STOP 1. OXFAM HOME - 18 KINGS INNS STREET

I used to live around here during my first few weeks in Ireland so this one I already knew about. This was my first time going in though. Oxfam home is the same as the regular charity shops (For which the profits go towards aiding Oxfam and all their charity work). I was pretty impressed by all the furniture available! There were so many pieces from so many different styles, if you're on the lookout for new dressers, side tables or for a nice dressing table, I'd definitely recommend this place. There was a funky complete straw bedroom set which would be great for tropical vibes, and a plethora of chairs. There was also a huge mirror I wish I could've taken home. I was personally looking for smaller things like vases or plant pots. I did find a plant pot, but it was a bit too extra for my flat (See the photo below...). I also fell in love with some concrete lamps but... let's be honest I just don't need a new lamp! There is a section with smaller homeware, but there was considerably less choice. I think this is the kind of place where it pays to go often, so I'll keep popping in once in a while to check it out!

STOP 2. SIOPAELLA - 8A CROW ST.

My original stop 2 turned out to be closed, but I'm very happy I ended up here instead. While researching online I'd heard of Siopaella, but always thought it was only for secondhand designer pieces, so I was pretty surprised when I walked in! After chatting with the lady at the till, she explained that they have 4 locations, one of them really focused on designer pieces but the two on this street are more about high street, Siopaedit and homeware. Basically, everything in this store is either secondhand or has been sourced by them directly (example, they had leather bags from Morocco). I can't stress this enough though, this doesn't FEEL like a secondhand shop. Their pieces are curated and the place looks so adorable. I spent so long browsing around and got my heart broken when one rug turned out to be not the dimensions I needed. I ended up caving in and buying a blouse for my upcoming trip to Tenerife, so that's that! I also want to give a quick shout out to that bar of dog soap they had, such a good idea  haha. Everyone I spoke to there was so nice and I'm very happy I discovered them, I'll be back for sure!

STOP 3. IRISH DESIGN SHOP - 41 DRURY STREET

This isn't an eco friendly shop per se, but they sell things made by local irish companies that are definitely a better option to choose from. I had seen the shop plenty of times while walking around but had never gone in. The quality of what they have is also impressing. They have things from wool accessories, books, pottery, irish art, jewelry, skincare etc... It was very interesting to browse around. This isn't the kind of shop I would visit on a regular basis though as their collection is quite curated and since it's quality, it isn't cheap either. I would recommend having a look at their website if you want to see the kind of products that they have before heading there. They had a wool fat soap that caught my eye... I am very aware that this sounds disgusting but I've heard great things about these soaps and I'd be curious to try one. They also had a smaller version of the seaweed bath bag I talked about here, which would be more convenient if you don't take baths everyday.

STOP 4. INDUSTRY AND CO - 41 A/B DRURY STREET

HAS THIS BEEN IN DUBLIN THE WHOLE 3 YEARS I LIVED HERE  !?!?! I posted this to my instagram stories, and according to my friends... yes! This shop blew me away it was so beautiful. They are an independent and local lifestyle store and cafe and according to their website, they first opened in 2010. Again, this isn't eco-friendly per se but they stock multiple ethical brands such as O My Bag, which is one I've been interested in for a while. They have kitchen items, stationary, plant pots (!!!), bags, skincare and deeper at the back they even have couches, chairs, cushions and throws for sale as well. One thing I thought was so cool is they have some sort of hanging lightbulb-making station. Basically it's to pick you own cable style, lightbulb, different light fixtures, and making everything customizable which is pretty cool. They stuff is pretty pricey, but it's all quality, most of it ethical or local, or a the very least made to last. They also have a cafe which I didn't get to try, but it's on the list for my next ethical day out!

STOP 5. FRESH CUTS CLOTHING - 60A SOUTH WILLIAM STREET

First of all, this is the only shop in Dublin actually dedicated to selling ethical and sustainable clothing. Period. It's the only one where you can go and anything you pick will be a conscious choice. I didn't take photos from the inside because it was quite dark, but I had a great time browsing around. It definitely has a more cool and laid back vibe than the other stores I've been in. The focus of the brand is screen printed t-shirts (the designer in me is making a happy dance) but they also sell jeans, sweatshirts, joggers, shoes, bags and awesome bamboo sunglasses. I was chatting with the owner and he was telling me that they started with just their own brand and then expanded to carry other sustainable brands as well. They're a great place to turn to for staple pieces, I've had my eye on one pair of shoes and I'm probably going to cave in when summer rolls around.. I didn't buy anything this time around but I'll definitely be back when I'm actually in need of something. They're the only store like this here and they deserve all the support they can get, I highly recommend checking them out!

