Online Eco-store Celebrates Four Years Plastic Free
Data from the most recent Australian Plastics Recycling Survey reveals that, while Australians consume over 3.4 million tonnes of plastics a year, only 320,000 tonnes are being recycled. Worse still, our national plastic recycling rate sits at a dismal 9.4%.
Combating this nationwide problem is eco-brand Flora & Fauna, a large online Australian cruelty free and vegan shop with exclusive eco-friendly products.
Flora & Fauna’s purpose is to help consumers make better choices. They do this by finding products and solutions that are better for us, the animals, and the planet.
Stocking over 8,000 products in makeup, skincare, haircare, home, food and fashion, everything that Flora & Fauna stock is vegan, ethically sourced, cruelty-free, and low impact.
Founder and CEO of Flora & Fauna Julie Mathers is a a passionate environmentalist. After 25 years of working in retail, she was becoming increasingly frustrated working for companies who were not responsible for their actions.
Things like plastic bags, where products were sourced from, how people were treated, how people were paid, the supply chain – all really important elements of a responsible business.
Mathers wanted to create a business that was ethical, cruelty-free, sourced well and that gave back to the community.
“I wanted Flora and Fauna to be a platform for purpose and use our reach, engagement, and profit to make good decisions,” said Julie.
“As part of this, Flora & Fauna made the switch to 100% plastic-free packaging in 2016 and have saved 30 tonnes of plastic being put into landfill by doing so,” she said.
Flora & Fauna is committed to being a retailer with a difference and were one of the first retailers in Australia to be B Corp Certified. As a purpose-led business, becoming a B Corp was the obvious step on their journey, despite the lengthy certification process.
Julie said becoming a B Corp enabled Flora & Fauna to be part of a bigger community of businesses all with similar values and ethics.
“The ability to share information and work collectively will drive change faster.
“Flora & Fauna frequently work with other businesses as an advocate for responsible retailing, so this is a great way to drive change for good,” she said.
Recently, the online eco-store proudly offset their carbon by implementing several practices including planting native trees each year with Greenfleet, offsetting the emissions from their warehouse operations, team cars and office, as well as the delivery of over 500,000 parcels.
Flora & Fauna also have a wonderful recycling program that helps lower our impact on the earth. Customers can send their old plastic beauty packaging back to Flora & Fauna and they will receive a $10 F&F credit for doing so.
Flora & Fauna then work with TerraCycle to get this recycled and made into new products such as bench seats, chairs, and tables.
Julie is on a mission to help as many businesses as she can change for better and advises businesses owners wanting to do better to start small.
“By making small changes first, you won’t overlook the process and will make the best choice for your business,” said Julie.
Quick and easy switches are available, and you will be surprised how easy it actually can be,” she said.
In July, Flora & Fauna launched Take It Back, an industry wide initiative to reduce plastic packaging used in shipping orders.
With billions of parcels sent around the world annually, Flora & Fauna are doing their part to work with suppliers to help stop them using unnecessary plastic packaging and focus on eco-friendly alternatives.
By celebrating those businesses who are doing the right thing, Julie will continue her mission to find solution that are better for us, better for the animals, and better for the planet.
