There’s something more valuable than antiquing for rare and priceless porcelain ceramics and that’s scouting for sustainable earthenware that doesn’t cost the Earth.

Our need for ceramics began before they were even used for decorative purposes. As far back as 4500 BC, our ancestors used it as kitchenware. In fact, pottery may just be the oldest handicraft in the world. These exquisite artifacts showcase the evolution of arts and culture across civilisations and what is astounding is that many of these masterpieces were fashioned from dirt!

Clay ceramics and porcelain are made from the earth and when their purpose is over, they go back to, well, the earth. However, what originally was an all-natural, hand-thrown art has evolved to a practice that has become rather hazardous to human health and the planet’s. Adding plastics to the clay mix to make them more durable, glazing the clay with lead compounds or leaving heavy carbon footprint with just the process of firing the clay in the kiln are just some ways our love of pottery can cause pollution and damage.

Some potters are taking a more sustainable approach to pottery such as embracing ‘greenware firing’ and recycling ceramic waste. Here are just some of the places you can find sustainable, handcrafted vases and flower vessels made by passionate potters and talented artisans:

Alma Terra Pottery

Founded by Jessica Ruiz, a Chilean living in Australia (where the ceramicist discovered her love for pottery), Alma Terra Pottery is handmade, small batch pottery that is designed for the art lover’s home. Ruiz is fairly new to this raw craft but creates quirky, utilitarian pieces like a master potter. Her unique pieces are ideal to give as a present. Alma Terra ceramics are all handmade using 10 stoneware in the beautiful Ovens Valley in Victoria.  

Here and Now Pottery

Here and Now pottery is proudly and sustainably made in the Ukraine. Founder Yuliya Makliuk crafts each piece by hand and is dedicated to practicing her craft without consuming too much energy and producing lots of waste. Finding ways to incorporate broken ceramic shards, glass shards and even clay waste sludges into existing pieces, Here and Now Pottery proves that minimal waste pottery is possible. All ceramic items, except for the large vases, are packed plastic-free and even Christmas tree ornaments are made with reclaimed clay and hemp thread.

KINTO

Made of porcelain and handcrafted by artisans in Hasami, Japan, these stylish, high-quality ceramic vases suit the minimalist home. Japanese porcelain dates as far back as 1300 years and in the region of Hasami, about 400 years old. KINTO employs local craftspeople who keep the heritage artform alive.

Related Post: 2°EAST Sustainable Watches: Minimalist Design, Maximum Sustainability

Udumbara

Founded in 1994 and made in a studio-showroom in Kallio Finland, Udumbara has built a reputation on luxury earth-friendly pottery and handmade sculptures made from red clay. Potter and artisan Eva Spoof hand-spins her flower pots into a beautiful and durable work of art that will suit many corners of your home – inside or out.

Oxford Clay Ceramics

It amazes me how incredible people can be. As much as we have gotten used to consuming too much and then producing a lot of waste, here comes the great souls who do whatever they can to take care of the planet, such as Katherine Tomlinson who handcrafts vegan-certified ceramics at Oxford Clay Ceramics in the UK.

Using eco-conscious pottery glazing, 100% renewable energy and zero animal byproducts Oxford Clay Ceramics’ sophisticated, dainty and eco-friendly vases and vessels make a wonderful addition to the vegan home.

Related Post: The Ultimate Guide to Decorating a Vegan Home

Nature By Hand

Nature by Hand is made in Denmark and offers craftsmanship that is in harmony with nature. All handcrafted products have a minimalist, earth tone design with a stylish flair. Each work of art features natural materials and are so well-made that all their items look high-end and expensive.

Pagburnayan

Rather than a shop, Pagburnayan in the main Filipino dialect of Tagalog translates to a place to make pots. And you can hit terra cotta heaven in Vigan, Ilocos Sur in the Philippines where jars upon jars of earthenware are found. However, there are a lot of towns in Ilocos where you can find a Pagburnayan (pottery shops) to buy the famous clay pots known as burnay.

A burnay is originally used to age vinegar, wine and bagoong (or fish paste) but these jars, that come in all sizes, are also used in a lot of different ways such as using it as a plant or flower pot.

Some burnay artisans are still practicing the ancient art form of making pots in Ilocos – where the clay that is mixed with sand is trampled by a carabao (a water buffalo native to the Philippines), pressed and molded by hand before baking the pot in an open kiln then leaving it to dry. However, these days some burnay artisans use a more sustainable approach of greenware pottery where pots are unglazed and unfired which is more eco-friendly than the general practice.

Second-hand vessels

For a wide selection of secondhand vases and used vessels, you can also check out Etsy, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or your local thrift store and op-shop. Many of these places carry heaps of pre-loved vases and pots that range from antique chic to whimsical.

