By Nature was founded in 2005 by husband and wife, Graham and Annabelle Randles.

Like most outdoor people we value the environment. Our passion for travel took us to far away places where we always enjoyed taking time to experience local cultures and to talk to local people. Little by little the stories we heard and the things we saw made us realise that the world we loved was threatened. It was changing dramatically and so fast that the people we were meeting could actually tell us stories that had happened in their lifetimes.

The ice caps of Kilimanjaro in Africa and the glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru were melting and the coral reefs of Australia were bleached. In Costa Rica, animals and insects were now found at higher altitudes in the rainforest while banana plantations were polluting the seas and killing the coral.

It became clear to us that something was happening. Looking further into it we realised that the lifestyle we led was almost certainly to blame for changing the planet beyond repair. There were not only the CO2 emissions we created during our travels but also our general way of life dictated by consumerism. One thing was clear, as consumers we had made the wrong choices for many years and our lifestyle had to change.

To match our newly delivered organic box, we were ready to wear organic fashion, drink from recycled glasses, sleep in organic sheets. As we turned a green leaf we wanted to do it in a style that was modern and contemporary. Frustration set in very quickly. There was nothing on the high street and very little on the internet for us to buy.

We heard the same complaint from people around us and decided to set up By Nature, an internet store for "Green living in Style … no compromise". After months of research we gathered a small selection of the best organic and ethical products we could find and launched our website.

Of course on our travels we had some insight into the effects of tourism and the way people live in countries less developed than ours. While we have heard and read many stories of unfair trading practices we have never experienced first-hand the working conditions and economic consequences that these undoubtedly bring. While looking for products that were good for the environment, it quickly came clear that the human factor was also to have a major impact in our merchandising process.

Our philosophy is very simple: We aim to source the best organic, ethical and sustainable products available.

By Nature is more than just a shop - it's about aspiring to a certain way of life: a lifestyle that combines a desire for style and quality with care for the environment and respect for people; a lifestyle that doesn't see this as a compromise; an "ethical lifestyle." Providing a wealth of information on everyday issues such as shopping, travel, investment and reducing chemicals at home, By Nature is dedicated to help consumers make the right choices for a more sustainable world.