An investigation into elephant dung paper led Kim from Import Ants into a world of fibre brushes and a passion for replacing all plastics in households while supporting Fair Trade. Import Ants wholesale environmentally-friendly, biodegradable and entirely hand crafted products that use natural unbleached materials.
So…the question we pose to you is… when your kitchen brush has had its last day could you throw it into your compost bin? If not then it is time to switch to an eco natural option which is compostable and everything but the wire will break down naturally.
Q1. What do you do?
My company Import Ants, imports & wholesales a range of Eco Max natural, organic fibre brushes to replace plastics in the home. Eco Max Brushes are handmade using Fair Trade principles & registered with The Vegan Society.
Q2. What got you started in the chemical free industry?
My journey towards a chemical free life started as I discovered the extent of plastics in our oceans and how they are killing marine life and ending up in our food chains. Apart from the rubbish that is visible, there is a major problem with the chemicals in the plastics, the micro plastics and nylon fibres as these larger pieces of rubbish breakdown. Many everyday products that we use contribute to this problem, such as nylon kitchen scrubbers, body products with micro plastic beads and even the fibres from our clothing deposited into our waterways from our washing machines. These tiny particles are eaten by marine life and are being found in their organs as well as high concentrates of the chemicals that are used to make the plastics and then they are in our food chain.
It all seemed like such a big problem that affects us all, I wanted to find a small way to make a difference. If I could remove just one of the products that contribute to this problem, the millions of nylon scrubbers and replace them with a natural, biodegradable coconut fibre scrubber I would feel that I had done a little bit to help reduce micro fibres from our environment.
Q3. What makes your product different?
Our main point of difference is that I look at the whole life of our products so that their impact on our planet is balanced towards a positive for the world. From their production in a Fair Trade workshop, which means that the women making them have a fair & living wage, with no child or forced labour, to the materials, that are all natural vegetable fibres, social responsibility is extremely important in the making of our Eco Max Brushes. They have limited packaging, are shipped by sea, the brushes contain no plastics or nasty chemicals are value for money and at the end of their life can be put in the compost bin to breakdown naturally. For me this holistic approach to a chemical free environment is so important.
Q4. What has been your biggest obstacle?
I really haven’t seen any of the journey as an obstacle but rather as a growing and learning experience. Having said that I do think whenever you start a new business you do jump into the deep end and at times feel that you are just treading water.
The growing trend towards a more chemical free and sustainable lifestyle has made my journey much easier. The public really want to know about how they can make their home a safer environment and are open to learning about new products that can help them do that. I find one of the most enjoyable parts of my job is showing people how our Eco Max Brushes can help them achieve that goal and when I get positive feedback about how amazing they are it really make me happy.
Q5.What is your most interesting/best TIP to help families reduce their chemical exposure?
I really can’t go past the basics for tips to reduce chemical exposure, eat organic, avoid plastics and be mindful about where the wastes from the products you use end up because many of them end up as a hidden part in your food chain.
Q6. Is there another non-toxic business that you think is great & would recommend?
I would highly recommend Arganlife Australia, I love their skin and hair argan oil for so many reasons. Not only is pure, organic argan oil such an amazing oil for your skin, loaded with anti-oxidants but Arganlife source their oil from a Berber women’s co-operative in Morocco from UNESCO certified trees, it is hand-picked and cold pressed to preserve all its goodness and it is packaged in recyclable glass.
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