 

As we start to develop the Flower Farmstead at HQ, we’ve been experimenting with regenerative growing methods such as no-till farming and conducting many flower trials to assess the best plants for our climate and specific location. As sustainability is also at the forefront of our minds as beginner slow flower farmers, we’ve researched the best flowering plants that are native to Australia – some of which we have also begun growing at the farm.

If you’re committed to sustainable gardening and looking to start a water-wise cut flower garden, we encourage Australian gardeners to consider native indigenous plants that have evolved to suit local conditions as they have been adapted to survive Australia’s harsh and often dry conditions.

We recommend the following native plants to grow as cut flowers:

1. Flannel Flower

Difficult to grow but absolutely worth it, Actinotus helianthi has a soft woolly feel, and hence its name, flannel flower. A short-lived perennial shrub featuring silver-green stems that produce velvety white (and sometimes pink) flowers in Spring and Summer, this Australian wildflower deserves a spot in every Australian flower garden.

2. Billy Buttons

A mainstay in many dried flower arrangements for its ability to hold its structure and colour, Billy Buttons (Pycnosorus globosus) are comparatively easier to grow than other Australian native plants as the seeds don’t require scarification. This perennial plant has distinctive woolly leaves and golden globe shaped flowers on tall stems that make it an ideal cut flower.

3. Rice Flower

Ozothamnus diosmifolius commonly known as rice flower or sago bush, is a woody shrub endemic to eastern Australia that has heads of small white flower clusters that resemble rice. This unique flower grows on tall stems that make a fascinating focal point in flower arrangements. This native species flowers virtually all year round in Australia

4. Kangaroo Paw

An interesting native flowering species that has a sculptural form and the distinctive look of a kangaroo paw, Anigozanthus flavidus comes in many different colours and forms, from red, orange, pink, green and yellow and some varieties grow up to two metres tall. If growing from seed, remember that it can take up to six weeks for seedlings to emerge so be patient and resist the urge to dump the lot too soon.

5. Everlasting Strawflower

Everlasting strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum) is favoured amongst florists and designers for its paper-like blooms that come in many appealing shades of pink, purple, red, orange, yellow and white. A heat-loving, drought-tolerant plant, this daisy-like flower produces non-stop blooms during spring and summer. Everlasting strawflowers also make ideal dried flowers.

Related Post: 10 of the Easiest Cut Flowers to Grow

6. Banksia

A highly popular Australian plant due to their characteristic cylindrical flower heads, banksias also make excellent cut flowers as they have a very long vase life, make an excellent dried flower and come in a broad range of colours and sizes. These native blossoms are hardy, tolerates most soil types and add extra oomph to flower bouquets and arrangements.

7. Waxflower

Chamelaucium, also known as waxflower is an Australian-endemic species of shrubs. According to AgriFutures Australia, this wildflower species has been used as a cut flower since the 1940s and is one of the country’s most significant commercially grown flowers. This is an easy-to-grow evergreen shrub with beautiful pink-white flowers that can reach heights of 3-metres tall and make a great filler flower.

8. Waratah

Native to southeastern Australia, the waratah is a well-known species of Telopea speciosissima and is one of the country’s iconic flowers, commonly recognised as the NSW state emblem. Its bright red flowers are on full display in late spring.

9. Thryptomene

A small evergreen shrub that grows to a metre tall, thryptomene has arching branches that are completely covered with small pink flowers over the winter and spring seasons. Drought tolerant and hardy, it can grow in full sun or part-shade and make ideal filler flowers for bouquets and flower arrangements.

10. Silver Spurflower

Easy to propagate by cutting, the silver spurflower or Plectranthus argentatus that produce blue-white tall spike flowers during the warmer seasons. It makes a unique addition to any floral arrangement for its soft, velvety silvery foliage. This is a drought-tolerant plant that can tolerate full sun and part shade and has a spreading habit. This is one of our faves at HQ!

 

As far as technologies go, blockchain and cryptocurrency are relatively new. Bitcoin which is regarded as the first and most popular cryptocurrency was only introduced in a whitepaper in 2008. You can probably still remember the first time you heard about Bitcoin. Since then, its popularity has grown in leaps and bounds. In the past year or two the demand for Bitcoin has practically “gone to the moon” measured also in the fact that ordinary people now follow developments in this area. Which is why in the past few months, one of the burning issues on the internet, has been the issue of government response to the growth of cryptocurrency.

Unlike most technology advancements, cryptocurrency directly impacts and disrupts the government in an area that has been under their exclusive control for a very long time; that is the subject of money. Put differently, world leaders have always controlled the degree as well as value of the fiat currencies in circulation in their countries through their national banks. Blockchain technology upon which cryptocurrencies are based has turned this around by its decentralised nature.

