Pangaea Home is a shining example of how you can decorate your home sustainably.
Filled with practical and aesthetic interior furnishings and appliances, Pangaea Home is a 'sustainable where possible' brand.
This means that, for the founders, there was "no long winded story to our existence, no epiphany moment happened, and we were not born out of a desire to banish all the 'bad' things in world and pressure you into living in a log cabin in the woods".
To put it simply, there's a "none wasteful attitude to life and a passion for homeware" store that's available at your fingertips.
These cushion covers are made entirely from recycled plastic. / Image: Pangaea Home UK
At Pangaea, it's all about making those lifestyle changes that are realistic. The new Leeds-based business are showing the city that it's entirely possible to find quality, unique and sustainable products that are fit for any home.
With the promise that products "will last a lifetime above ground, or a very brief time below ground", you can rest assured that your in good hands.
You can't even tell that most of the Pangaea Home range come from recycled products: take these rugs for example.
They have stain and UV resistance, suitable for asthma sufferers, soft and easy-to-wash, yet they're made from recycle plastic.
Recycled Pet Yarn Throw from Pangaea Home. / Image: Pangaea Home UK
These are just a few of the great finds that Pangaea will be offering to Leeds and surrounding areas.
The eco-company will be charging £1 for delivery to LS27 and BD11 postcodes. The cost will go towards planting a tree for each delivery, and the package will be delivered with no packaging to reduce unnecessary waste.
The founders of the eco-company believe that they are bringing sustainable change through realistic incentives:
"Nowadays there are so many highly stressful and pressuring messages that we see in the news, on TV and on social media surrounding sustainability and living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
There is so much conflicting information that it de-motivates us and leads us to think 'what i do won't even make a difference'.
What we provide will hopefully help you make that difference."
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
Independent Leeds matcha stand forced to close by council despite 3,000 people signing petition
Clementine Hall
An independent matcha stand in Leeds has been forced to closed due to council concerns.
You may remember back in August when the whole of Leeds rallied to save Sips Matcha over in Headingley.
The front garden matcha spot has become a firm favourite for students and locals alike over the past year, gaining more than 12,000 followers on Instagram.
The self-proclaimed 'tiniest matcha stand in Leeds' is located in the residential area of Little Woodhouse and is run by the lovely Matt and Julia.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, in August their retroactive planning application was rejected by the council and they were given 28 days to remove the shed.
In a published document via Leeds City Council website, multiple reasons were listed for the decision to refuse planning permission for the bright-green matcha shed.
The electronic letter signed by Martin Elliot, Chief Planning Officer, listed spoiling the property's character, increased footfall, and a failure to comply with numerous development and design policies.
In response, Matt and Julia launched a petition urging people to save Sips Matcha, labelling the painted wooden shed-turned-coffee shop as a 'Community Stand'.
Despite over 3,000 signatures, Sips Matcha have announced on their social media today that the shed must be removed by the end of November.
The statement reads: "our retrospective planning was declined, we appealed, and the appeal was dismissed. then the dreaded email arrived: the shed has to come down by the end of november.
"we don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re working out what happens next. over 3,000 of you signed the petition and it meant the world. thank you for every sip, share and signature. come say hi while we’re still here."
We're absolutely gutted for them, so make sure you pop by for a matcha before the end of November to give them a proper farewell.
Sophie Smith -
12th November 2021 
