Palm Free (Zero Waste) Irish Soap Ltd
Kathy & Tony Hoynes, Founders
Hometree’s purpose is land regeneration, how does this align with your company/organisation?
As an eco-conscious Business, we care deeply about the environment and in particular the damage caused by deforestation and for this reason, we do not use ANY Palm Oil or Palm Oil derived ingredients in the production of our Soap, Shampoo, Laundry and Deodorant Bars. Our Soap and Shampoo bars are sold unwrapped (naked), but we do offer a compostable brown paper bag, should the customer need one. As a business, we are constantly striving to reduce our carbon footprint, and partnering with Hometree to plant native trees, is a wonderful way in which we can help work towards carbon neutrality.
What is inspiring you to work with a regeneration process like Hometree?
We Genuinely love trees! Being involved in the process of revitalisation & renewal and contributing in some small way to healing the landscape, is so important to us and something we feel very passionately about.
As a species, we are at a crossroads. We can save our wildlife and biodiversity for future generations or let the planet slide into ecosystem collapse.
Some of the trees you are planting you will not see mature, together we are working towards more abundant and biodiverse future, in three or four sentences please describe what you would like to invite into the future?
Planting a tree is a small but powerful act of faith and a gift to future generations. We may not live to see the trees reach maturity, but feel it is important that in a small way we are fostering restoration and positive change. We are actively working towards a future where ethical, sustainable business and production practises go hand in hand. So Instead of a Minority contributing a lot in terms of changing their lifestyle, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to see Everyone contributing just a little? In terms of change, this would be monumental.
List two ways you support this invitation at present?
We are very aware of the need to preserve water and by filtering fresh rainwater to use in our production process, we are far less reliant on the use of tap water, be it from a reservoir or well.
Instead of having outer packaging custom manufactured for us, we reuse packing materials from our suppliers, as well as collecting previously used boxes and packaging materials from our local customers and supermarkets. When it is necessary, we use recycled and recyclable card for our own packaging requirements, and our simple paper bags are all “brown bin” compostable. .
List two ways you would like to support this invitation in the future?
Education and the sharing of information is a key factor in the protection and conservation of our planet. We are all becoming more aware of the rapid dramatic change in our fragile environment and we have to accept responsibility for our actions. By keeping our customers informed and standing by our commitments; we hope to help in some small way, to help to protect our beautiful forests.
As a zero-waste company we will continue to focus on minimal or unpackaged options. Although our actions as an individual company may have only a very small impact; hopefully If more businesses and individuals were to adopt this philosophy, it would contribute to a major impact in the reduction of plastic manufacture on a global scale. This in turn could help to minimise and eventually reverse the escalating plastics pollution problem that is so evident today.
Do you have a memory that to share about a tree/forests/nature?
The ‘Brian Boru Oak’ tree in Tuamgraney, Co Clare is reputed to be over 1000 years old! We have fond memories of taking our children to see it with their school friends when they were younger, and we still visit it regularly. It is amazing to reflect on how many past generations have beheld this tree and to ponder the changes this tree has witnessed over its lifetime! It holds a special place in our hearts.
Other than Hometree can you celebrate other ways you or your organisation supports a healthier environment?
We create, cut, and stamp each individual bar of soap by hand. It is very labour intensive but a highly rewarding and environmentally sustainable process.
All of our ingredients are ethically and responsibly sourced.
We have made the switch and purchased an Electronic Vehicle to reduce our Company’s carbon emissions.
We collect cardboard and packaging materials from local stores to reuse for our shipments.
We request that when sending out orders to us that our suppliers use NO plastic. Where this is not possible; we request that the supplier use repurposed plastic instead.
We purchase larger quantities of raw materials to minimise the carbon footprint associated with deliveries.
Have there been any key moments that you can share about how you or your organisation decided to support a more abundant and healthier world?
One ‘stand out’ key moment occurred in 2014 when we decided to re-launch and rebrand our Soap Manufacturing Business. While researching raw materials and vegetable oils in particular; we became aware of the practises and methods used to produce Palm Oil and the immense devastation this causes. Not only the destruction of the beautiful rainforests (our planet's lungs) on such an enormous scale, but also the precious ecosystems that they support. Wildlife is rapidly diminishing; habitat destroyed, and Indigenous people displaced and abandoned. This slash and burn of the Rain Forest at such a phenomenal rate and the thousands of tons of CO2 released into our now fragile atmosphere, really struck a chord and sparked a deep desire within us to promote change and give back to the planet.
We’d love to hear and share any key lessons that life has taught you, in as little or man words as you like.
As a small family run company our business and personal ethics are deeply entwined. We strive to be a values driven business, mindful and committed to Environmental sustainability. We know that maximising profits at the expense of the planet does not work. We will continue to support Afforestation projects both within Ireland and from 2021, South America, Amazon.
Community is important to us. Our business model focuses on the creation of meaningful jobs, employing the skill sets and talent of local people and providing a safe and happy work environment. We work together within the community from a grassroots level to embrace our collective strengths, whether it is organising rubbish collection days or supporting and helping out at our local wildlife centre.
We continue to lovingly handcraft natural and beautiful soap and body care products for our customers. The use of ethically sourced ingredients and environmentally sustainable production methods is at the very heart of all we do.