In the context of blockchain, decentralisation refers to the equitable distribution of a database across multiple participants, each of whom has a complete copy of the blockchain. Decentralisation’s major feature is, in theory, this. We have a common database with the whole history of money transfers, user account numbers, and other information that is saved on millions of PC systems that are constantly synchronized with each other, rather than on a single server. All transactions are transparent and recorded but for various good reasons, cannot be singled-handedly altered, modified or controlled by any one person.

A central or national bank is no longer required because Bitcoin, the currency, can be produced by anyone running a full node. Peer-to-peer transfers between two parties on Bitcoin’s network means that intermediaries are no longer required to manage and distribute currency. It is this principle of decentralisation that has made Bitcoin the safest, most reliable and sought-after cryptocurrency on the market. And like most other progressive advancements, blockchain technology has become subject to strong regulations and sometimes downright hostility by governments and regulators. Just a few weeks ago, the Chinese government declared cryptocurrency transactions to be illegal and banned.

Related Post: With Cryptocurrency Launch, Facebook Sets its Path Toward Becoming an Independent Nation

The general and most popular reason presented by these countries and governments is that cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin are unstable investment vehicles and pose dangers to citizens and their economic well-being. While it is their responsibility to care, it will take a lot for me to believe that this is sincere especially as they don’t really mind if banks screw over their citizens all the time.

Another excuse of course is that cryptocurrency is being utilized by criminals and therefore should be banned. This argument falls flat when you think about the fact that the dollar has long been the de facto currency of the criminal underworld. The difference between the dollar and Bitcoin is that the Nigerian government (as well as other governments) can determine who gets what which is critical for power.

I believe the real reason for this crackdown on crypto and blockchain is that government’s fear of losing control. Cryptocurrency by its very nature of decentralisation takes away the power of control from these governments. With crypto, central banks are virtually useless as they are not needed to print money since Bitcoin, the currency, can be produced by anyone running a full node. And the government and Central Banks are not required to serve as intermediaries of trust either. With Peer-to-peer transfers and the open ledger, all transactions can be confirmed by everyone on the network. With this structure, the governments are robbed of power, control and relevance.

For instance, during the #ENDSARS protests in Nigeria, young people were unable to fully donate towards the protest through regular banking channels due to government pressure on banks and banking platforms. In a matter of hours, the aggrieved youths resorted to the use of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin, successfully ignoring the government and their antics. Such seamless transition represented the greatest fear of the Nigerian government (and a lot of other governments). In the aftermath of the protests in 2020, the government started a crackdown on cryptocurrency trading. By February 2021 it officially declared bitcoin trading illegal in Nigeria.

Related Post: Forceful or Conciliatory– What Form Should Activism Take?

All the arguments by governments about the “dangers” of cryptocurrency falls on deaf ears in light of what it offers these youths; a straight shot at financial freedom and independence. In Nigeria youth unemployment stands at a whooping 33%. The minimum wage can barely meet needs. Chances of getting well paying government jobs are seriously marred by corruption and nepotism.

In November 2020, Nigerian youths protest against brutalities and extrajudicial killings by a rogue police unit known as SARS. Photo: Ayoola Salako.

Today however, with a smartphone and some data, cryptocurrency offers many Nigerian youth the allure of financial freedom as straightforward as it may come. It also offers a chance to build wealth that is inflation proof. In the last five years, the Nigerian Naira has lost 30% of its value against the dollar. The inflation rate currently stands at 16.6% with food inflation at 20%. The situation might not be as dire in places such as the US, but parallels can be drawn. According to data from the Federal Reserve, millennials born between 1981 and 1996 control only 4.6% of wealth in the US. With these realities, it is no surprise that young people worldwide have embraced cryptocurrency.

For youths in developing nations like mine, the blockchain technology and crypto offers something valued even beyond financial freedom; a critical survival ingredient called hope. A hope that there is something in the future for them. Along with this hope is a sense of belonging, a formation of a new identity, and the promise of breaking out of a certain prison of birth. It Is perhaps this hope that the government seeks to control and perhaps even crush.

While regulations might come down hard, the good news is that the global crypto community sees them as just bumps in the road. In Nigeria, the youths responded with overwhelming but unsurprising resistance finding ways to circumvent the crackdown and the restrictive laws on cryptocurrency trading. Despite the government efforts to nip things in the bud here, according to Coinbase, Nigeria has the highest peer-to-peer trading adoption in the world. 

A better approach might be geared towards legislation aimed at fostering the development of the cryptocurrency. Digital currencies are the future, that much is clear. These kinds of waves are unstoppable. We can battle them, but to what end and effect? We can choose to ignore them, but only at our danger and risk of missing out. If our leaders really cared, the best thing they can do here is learn to ride these crypto waves, and use them to our collective advantage.

