Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and every decision we make.
As a core value of ours, we strive to operate as efficiently as possible with as little impact on Belfast’s environment.
We do not have all the answers, but we want to rethink the way cafés are run. As a café with heavy takeaway traffic, this is pretty difficult - compostable cups are still single-use after all, and they cost the planet a lot. No matter the material, single-use is always single-use and we do our best to ensure it is minimised at Native.
Active Travel
We encourage our employees to actively travel to work, reducing our carbon footprint. We have acquired a trailer for our bike, enabling our local deliveries/pickups to be powered by coffee - not fossil fuels!
Our location is ideal for active travellers in the city, situated near multiple greenways. We have bike parking and a bike repair station on site, with everything you could need to spruce up your wheels!
We have also collaborated with Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust to provide Pedal Perks, an incentive for customers to arrive by bike. Find out more here
Waste Management
We keep waste sorting simple and clear, with clearly labelled recycling and compost bins only - lined with biodegradable liners.
We’re also pretty proud of how little we send to landfill; just one small 4-litre bin of general waste per trading day. That’s less rubbish than you’d cram into a school backpack… impressive, right?!?
We believe everything deserves a second life. From chipped cups to busted milk cartons, we’re always finding creative new uses for items that have lost their original purpose. We have previously donated cardboard boxes to local schools for arts & crafts purposes and are always looking for ways to turn our waste into someone else’s wonder.
Our coffee grounds have been repurposed for many different uses.
Local independent businesses have used our coffee grounds to facilitate workshops making eco body scrubs and sustainable wellness products.
We have collaborated with Friends of the Field community garden and The Conservation Volunteers, who have used our grounds to aid the growth of food, connection and biodiversity.
Not to forget our lovely customers - they can avail of free bags of coffee grounds for compost at home. Please get in touch if you have any ideas on how to make our grounds go even further!
Our Coffee Grounds Go Further
Dairy Alternatives
At Native, we solely use oat milk as our dairy alternative.
Why?? You may ask… Oat milk is significantly more sustainable than dairy across key metrics like carbon emissions, land and water use. It is also the most ethically sourced among alternatives to dairy.
Our super supplier is Oatier, an Irish start-up who use 100% Irish oats.
One of the main perks of opting to have your coffee with us is that there is NO EXTRA CHARGE for oat milk.
We like to encourage customers to make an affordable, greener choice while also making alternative milks more accessible to those where it is essential.
Packaging
All of our packaging comes from BioPak and is certified as compostable through the European Standard EN 13432.
The following information has been taken from the BioPak Website detailing their contribution to people and planet:
We believe the little things make a big difference. That’s why our sugars and sauces live in thoughtfully chosen, reusable jars instead of single-use packaging.
Our team is trained to ask the right questions, making sure you get exactly what you need, and nothing you don’t - helping to keep unnecessary packaging out of circulation.
And if you choose to stay awhile, we invite you to settle in and enjoy the space. Sit back with your drink in a ceramic mug, your food on a proper plate, and real cutlery in hand for a café experience that feels warm, welcoming, and just like home.
Reusable Cup Campaign
20p OFF WHEN YOU USE YOUR REUSABLE CUP
As part of our retail range we have cups made from the husk of a coffee bean by Huskee. Huskee are a B-corp who do incredible work for our planet. Customers can enjoy their first coffee in their new Huskee cup for FREE.
Check out the calculatory feature on their website and see for yourself the impact that an individual, corporation or café has on the environment by the continuous use of single-use takeaway cup