The term ‘local is lekker’ is a popular one, and one that boutique accessories and design studio, Love Milo, embraces whole-heartedly. Not only does their sustainable manufacturing practice include the sourcing of local materials and building a community of local craftsmen, but also embraces an ethos and larger vision of raising awareness of the eco-lifestyle. The duo behind the brand, Nicki Ellis and Matt Finch, believe that this journey of awareness begins with a true appreciation of the imperfect beauty of one’s environment. Taking daily inspiration from their surroundings, Ellis and Finch translate the gratitude they have for earthy elements into nature-inspired designs, with the hopes of arousing a collective consciousness of nature’s splendour and sacredness.
- What are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate about learning more about who I am and living more authentically to myself.
- What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
Probably leaving my job to start my own company, which I knew nothing about when I started …. and while pregnant. What was I thinking?
- What makes you angry?
Those small plastic things that hold bread packets together, and the lids they put on salt and pepper grinders.
- If you inherited an acre of land what would you do with it?
I would definitely grow my own food and get some chickens.
- Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?
A gatherer with hunting skills for when gathering gets boring.
- How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I haven’t counted but probably around 40 …
- If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
Homemade gnocchi in burnt sage butter with a turmeric and butternut sauce, and a killer salad of sort.
- How would people communicate in a perfect world?
Personally, without technology, it would involve honesty, realness and vulnerability.
- What do you work toward in your free time?
My own art and self-acceptance.
- If you woke up and had 300 unread emails and could only answer 30 of them, how would you choose which ones to answer?
So basically, my normal mornings? By the time the newsletters, scams and spam mails are out of the way, there really are only about 30 left of value anyway.
- Name 3 thing in nature you find most beautiful.
Visual Imperfection, the way nature doesn’t fight against anything (trees only move as much as the wind blows), and its ability to change and evolve.
- Have you used plastic bags for your shopping in the last two weeks?
Guilty … but I’m conscious of not making this a habit.
- What would you say are some small steps that people can take to improve their relationship to the environment?
Observe it, spend time in it, it’s amazing how much you can learn about yourself through observing the environment. After all, it’s really just a larger extension of ourselves. What you see externally in the environment, exists in us too; we are not separate from it. It may sound a bit hippy but it’s true!
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