It’s Indie Friday! This week’s guest: Natalie Fée, environmentalist and founder of City to Sea

Every Friday, I will share with you an interview asking independent champions to share with us their love for small brands and indie shops.  This week’s Small Business star is award-winning environmental campaigner and author Natalie Fée. Have a read!

If you are interested in sharing your love for indie, please contact Geraldine.


Please introduce yourself and tell us what you’re up to at the moment

I founded City to Sea in 2015, inspired to do something about plastic pollution. In six years our campaigns have had a pretty significant impact on reducing plastic on the high-street, in supermarkets and at government level, which has been amazing.

I’ve also just finished writing my third book, this next one’s called ‘Do Good, Get Paid’.


Please tell us why you love shopping with independent businesses

The connection with the owners, the joy of knowing I’m contributing to their livelihood and the local economy and not some faceless, planet-polluting corporation! Also finding unique, not-on-the-high street kind of things! 


Have you got favourite indie makers and brands you’d like to share with us?

I’ve been in love with Rag Trade (Cotham Brow) for the past ten years. I pretty much do all my clothes shopping there (or in charity shops). Alison, the owner, is amazing and there’s always something interesting in there – and all in mint condition and all pre-loved!

And Dakota Rae Dust is my fave earring maker in Bristol.


Do you shop at markets or indie shops? If so, please let us know which ones and why you love them?

I love the furniture restorers at Greenbank No.5, and the occasional M32 flea market is always fun. Matter Wholefoods is my go-to for veg and loose products, and Public Market is great too for things Matter doesn’t stock (non-vegan options!).

Stokes Croft for gift cards (or lunch) and Picton Street for gifts!


About Natalie Fée

Natalie Fée is an award-winning environmentalist, author of How to Save the World for Free, speaker and founder of City to Sea, a UK-based organisation running campaigns to stop plastic pollution at source.


In 2019 Natalie won the Sunday Times Volvo Visionaries Award for her campaign work with City to Sea, and in 2018 she was listed as one of the UK’s ‘50 New Radicals’ by The Observer / Nesta.

In the same year the University of the West of England awarded her the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in recognition of her services to the environment.


She won the Sheila McKechnie Award for Environmental Justice in 2017 for City to Sea’s #SwitchtheStick campaign and is proud to have been named Bristol 24/7’s Woman of the Year for 2018.


Natalie Fée’s social media and website:

Natalie Fée on Twitter

Natalie Fée on Instagram

Natalie Fée’s official website www.nataliefee.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE

Bristol Market

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