Hong Kong based Thorn and Burrow sells sustainable homeware and accessories to customers with style and the environment on their mind.

Sustainable lifestyles

The shop is owned by interior designer Tamsin Thornburrow, who also opened the first zero waste store in Hong Kong. It is clear that Thornburrow has a passion for the environment, and she has filled her store with items carefully chosen based on their sustainability factor. Each product has a story, and visitors walk away with one-of-a-kind items and the knowledge that they have invested in the future of their planet.

In our fast-paced lives, planning ahead is key to protecting the environment. Thorn and Burrow makes travelling and eating on-the-go a little easier with a vast collection of S’well products, including food containers, takeaway tumblers (with a metal straw) and water bottles. S’well has been running a campaign against the use of plastic water bottles since 2010, and continues to raise awareness about the impact of plastic on the environment. Tamsin Thornburrow clearly believes in the importance of reusable water bottles in the fight against plastic, as she once stated “what difference does one bottle make? Said seven billion people”.

So if a S’well bottle isn’t for you, Thorn and Burrow also stock the extremely popular Eco Bottle. With its tongue in cheek slogan of “No Plastic Mm Goi” (meaning “no thanks”), the Eco Bottle is a no brainer for locals and tourists who want to show that they are in on the same joke. What is more, with every bottle purchased, 10% of the retail price is donated to ECO Drive Hong Kong, an NGO which spreads awareness of our excessive use of plastic.

Supporting NGOs

Thorn and Burrow sells a variety of sustainable toys for children, such as the Bilingual Colour Puzzle, which is made from sustainably harvested rubber-wood. The shop also stocks a collection of bowls, plates, drinking cups and snack boxes made by Re-Play, all of which are made from Image courtesy of Ella Olsson on Pexels HDPE recycled plastic milk jugs.

And for new mums, the Hong Kong inspired ‘Welcome to the World’ gift set is the perfect present. Included within the set is a handmade Bean Rattle Doll made from 100% premium cotton, a swaddle made from a mixture of bamboo and organic cotton, and organic cotton bibs. When you purchase one of these gift sets, you are supporting Angels for Children, an NGO which helps pregnant women who are HIV positive. The money raised from sales goes towards the cost of mothers undergoing a C-section in order to protect the baby from a lifetime of HIV.

Eco-friendly interiors

Thorn and Burrow also sells some distinctive products which deserve to be the centre piece of every home. The shop has a magical array of handmade products from Morocco, including rugs, cushion covers and leather poufs. The cactus silk cushion covers are hand woven from the fibres of sustainable agave cacti grown in the Sahara desert, and then dyed using vegetable dyes. The Moroccan rugs, which can be viewed by appointment, can take months to be hand-loomed and embroidered by the artisans. And while all of these items depend on the senses of sight and touch, the variety of carefully selected candles will ignite every customer’s sense of smell. The Five Wick Hearth Candle is made from coconut wax, a sustainable ingredient which burns for longer than your average candle wax. The product is completely natural and free from phthalates, parabens and sulphates, it is not tested on animals, and you can repurpose the container after the candle is finished!

If these products have got your creative juices flowing, you might fancy giving some of your walls and furniture a little lick of paint. At Thorn and Burrow, they sell a variety of water-based chalk paints by Annie Sloan. The collection of 32 “non-toxic and virtually odour-free” colours are ideal for painting your furniture, floors and walls with.

Your sustainability one-stop-shop

But this shop is not just for locals! Tourists visiting Hong Kong can find some interesting souvenirs, from hand painted lucky cats to plastic free board games, such as Hong Kong Wildlife Bingo. Thorn and Burrow also sells hand crafted Dim Sum candles nestled in a traditional bamboo steaming box in mouth-watering flavours.

As featured in Timeout’s 10 Best Sustainable and Eco Friendly Shops in 2020, it is clear to see that customers at Thorn and Burrow are destined to find sustainable, high quality goods which have been made to last a lifetime. And if your clothes aren’t quite up to the same standard, they even sell a variety of iron-on patches, adding uniqueness and style to any piece of clothing, or hiding a rip or a stain! 

Where?

Website: www.thornandburrow.com/

Address: 1/F, 30 High Street Sai Ying Pun

When?

Monday | Closed

Tuesday – Saturday | 10am – 6pm

Sunday | 11am – 4pm