The growing recognition towards sustainability and greener practices has brought back the belief in a holistic lifestyle over a consumerist way of living. As more individuals are slowly switching to sustainable consumption patterns, the demand for natural alternatives is also witnessing a rise.
This change has also led to the reintroduction of some traditional lifestyle practices that are now being recognized as truly sustainable. One element that has been swift to gain popularity is Copper. Copper is one of the oldest and first elements known to man. Within India, it has been in wide use since ancient times, especially in the practices of Ayurveda.
In more recent times, Copper has become a metal that is sought after, by almost every industry. From sustainable development to lifestyle and wellness, this heavy metal is in demand everywhere. Let’s take a deep dive into the long list of benefits and understand what makes this golden element so truly multi-dimensional:
Health and Wellness:
Copper is naturally present in all our tissues and is essential to ensure appropriate metabolic function and cellular respiration in our systems. Being crucial to our health and development, copper intake in various forms is widely advocated. While commonly used in medicines and herbal supplements, its benefits can also be derived naturally through the foods we eat. Certain foods that are rich in copper are nuts like almonds and cashews, sesame seeds, dark chocolate, mushrooms, and leafy greens.
Drinking water from copper bottles (known as ‘Tamara Jal’ in Sanskrit) is a healthy practice that is now regaining popularity. Copper is a natural antioxidant and anti-carcinogen. When water is stored in a copper bottle or vessel for a couple of hours, it releases ions. Right from preventing hypertension, curbing the formation of free radicals (which lead to diseases like cancer), preventing anemia, cardiovascular diseases, and even reducing joint pains, this single element has properties to fight a host of ailments.
Beauty and Skincare:
Copper has always been known to react well with the skin. A growing beauty trend is the use of copper peptides in skincare products, such as serums and moisturizers. Copper peptides are natural amino acids that enhance the growth of elastin and collagen in the skin. These are known to help fight signs of aging such as wrinkles, loose skin, and fine lines.
The abundant qualities of copper help aid cell rejuvenation. Skin-care products with copper extracts are usually effective on all skin types and can help achieve an even skin tone, reduce blemishes and fade acne scars.
Home and Lifestyle:
Besides being beautiful to look at, when it comes to sustainable efficiency, copper-based lifestyle products are a high-functioning choice.
Highly non-corrosive, durable, and tough in nature, copper-based products last for longer periods of time. It is for this reason, that copper is also used to make fashion accessories and jewellery. Despite daily use, copper jewelry is likely to maintain its quality. It is not uncommon for copper and brass to also be used in home decor. Several interior designers add these accents to give a sense of warmth to interiors.
Copper is also naturally anti-bacterial in nature and is hence also used in personal hygiene products. Cookware made of copper (such as pots and pans) heat up and cool down swiftly, owing to the reactive nature of this element. Naturally, this also means that copper utensils use less fuel, making them an efficient option for your daily cooking.
Green Buildings and Sustainable Architecture:
Unsustainable practices in infrastructural development have time and again been a leading cause of ecological imbalance, global warming, and climate change. The use of copper for greener construction models such as green buildings has been found to be a highly sustainable solution. Since it is highly rust-resistant, copper is a practical metal of choice for plumbing and piping during construction.Being completely recyclable, it can be constantly reused without a change in quality. Recycling copper helps save energy and vastly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, almost 34% of the world’s copper demand is met through recycled copper! Copper is a major part of environmental infrastructure projects and is also used in waste management and cleaning systems.
It has become increasingly evident that beyond just a fad or latest beauty trend, copper can help pave the way for a greener future for our planet. Be it your desire to live more sustainably or simply to find a natural and holistic approach to better health, copper is a multi-purpose solution that should inevitably be a part of your lifestyle.
Explore our wide range of copper-based household and lifestyle essentials here.
