I read about a new site recently – Buy Me Once. It curates gear that’s high quality and you only have to buy once, in your life. Stellar stuff. Not-so-funnily, I’m writing this sitting in a London Wholefoods. The place is festooned with “eco” messaging. And yet everything comes on disposable plates, with disposable forks and cups. In the past 50 years, we’ve come to seriously regard disposable as cool. It’s honestly insane.
But there are murmurings of a push-back. In France the government is fighting disposable business practice in the appliances industry, part of a larger movement against planned obsolescence across the European Union. And a bunch of fashion brands are stepping up in clever ways.
This is part of my own #Simplicious manifesto. Sure, you have to buy things. But don’t buy disposable stuff. And buy it mindfully. Stuff that lasts is generally premium, which – added bonus – makes you think deeply about whether you really need it. Because, end of day, I advocate going without, wherever possible.
Anyway I reached out to Tara and then arranged to meet with her…we were both going to be in London at the same time, miraculously. It was all a beautiful thing. Then we decided to compile a list of our favourite Buy Once stuff.
Tara: A LE CREUSET POT
This is the brand that started it all and inspired me to begin BuyMeOnce. Le Creuset is an heirloom cooking pot that oozes quality and longevity. It comes with a lifetime guarantee and I can just see myself passing it down to my imaginary grandchildren. I want everything in my life to give me this feeling.
Me: Scanlan and Theodore wool and silk
I shop for fashion rarely, about once every six months. For 15 years I’ve invested in pieces by this Australian brand. They’re a premium product, but I have red silk pants that have lasted seven years (I even hand wash them) and a