For Goldilocks Goods founder Amy Hall, necessity was indeed the mother of her invention.
Hearing about reusable beeswax food wraps back in 2016, Hall wanted to find a set to give to her mom for Christmas. Unable to source any locally, and being quite crafty herself, she decided to try her hand at making her own.
“It ended up being more complicated than I had anticipated to get a beeswax wrap that really functioned like a plastic wrap and had a good seal,” says Hall. “By the time I was done getting the ingredients just right, I had far too many wraps than what I needed for a gift for my mom.”
She decided to sell those extra wraps at a local farmers’ market, in an attempt to recoup some of her costs. They sold out in two hours.
“This was the lightbulb moment where I thought I might be able to turn this into a business,” says Hall. “When I saw how interested others were in this product, I was really inspired to help even more people take that first step to reducing their plastic consumption.”
At Goldilocks Goods, each reusable beeswax wrap is handmade from start to finish in her Victoria, B.C., studio. Her team washes the cotton fabric and cuts out each piece (Goldilocks wraps range from small to extra large). Then they saturate them in a mixture of locally sourced beeswax, tree resin, and jojoba oil to give them that natural adhesiveness.
A few years ago, Hall began extending their product offerings to pretty, reusable produce bag sets, eye-catching Swedish dishcloths, and, most recently, a comprehensive eco-friendly haircare line (the Sea Salt Spray features salt from neighbouring Salt Spring Island).
“In my own low-waste journey, I found it easiest to focus on one area of my life at a time,” says Hall. “I started reducing waste in the kitchen, so the bathroom was the next logical progression for me.”
We can’t wait to see which room this creative eco-conscious maker takes on next.
Eco-Friendly Foundation
“My own personal journey into the world of low-waste living was inspired by diving with sharks. I had spent the better part of 2016 travelling and volunteering with a shark conservation project in the South Pacific. While it was one of the most magical experiences of my life, it was also my introduction to the reality of plastic pollution in our oceans.
“This was the catalyst that made me want to be more conscious in my lifestyle and consumerism choices – particularly when it came to plastics. Initially, I was overwhelmed. Once you start to notice how prevalent plastic is in our society, there’s no going back. But I took things one step at a time.”
See More: We Tried These Sustainable Home Products: Our Honest Opinions
Daily Practice
“For me, Goldilocks is an extension of who I am, and therefore my eco-conscious lifestyle. I’m constantly asking myself how I can make little improvements or different choices in my personal life. And I find myself doing the same with the business.
“My team and I are always coming up with new ideas to experiment with, trying to find more eco-friendly options whether it’s packaging materials, shipping materials or within the production process itself. Living a more eco-friendly life doesn’t really have an end point, it’s a constant process of evolution.”
Related: Secrets of an Eco-Conscious Homeowner We Should All Adopt
Location, Location, Location
“Living and working on Vancouver Island in such close proximity to the ocean at all times continues to inspire me on a daily basis. Being able to take a lunch break from our studio and going for a walk along the waterfront reminds me of what we are working so hard to protect and how this all began. Victoria also has an incredibly supportive business community and community as a whole. There isn’t anywhere else I could imagine running Goldilocks!”
See More: 20 Super Simple Ways to Go Green at Home
Images courtesy of Goldilocks Goods.
