As a consumer in the modern age, it’s easy to think that your purchase doesn’t have enough power to make an impact. You’re just one person, right? How could the purchase decision of one person make any difference at all? But that’s the thing — you do have the power to make an impact. A positive impact. An impact that directly affects the people in our community, our environment, and those in other countries around the world. Perhaps this isn’t the case for every company you choose to buy from, but it is with nil. Read on to find out how.
Keeping vulnerable New Zealand women in employment
Did you know that employment isn’t actually accessible to everyone? There are a variety of different reasons as to why someone is unable to obtain work, and at nil, we knew we could do something about it. That’s how our unique home workforce model came about. Our passionate collective of makers are made up of New Zealand women; each week they receive a box of supplies from nil HQ to make our sewn products from the comfort of their own homes. Then, the end result of their beautiful craftsmanship gets delivered all around the world for our customers to enjoy. The model is driven by nil Founder and Director Anna Bordignon's belief that everyone has a right to be part of the financial global market no matter how small they are — we just need to find new ways to include people. On a large scale, involving those that may traditionally be excluded from obtaining an income is one way to close the income equality gap. On a smaller scale, it’s a way to empower these women with purposeful work and allow them to provide for their families. If you purchase a nil beeswax wrap for your loved one, as a direct result of that purchase, these women can support their loved ones. It’s a beautiful cycle and a very powerful one indeed.
Creating nil harm and nil waste
We wanted to find a way to transform your everyday world into an ethical and sustainable one, so we did just that. nil products are designed to be functional and useful, without harming people or the environment — nil harm and nil waste! Our product range features the everyday essentials that you use in the kitchen, the bathroom and on the go. Each product is eco-friendly and waste-free, including our packaging. Take our reusable wool makeup remover pads, for example — this product replaces 10,000 disposable cotton balls from ending up in landfill! Ensuring that all our products have a clear eco loop is how we take charge of our product stewardship – when producers accept responsibility for reducing a product’s environmental impact. We are currently working with the Sustainability Business Network on a number of educational pieces in this area.
Utilising the talent of local New Zealand designers
Our fabrics are inspired by New Zealand’s stunning flora and fauna, so who else would be better qualified to carry out this work than our own local fabric designers? We live in a country that has the most amazing untouched nature in the world; our designs are modern and stylish with a nod to our incredible environment. Collaborating with these local designers is a beautiful way to support their work and bring our products to life. All of our fabrics are GOTS certified Fair Trade too; We work with an Indian Fair Trade Organic Fabric company in India to produce our fabrics and they offer our off cuts to social initiatives in India.
Advocating for the causes we care about
Since our establishment in 2014, we have naturally worked from a sustainable, social and ethical premise. We celebrate all businesses that are trying to save our planet even if those steps are small. Part of advocating for what we believe in requires us to show you all that we do. We have had to balance up the cost of obtaining certain worldwide certifications against drawing people's attention to the work we do. In many instances, we are naturally practising them but the cost of obtaining the certifications have been cost prohibitive. Take a look at some of the accreditations we hold here and our commitment to creating positive change. Small optimistic steps can save the world.
By making the decision to swap out your everyday essentials for a more sustainable option, you are reducing your negative impact on the environment, and having a direct and positive effect on the people who made those products. At nil, we’re proud to do what we do. It’s an honour for us to make your sustainability journey easier and more accessible. Smart people do nil harm. Get started today.
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