Top 10 Sustainable Businesses on the Sunshine Coast We’re Following in 2024
There’s only 400,000 people living on The Sunshine Coast but there’s no shortage of new sustainable businesses cropping up around here. When you live so close to surf beaches and gum tree forests, caring for your local environment becomes second nature. Being a Sunny Coast sustainable marketing business, we’re always excited to see new eco-friendly brands popping up in our local area. From sustainable seafood to swimwear made from repurposed ocean pollution, here are a few coastal brands we’re following in our feed. Keep reading for our top 10 picks in 2024. *Note: We weren’t paid for these opinions, we’re simply admirers. 1. Lendy Home Page of hellolendy.com.au Ever had to buy a $350 reciprocating saw from Bunnings just to finish off your home demolition project? But now it sits in your garage, buried under a pile of Christmas decorations and 2cm of dust. What if I told you there’s a better solution? One you won’t accidentally trip over rummaging through storage. Save yourself the bruises and use Lendy. Lendy is a Sunshine Coast based lending platform that connects people with stuff to people who need stuff. With Lendy, you can choose to be a Lender or be a Lendee. If you’re a Lender, you can generate passive income by lending your stuff to other people. As a Lendee, you can finally start that kitchen makeover project you’ve been dreaming of – at a fraction of the cost. What Makes Lendy Sustainable Lendy is on a mission to transform the way we choose to spend and consume as a whole. If we borrow more and buy less, we can reduce environmental waste. 2. Thrifter Home Page of Thrifter.au If there’s a pile of clothes in your closet that you’re ready to never see again (at least, on yourself), head over to Thrifter. It’s easier than responding to 20 Facebook Marketplace enquiries for one shirt and you’ll still earn 100% of the sales. Hire a rack in their shop and they’ll sell your wardrobe for the whole calendar month. What Makes Thrifter Sustainable Thrifter is not just a thrift (or op) shop. They’re focused on creating a space for the community to sell pre-loved clothes and meet like-minded individuals. When you choose to buy and sell your clothing through Thrifter, you reduce the negative environmental impact fast fashion has on our planet and natural resources. 3. Pleasant State Home Page of Pleasant State Pleasant is exactly how you’ll feel when you spritz Pleasant State‘s lemon and lavender scented cleaner across your dirty bathroom sink. Sunshine Coast founders Ami and Sian founded their ethical cleaning products “because it seemed like a no brainer.” Back in 2019, Ami had continuous chronic headaches. The solution? Removing plastics and harmful chemicals from her household. That’s when she realised there weren’t any zero-waste, non-toxic cleaning solutions in Australia. What Makes Pleasant State Sustainable Their sustainable cleaning products are biodegradable, greywater and septic safe. They’re also free of artificial fragrances, colours, and preservatives. If that wasn’t enough to clear your calendar for a spring cleaning, you’ll feel even better knowing that you’re not contributing to single use plastic waste. Pleasant state sells bars that dissolve with water to create cleaning solution. Oh, and did we mention they’re certified B Corp and members of 1% for the Planet? Let’s get that that mirror to sparkle! 4. Ethical Brand Co Home Page of Ethical Brand Co After you’ve finished cleaning your house, you’ll probably need a little dusting off yourself. Ethical Brand Co is here to the rescue. It’s our one stop-shop for organic and ethically made Australian-made hair and skin products. Check out their Cinnamon & Patchouli Deep Treatment if you need to revive your hair after all those salty beach days. What Makes Ethical Brand Co Sustainable We love Ethical Brand Co for their certified cruelty-free body care products, all of which are manufactured in a Certified Organic Factory. Their Sunshine Coast-based factory is ISO 9001 accredited and solar-powered. 5. Surfmud Home Page of Surfmud If you live on The Sunny Coast, you may have a tube of sunscreen stashed in your purse, car, bathroom cabinet, or boat. Because it’s an unwritten rule to always have sunscreen handy on The Sunny Coast, grab a jar of Surfmud‘s Ocean Addicts SPF30 Sunscreen for your next beach day. What Makes Surfmud State Sustainable Surfmud’s packaging is 100% recyclable, landfill biodegradable, and is 35% post-consumer recycled (PCR). It’s reef-safe and made with ingredients you can pronounce. 6. OceanZen Home Page of Ocean Zen With all this talk of reef-safe sunscreen, we’re ready to dive into OceanZen’s collection of sustainable bikinis! OceanZen’s founder, Steph Gabriel, is on a mission to save the ocean, “one bikini at a time.” After spending many of her summer days diving in the Caribbean, she witnessed the negative effects of consumer waste on marine life. OceanZen was her solution to one of the world’s growing climate problems. What Makes OceanZen Sustainable OceanZen’s sustainable swimwear is made from repurposed fishing nets and plastic bottles found in the ocean. By doing so, this Sunshine Coast based business creates less consumer waste while removing pollution from the ocean. You won’t find any plastic in their packaging process because they ship their swimwear in reusable cotton drawstring bags. 7. Greenhalgh Pickard https://youtu.be/eaXkw5Zeb0Y Need legal and accounting advice for your sustainable Sunshine Coast business? Greenhalgh Pickard offers comprehensive professional services while operating as a fully carbon neutral business. They created a paperless firm initiative in 2005 and encourage their employees to bike, walk, or e-scooter to work. What Makes Greenhalgh Pickard Sustainable Greenhalgh Pickard has partnered with OneTrace to offset their carbon emissions by planting trees. With the help of OneTrace, they calculate their annual direct emissions, electricity, employee commute, purchased goods and services. This all adds up to determine the number of trees required to offset their environmental impact. They also fund conservation projects in Australia, Nepal, and Indonesia. 8. Aroma’s Noosa Home Page of Aromas Noosa Alright, let’s talk food! Eating local is a small but mighty way to say thank you to our planet. Thanks to Aroma’s Noosa you have the option to eat
Why Sustainability and CSR Initiatives Will Take Your Brand to the Next Level in 2024
In 2024, successful brands share a crucial trait: integrating sustainability and CSR into their core strategies. Beyond ethics, these initiatives enhance brand image, foster loyalty, attract investors and ensure long-term profitability.