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Welcome to Good Market Info!
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Welcome to Good Market Info! Click the logo to return to the Good Market global app.
Welcome to the 48 social enterprises, cooperatives, responsible businesses, voluntary organizations, and networks that became Good Market approved in May 2021! This month’s roundup includes new community members from Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Kazakhstan, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, the United Kingdom, Peru, and the United States. More than 1,887 enterprises across 65 countries are now part of the Good Market commons.
Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Eco Femme is a women-led social enterprise based in Auroville, India that makes washable cloth pads, provides menstrual health education and promotes menstrual practices that are healthy, environmentally sustainable, culturally responsive and empowering. The pads are made from Indian organic cotton with a leakproof layer and are stitched by women in five independent production units that ensure fair wages and safe working conditions. When customers purchase pads or donate, the proceeds are used to provide menstrual health education and free pads to adolescent girls through their Pad for Pad program and subsidized pads to marginalized women through their Pads for Sisters program. Eco Femme develops educational resources, trains facilitators, offers consultancy services, and advocates for non-polluting menstrual practices through writing, film making, and public speaking. They work with a network of grassroots organizations, schools, and ambassadors across India.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Original Beans is a regenerative chocolate business that sources some of the rarest cacao beans from biodiversity hotspots around the world and contributes to their preservation. Their single varietal organic chocolates include Yuna from the Dominican Republic, Zoque from Mexico, Arhauco from Colombia, Esmeraldas from Ecuador, Cusco and Piura from Peru, Beni Wild from Bolivia, Udzungwa from Tanzania, and Virunga from Congo DR. Original Beans maintains direct, long term relationships with cacao farmers, pays above fair trade rates, and works with farmers to grow a tree for every chocolate bar sold. Original Beans is climate positive. Packaging for their chocolate bars is garden compostable, and in 2020, they introduced the world’s first compostable couverture pack for hotel and restaurant supply. Their Preserve the Rare Foundation supports local conservation initiatives in cacao origin communities. Original Beans has created their own standard, Sourced As Original Beans, based on their quality, trade, and environmental practices that is now being used by other craft chocolate brands.
Jakarta, Indonesia
Javara works across the supply chain to sustain Indonesia’s forgotten food biodiversity heritage by delivering it to local and international markets and promoting sustainable production and consumption. They partner with farmers, foragers, fishers, and food artisans to supply a wide range of directly sourced natural, organic, and artisanal food products from across the Indonesian archipelago. Javara offers heirloom black, purple, red, pink, and white rice varieties, specialty flours, vegetable noodles, seasonal honey varieties, palm sugars and syrups, coffee, tea, spices, herbs, infused sea salts, sauces, spreads, snacks, and more. They create rural business and employment opportunities, invest in safer working conditions and producer capacity building, revive knowledge on wild edibles, and help improve family nutrition. Javara’s stores and restaurants in Indonesia offer tasting workshops, cooking demonstrations, and other events to promote healthy nutritious food that is ethically and sustainably sourced. In 2017, they founded Sekolah Seniman Pangan, an action-based entrepreneurial learning facility and business ecosystem to nurture the growth of food entrepreneurship among rural youth and women.
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Mile High WorkShop partners with production-based businesses to create employment opportunities and provide job training for people rebuilding from addictions, homelessness, and incarceration. They offer assembly, packaging, labeling, kitting, storage, and inventory management services for small, growing businesses and established, multinational corporations. The banner upcycling department helps partners reduce their landfill waste by transforming retired billboards and used vinyl banners into durable bags. Products made from donated materials are sold as part of their Second Chance Series. In addition to on-the-job training, Mile High WorkShop offers support for soft skill development, peer-to-peer and non-clinical addiction recovery, and the transition to permanent employment or educational opportunities. They have developed a network of employers amenable to hiring people with histories of addiction, incarceration, and homelessness and they help participants develop resumes and prepare for interviews. Mile High WorkShop is registered as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization and is a member of Social Enterprise Alliance.
