Planning a trip to the British capital? We’ve put together a sustainable guide for a more eco-friendly trip to London, so you can have a great trip while lowering your impact. With places to shop, have a meal or engage with a community, we’ve included ways to make your visit more positive for the planet with these sustainable brands in London!

Shopping

69b Boutique

This boutique fashion shop is a paradise for anyone who loves eco-friendly and sustainable fashion brands. They have more than 70 brands of clothing, shoes, jewelry and beauty products. Among them you can find Matt & Nat, Eco Alf, Thinking Mu, Toms, Soko and more. All the brands must adhere to their strict policy of transparency in order to be carried in the store. 

Location: 69b Broadway Market, London E8 4PH

Aida 

In Aida, you’ll find a selection of sustainable brands of women and men’s clothing, as well as houseware. This concept store is more than just shopping – it’s an experience. There’s also a café in the store which allows you to take a relaxing break while trying their coffees or smoothies. Founded by four sisters, Aida is a place where the community is really important. A place where sharing, creating and collaborating is at its core. 

Location: 133 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1 6JE

The Third Estate

The Third Estate is an ethical, eco-friendly and cruelty free shop. It sells clothing, shoes and accessories for women and men. The foreign brands they work with must meet their requirements for good working conditions. The Third Estate also works to support UK brands. If you’re looking for simple, discreet and basic clothing but made sustainably, this is the place for you!

Location: 27 Brecknock Road, Camden, London, N7 0BT

The Keep Boutique

Unique, colorful and bright clothing is what you’ll find in The Keep Boutique. That’s not all though, you’ll also find beauty products and home goods. Their goal is to offer clothing you will keep for a long time. The Keep Boutique highlights three concepts that are quality, craftsmanship and sustainability. If you share their values, you have to take a look at this great boutique!

Location: 32/33 Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PR

Change of Heart 

This secondhand fashion shop is where you’ll find that sustainable piece of clothing you’ve been looking for forever! The concept is simple. Give them the seasonal clothes you don’t want anymore and they will try to sell them for you. When they do, they keep 50% of the sale giving you the other half. You can also just shop here, giving clothes a second life and purchasing unique pieces at a lower price. 

Location: The Old School, 59b-59c Park Rd, London N8 8DP

Bottletop

This shop offers luxurious bags that you’ve never seen before. They are made of recycled ring pulls from Brazil and leather that is certified ‘Zero Deforestation’. Their unique pieces are made in a small atelier in Brazil, where workers receive good wages and working conditions. Their shop is the world’s first 3D printing store using ocean plastics.

Location: 84 Regent Street, Soho, London, W1B 5RS

Brick Lane Vintage

In this vintage shop, you can find pieces of clothing from the ‘20 to the ‘90. Both women and men can find stylish garments from jeans, to jackets and sportswear. It’s a place where your hunting is worth the effort because you can find great pieces for a fantastic price. The shop is located on the vintage street, really fitting its surroundings.

Location: Brick Lane Vintage Market, F Block, 85 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL

The Brokedown Palace

Here you can find anything you need to prepare for an adventure in nature. The Brokedown Palace offers many different items from brands like Patagonia, Fjällräven, Lowe Alpine and more. They are conscious about climate change and aim to protect the planet by offering products that are ethical and environmentally friendly. They also try to sell eco or recycled materials whenever possible.

Location: 178 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6HU/ Spitalfields market, 8 Market Street, E1 6DT

Sweaty Betty

Sweaty Betty is a sportswear shop for women, run by women. They support circular fashion by offering the option to give back your old leggings for recycling. The leggings can be any brand and when you give them back you get £10 off on when you spend more than £50 in their shop. Sweaty Betty works with Terracycle – an international company that recycles the ‘unrecyclables’ – as well. They’re working to be a fully sustainable brand while empowering women through fitness.

Location: 20 shops in London

Beauty

Le Fix

This natural beauty bar offers various services for your nails, brows, eyelashes and beauty routine. They also offer a free skincare consultation and use all-natural and vegan products. Le Fix is not only a beauty bar but also a place for events like meetups and conferences with beauty artists as well as zero-waste events.

Location: 45 Newman St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1QE

Homegoods Retailers

Artisans and Adventurers

Artisans and Adventurers is a contemporary, sustainable design shop. All products you can find here are colorful, ethical, handmade and cruelty-free. They work with local artisans as well as with Indian and African creators. Using recycled materials and creating zero-waste is a key part of their philosophy.

Location: 146 Columbia Road, London, E2 7RG

Karavan eco

In this eco-friendly store, you’ll find local home goods. By supporting local producers they aim to make a positive social and environmental impact. At Karaven Eco you can find bamboo t-shirts and socks, reusable kitchen products, soap and shampoo refills. As part of their positive impact action, Karavan eco organizes workshops and events.

Location: 167 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HX

Food Retailers

The Source Bulk Foods

This bulk grocery store is on a mission to help reduce waste, encouraging you to only buy what you need. At The Source you can refill your jars and no plastic bags are offered. They support the non-profit Sea Shepherd and thanks to their work, more than 50,000,000 plastic bags have been saved thus far.

Locations: 99 St John’s Rd, London SW11 1QY / 24 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, London W4 1QP

Patoka

This brand new shop provides sustainable and plastic-free products for the home. You can find everything you need from vegan food, to refillable products, to cleaning and personal care items. Bring your own bags and jars to purchase what you need in a sustainable way.

Location: Wembley Park Market, 27-29 Olympic Way, Wembley, London, HA9 0FR

BYO

In BYO, they follow Bea Johnson’s five fundamentals of zero waste (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot). In this shop, you’ll only find bulk food. You’ll need to bring your own containers to get the products you want as no bags are offered. Their aim is to inspire a zero-waste culture for all.

