Ilenia Tesoro

Searching For a Connection communication

Join The Layer Community

Are you happy with your relationship with social media? The negative effects of social media are clear; the incessant checking of our phones, the encouragement of consumerism and materialism that is often promoted, drowning our feeds and hard to ignore. But used correctly, social media is an amazing tool to educate yourself and those around you, enabling you to connect with like-minded people across the world. Successful use of social media means focusing on yourself and your journey to sustainable living, the Layer way.

After peeling back the superficial layers of social media, you’ll discover countless groups and communities, providing inspiring

Social Media

It’s not about whether you use it, it’s about how you use it.

tips and advice on how to live more sustainably. Use social media to harness your passion for Layer, and become immersed in our positive authentic community. It’s time to get inspired.

communication

Justin Hamilton @aperturesound

Slowing Down

Press pause. Breathe. Remember what truly matters.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to slow down. It has allowed us time to reset and re-evaluate how we live our lives, providing the chance to adopt a slower way of living in all aspects of life. Appreciating the little things that have been taken for granted is a central aspect to Layer, and help in the journey to conscious essential living.

It’s important to make time for self-care and look after your body as it carries you through life. Hobbies such as journaling are a great way to relieve stress, and record thoughts, feelings and goals.

wellbeing

The Power of the Great Outdoors There are five main aspects to personal health; physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual, and all hold equal importance.

Nature is so powerful and beneficial for physical and mental wellbeing, venturing out into the world around you will do wonders for your soul. The sun on your back and wind in your hair, billowing.

Wellness

Robbie Lawrence The Ethicurean, Bristol 28

Holistic Healing During a time of great uncertainty, holistic healing will encourage you to strive for fulfilled, healthy living, providing balance in all aspects of life. With a wide range of practices including yoga, meditation and healing crystals, there are a multitude of ways to achieve personal wellbeing on a deeper level, allowing you to explore layers of yourself.

Healing crystals have been used for thousands of years, with the belief they emit positive, energising and calming vibrations, to help transform the aura of the body. Finding inner peace and discovering what really matters is essential in your journey to sustainable living, the Layer way.

Peace of Mind, Body and Spirit

wellbeing

The New Normal Working From Home

Whilst life has been thrown into the depths of uncertainty, it seems working from home will be in place for the foreseeable, and here at Layer we think it’s important to embrace this new change to maximise the benefits remote working can provide. Achieving the work-life balance is key to a content home worker, and it’s vital to implement practices into your schedule which help you to switch off after a long day, including reading and exercise.

Embrace the flexibility that remote working brings; a morning yoga session rather than a stressful commute provides the opportunity to transform your WFH lifestyle in line with Layer living. If possible, having a separate space in your home to work will enable you to easily leave work at your desk once the day is over. Work is often a social space, using coffee breaks to chat to colleagues, and it is important to keep those relationships intact, for your own wellbeing and to avoid isolation. Jenna Marlar @cozy.happy.home

work

Straight From Pot to Plate

vegetables and herbs grown in your own garden, the sweet feeling of satisfaction, knowing you aided in the growth and nurture of your latest meal. Transform your garden, adding layers to your knowledge, skill and health and kick-starting your journey to selfsufficiency. Using containers and plant pots is a great way to grow produce if you have limited space, adding a new lease of life to outdoor spaces.

Growing your own produce will guide you to eat fruit and veg which is in season, aiding in your journey to conscious consumption. Be creative with exotic veg; chillies, tomatoes and beans in a range of colours and sizes, turning your garden space into a rainbow of culinary

Grow Your Own

Nothing compares to the taste of fresh fruit,

and visionary delight.

Food

Michael Ofei

Eva Kolenko

Carole Bamford, Zero Waste Pantry Daylesford Organic Farm, Gloucestershire

Food

Reducing Waste Net-Zero Living

According to Unilever, each year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is discarded, wasted.

Food is precious and essential, fuelling our bodies to see us through life, so to waste the world’s natural resources, increasing the world’s carbon footprint, is something we want to change at Layer. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

Shopping locally or growing your own produce will help to reduce the plastic packaging suffocating our planet. Meal planning, checking use-by dates, saving leftovers for lunch and correctly storing food in sealed containers will help on your journey to reducing waste. Sharing excess food with your local communities through food waste apps such as OLIO is another great tip. These small acts add positive layers of change to your life, helping you on your journey to sustainability.

Re-thinking Travel Unable to go anywhere, take this time to reset how you perceive travel. Look closer to home and your surroundings when considering your next trip, natural beauty is everywhere.

After being confined to our homes, stretching our legs, exercising and going for a walk or cycle has become a luxury, the highlight of the day. Keeping healthy is so important now with a world ravaged by a virus, so swapping from machines which are detrimental to the environment when you can will reward you with so many benefits, enabling you to fully experience the outdoors and appreciate life. So, when you’re next grabbing your car keys, consider, is there another way?

Go Green

Laura Muthesius Our Food Stories 38

travel

One Layer at a Time