Hazel Sillver presents a guide to shopping organic.

Organically produced food and clothing benefits the environment and our health. Organic September is a nationwide celebration of all things organic, during which the Soil Association is running a Small Changes, Big Difference campaign to encourage consumers to turn the tide in our mass farming, shopping and eating habits. “By choosing organic we can all support a kinder, greener and better food system – from more bees and hedgerows and better animal welfare, to shorter, more trustworthy food chains,” say the Soil Association. “This can be achieved by making simple, everyday changes such as switching your milk to organic or choosing an organic moisturiser.” Here is our guide to some of the top places to shop organic in East and West Sussex.

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CLOTHING

Gossypium | Newhaven

This fabulous line of yoga clothing (which can be worn as casual wear) is made in the Gossypium workshop in Newhaven with organic cotton fabrics. Choose from flattering fold over trousers, Capri pants, harem pants, and tops in a gorgeous range of colours. Customised cutting (so your trousers don’t flow over your feet) is available 01273 782242, gossypium.co.uk

FAIR | Brighton

This lovely boutique sells fair trade clothing lines, such as People Tree, Pants to Poverty, Arthur and Henry and Komodo, as well as local lines Love That

Stuff and Veleco. 60 per cent of FAIR’s stock is made with organic cotton and their leather bags are made with eco-sound tanning processes.

21 Queen’s Road, BN1 3XA, 01272 723215, thefairshop.co.uk

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GROCERIES

Infinity Foods | Brighton

This alternative supermarket is mecca for anyone eating an organic, vegetarian, vegan and/or raw food diet. Since opening a little shop in 1971, the Infinity Foods Co-operative has become one of the UK’s leading wholesale distributers of organic and natural foods and runs this fantastic supermarket in Brighton, which stocks 3,000 organic lines, as well as organic fruit, veg and herbs, and boasts an on-site organic bakery.

25 North Road, BN1 1YA, 01273 603563,

infinityfoodsretail.co.uk

Manuka Wholefoods | Chichester

Manuka Wholefoods is a retail outlet as well as an online shopping and delivery service. Around 80 per cent of their groceries, supplements, remedies and body

care products are organic and the remaining 20 per cent are produced locally. All the fruit and vegetables are organic.

6 The Boardwalk, PO19 1AR, 01243 786366, manukawholefoods.co.uk

Big Life Organics | Haywards Heath

An impressive 95 per cent of stock in this wholefood shop is certified organic. Husband and wife owners David and Nicola McCarthy are passionate about organic

eating from personal experience, and they offer consultations and cookery classes to show you how.

112 South Road, RH16 4LL, 01444 628667, biglifeorganics.co.uk

Down to Earth | Midhurst

2014 is the 10th anniversary for Down to Earth owner Carol Granger. All of the fruit, vegetables, meat and milk and most of the groceries are organic. They also offer organic skincare, haircare, baby products and cosmetics.

2-3 Goldrings, GU29 9NQ, 01730 815133, downtoearthmidhurst.co.uk

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WINE

Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard | nr Battle

Pop in any day of the week (10.30 to 5.30) for a tasting at this organic vineyard. Founded in 1979, Sedlescombe is England’s oldest and largest organic wine producer and in 2010 became the first grower to achieve biodynamic certification. Choose from a selection of award-winning white, red, rosé, black cherry, apple, mulled and sparkling wines.

TN32 5SA, 01580 830715, englishorganicwine.co.uk

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CHOCOLATE

Montezuma’s | Brighton & Chichester

Local chocolatiers Montezuma’s produce organic, handmade chocs for their shops in Brighton (15 Duke Street, BN1 1AH) and Chichester (29 East Street, PO19

1HS) in their Sussex factory. As well as truffles and drinking chocolate, they offer a vast range of bars in flavours such as Chilli & Lime and Butterscotch Milk.

01243 510516, montezumas.co.uk

Cocoa Loco | across Sussex

Cocoa Loco’s fairtrade, organic chocolate is handmade in West Sussex and available to buy online and at retailers (such as Oxfam) across East and West Sussex.

Choose from dark, milk, white and aromatic chocolate, brownies, flapjacks and cookies. Their dark truffles are especially scrummy!

01403 865687, cocoaloco.co.uk

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MEAT

Boathouse Organics | Lewes

The two Boathouse outlets offer a range of organic groceries, including vegetables, bread and dairy products, alongside their selection of organic meat. As

well as their prize-winning sausages and home cured bacon and gammon, Boathouse sells beef, lamb and pork cut in any way you fancy, chicken and seasonal game.

Riverside (BN7 2RE) and Uckfield Road (BN8 5RX), 01273 814188, boathouseorganics.co.uk

Jennie Wisher | Covering East and West Sussex

Jennie believes in farming old-fashioned breeds with kindness and the rhythms of the seasons. Her Drydown Farm certified organic lambs are bred and reared in Surrey; she also sells additive-free, naturally and locally reared beef, pork and poultry. She delivers to doors across West Sussex as well as East Sussex for large orders.

01483 567636, jenniewisher.co.uk

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VEG BOXES

Wayside Organics | Covering West Sussex

Organic fruit and veg grown at the foot of the Downs near Chichester.

07826 420379, waysideorganics.co.uk

Ashurst Organics | Covering parts of East Sussex

Organic, seasonal vegetables grown in Plumpton, near Lewes.

01273 891219, ashurst-organics.com

Barcombe Nurseries | Lewes, Brighton, Haywards Heath and the surrounding area

Organic and groceries grown near Lewes.

01273 400011, barcombenurseries.co.uk

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CUT FLOWERS AND PLANTS

Home Grown Flower Company | East Sussex

Local florist Zelie grows all her flowers herself, following organic principles, to provide an array of seasonal, British blooms. Her cut-flower plot at Five Ashes in East Sussex is a sea of colourful flowers and aromatic foliage, grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides, for bouquets and weddings.

01825 830194, thehomegrownflowercompany.co.uk

Louvain Organic Nurseries | Peacehaven

Louvain offers a range of organically grown garden plants, such as shrubs, herbaceous perennials, herbs and vegetables in plugs, trays and pots. Their plants have been certified organic by the Soil Association and they also offer a range of SA composts and natural garden products, such as hazel sticks, mulches and soil improvers. Cut flowers (such as dahlias) are also grown on-site.

66 Telscombe Road, 01273 584156, louvainnurseries.co.uk

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My organic Sussex

Raw food expert, author and retailer Kate Magic lives in Brighton.

“Over 90 per cent of my diet is organic, and has been for over 20 years. Organic foods tastes better and it’s free from pesticides and chemicals, which I don’t want going into the earth or my body. Everything we sell at our company Raw Living is organic and most of the shopping I do locally in Sussex is organic. I get deliveries of local, organic produce from Seasons in Forest Row and I shop at Infinity Foods in Brighton. Clothes-wise, I buy organic basics as well as recycled and vintage items, from Brighton designer Red Mutha for example. I also buy organic sheets and towels – organic fabrics last for years, so it’s worth the investment.” Kate Magic is one of Europe’s leading experts in raw foodism and co-founder and owner of Raw Living (rawliving.eu).

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