Health issues cause tech executive to turn eco-entrepreneur driving a ‘refill revolution’

A former tech executive has told how she started her own eco-friendly cleaning range after switching to a low-waste, plastic-free, non-toxic lifestyle to improve her health. 

Mahira Kalim, 37, from London, launched refillable cleaning products brand Spruce in February 2021, after struggling to find everyday household cleaning products that were truly eco-friendly and non-toxic in a market flooded with greenwashing. 

Spruce has a range of refillable cleaning products made with safe and non-toxic ingredients, including natural organic essential oils. The product comes with a reusable aluminium bottle for life and plastic-free concentrated refills. Spruce is not only low waste, it also cuts down on carbon emissions by not shipping water as opposed to mainstream brands that ship over 90 percent water content in cleaning products. The minimal design is representative of the safe, non-toxic ingredients used and with the premium aesthetic, Mahira wants consumers to take their cleaning products and indoor air quality as seriously as their skincare or beauty products. 

The inspiration for the company came through a decade-long journey for Mahira as she sadly suffered from various health issues on and off. For her, these included unexplained infertility, miscarriages and over a decade long IVF journey. 

She said: “I struggled with a decade-long infertility journey. For anyone who has been through unexplained infertility, you know that you’d try anything that will help.”

“I carried out a massive purge in the house. We switched to organic food immediately to cut out pesticides found in the food. I cut out all plastic containers for food storage immediately, even the ones marked BPA-Free. I switched to natural and organic skincare products, but when it came to household cleaning products, there wasn’t anything out there that seemed trustworthy.”

Recent research has linked plastic chemicals to both male and female infertility. Nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and can enter the placenta which is harmful for the unborn baby and cause irreversible damage. Phthalates, commonly present in synthetic fragrances as well as plastics, have been linked to male babies born with undeveloped genitals and reduced sperm count. Plastic chemicals such as BPA and flame retardants present in common cleaning products are also found in human breast milk

“While my motivation to lower my exposure to plastics and toxic chemicals at the time was mainly to address our health issues, I realised over time how terrible plastic, especially single-use packaging, is for the planet. Today we have a lot more data about the devastation it is causing to the planet and our own health that is irreversible.”

“Plastic isn’t just destroying the planet; it is detrimental to our health.”

In addition to running a successful startup business under the challenging pandemic environment, Mahira is now blessed with three beautiful children.

“The lifestyle changes I have made over the years improve the health of my family and also help me raise conscious kids who care about the planet.”

With the belief that what you breathe in, is as important as what you eat or put on your skin, Spruce prides itself in being free from the notorious ‘nasties’ - such as SLS, parabens, triclosan, phosphates, pesticides, petroleum derivatives, artificial colours and synthetic fragrances. 

Despite being eco-conscious, Mahira found she was still filling her recycling with plastic bottles each week from everyday items that don’t come in plastic-free versions. She made DIY versions herself but soon realised that for most people, it is not feasible to make their own products at home given our busy lifestyles. After all it is the convenience-led, on the go culture that gave rise to single-use plastics and the massive plastic pollution problem. It sparked the idea to develop her own range of eco-friendly cleaning products that are truly non-toxic, ethically made and most importantly convenient for consumers to adopt. She left her lucrative career in the tech industry to pursue her idea. 

“I designed Spruce for people like me, busy millennials who are eco-conscious and want to do the right thing, but don’t have the time to add more complexity to their already busy lives. I believe you shouldn’t have to compromise on your style and quality standards to make the eco-friendly or ethical choice. With Spruce we have been able to achieve all the above goals with an extremely convenient and stylish way to be eco-friendly.”

She continued: “In my previous role, I’d worked for major brands exploring ways to address the issue of plastic pollution and how to make their supply chains more sustainable. What I love about Spruce’s refill model is that it not only enables households to lower their single-use plastic waste, but it reduces our carbon footprint massively by not shipping water. Our refills weigh 140 times less than a typical 500ml cleaning spray.”

“My aim is to move people away from single-use items and create a ‘refill revolution.’ My ultimate moment of joy is when a customer sends in a review saying they will never switch back to the harsh chemical cleaners or single-use cleaning bottles after using Spruce and how well it cleans on various home surfaces. I feel like my mission is accomplished when our refillable products make someone switch to an overall low-waste and low-plastic lifestyle.”

The packaging for Spruce refills is made of paper and is fully home compostable. Spruce is winner of Best Eco-friendly Cleaning Brand Award by Marie Claire, and finalist for Dezeen Awards in the Sustainable Design category and Edie Sustainability Leadership Awards. 
Spruce only uses safe food and cosmetic-grade ingredients, along with 100% natural, organic essential oils. But Mahira won’t stop there. 

She said: “My aim is for Spruce to inspire people to adopt a low-waste approach in all areas of their life. We’re pending B-corporation status, meaning we’ve made a legal commitment to put people and the planet over profit. That principle informs every decision we make.”

Sustainability

Doing good for people and the planet is at the core of our business. We believe we need to do more to become regenerative in addition to being a circular business. This is the reason why Spruce has partnered with Plastic Bank to remove ocean-bound plastic waste from some of the world’s high poverty coastal regions. 

“For every order of a starter kit we receive, we match that by removing ocean-bound plastics, the equivalent of 25 plastic bottles working with our partner Plastic Bank. This is our way to help regenerate communities and support plastic collectors to undo the damage we have done over decades with the plastic pollution pandemic.”

The company is aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 12 (to promote responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate action) and 14 (to protect life underwater). 

Spruce is a pending B Corporation with a mission to do business for good.