Figgy & Co cleaning with less
We are not perfect but at every point, we stop to consider the best sustainable solution. It can be hard as a start-up business to see what is possible within New Zealand and within your budget. Sometimes it is an uncomfortable place to know that you could do better and not be able to get there but it's about doing the best you can today.
Figgy & Co was born in 2014 when two busy mums from a health and science background needed a solution for cleaning their homes with less toxins. A combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills lead Jane and Aimee, the passionate founders of Figgy & Co, to launch their whole business around healthier homes. Figgy & Co deliver cleaning products using less chemicals and irritants plus less packaging.
Jane now runs Figgy & Co with the operation based in Paraparaumu but shipping cleaning products all over New Zealand to loyal Figgy followers. Jane shares her wisdom and learnings about how to apply sustainable thinking to business practices.
“We are not perfect but at every point we stop to consider the best sustainable solution. It can be hard as a start-up business to see what is possible within New Zealand and within your budget. Sometimes it is an uncomfortable place to know that you could do better and not be able to get there but it's about doing the best you can today.” says Jane.
Figgy & Co do not have a formal written sustainability plan but rather a deep ethos which means every action taken is reviewed from a health and environmental perspective.
“Our standards are high – when it comes to our environment, we want products that won’t harm our beautiful country,” said Jane.
“The sustainability space is constantly evolving. We don’t have a formal plan, but our values are centred around environmental sustainability.”
Recyclable Plastics
Jane's knowledge on recyclable plastics is second to none and she encourages business owners to do their own research.
“We use standard plastic milk bottles for some of our products. These can be recycled, and every Council around the country will pick them up. If there was a glass returnable system in New Zealand, I would use this, so the vessel would be fully circular. However, this is not the case and therefore we look for the next best solution.“
“When we send out our powders, we use compostable paper bags. Even with paper bags, you need to be careful that it’s not lined. It needs to be plain paper. We say to our customers this is a partnership. We will send it in a compostable bag but you need to put it in an airtight container to ensure the longevity of the product. We will get it to you in the most sustainable way then you can store it. Even the ink on our brown bags is soy-based ink and able to be composted.”
Take it one step at a time. If we are all slowly but surely turning the ship together, we will get there. We need to work together as a collective.
Jane is a curious person who has invested time and energy in gathering valid information.
“I read published research regularly. With greenwashing, you need to look through the false truths. I asked a lot of questions directly from the people doing the research. I pick up the phone and hear it from the horse’s mouth.”
Jane finds Waste Free with Kate Meads and The Rubbish Trip to be useful and unbiased sources of information.
Jane suggests that business owners be adaptable about how they are operating and willing to implement changes.
“Be honest with yourself about what is coming into your business and how it is going out of your business. You need a plan. Could some of my products be in different packaging? You are the gatekeeper and in charge of what is coming into your business. Can you use less, recycle, compost, repurpose? Then make sure you set goals for each quarter and measure your progress.”
“Our core sustainability values were set up from the very beginning of our business and we have modified them to improve as the world evolves. We are proud overall that we are not standing still and are committed at the time to doing the best with what we have available.”
Learn more about the Figgy & Co family at: https://figgyandco.co.nz/