Location: 21-23 Tooting High St, Tooting, London SW17 0SN

Zéro

Zéro is a bulk food, zero-waste store. Inspired by the culture of going to specialty shops like the bakery, the founders wanted to bring this back to the UK. Plus, by being plastic-free they aim to create a positive impact on the planet.

Locations: Merton Abbey Mills, Unit 7, The Apprentice Shop, 14 Watermill Way, London SW19 2RD

Hetu 

Hetu takes advantage of the huge buying power people have by transforming it into an eco-friendly one. This vegan store provides bulk food and sustainable items. They ensure all products have environmental, social and economic benefits. They also avoid food waste and single-use / plastic packaging.

Location: ​201 St. Johns Hill, London SW11 1TH

Earth Natural Foods

This food retailer provides organic, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free products. As well as fruits and vegetables, you’ll find bread, pastries, wine, cheese and more. Further, you’re able to take-away foods and salads freshly made with the store’s products.

Location: 200-202 Kentish town road, London NW5 2AE

Restaurants, Bars and Cafés

Pod Good Food

This fast-food restaurant is conscious of its role on the environment and wants to give you the opportunity to eat healthy and eco-friendly. Whenever possible, they provide local and seasonal food. Their restaurants are built with recycled materials and all packaging and cutlery are compostable. To take it a step further, at the end of every day they deliver their surplus food to local charities. 

Location: 77 Lombard St, London EC3V 9AY / 55 Great Eastern St, Hackney, London EC2A 3HP

Mooshies

Mooshies is a vegan burger bar. Its creative owners pay careful attention to their costumers’ feedback to provide the best, most innovative tasting meals. They aim to popularize alternative burgers, especially for the younger generation. When you’re in London, you should definitely pop by to try the healthy, cruelty-free burgers at Mooshies.

Location: 104 Brick Lane, London E1 6RL

Wave

Founded by two women, Wave is a vegan restaurant where diners can eat responsibly. They work to give a positive experience to their clients which is why every Monday, Wednesday and Friday they also offer yoga classes. At Wave, you can have a complete health experience. 

Location: 11 Dispensary Lane, Mare Street, Hackney, E8 1FT

Redemption

This trendy vegan bar/restaurant was founded by two women. They created Redemption to prove that healthy food can also be delicious. They offer entirely sugar, wheat, and alcohol-free dishes. The little restaurant has a unique menu that offers an experience worth trying.

Locations: Notting Hill, 6 Chepstow Road, London W2 5BH / Shoreditch, 320 Old Street, London EC1V 9DR / ​Covent Garden, 15 Shorts Gardens, London WC2H 9AT

La Gelatiera

This ice cream artisan has been recognized for its excellence. They follow a slow food philosophy, using seasonal and natural ingredients. All ice creams are made daily and the ice cream maker comes from southern Italy, spreading their family tradition and craftsmanship. At La Gelatiera you can have a unique experience, enjoying good coffee and delicious ice cream while watching them make more in their in-house laboratory.

Location: 17 Topsfield Parade, Tottenham Lane N88PP London

Farmacy

In Farmacy, everything is connected to nature. The restaurant is linked to their farm in the Kent countryside from all their fruits and vegetables come from. Their farm is ‘Demeter certified’, which means their agriculture is biodynamic. The Farmacy philosophy is ‘to always be in harmony with nature’. Plus, they support many different social foundations. In Farmacy, the dishes are plant-based, seasonal and cooked by a motivated and creative team.

Location: 74 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill

Yeotown

In this mindfulness café, you can relax your mind and body. Here you’ll enjoy healthy, seasonal food and a moment for meditation, in the bright and relaxing space. On the menu, you’ll find different types of bowls, toasts, wraps, smoothies and organic coffees. They also provide corporate catering and home delivery. At Yeotown your mind and body will be well-treated. Additionally, every month Yeotown plays a recording of an expert in their meditation station to help guide you in your meditation.

Location: Yeotown Kitchen, 40 – 42 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7QN

Charities

Caras

Caras supports refugees and asylum-seekers. Their mission to give them social and educational assistance to be able to develop relationships, improve their wellbeing, and build more skills and autonomy.

Location: 25 Blakenham Rd, London SW17 8NE

FoodCycle

FoodCycle provides food for lonely, hungry people. Their community makes a positive impact by allowing people to have a proper meal while giving them the opportunity to meet others, create friendships and share conversations. Volunteers and guests sit for meals at the same table, enabling the FoodCycle team to gain a better understanding of the cultures and backgrounds of the people they’re working with. Food Cycle currently works all around the UK.

Locations: 11 sites in London

London Cycling Campaign 

London Cycling Campaigns unites people who cycle in London and make it a cleaner, healthier city. They have organized campaigns, supported members and promoted cycling in the UK for over 40 years. By acting as the voice of thousands of cyclers, they are working to create real change. 

Location: London Cycling Campaign, Unit 201, Metropolitan Wharf, 70 Wapping Wall, London E1W 3SS

Transports

Santander Cycle

Santandar Cycle are easy to use, city bikes of London. To use them, you can download the app or get them directly at a station by paying with your credit card. We always recommend biking or walking in a new city as it’s such a good and sustainable way to see the city!

Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone

These are standards that vehicles have to respect if they want to drive in London. It penalizes polluting heavy diesel vehicles that are driving in London. Low emission zones operate throughout the city, year-round. Ultra-low emission zones operate in central London every day of the year except Christmas day. All vehicles that don’t meet these standards must pay a fine. For more information check out the website. 


With tons of places to go and things to see, use this guide to have an eco-friendly trip to London. We love helping others reduce their impact and hope you’ll do the same by sharing this guide with friends. And, if you find other eco-friendly places during your visit to London, feel free to share them in the comments!

Author: Margot Schneider