PEOPLE DOING THE PLANET GOOD

Often times at Marilla’s we talk about what it means for a product to be mindful, and on a higher level, why did we choose “mindful” when choosing our mission. In this blog I want to dive into what that means to me. 

When I got into this business I wanted to reduce waste and plastic. QUICKLY after opening our doors I realized it wasn’t just about finding plastic free products. It was about taking care of people, being genuinely interested in their needs, and supporting businesses that did the same. 

instead of buying a bamboo brush from a giant marketplace and shutting up, I started contacting business owners. I started asking suppliers questions. “Have you ever been to your manufacturing facility?”, “Do you know your farmers & makers?”. These are questions that come up frequently to start conversations and get to know the people behind the products on our shelves. Although this narrowed my choices quite a bit, (some brands do NOT like to answer those questions) it ultimately created long lasting friendships and  partnerships that I felt I could trust. In turn, it filled two shops with wonderful plastic free products that people can trust. At Marilla’s we have created a place featuring hundreds of passionate planet loving people that believe making small changes matter and taking care of the planet is important in whatever way we can. 

When you ask about our bamboo brushes, we’ll tell you which one is our favorite and we’ll also tell you what a nice lady Carley is from Zefiro. We’ll tell you how much we love our swedish dishcloths, and we’ll ALSO tell you how it’s a family business and the grandfather paints many of the patterns. When you ask about our shampoo bars we’re going to talk about how sweet Norah is at Hibar and we’re going to gush about how Kate from Dip goes above and beyond to support and encourage her small business owners.

In a world where mega marts and big box stores churn through products and people as if they are nothing more than number on a page, we believe it’s important to let you all know about the people behind the products. Why purchasing that shampoo bar is MORE than just avoiding a plastic bottle, it’s an encouraging gesture for Kate at Dip AND Marilla’s Mindful Supplies and it gives us the courage and the confidence to keep going.

Recently we were given the chance to experience the generosity of one of these planet improving people when Kate (from Dip) decided to take a few of her retailers on a small getaway. To say it was thoughtful and encouraging was an understatement. Attention was paid to each shop owner, everyone was made to feel welcome and appreciated, and the reservations were even made at a small business that resonated with the crew of small businesses owners that were gathering for a couple days. And the best part to me? It was more than just a break, it was a chance to get busy shop owners together to encourage one another and brainstorm in a year that has left some of us weary. It was a boost we all needed and the only reason Kate knew that was because she has taken the time to get to know each of us beyond the numbers. Because that’s the kind of person she is. And did I mention her products are plastic free? 

And Dip, Ladies and Gentlemen, is just ONE brand we carry. I will never have the time to tell you about the people behind EVERY product (we’d probably need to pull an all-nighter 😂) but I hope that next time you visit our shop or website you remember Kate, and Carley, and our swedish dish cloth grandpa, and all the other people that are behind these products that are improving the planet with more than just their plastic free-ness. 

Marilla’s MINDFUL Supplies. Mindful because each and every product is chosen to make YOUR life better when you take it home, make OUR team excited when you pick it out, and signal to our brands and makers that we think they are doing great things and we appreciate them. Do you believe ALL that can be achieved with one shampoo bar and a bamboo brush? Because we do!! 

At this point I’ll wrap up my rambling, but I hope this has painted a picture of why we chose a mindful approach in this space and what that means to us. We can’t thank you enough for saying YES to what we do by continuing to shop with us and as long as we have you, we’ll never stop championing brands and people that are making this planet a better, just like you! 

See you soon, and thanks for the encouragement 🥰

-Marilla

p.s...

We still have a few Marilla's Limited Edition Dip Lilac Shampoo Bars left 😉