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Mama Buci specializes in ethically and sustainably harvested raw forest honey from wild African bees and provides training and livelihood opportunities for more than 7,000 families in the Miombo forests of central Zambia. They developed a tree top bar hive that, unlike a traditional bark hive, protects the forest trees, enables bee colonies to thrive, and can be repeatedly harvested over many years. Their local Zambian workshop produces 150 bee hives per day and has distributed more than 75,000 hives to beekeeping families. These families have been able to more than double their income and can now afford to send their children to school. They offer a Summer Harvest, which is light amber with a floral taste, and a Winter Havest, which is dark amber with a rich, sweet flavor. Mama Buci reinvests proceeds to improve access to education for children in rural areas of Zambia, Malawi, and Ethiopia. They built the Luyando school in Kamafwesa which provides free education and school supplies for more than 420 local children and work for 11 local teachers.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
CamelBackyard is an urban farm and community food hub that supports local refugee farmers and small business owners in Phoenix. It’s run by New Roots, a program under the International Rescue Committee (IRC) that helps people affected by conflict and disaster survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Through New Roots, refugee farmers are able to increase their food security, access new economic opportunities, and make connections in their new community. They can grow to feed their family or they can can sell their harvest through markets, grocery stores, or weekly produce boxes. CamelBackyard includes an aquaponics greenhouse, raised garden beds, a shaded outdoor classroom for workshops, classes, and other public events, and a community kitchen with a large refrigerator, sink, and counter space for food processing and storage. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants that purchase eligible food receive a matching amount of free fresh produce. CamelBackyard operates under a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
Tieedi is a forest garden and environment conservation organisation in the hills of Darjeeling. They aspire to be frontline warriors in the fight against the climate crisis and actively provide individual and institutional solutions to modern challenges. Tieedi focuses on permaculture and natural farming, seed banks, experiential environmental education, regenerative tourism, decentralized waste management, and consultation on sustainable land and building design. They organize workshops and events and offer yacon syrup, black cardamom, tea blends, home composting units, zero waste kits, and more. Over the years, Tieedi has hosted travellers from around the world. They also provide volunteering opportunities that enable people to learn about permaculture while contributing to one of their projects. Core workers receive healthcare benefits and access to training programs.
Helsinki, Finland
Sharetribe is democratizing platform ownership by making it possible for anyone to build a successful marketplace business. They aim to foster an economy where resources are utilized efficiently, created value is distributed fairly, and people have control over the conditions of their work. Sharetribe Go is a software subscription service that makes it possible to launch a fully functional online marketplace for renting or selling goods, spaces, or services without writing a line of code. Sharetribe Flex enables full marketplace customization. Their software powers peer-to-peer community platforms that promote sharing of resources to reduce consumption and waste. Sharetribe offers a free online marketplace academy, a lean startup guide, and expert support seven days a week. They have a steward-ownership company structure that separates voting rights and profit sharing rights, sets a dividend cap, and locks in their purpose. Sharetribe contributes to the platform cooperativism and steward-ownership movements.
Kolenchery, Kerala, India
7 to 9 Green Store started as a conventional grocery store in 1979 and made the transition to being a zero waste store without losing their original customers. They are now supporting independent grocery stores in other parts of the country to make the transition to zero waste. 7 to 9 Green Store promotes a bring your own container (BYOC) concept to reduce packaging waste. They offer bulk fresh produce, grains, legumes, nuts, oils, spices, snacks, personal care, household cleaners, zero waste alternatives, and more. Priority is given to organically grown products and local, environmentally responsible brands. Customers can buy the amount they need, and prices tend to be lower than branded, packaged items. 7 to 9 Green Store uses their platform to raise awareness about plastic pollution and sustainable living.
Cercado de Lima, Peru
Peruland All Natural works with local artisans to transform Peruvian natural materials into functional, high quality products. The initiative started in 2006 under the name APTEC Peru as a collective of six artisans who wanted to connect directly with international fair trade buyers. Today, they provide fair trade wages to more than 150 artisans. Their textile team sources local alpaca wool and organic cotton, colors it with natural dyes, and creates handmade baby toys, clothing, accessories, and housewares. Their craft team produces handmade and handpainted housewares and accessories from clay, Huamanga stone, dried gourds, natural seeds, and recycled materials. Peruland also offers natural Peruvian food products and has created a range of indigenous juices sweetened with stevia for the local market. Customers can choose from a catalog of existing Peruland products or work with the team to develop their own custom and exclusive product range. Peruland is a guaranteed fair trade member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).
Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Social Entrepreneurship Association is a sangha of changemakers that aims to manifest a new economy in tune with and service to the natural world. They offer coaching and consulting services for values-based leadership development, organizational design and transformation, and ecological sustainability and serve as a hub for changemakers, social entrepreneurship, grassroots innovation, and systemic change in the Auroville bioregion and beyond. Since 2012, they have supported social enterprises working on organic farming, zero waste, seed banks, art therapy, mediation and conflict resolution, women’s empowerment, rural livelihoods, de-addiction, rooftop gardening, alternative education, and other issues. Their Alivelihoods initiative provides guidance for people seeking a career that makes them come alive, and their Green Silk Road initiative supports climate responsible travel between India and Europe. Services are offered on a sliding scale or gift basis to ensure inclusion. Social Entrepreneurship Association is a unit of the Auroville Foundation and part of Auroville International, Vikalp Sangam, Ashoka, and Catalyst 2030.
Hokandara, Sri Lanka
Nature’s Glory aims to uplift the livelihoods of rural farmers in Sri Lanka, demonstrate the business potential of sustainable agriculture practices, provide technical support and inputs to eliminate the need for agrichemicals, develop processing facilities to add value to farmers’ harvests, and make organically grown produce more accessible and affordable. They focus on perennial tree crops in order to provide consistent income for subsistence farmers and prevent the environmental impacts of slash and burn chena cultivation. Their own 100-acre farm produces mango and other tropical fruits, and they have provided more than 5,000 fruit tree seedlings to a network of outgrower farmers. Nature’s Glory provides immediate payment, above market rates, and incentives for sustainable agriculture practices. They donate to rural school programs that inspire the next generation to continue with agriculture.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Tula is restoring equalibrium in the cotton value chain in order to provide fair and dignified remuneration to farmers and artisans, create rural livelihood opportunities, strengthen the local economy, and improve access to ethical, environmentally responsible products. Their clothing and housewares are made from rainfed desi cotton organically grown by smallholder farmers, handspun by skilled khadi workers, colored with natural dyes, woven by master handloom weavers, and stitched by women and men from socially and economically marginalized groups. All producers receive fair trade living wages for their work. Tula does not export on principle. They raise local consumer awareness through events and popup stalls and sell through outlets in Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Lucknow. They participate in a number of networks including Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), Safe Food Alliance (SFA), and Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch. Tula operates as a not-for-profit social enterprise. Profits are reinvested to increase producer benefits and expand the initiative to more farmers and artisans.
Columbus, Ohio, United States
SocialVentures serves as a primary network for social enterprise activity in central Ohio and advocates for, develops, and funds local not-for-profit and for-profit businesses that integrate social and environmental impact as a non-negotiable component of their business model. They raise awareness through public speaking, columns, blogs, social media, and an annual report on The State of Social Enterprise in Central Ohio and help social enterprises thrive through accelerators, workshops, training programs, mentoring, and consulting services. SocialVentures offers a social impact box, online marketplace, and business-to-business buying guide to make it easier for people to connect with, support, and source from local social enterprises. They manage Social Ventures Fund, a member-based impact investment fund for accredited individuals, companies, and foundations, and they run an investment account with Kiva Columbus. SocialVentures is registered as a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.
Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
The Wonky Food Company helps reduce food waste by partnering with farmers, suppliers, and retailers and producing delicious products from their imperfect and surplus fruits and vegetables. They specialize in versatile condiments that can add flavor to a range of dishes. Their chili tomato relish, onion relish, and pepper lime relish are available online and through local retailers in the United Kingdom. The Wonky Food Company supports Oxford Mutual Aid by offering a “Buy One Give One” purchase option, contributes to local causes by regularly donating relishes for charity raffles and giveaways, and uses their platforms to raise awareness about food waste in the United Kingdom and globally. They are part of the Happerley transparent supply network, a Feeding the City accelerator at Impact Hub Kings Cross, Good Food Oxford, and OxLEP eScalate.
