Ecologico Meets: Gracie Goes Green
Way back in 2019 we started looking for small businesses with values like ours to stock; family-run, eco-minded, value-driven, focusing on value for money, waste reduction and choosing to reuse.
We found Gracie Goes Green via Instagram and connected with the amazing Michelle and the rest is history!
To this day Michelle's products form a backdrop in our home. We use them as part of family life: the wipes on the Childebeests, the burp cloth with Toastie, the panty liners and breast pads, we take the snack and sandwich pouches for packed lunches, on holidays, for picnics. You'll find the make-up remover wipes and soap saver bag in our bathroom, and the reusable cloth kitchen roll next to the sink with one of GGG's new washing-up sponges and a dishcloth. I'm even wearing a scrunchie and socks Michelle made as I type this!
I love these products and they're loved by you too: I love that these products are made with love from Michelle's family to ours to yours and we get such great feedback on them!
The genuine care and attention Michelle puts into her work shines through so enough about us, let's hear from the woman herself:
Tell me a bit about you:
Hi I'm Michelle, I am a 47-year-old mum of four and the creator of Gracie Goes Green. The name Gracie comes from my eldest daughter, in case you're wondering!
Where did it all begin?
In Spring 2019 I watched the BBC programme 'War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita', the programme left me horrified at the amount of throwaway plastic that leaves our households every year. However, it did start me thinking of ways I could ditch some plastic. I had heard of reusable cotton pads and decided to make my own. After a few dodgy attempts, they started to look really good. I started using them and was so pleased with the results, I listed a few on eBay to see if they would sell.
They did! Nearly three years later and washable makeup remover pads are still my best sellers. I now sell through Etsy, Ebay & my own online store as well as supplying my products wholesale.
I have since expanded the range, including fabric washing up sponges and fabric panty liners, plus loads more.
I sew, knit & crochet everything myself with most of my skills self-taught. What's your favourite product from the range? My favourite product I make would probably be the makeup remover wipes. Not only did they create the start of Gracie Goes Green but they were a really easy eco swap to make personally. I’m still using wipes I made three years ago & they are still going strong! What's your biggest challenge eco-wise? My biggest challenge eco-wise would probably be waste, inevitably there are always scraps. Luckily one of my new products, Washing up sponges, deals with all the fleece & cotton terry scraps as they are used to fill the sponges. This is also the reason I use 100% natural materials where possible making most of my products biodegradable.
What is an easy eco tip you would give normal-ish families wanting to go greener? My top eco tip would be to wash laundry at 30 degrees & ditch the tumble dryer. Clothes & fabrics will last much longer when washed on a cooler wash and air-dried. Not to mention the savings in energy costs! I purposely didn’t use my tumble dryer for a month & my electric bill dropped by £20 for that month.
You can check out Michelle's range on our online shop or find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/gracie_goes_green or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graciegoesgreen to follow her journey.