How to keep hydrated throughout the day in style – I have never been a big fluid drinker, particularly water until my daughter bought me a fancy floral bottle, which I truly treasure. This simple gift bought new meaning to my life – independence, choice and most importantly hydration. It is no surprise that your fluid intake increases quite dramatically when it is convenient to hand.
Drinking enough fluid particularly water each day is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood, so as you can see vital.
My friends at Smidge have introduced a stylish range of eco-friendly drinking components for life at home or on the go, consisting of colourful drinks cups and bottles. Not only do they look great, but most importantly, they are eco-friendly and reusable. Smidge is passionate about playing a part in reducing plastic pollution, including but not only single-use plastics.
Women Talking had the opportunity to trial the following and here are our thoughts:
Eco Travel Mugs – £11.99, £13.99 and £15.99.
We tried the insulated travel cup which comes in three convenient sizes: 355ml, 236ml and 473ml. This cup was the best we have ever tried regarding the ease of your sip, it flowed particularly well without the usual ‘mouth burn’ which you generally experience when you are not sure when the liquid is coming!
- Leakproof
- Keep warm benefits of a vacuum flask
- Your liquid will stay hot for 6 hours or cold for up to 12 hours (there is a neat logo on the bottom stating this)
Replacement/additional lid available to purchase if required which is dishwasher safe.
Bottle – £12.99
Available in a lovely selection of colours we paired this up with the travel cup for a matching pair. Again, this great insulated water bottle stood up to our drinks test and we were all impressed.
- Leakproof
- Your liquid will stay hot for 12 hours, and cold for 24 hours!
- Lightweight
Coffee Cup – £12.99
This biodegradable coffee cup was a great new find for the market, 100% biodegradable and 100% natural- made from plant-based materials. There is nothing more rewarding than feeling good when you sip your drink knowing it won’t affect the environment and being a winner of the consumer product design 2019 behind you, no wonder we were impressed with the range.
We particularly liked the top seal which can be removed or twisted away from the drinking hole and your mouth for drinking ease.
- 100% natural and made from plant materials derived from corn.
- Contains no plastic, melamine, chemicals or artificial bonding agents, so will take care of both your health and the environment.
- It can be used again and again, and the base material is fully biodegraded, so you can rest assured I won’t pollute at the end of its life.
- Despite being light and compact, the cup has a capacity of 400ml/14oz (230ml/8oz available too), so is great for any hot drink, and it is also barista standard.
- The lid has a screw-on technology, so it is much more secure than cups with a push-on silicone lid.
- Silicone sleeve, which is included for safety when you carry really hot drinks and is recyclable
- Dishwasher safe
- Microwave safe
Smidge supports the Marine Conservation Society and has done some interesting research on the matter. They found the top 10 most common litter finds on the beach.
Here’s the full list:
Cigarette butts, plastic bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, foam take-away containers, plastic bags, plastic lids, straws & stirrers, glass bottles and other plastic bags.
As you can clearly see, 8 out of 10 of these litter finds are plastic.
Marine litter harms over 600 marine species annually.
By 2050, 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic of some kind, and 15% of species affected by ingestion are endangered.
To say that these stats are worrying is an understatement, so Smidge has teamed up with the Marine Conservation Society to focus on what they can do to help a little.
For every product purchased from their 100% Natural, Homeware Collection 10p will go to the Marine Conservation Society to help them make our seas a little cleaner and their inhabitants a little happier.
For more information on Smidge, its philosophy and its range visit its website www.wearesmidge.com.
Poppy Watt