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tanri supports female artisans from Central Asia and raises awareness about slow fashion and sustainability by offering long-lasting, environmentally responsible slippers for home or office. Their slippers are handmade from pure merino wool and colored with natural materials like walnut, apricot leaves, and sainfoin flowers. Merino wool is breathable, odor resistant, regulates temperature, and provides the benefits of walking barefoot. Tanri wants to make it easier for offices to promote no-shoe policies for workers’ wellbeing. With every purchase of their paw print line of slippers, they donate to a fund to protect snow leopards. Tanri is part of the Fashion Revolution.
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Refillable is a refill delivery service that aims to eliminate single use plastic packaging and make quality personal and home care products affordable and accessible. Customers can either refill their own bottles or pay a refundable deposit for a Refillable aluminum container. Products are sourced from environmentally responsible local brands whenever possible and include handwash, dishwash, laundry detergent, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, glass cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, and sanitizers. Prices are lower than retail outlets and ecommerce because the payment is for the product and not the packaging. Refillable has organized a #PayWithPlastic campaign to provide a free one liter homecare refill to anyone that gives 10 plastic bottles for recycling. They purchase in bulk to reduce waste and prioritize electric vehicles for delivery. For every purchase, Refillable donates free sanitizer and other home care liquids to people in need.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
The Arizona Cooperative Initiative is building an inclusive statewide network of cooperatives and supporting the transition to a democratic economy. They educate the general public about the benefits of cooperative enterprise, provide developmental support at all levels of coop formation and operation, provide education and training to coop members, and create opportunities for coops to share resources and work together to strengthen their interdependence. Cooperatives in Arizona offer a range of products and services, for example, there are agricultural cooperatives that provide fresh produce and dairy products, credit unions with banking services, electric cooperatives that supply energy to rural areas, retail cooperatives that collectively purchase inventory, and consumer cooperatives for food, outdoor gear, and more. The Arizona Cooperative Initiative aims to establish a revolving fund to support the financial startup and expansion of cooperatives and help eligible cooperatives access Small Business Administration loans and grants. They are registered as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
Indian Yards empowers rural and indigenous tribal women from the Nilgiris blue mountains in southern India and offers a range of handcrafted and environmentally responsible housewares, accessories, and home and office decor. They started with patchwork cotton quilts, expanded to cotton bags, aprons, and face maks, and now specialize in macrame made from recycled cotton yarn. Their Agai livelihood program provides a community for the women to share experiences, learn and develop their skills, and access new livelihood opportunities. In addition to offering retail products through their own online store, Indian Yards partners with conscious businesses on custom bulk orders and private label or white label designs. They prioritize local and sustainably sourced materials including handloom cotton fabrics, natural dyes, hand block printed designs, recycled yarns, and wood from responsibly managed forests.
Singapore
Coral Colab is a global network of leaders working on the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. Coral members are system entrepreneurs with the on-the-ground experience, networks, and skills to solve complex and systemic challenges at scale. They provide sustainability consulting services to help decision makers integrate impact and implement systemic solutions. Focus areas include sourcing regenerative and renewable raw materials, ecosystem restoration in areas of impact, ensuring transparent, slavery-free supply chains, transitioning to net zero and net positive emissions through improved production and distribution, and shifting to circular business models. Teams are agile, adaptive, and collaborative. Each new problem statement or project triggers the formation of a unique task force. Coral Colab participates in other networks working for change like Impact Collective, Global Biosummit, and neoHome. They founded the Singapore Eco Film Festival and donate a percent of all proceeds to wildlife conservation organizations.