STOP 6. CORNUCOPIA - 19/20 WICKLOW STREET

All this walking around was getting me hungry, so I'm happy I had planned this stop when I did. Cornucopia is the only spot on the list I'd visited before, but they deserved a mention nonetheless. They are a vegetarian cafe, probably the best known around Dublin judging by the queue... Their menu changes daily but is always made to cater to different food intolerances so you are sure to get something that works for you. They have vegan, gluten free, onion and garlic free, and I'm missing a few for sure. I'm on a specific meal plan right now, so I decided to simply go for one of their soups. The queue was moving too fast for me to take photos of the food but everything looked so good! I've had veggie cannellonies here that blew me away. I'm not a vegetarian, but it's just that good. The best part of it is everything is made from in-season ingredients, and there is no single use plastic in sight. This is definitely a spot I would recommend and come back to!

STOP 7. NOURISH - 16 WICKLOW ST

Nourish is an independent chain of health food stores, but the one on Wicklow St. also has the biggest range of natural makeup I've seen in Dublin so far (It's still small.. but better than nothing!). They have makeup from Couleur Caramel, Benecos, Dr. Hauschka and Antipodes. This is great because buying makeup online without swatching it first can be very tricky. They are also how I discovered the Antipodes lipsticks and now I'm obsessed with one of the colours...I'll keep you posted if I end up buying it! On top of the makeup bits they also have a great range of natural skincare and bodycare products that I would recommend as well. So if you're around Wicklow St. I think it's definitely worth it to pop in here, as I had no idea they even carried makeup. The only thing I wish is that they would expand their range! 

STOP 8. LUCY'S LOUNGE - 11 FOWNES STREET

This place is iconic in Dublin. Whenever I did some research about secondhand shopping in the city, this would be in the list. It's also the only place I remembered seeing when walking around, who could miss the pink storefront? I wasn't really sure what to expect when going in here, but it didn't disappoint. The first part you walk in has loads of accessories and bits and bobs. Some of it (a lot of it I think?) is made in Dublin or secondhand. Then when you move forward and down to the basement is where Alibaba's cave begins. This place is a treasure trove of unique pieces, they have everything from a weird dress for a costume party to nice velvet blazers you'd wear to an event. The prices were also pretty cheap as this isn't as curated as some other places I've been in. Lucy's Lounge was also the busiest shop I walked in (excluding Cornucopia)! I'm glad to see so many people into secondhand shopping, but that's probably my bad for not joining in sooner. It did feel a bit overwhelming at times to looks through everything, but it's definitely somewhere I'd like to go back and take more time to explore. It's worth a visit if you're around anyway!

DUBLIN FOOD COOP - 12 NEWMARKET

My last stop of the day was the Dublin Food Coop. This is the place that sparked my idea for making a "day-out" out of this, because it's pretty far from where I lived compared to where I usually do my grocery shopping. But I'd seen that this is one of the only places to buy in bulk in Dublin so I really wanted to check them out. While I do think that what they do is amazing and should be supported, I was a bit disappointed. There was a lot less bulk options than I had expected and there was a LOT of things packaged in plastic. I will give credit where credit is due though, their choice of bulk pasta is very good so I stocked up while I was there! They also have some shelves near the door where people leave containers so be re-used, so if you forgot something, they got your back! It felt like a place where the same people go often, as loads of them seemed to know each other and that was quite nice. Since they are a coop, you can also become a member and save 5% off everything! Volunteers also get a 15% discount. I think their concept is great and I wish they would expand, for now though, making the bus trip to go frequently is unrealistic. And although I know all their products are organic, their prices are quite a bit higher than supermarkets, and as much as I want to support them, I just can't afford it. So if you live around Dublin 8, I'd highly recommend checking them out and seeing for yourself, small businesses like that need our help!

Verdict ? THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN! While walking around I also found more shops to add to my list for my next exploration (spoilers!). Not only did I find places that sell cool products in an ethical way, I also genuinely enjoyed being a tourist in my own town and exploring. It was fun to see things under a new eye and to push myself to explore shops I'd never even thought of walking inside. 

DO YOU KNOW OF OTHER COOL STORES AND BUSINESSES THAT I SHOULD VISIT FOR MY NEXT DAY OUT?
PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DISCOVER DUBLIN IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY. 
IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN CHECK OUT OTHER SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP THE OCEAN & THE PLANET.
SEE YOU SOON GUYS XX