Well hello, it's been a while...

After years of working in design and marketing I would be constantly frustrated with clients whom, provided with the tools to write engaging blogs or updates, spectacularly failed to do so. And so we arrive here, nearly 10 months after my last blog post 😆

Despite the fact we are fast approaching the time to buckle up for Beard Season once more, this post is about matters closer to my heart, brought into focus after a sustainable business workshop I attended in Queenstown last weekend.

As a small business I have, to be honest, put sustainability and good practice above profits (I'm not going to be winning Dragons Den with an attitude like this, but that was never the point). These practices will win few new customers, but hopefully the good vibes will trickle down and foster good choices in other parts of customers lives.

All of my business activities and products are themselves produced in a sustainable and natural manner. That is to say they are non-polluting, conserving of energy and natural resources, economically viable, safe and healthy for workers, communities, and consumers.

All good, pat myself on the back, make myself a green smoothie...

But I got to thinking about stepping back a stage.

So I use recyclable glass bottles and aluminium tins, but how are these produced? I source my goods from New Zealand businesses, but these products are all imported from China. To find out more about their production I used Google...

Big mistake, obviously. Both aluminium and glass production are huge consumers of fossil fuels and have shaky grounds for worker welfare, minimum wage and their environmental cost to the local communities is terrible. 

So, where to now?

We live in a beautiful yet small country, far away from major manufacturing centres and being small fry cannot hope to get manufacturers to change their credentials. On the plus side Kiwi's have a strong 'get it done' mentality that fosters innovation. I'm starting to reach out for help in solving some of these issues and have high hopes...

For now though I'm not going to sweat it (least of all because it is Beard Season!).

Doing what I can do in my power is, for now, a great start. Let me reiterate, all of our products are made by hand in a sustainable manner, free from chemicals by a worker who only moans occasionally*. There is no importing of beard oil from China, or anywhere for that matter. We know exactly what it is we're selling, and I use everything myself (even my kids get to use the oils on their dry skin in the winter).

To get things moving we're working on a system allowing you to return your empty bottles and tins for refilling at zero cost to yourself and a great benefit to the environment. 

There will be more, but for now, buckle up and grow that beard 'cos Autumn's here!

*well, quite a bit really but seldom about work.