 

With brands increasingly engaging in social change campaigns and leveraging their influence to be “purpose-led”, the time has come to ask a couple of big questions: is this a viable strategy, and how sceptical should we be of so-called “brand activism”?

In recent weeks alone, Ben & Jerry’s has launched a new ice-cream flavour called “Change is Brewing” to support Black-owned businesses and raise awareness of the People’s Response Act, proposed legislation to establish a new public safety agency in the US.

Lego declared it would promote inclusive play and address harmful gender stereotypes with its toys. Mars Food rebranded Uncle Ben’s rice to Ben’s Original in response to criticisms of the racial caricatures in its marketing.

At the same time, businesses have a chequered history when it comes to engaging with societal problems, from self-serving “box ticking” corporate practices under the guise of social responsibility to shifting responsibility to consumers to make ethical choices (such as reusable coffee cups).

More recently, “woke washing” has seen brands promoting social issues without taking meaningful action. Consider fast fashion brands that promote International Women’s Day while simultaneously profiting from the exploitation of female workers.

Lego has pledged to combat gender stereotyping in its toys. Photo: Lego.

Change from within

How then can brands legitimately shoulder responsibility to support or promote societal transformation?

Our research introduces the idea of “transformative branding”. This involves companies working with customers, communities and even competitors to co-create brands that lead on both market and social fronts.

Transformative branding can be achieved by for-profit organisations, not-for-profits and social enterprises. The common factor is balancing business and societal goals to create change from within the market system.

Marketing concepts with a social edge have proliferated in the past 50 years, but finding actual solutions has been less successful. We ask how corporations can act to genuinely contribute to society and show how transformative branding can help brands shoulder that responsibility.

The Patagonia clothing brand’s ‘worn wear’ scheme promotes recycling over new purchases.

Beyond making money

Transformative branding works via two main market-shaping elements: leadership and collaborative coupling. These enable companies to partner with stakeholders to change their business landscapes.

First, leadership involves building a vision for the transformation. This requires leaders to think flexibly and creatively, work to long time horizons and stay attuned to changing ideologies. This involves fundamentally re-imagining what branding can do – beyond making money.

Second, collaborative coupling involves implementing this vision across the different dimensions of the brand. Key to this is mobilising stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, suppliers, governments, communities and competitors.

When the brand and its stakeholders collectively throw their weight behind the goal of transformation, it signals commitment, distributes expertise and resources and establishes legitimacy.

Leadership and collaborative coupling work together to change the business environment. Our research shows this has ripple effects, creating opportunities for transforming economic, regulatory, socio-cultural and political environments.

Ice-cream brand Ben & Jerry’s builds social responsibility and activism into its corporate ethos. Photo: Burwood Brickworks.

Transformative branding in practice

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard is a good example of transformative branding at work, particularly in his candid admission that the notion of a fully sustainable business is “impossible”. Instead, Patagonia has reframed its priorities around responsibility, with Chouinard re-imagining the brand as a solution to environmental degradation.

This vision is central to the brand’s iconic “demarketing” campaign, “Don’t buy this jacket”, which aims to shift the consumption ideology from purchase to repair.

More recently, Patagonia’s “Buy Less, Demand More” campaign and its “Worn Wear” scheme for used apparel have brought the notion of a circular economy into the company’s strategy to promote a culture of reuse rather than always buying new.

Dutch chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely demonstrates collaborative coupling in its campaign to clean up production and supply chain practices in the chocolate manufacturing industry, and to eliminate illegal child labour and modern slavery.

The company’s “open chain platform” helps all industry players, including competitors, to foster equitable and transparent supply chains and ensure a living income is paid to cocoa farmers. The brand actively erodes its own potential competitive advantage in the process.

Staying sceptical

But transformative branding is complex and dynamic, and authenticity is paramount. For instance, earlier this year, Tony’s was removed from watchdog organisation Slave Free Chocolate’s ethical producers list over its partnership with a major chocolate producer being sued for allegedly using slave labour.

Tony’s responded by claiming it was important to educate and inspire business partners and competitors to adopt ethical principles and practices.

This complex and often slow process of negotiating what it means to be ethical is all part of transformative branding. It adapts to the differing goals and values of many stakeholders.

And while transformative branding offers a path towards a more sustainable and equitable future, we should continue to cast a critical eye on brands claiming to be a force for good, challenge them and hold them accountable where necessary.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Authors: Amanda Spry, Lecturer of Marketing, RMIT University; Bernardo Figueiredo, Associate Professor of Marketing, RMIT University; Jessica Vredenburg, Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Marketing, Auckland University of Technology; Joya Kemper, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Auckland, and Lauren Gurrieri, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, RMIT University.