Big Little Brush was recently B Corp certified and we’re more than just a little bit pleased with ourselves! One of the best things about that process was just how hard it was, we’re super proud there’s such a high standard to meet. We’re also Australia’s only certified B Corp toothbrush biz, so we’re extra chuffed!
What does “B Corp” actually mean?
B Corp only grants their certification to organisations that meet the highest social and environmental benchmarks. In practical terms there’s a lengthy (not to mention thorough!) information gathering and verification process, plus some fees to make sure organisations are committed for the long term. The other interesting (and we think, pretty rad) thing is that as part of being certified, means you have to commit to continual improvement, year-on-year. It’s not just about being great, it’s also about getting better!
We’ve been a huge fan of some other amazing B Corps for ages, some crews you’ll recognise: Patagonia, Who Gives a Crap, Koala, Keep Cup, The Better Packaging Co., Stone & Wood, Bellroy, 4 Pines, Memobottle, and SO many more. Not only do they make beautiful products & experiences, but having the B Corp tick of approval means we can be confident buying from them; we know they’re taking their social & environmental responsibilities seriously.
So, what are the things we’re proud of?
We’re the first to admit that we’re not perfect, and that there’s still so much we want to do to make the world better… but there’s a few reasons we reckon B Corp liked us, for example…
The social stuff
- When it comes to actually delivering social or environmental programs, we’ve always said we should support the experts in these fields, rather than kicking off new things ourselves. That’s why we work with Red Dust and Children’s Ground to support the work they do. They’re the best in the biz and we’re stoked they let us be a part of what they do.
- We’re constantly looking for ways to work more closely and deeply with these crews. We’re also proud to have done this from day one of Big Little Brush.
- We very much take a partnership approach, meaning we can be adaptive while still locking in a minimum level of support we’ll always provide.
And some environmental things too
- Our brushes are made from bamboo, a fast easy growing grass that doesn’t need much water or chemical support to grow (like a weed in some parts of the world)
- Bamboo toothbrushes break down in around 12 months, compared with their gross placcy cousins (which take around 1,000 years), we reckon that’s pretty good
- Our packaging is 100% plastic free
- Our toothbrush bristles are made from a biodegradable nylon made from castor bean oil
- We ship our orders via Auspost, they offset their carbon. Boom, amazing!
- Our online store is hosted by Shopify, who have a real rad sustainability fund
- We use Xero (a certified carbon neutral accounting software)
- We buy ads via google and facebook, who are both investing in a carbon free future
So, where to next?
- We have plans to continue improving our B Corp score
- We’re currently exploring other products that are good for people and planet
- We’re also working to deepen the work we do with our impact partners
- Looking longer term we want to be 100% carbon neutral and to look more closely at the full lifecycle of new and our existing products
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and also to be excited with us. We’re super proud of our B Corp status and are committed to doing better in the future too.
Until next time
JH x
p.s. here’s just a few other very excellent B Corps we like and you might too:
- T2
- Intrepid Travel
- Flora & Fauna
- Kester Black
- Aesop
- Ecostore
- Young Folks Digital
- Boody &
- The Very Good Bra