London, England, United Kingdom
Old Spike is a specialty coffee roastery and cafe based in Peckham that helps reduce homelessness through training and employment. They source green coffee from producers in countries of origin based on the principles of quality, traceability, and social and ecological responsibility and use 65 percent of profits to directly support people experiencing homelessness. In partnership with their sister company, Change Please, they have developed a state-of-the-art barista training academy. Trainees are referred by local charities and councils and receive practical and theory based learning, mental health support, work readiness training, financial assistance with accommodation, and post training employment in a London Living Wage job. Old Spike partners with the Eden Reforestation Project to plant a tree for every bag of coffee sold. They are Carbon Neutral certified and registered as a Community Interest Company.
Bologna, Italy
ecoSurge is a global community of leaders, entrepreneurs, experts, and organizations committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through cross-sector collaborations, digital innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT), and circular economy business models. Through their Restart Together initiative, they are supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a post-pandemic green recovery and sustainability transition. ecoSurge works with SMEs that want to be more environmentally responsible to assess opportunities, develop co-creative projects, and scale up innovative solutions. Focus areas include sustainable agriculture, plastic packaging alternatives, water management, renewable energy, and responsible travel. ecoSurge is part of the European Task Force for New Industrial Strategy.
Chiddingfold, England, United Kingdom
Garden Cider makes premium craft cider in Surrey from donated garden fruit that would otherwise go to waste. More than 4,000 member households drop off their surplus garden apples each year and receive a free share of the finished cider in return. All of their ciders are made from freshly pressed and naturally fermented apple juice. Over the years, the range has expanded to include plum and ginger cider, elderflower cider, raspberry and rhubarb cider, wild strawberry cider, blueberry cider, berry and cherry cider, and dry hopped cider. Garden Cider engages with the local community and helps raise awareness about food waste and sustainable local food systems.
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Cupable aims to eliminate single-use plastic packaging by designing and manufacturing reusable alternatives out of crop waste and offering technology-enabled services to ensure recovery and reuse. Restaurant and cafe partners are able provide reusable takeaway cups and containers on a deposit basis. Customers can return their takeaway packaging at partner locations or request collection. Cupable washes and sterilizes the cups and containers for reuse. Event partners can choose to buy cups customized with their brand name to create a souvenir for the event, or they can sign a rental contract and pay only for washing charges. Cupable handles all of the delivery, collection, and sanitation logistics and enables tracking at each stage of the cycle. Scanning the QR code provides instant information about each use. Cupable tracks sustainability metrics and helps businesses transition from single-use disposables to a system that is both economical and environmentally responsible.
Sydney, Australia
Ellect helps connect corporate and government buyers with small businesses while promoting supplier diversity, gender balance, and positive social impact. Their online procurement marketplace can be filtered to show women-led, women-owned, regional, indigenous, or family-owned businesses. Ellect reviews company documents and verifies diversity ownership and leadership. Badges show ethical business members that are backed by customer reviews. Ellect partners with B1G1 and other charities to donate 10 to 20 percent of each transaction fee to gender equality projects.
London, England, United Kingdom
Bread Brew’d tackles food waste and child food poverty by upcycling fresh surplus bread to brew beer and using all profits to fund school breakfast club initiatives. They partner with an environmentally conscious brewery to produce vegan craft beer from locally sourced hops using 100 percent renewable energy. Post brew, the hops are composted and used to grow more hops, malt is sent to local farms to be used as animal feed, and water from brewing is reused to jet wash the casks. Bread Brew’d sources surplus bread and funds school breakfast clubs through Footprint, a social supermarket and surplus food redistribution network in Nottingham. They partner with Make It Wild to offset carbon emissions through reforestation programs in the United Kingdom, which makes Bread Brew’d a carbon negative business.
Gurugram, Haryana, India
For Earth’s Sake is a zero waste lifestyle store and cafe in Gurgaon that aims to reduce single use plastic waste by making sustainable alternatives more accessible and affordable. They offer bulk food, personal care products, toiletries, household items, stationery, and more. The cafe serves manually brewed single estate coffees, organic teas, and natural baked goods. The majority of ingredients and products are ethically sourced from Indian suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint and support the local economy. For corporations, For Earth’s Sake offers corporate gifting, bulk orders, and consultancy services to help companies transition to more environmentally responsible practices. The process includes sustainability audits and reports, workshops and training for employees, and sustainable sourcing services. For Earth’s Sake donates to foundations serving people in need in India.
