A Hen’s Tooth guide to sourcing with integrity.
Choosing ethical brands can be challenging, in a world where 'eco‑friendly', 'sustainable', and 'green' are plastered across products with all the authenticity of a plastic plant.
As a small business owner, I feel this tension every day. I want to offer beautiful, joyful things for home and garden, but not at the cost of the planet, workers’ rights, or my own integrity.
So this blog is a little window into how I choose suppliers for Hen’s Tooth, what 'ethical sourcing' means to me, and how you can spot brands that walk the walk (not just slap a leaf icon on their packaging).
🌿 Ethical Sourcing: A Work in Progress, Not a Badge
Let’s start with honesty: no brand - especially a small one - can claim perfection. Ethical sourcing is a journey, not a certificate you print once and forget about. I don’t want to make claims I can’t back up, and I don’t want to pretend that every single product I stock is flawless.
What I can promise is this:
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I ask questions.
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I check supply chains.
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I choose UK‑based suppliers wherever possible.
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I prioritise handmade, small‑batch, plastic‑free and low‑impact goods.
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And when something doesn’t sit right, I change course - even when it’s inconvenient.
A recent example? I dropped a supplier because they shifted part of their operations to Temu. And Temu is… well, let’s talk about that.
🚫 Why I Won’t Support Temu (and Why It Matters)
Temu has exploded in popularity because it’s cheap (unbelievably cheap). But that low price comes with a high environmental and ethical cost.
Temu has been widely criticised for:
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Ultra‑fast, ultra‑wasteful production cycles
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Massive carbon footprints from constant global shipping
- Use of dangerous, and sometimes banned, chemicals in their products
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Poor transparency around labour conditions
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A business model built on disposability
When a platform encourages buying ten things you don’t need instead of one thing you’ll love and keep, it’s the opposite of slow living. It’s the opposite of what Hen’s Tooth stands for. So when a supplier I used began working with Temu, that was my line in the sand. I stepped away.
Ethics aren’t just about what you do, they’re also about what you refuse to be part of.
🌱 What I Look for in a Supplier
Every supplier I work with is chosen with intention. Here’s what I prioritise:
1. UK‑Based Businesses
Working with UK suppliers reduces shipping miles, supports local makers, and keeps supply chains more transparent. It also means I can have real conversations with real people, not faceless corporations.
2. Handmade & Small‑Batch
Many of my items are handmade by small makers or produced in limited runs. This reduces waste, supports craftspeople, and ensures each piece has a story.
Some items I make myself, such as my zipped pouches, often upcycled from old fabrics, charity shop finds, or remnants.
3. Clear Ethical Policies
I look for suppliers who openly discuss:
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No animal testing
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Fair treatment of workers
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Avoidance of child labour
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Sustainable materials
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Responsible packaging
The supplier I use the most import many items from overseas.
However, they have clear and transparent policies on Fair Trade, Child Labour.
They personally visit and make deals with small businesses in Nepal, India, Indonesia. among others - and share stories of the arrangements they make with their suppliers to ensure everyone is paid and treated well.
4. B Corp Certification (When Possible)
If a supplier is a B Corp, that’s a huge green flag. B Corps are companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
They’re independently assessed, which means their ethics must be measurable, with a commitment to reduce their Carbon Footprint.
I know the process is rigorous as I contributed to my previous employer gaining BCorp certification.
Not all of the businesses I work with are B Copr (many are too small to go through the process), but the principles behind B Corp - people, planet, purpose - guide my choices.
🌍 Plastic‑Free Picks: Small Changes, Big Impact
One of the easiest ways to shop ethically is to choose products that avoid unnecessary plastic and choose sustainable swaps for everyday items.
That’s why I created the Plastic Free Picks collection. A curated selection of items that prove sustainability doesn’t have to be beige, boring, or expensive.
Some favourites include:
💚Solid Shampoo in a showerproof tin. I switched to solid shampoos years ago and wouldn't go back. Because they are concentrated, they last much longer. They come in a showerproof tin instead of a single use plastic bottle (looks better and lasts longer). They are vegan, cruelty free, and made with natural products.
My personal favourite is Papaya, I love the rich lather and fresh fruity smell. I swear my hair isn't falling out as much since using it (but that could also be having less stress in my life since quitting my day job 😉)
💚 Natural Fibre Storage baskets instead of ugly, bulky, plastic tubs.
💚 Bamboo Toothbrushes in a cardboard sleeve instead of disposable chunks of plastic.
💚 Tote bags instead of plastic bags - stylish and practical. I keep tote bags in the boot of the car and hanging by the front door to grab on my way out
🌼 How You Can Choose Ethical Brands (Without the Greenwashing)
Whether you’re shopping with me or elsewhere, here are some simple ways to spot genuinely ethical brands:
1. Look for Transparency
If a brand is doing good work, they’ll tell you - clearly, specifically, and without hiding behind buzzwords.
2. Check the Packaging
Plastic‑free or low‑plastic packaging is often a sign of wider sustainability values.
3. Ask Questions
Ethical brands won’t mind. In fact, they’ll welcome it.
4. Notice the Price
Ethical doesn’t always mean expensive - but “suspiciously cheap” is usually a red flag.
5. Support Small Makers
One of the best things you can do to live more sustainably with minimal effort, is to shop local.
Small businesses often have shorter supply chains, keep money in local communities, actually pay tax, and they have more control over their materials and processes.
📚Do Some Research
If you want to research ethical brands, and see comparisons between products, Ethical Consumer is great website.
Subscribe to the newsletter and check out their shopping guides.
I also like to share ideas, sustainable swaps, links and guides here on the blog, so sign up to my newsletter to be in the know.
🌸 Why This Matters to Me (and to Hen’s Tooth)
Hen’s Tooth was born from slow living. It started with a dream at my allotment - from muddy hands, to the joy of making things. It’s a shop built on intention, not impulse. So ethical sourcing isn’t a marketing angle for me; it’s the backbone of the whole thing.
I want you to feel good about the things you bring into your home.
I want to know that the makers behind them were treated fairly. I want to offer alternatives to the throwaway culture that’s harming our planet.
And I want to keep learning, improving, and doing better.
Living with less detrimental impact on the world is a journey, not a destination.
💛 A Final Thought
Choosing ethical brands doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small. Ask questions. Support businesses that care. And remember: every purchase is a tiny vote for the kind of world you want to live in.
At Hen’s Tooth, I’ll keep doing the work behind the scenes. I'll keep asking the awkward questions, checking the supply chains, and choosing suppliers who align with the slow, gentle, joyful ethos at the heart of everything I do.
Because beautiful things shouldn’t cost the earth.
Our Hen's Tooth Values in a Policy
I believe in transparency and integrity, you can read my Ethics & Sustainability Policy Statement here....
