Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 114)

146 Bee kind We speak to Carly Catalano, co-owner and director of The Beeswax Wraps Company, about committing to a low-waste lifestyle Tell us a bit about The Beeswax Wraps Company and how you came to start the company. The Beeswax Wrap Company grew organically. I really hated using cling film and remembered one of my friends in Australia a few years back experimenting with fabric and beeswax. I started doing some research and experimenting myself. Fran and I were walking through the Stroud market and a man was selling some of his beeswax. We bought some, and from there, the research and development began. I did one market in Bristol and sold out. After that, we were stocked by Better Foods, so Fran set up a website and social channels, and it has just continued to grow from there. What was your background before you started The Beeswax Wraps Company? I was a music and primary school teacher. Fran was in advertising and marketing and is a trained acupuncturist. Tell us a bit about your product offering and how the range has developed since you began. We offer a range of sizes and prints. We do change our prints about every four months to keep it fresh and exciting. We wanted to offer beautiful prints that we love. Our designer, Jo, has always been so amazing at creating a print that speaks to us and highlights our company. We have also worked with some really talented up-and-coming designers on charity prints. We work with these designers and they choose charities close to their hearts for us to donate a portion of sales to. What challenges did you overcome as a new company? I think as a new company, you are faced with many challenges. I think one that we have overcome is running our company as ethically and as waste-free as possible. We are always trying to find new ways to source materials. An example is our packaging. The people who do our packaging sent it to us originally in plastic wrapping. We went back to them asking that they don’t use any plastic. They did some research on their end, have changed over and now don’t use plastic for any of their products! It felt really good to know that someone listened and then made a change. What values are important to you as the company grows? We truly want to make sure that every step and decision we make as we grow is as waste-free as possible. We try to make our decisions based on the impact it has on our staff, community and planet. How do you market your business? Do you attend any trade shows? We have been extremely lucky in the marketing side of our business. We have had some amazing opportunities and people writing about our wraps. Fran is also amazing at marketing and advertising, so she had the previous knowledge on knowing how to put our product out there. We did our first trade show at the beginning of the year in London. We will be doing two more this year: one in Harrogate and another in London. What has been your favourite moment so far? I think just coming to work and knowing that I love what I do and am really proud of what Fran and I have grown is my favourite part. It is nice to look at and think that we are making a positive change. What are your hopes for the future? I hope that we can continue to grow our company in a sustainable way. We want to really educate people on the environment and give them tips on making small changes. For more information, contact Carly and Fran on +44 (0)1453 706 129 or visit beeswaxwraps.co.uk