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Tamay & Me partners with artisans in north Vietnam to create ethical and sustainable cotton clothing, accessories, and housewares. They aim to celebrate the exceptional textile skills of the Mien, Hmong, Tay, and Thai communities and provide reliable and flexible employment that will sustain their skills now and for the future. The cotton is locally grown, handspun, handwoven and naturally dyed with fermented indigo or yam root. Tamay & Me is known for their versatile unisex jackets that are based on a traditional zero waste pattern of the Mien people. Jackets can be embellished with hand stitched silk embroidery that tells stories of Mien culture and village life.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Ecoindian promotes zero waste and toxin-free healthy living through retail outlets in Chennai and Puducherry, an online store, and a range of sustainable products. The initiative started in 2009 with an online forum on sustainability and expanded to the current social enterprise in 2018. They source fresh produce, natural food, body care, and home products from a network of known organic farmers, local artisans, self-help groups, and small-scale brands. Ecoindian reduces food waste and plastic waste by offering bulk options and working with suppliers to ensure all packaging is compostable, or reusable. They partner with local environmental agencies to raise awareness and support activities with a positive environmental impact.
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Lovewell manufactures natural skin care products and supports women who wish to exit sex work. Women whose lives have been impacted by the sex trade face many barriers when wanting to move on, and even after exiting, can live with the trauma of their experiences. Lovewell offers training and transformative paid work designed to help women move confidently into other forms of employment in full recognition of their skills, abilities, and self-worth. Program participants produce hand poured massage candles, votive candles, bath oils, shower oils, bath salts, and perfume roll-ons from sustainably sourced soy wax, essential oils, and other natural butters and oils. Profits are reinvested to provide opportunities for more women. Lovewell is registered as a Community Interest Company.
Kathmandu, Nepal
MyShopAsia supports local artisans and provides training and employment opportunities for women from disadvantaged communities in Nepal by manufacturing and exporting handwoven pashmina blankets, shawls, and scarves and cashmere knitwear. Pashmina cashmere is a high quality natural fiber sourced from goat herders in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. MyShopAsia specializes in custom orders for wholesale buyers concerned about quality and social and environmental responsibility. They donate to school library projects in rural areas of Nepal and provide financial support for students in need.
London, England, United Kingdom
Seep provides people with better choices for their household essentials. They specialize in toxin-free, plastic-free cleaning products that are attractive, easy to use, long lasting, compostable or biodegradable, and made from natural, renewable materials. Seep offers cellulose sponges with loofah scouring pads, organic cotton tea towels, compostable bin liners, and more in Forest Stewardship Council certified packaging. They partner with On A Mission to measure their carbon footprint, continuously work to reduce it, and offset what remains. Seep is a climate positive business. For each kilogram of carbon they emit, they contribute to carefully selected forest regeneration projects to remove 3.5 times that amount.
Secunderabad, Telangana, India
Zero Waste Eco-Store makes it easier for people in Secunderabad to reduce packaging waste and transition to environmentally responsible lifestyles. The shop offers a full range of bulk and plastic free products: grains, flours, cereals, pulses, spices, nuts, dried fruits, cold-pressed oils, homemade snacks and pickles, soap and shampoo bars, toothbrushes, home cleaning liquids, plant-based disposables, and more. Most of the products are locally sourced to minimize the carbon footprint, support small-scale entrepreneurs, and benefit the local economy. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bags and containers. Zero Waste Eco-Store is commited to inclusive, affordable pricing. They support local charitable organizations by sharing food items from the store.
Ahangama, Sri Lanka
Hobo Beautiful focuses on slow, sustainable fashion. Their clothing and accessories are influenced by traditional craft techniques and handmade from natural, locally sourced, and biodegradable materials. Their Conscious Traveller collection includes versatile clutch bags, bottle holders, yoga mat bags, and shopping bags. Their From The Earth collection is made from natural coconut twine and cane. Hobo Beautiful uses their photo shoots, website, and social media to promote other small, sustainable brands. They also make products for charities that are raising money for a cause. For example, they produce zero waste pet toys to support Ceylon Paws.
Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, India
Regeno aims to replace single-use petrochemical plastics with compostable, biodegradable, and water soluble alternatives. India produces an estimated 5.6 million tons of plastic waste each year. This waste clogs sewers and drainage systems, which increases flooding and the spread of mosquito borne diseases like dengue and malaria. Ingesting plastic waste kills thousands of cows in India each year and more than one million sea birds worldwide. As plastic breaks down, it can still have health effects. According to one study, more than 80 percent of tap water samples tested in India were contaminated with plastic particles with compounds that can be absorbed by the body and potentially alter hormones. Regeno bio bags are plastic free, made from tapioca starch and non-toxic colors, and can be dissolved in high temperature water. They can be recycled with paper or composted with no toxic residue and no harm to plants, animals, or human health. Regeno reinvests their proceeds to develop new plastic-free packaging alternatives.
London, England, United Kingdom
Urban Cordial produces all natural, low sugar cordials and works with British farms to prevent surplus and misshapen fruits from going to landfill. Seasonal flavors like blackberry lavender, pear ginger, apple blackberry, elderflower, raspberry rosemary, apple cinnamon clove, and strawberry sage are produced in small batches and designed for versatility. Cordials can be used to make natural soft drinks, cocktails, sauces, sorbets, and more. Urban Cordial sources and bottles locally and has a zero waste production process. All fruit pulp goes to local farms to become animal feed.
Wellawaya, Sri Lanka
Frog Organics emerged from a passion for organic farming and frog conservation. Their farm in Wellawaya produces heirloom rice varieties like suwandel, kalu heenati, pachchaperumal, and kahawanu, forest garden spices and fruits, and traditional vegetables and yams. These traditional varieties benefit both human health and environmental health because they were bred for flavor, nutrition, and local growing conditions. The farm is in a remote area and uses spring water and natural buffers to prevent contamination. Frog Organics is verified under a local organic participatory guarantee system (PGS).
Longford, England, United Kingdom
Pipsqueak creates hand-printed bedding for kids and contributes to the Choose Love campaign to support refugee families. They offer bamboo cotton muslin swaddles and cotton percale cot sheets, duvet sets, pillow cases, and cushions that are printed with water soluble, toxin-free inks. Products are made to order to allow for customization and prevent waste. Pipsqueak contributes all profits from their Pompoms for Peace cushions to Choose Love, and for every sale of a cot sheet or duvet set, they donate bedding to help refugees stay warm. Choose Love supports nearly 150 community organizations providing vital support services along migration routes to Europe and the United States.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Mama D’s Artisan Vegan Range specializes in plant-based sausages, meatballs, and burger patties that are handmade in small batches from natural ingredients. Their whole food vegan options make it easier for people in Sri Lanka to reduce their meat consumption. Most meatless sausages in the local market are made from soy. Mama D’s sausages have a chickpea base and are available in smoked paprika, apple sage, and Lankan spice.
Richmond, England, United Kingdom
Inside Job Coffee is an international social enterprise and coffee community that directly supports disadvantaged small-scale coffee producers through agricultural education and social development projects. More than 60 percent of coffee producers worldwide are smallholders that live at or below the poverty line. Inside Job works with these producers on socioeconomic and agricultural assessments, farm project formulation, crowdfunding campaigns, label designs, direct marketing support, and more. The initiative started with the Mazateco community in Oaxaca, Mexico. Inside Job reinvests all proceeds in their producers. They are a member of Social Enterprise UK.
Alutwewa, Sri Lanka
Pothanegama Free Range Eggs raises hens on 10 acres of land with shade, natural vegetation, and space to roam freely. They maintain careful records, provide supplementary food that is natural and locally sourced like young banana stems, azolla, and coconut oil cakes, and ensure the animals have a balanced diet and remain healthy without any commercial feed, antibiotics, hormones, or other synthetic additives. Their goal is to make nutritious free range eggs accessible to all types of people, and they are committed to keeping prices affordable even if it means lower profits. Pothanegama Free Range Eggs is verified free range under a local participatory guarantee system. Eggs are packed in compostable packaging made from unbleached recycled paper.
