In 2019, the issue of ecology is more present than ever in our daily lives and on our minds. The Scrunchie team is no exception.
When you start a business, you start it with your heart, your beliefs, and your values, and that's the case for Scrunchie. As individuals (and members of the Scrunchie team), it's our duty to act for the future. As a company, it's our duty to inspire and inspire our community to a healthier, more environmentally friendly future.
We're not going to hide from you that this isn't easy, and for a young company with small budgets it's even less so: financial constraints, time constraints, or habits that are difficult to break. But at Scrunchie, we like to say that where there's a will, there's a way. Of course, there's no miracle solution, but with a little elbow grease, willpower, commitment, and above all, patience, it's possible to work small miracles; which, combined with everyone's efforts, can change things. We know you're going to tell us that words are all well and good, but actions are even better... But concretely, what have we put in place at Scrunchie?
A short circuit:
All the raw materials (fabric, haberdashery, etc.) used to make our accessories come from Parisian suppliers. We favor local sourcing and walking: yes, at Scrunchie, there's no polluting transport, you have to be athletic!
Another example: the pearls used for jewelry like Grace, Maya, or Lola come from end-of-line pieces dating back to the 1970s. Why this choice? It's a way for the brand to contribute to the recycling of pieces that are no longer useful for large-scale productions and therefore to take a small step towards a better future.
And the production?
The short supply chain doesn't stop at raw materials. We've chosen to produce our accessories not only in France but... in Montmartre! We wanted to reduce Scrunchie's ecological impact as much as possible.
No expensive CO2-intensive transport to recover finished products, our little legs do the job!
Another stance for ecology: our accessories are produced in small quantities to avoid overproduction. We operate differently from some large retailers that overproduce and sell off their stocks. We don't want to encourage overconsumption, which is why we don't have sales.
Also, our collections have no expiration date. Although we work in fashion and are sensitive to the latest trends, we take great care to create timeless and quality accessories.
The packaging:
As you've probably noticed, the Scrunchie Team likes to take care to create attractive packaging, but we also make sure it's as eco-friendly as possible, of course! To do this (and with our small budget, haha), we slip your orders into pretty reusable pink organza bags to store your accessories.
We make sure that the goodies included in each order are consumable or reusable (remember the little lavender sachet that scented your last order, the strawberry candies or even the bookmark).
For delivery, we recently started working with a logistics provider that handles parcel shipments for many French startups. We chose them for their environmental friendliness: they collect orders by bicycle and use recycled and recyclable packaging.
Returns also have an impact on the planet, we encourage you to think twice before returning your items (birthday present from a friend, departure of a colleague, etc.).
Transport of your orders
The rise of e-commerce and express delivery is forcing us to think differently about how to protect the planet. While next-day delivery has become a habit, even a consumer requirement, we have chosen not to get involved in this system. You may think our shipping costs are high compared to the competition, but shipping comes at a real cost, both financially and environmentally.
We encourage you to place group orders, which is why we offer free shipping on orders over 80 euros. This decision isn't driven by Scrunchie's finances, but by environmental concerns. In fact, three separate orders have three times the impact on the planet than a group order between friends.
Picking up at the Scrunchie Room is also a great alternative to delivery for Parisians. We're always happy to meet and chat with you.
Our choices of collaboration
The Scrunchie Team takes great care in choosing partners (brands, companies, suppliers, etc.) with ecological and social values. For example, when we hold competitions or partner with a brand, we don't choose them at random: Mina Storm, Les Tatillonnes, Biscuits Vous Avez Un Message, Les Petites Custards de Juliette... young French brands committed to this fight.
We recently donated around fifty hair accessories to the Entourage Groupe association, highlighted by Léna Simone on Instagram. The donations are then distributed to homeless women. If you're interested in the initiative, visit their Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/reseauentourage/.
Our working tool
The entire team uses Ecosia, an ecological search engine, as much as possible. Of course, the SEO is less good, but when you know what you're looking for, it's not a problem. How is it different? This search engine reinvests the money generated by ads (like those on Google or Yahoo, for example) into planting trees in deforestation-affected countries (a counter shows you live the number of trees planted thanks to all the people who use it).
No brand can be without impact on the planet, however every action counts and we promise to put ecology at the center of our choices.
And you, what actions do you take to reduce your impact?
