Tech executive turns eco-entrepreneur to drive a "refill revolution"

by Startacus Admin

How one London-based entrepreneur overcame personal health issues to launch Spruce, an ethical and sustainable brand of non-toxic and low-waste refillable cleaning products

A former tech executive has revealed how she started her own eco-friendly cleaning range earlier this year after switching to a low-waste, plastic-free, non-toxic lifestyle to improve her health. 

Mahira Kalim from London, launched refillable cleaning products brand Spruce in February 2021, after struggling to find everyday household cleaning products that were both eco-friendly and non-toxic in a market flooded with greenwashing. 

Mahira’s inspiration for the company came through a decade-long journey where she sadly suffered from various health issues, including unexplained infertility, miscarriages and a challenging IVF journey. 

Mahira explains: “We switched to organic food immediately to cut out pesticides, cut out all plastic containers for food storage and switched to natural and organic skincare products, but when it came to household cleaning products, there wasn’t anything out there that seemed trustworthy.”

This sparked the idea to develop her own range of eco-friendly cleaning products that are truly non-toxic, ethically made and most importantly convenient for consumers to adopt.

Spruce only uses safe food and cosmetic-grade ingredients, along with 100% natural, organic essential oils and the packaging for its refills is made of paper and is fully home compostable.

Mahira adds: “In my previous role, I’d worked for major brands exploring ways to address the issue of plastic pollution and how to make their supply chains more sustainable. My aim now is to move people away from single-use items and create a ‘refill revolution. I want Spruce Spruce to inspire people to adopt a low-waste approach in all areas of their life. We’re pending B-corporation status, meaning we’ve made a legal commitment to put people and the planet over profit. That principle informs every decision we make”.

Incidentally, in addition to launching and running a successful startup business in these challenging times, Mahira is now blessed with three beautiful children!

Fab to see a new sustainable business like this which clearly has a mission to do good for both people and the plant at its very core.

 

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Published on: 18th August 2021