If The Good Life's Tom and Barbara had decided to open a shop, it would probably have been The Green Place. Instead, it was not-for-profit social enterprise Complete Wasters which brought a disused building, in Sileby, back to life and created an eco-centre with a fragrant shop selling gifts and homewares which are recycled, sustainable and/or fair trade.

There is also a cosy coffee corner heated by a stove, a shop which sells recycled computers, a market stall which, on Saturdays, sells organic fruit, veg and eggs, and a garden with two ponds and an Austin Ten.

It's about as far from the shiny commercialism of the chain store-splattered high street as it's possible to get.

The Green Place's shop and cafe (which are on the ground floor of the same building) have recently undergone a mini revamp (using recycled paint, carpet, timber, metal and bubble wrap).

It sells items you might well have seen in fair trade and "green" shops before, and some you might not. There are lots of books about green living, environmentally-friendly bath and body care products, fair trade food, colourful hats and coat hooks and candlesticks created from old cutlery and marbles.

You'll also find wind-up torches, shopping bags made from recycled food packaging, glasses made from old bottles, greetings cards decorated with hand-painted, flattened, recycled bottle tops, and plenty more.

What never ceases to amaze us about such shops is the skill and innovation people demonstrate when it comes to turning something worthless (an old drinks carton, say) into something covetable (a unique, colourful make-up bag).

Take Noel Geyer, for instance, who lives in South Africa. Somebody donated a box of LPs. Noel decided to turn them into handbags, which he does using basic tools in workspace he rents from a school. Each of his fairly traded bags is made from two LPs, has handles and a Velcro fastener.

They look absolutely brilliant, and if they were in Topshop they'd sell out as soon as they hit the shelves.

They're a little more exclusive than that, but if you're lucky you'll be able to find one at The Green Place.

The computer shop sells recycled branded laptops and PCs, from starter to advanced models, at bargain basement prices.

Info

Find the Green Place at 6 Cossington Road, Sileby. It is open from Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.