Ratmalana, Sri Lanka
ProSoy was started to make natural plant-based milk more accessible and affordable in Sri Lanka. Nearly 90 percent of Sri Lankans are estimated to be lactose intolerant and a growing number of people are transitioning to more plant-based diets for moral, health, or environmental reasons. Soya milk uses 22 times less water and 25 less land than dairy milk and has a much lower carbon footprint. ProSoy is committed to using locally grown soya beans and all natural ingredients. They purchase directly from farmers in Galenbindunuwewa, and they are working with them to transition to organic practices with buyback agreements. Their production facility in Ratmalana provides livelihood opportunities for local women. ProSoy allocates a percentage of sales to the education of children in Galenbindunuwewa with a focus on improving access to online education opportunities. They also donate to registered animal welfare charities that provide street dog vaccination, sterilization, and rehoming services.
Ampegama, Sri Lanka
Bioingredients manufactures plant extracts and food supplements using gentle extraction techniques that help retain the beneficial properties of active natural ingredients. They specialize in local raw materials like amla, kothala himbatu, cinnamon, and black pepper as an alternative to imported pharmaceuticals. In Sri Lanka, more than 40 percent of fresh fruit is wasted during peak season. Bioingredients sources from a network of more than 200 farmers in Anuradhapura, Balangoda, and Buttala and helps prevent food waste. The material left from the extraction process is converted into biofertilizers and returned to suppliers. The Bioingredients factory is located in rural area and preferentially employs women from disadvantaged communities. For every bottle sold, they contribute to a fund to support the education of workers’ and suppliers’ children.
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka
Ecohub aims to make it easier for people in Sri Lanka to transition to healthy, environmentally responsible lifestyles. Their online marketplace features products that are natural, sustainable, locally sourced, and affordable. Products include terracotta clay bottles, cups, and tableware, bamboo straws and toothbrushes,
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Vinuvin produces dark chocolate and other value-added food products from locally sourced natural ingredients to create rural livelihood opportunities in Sri Lanka and contribute to the country’s economic development. Their chief chocolatier studied at the Cocoa Research Centre at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and has developed a range of dark chocolates infused or filled with local ingredients like ginger, coconut, and tropical fruits. The cacao is sourced from home gardens in Kotmale, Gampola, Gelioya, and Galagedara and the other ingredients are puchased from local fair trade and organic brands. The team has also developed puffed rice snacks made from traditional heirloom rice varieties and dried bitter gourd. Vinuvin offers scholarships for workers’ children and donates to a fund to support university students in need.
Walapane, Sri Lanka
Green Community Walapane is part of an umbrella brand that unites rural community enterprises in Sri Lanka and helps create an alternative production and marketing system based on social and environmental responsibility. The Walapane group includes more than 50 small-scale farmers that produce fresh upcountry vegetables and other products using organic techniques. Green Community Walapane is registered as a Social Welfare Society with the local government and verified under a local organic participatory guarantee system.
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Amayuu specializes in improved harvesting and processing of Ceylon cinnamon and other natural food products in order to increase the value of the crop for farmers and the nutritional benefits for consumers. They work with a network of small-scale farmers and home gardeners in Matara and Matale to harvest at the correct stage for maximum quality. Within 48 hours, the harvest is collected, carefully cleaned, sorted, peeled, cut, and dried in specially designed dryers under controlled temperature and humidity. Direct sourcing and improved quality is increasing income for producers and provides an incentive for land improvements. Amayuu encourages farmers to make compost from kitchen and garden waste and increase production through intercropping and living fences.
Hokandara, Sri Lanka
Taprovitalia supplies pure kithul palm jaggery, syrup, and flour from tappers in Neluwa and Badulla and bee honey from communities in Vavuniya. They focus on Sri Lankan natural sweeteners made using traditional processes and tools like coconut shell molds and handmade wooden utensils. All products are free from addititives.
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