Influencer Spotlight: Kira Simpson from The Green Hub
/I'm so excited to introduce The Green Hub, a wonderful website covering all things sustainability and lifestyle, and the inspiring founder and driving force behind it, Kira Simpson! The Green Hub offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration with articles about sustainable beauty, fashion, travel and more to help you live your best sustainable life. As you may already know I have recently become a style contributor on The Green Hub thanks to connecting with Kira over social media. Kira has been a big inspiration for me on this journey when it comes to looking beyond my wardrobe and creating a more sustainable lifestyle as a whole, so it's an honour to share her story. I'm sure she'll provide inspiration for you just as she has done and continues to do for me. So dive in as Kira discusses her journey so far, how The Green Hub came to be and dishes her best advice on how sustainable living can be achievable for anyone!
What inspired you to live a more sustainable lifestyle?
I studied biology and environmental science at uni. It opened my eyes to some of the major issues facing our planet, but my lifestyle changes didn’t really start until a few years later. Using natural cleaning products was the first change I made, followed by investing in a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. The rest just followed from there.
Why did you decide to start The Green Hub?
While writing an old failed blog, I came across other eco bloggers on social media who wrote about ethical fashion. Here I was being an awesome greenie using my KeepCup and writing about climate change. I was like, what on earth is ethical fashion?! It was a pretty shocking discovery. That was kind of the turning point. Updating my wardrobe and discovering new ethical fashion brands was really the catalyst for starting The Green Hub.
How do you balance living sustainably with an urban lifestyle?
I’m all about convenience so I implement systems which work for me and my lifestyle. I rent so my compost system is easy to use and portable. I have no interest in growing my own food so I buy in season produce locally from farmers markets. I love skincare and makeup but I’m terrible at making my own beauty products, instead I support mostly Australian made natural and organic beauty companies. The balance comes from making sustainable lifestyle choices which work for me, without sacrificing the things I love.
How have you implemented sustainability into your wardrobe?
I have a few rules I stick to. These are my values and may not work for someone else:
- Supply chains are a complicated business and finding a fashion brand who can trace their entire supply chain from seed to garment is rare. In a perfect world, complete transparency would be the norm but until that day comes, I’m satisfied with tier one factories (where the final garment is made) certified as being clean, safe and the workers are paid a fair and living wage.
- I (mostly) look for clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp and vegetable tanned leather. If I can’t find these then I’ll buy from brands using deadstock or recycled fabrics.
- I buy for durability and longevity. I will always choose ethical and sustainable brands first. But, if I can’t find something, say a pair of shoes I need, then I purchase from the not so ethical brand. There’s no point buying an ethically made piece if it’s just going to fall apart after a few wears and end up in landfill. Which is why I buy leather bags and shoes because most vegan leather is just plastic.
- I buy second hand. It’s not always my first choice but a great, cost effective option for when I can’t find what I need new or affordably.
- I don’t follow trends and buy clothes which suit my body type and my lifestyle. I live in Queensland where it’s hot most of the year and I also work for myself. I live in loose cotton dresses and have a stupidly large collection of straw bags. I’ll still be wearing these long after Instagram influencers have moved onto the next trend!
What would you say to someone who wants to live more sustainably but is finding it overwhelming?
Start small. Make one new change every week or month and don’t be too hard on yourself when you have setbacks, because you will. Even the most seasoned ‘greenies’ fumble and falter. Also follow blogs, sites and social media accounts of people who have started making the changes you want to make and connect with people on a similar journey. Having a support network helps!
To build your network of support for your sustainable journey let Kira lend a hand and check out The Green Hub website, sign up to the newsletter and follow their social media accounts for ongoing inspiration.