8 women driving change through sustainable businesses
It was during the lockdown of 2021 that I took stock of the negative impact I was making in this world. Sustainability and shop local were the buzzwords everywhere, and I saw many people trying to promote it online. Before this, I put very little effort into researching what I buy and the need for it but 2021 changed that for me. I became very conscious of the products I buying and the waste I was generating.
This is when I started looking for eco friendly and sustainable alternatives for lifestyle products, started learning about the consequences of the choices we make in everyday life and also the effort many around us are making to make it a little better for the future generations.
While I started switching to sustainable products, I also wanted to support local businesses in Ireland, which helps the community and also reduces carbon footprint. But somehow, going online and buying these products was not enough for me. I was intrigued by the faces behind these brands and their stories. And that’s why I started the #madebyher series and documented the stories of these 8 wonderful women from different parts of Ireland, changing the narrative on consumerism, one little step at a time.
It’s not easy to run a small business from your barn or living room, but these women are going against all odds and proving to the world that where there is a will, there is a way. The one year I spent on this project has been the most satisfying one as a photographer and I hope I can practice all the learnings I took from this journey for years to come.
BREAD & WEATHER
Meet Ella from Bread & Weather. Former chef and now maker of artisan candles and soaps. She is a one woman band running the entire operation from a part of her former kitchen/barn. Starting a new business during COVID couldn’t have been easy, but she kept going.
She lives in a quaint and beautiful place surrounded by horses, ducks, a dog and a cat (Ron). As you walk into her workshop, new jars are neatly lined up with wicks, ready for the new batch of candles she is making. We spent the day talking about her business, her passion, and how it all started.
Her soaps are made in the traditional cold process method using organic, bee friendly Irish rapeseed oil grown in Co Kilkenny and her candles are made using soy wax not paraffin wax. As well as being naturally plant based soy wax also burns slowly and cleanly making beautiful, long-lasting candles.
Website: https://www.breadandweather.ie/
Location: Co. Wicklow
BLUE BRIDGE HOUSE
Tucked in a red corner cottage in the beautiful Liberties of Dublin is Blue Bridge House, where its founder, Laura, turns sustainable fabrics into reusable items for everyday use. Laura’s products are not only made & managed keeping its impact on this world in mind, they are also absolutely gorgeous. Her aesthetics are a combination of French and Irish styles, just like her, and draw inspiration from nature.
But she is not defined only by this brand. She is also a dancer, a baker and a very warm-hearted person. Her eyes light up with passion when she talks about her creative world and I am so glad that I got a chance to get a glimpse of it.
Website: https://www.bluebridgehouse.com/
Location: Dublin
LITERARY LIP BALMS
Ever stopped and wondered if your favourite book was a fragrance, how it will be?
I honestly never thought of it until I met Vy from Literary Lip Balms. Smell is one of the most powerful senses we have, however, we fail to grasp the power of it. Smell can transport you back to a memory or place within seconds. Smell can bring you close to someone lost. Smell can evoke emotions and romance.
Vy’s love for books and her curiosity to find the answer to that one question is what makes her brand unique. She plays with essential oils to find the perfect fragrance for her products that will put you right in the middle of an Agatha Christie novel if you close your eyes.
The pursuit of her whimsical world was not that easy. It takes a lot of courage to leave a successful career in marketing to follow your dreams, but Vy makes it look like a breeze. She is running her business from a little corner of her living room, which makes you believe that all you need is a dream and some courage to make it a reality.
Website: https://literarylipbalms.com/
Location: Dublin
WILD BIRD STUDIO
Have you ever wished that you could freeze the ever-changing colours of nature in a frame? You will find many of those nature’s wonder pressed in my books, trying to hold on the memories of that moment.
Meet Alison from Wild Bird Studio. She takes the wonderful beauty of nature and turns them into these gorgeous frames so that you can cherish them each day of your life.
Alison has been working with glass since she was a teenager and is really passionate about it.
As we were speaking, Alison was busy framing a beautiful Irish Fuchsia that will make its way to a land far far away and become a reminder of beautiful memories from back home for someone.
But being a small business comes with many challenges. Like many others, she had to move everything to a small garage in her parents' house during the pandemic but she didn’t give up on her dreams.
She recently moved to a co-working space for creative minds, working away her magic from a tiny desk. Who says you need a big factory to create magic, magic is created when you believe in it.
Website: https://wildbirdstudio.ie/
Location: Dublin
NINE ARROW
Catherine from Nine Arrow. She is the face behind the wonderful brand that’s giving the Irish language a beautiful platform to thrive. She does illustrations inspired by Irish language, culture, folklore, etc.
As I sat with her in her tiny office space at home, where she creates her magic, she tells me the most amazing stories about how her brand came to be and the struggles behind it.
It’s so precious for a language to keep thriving. I myself come from a place that is vibrant with so many languages and it fills my heart with joy to see Catherine taking a step towards making the Irish language fun to learn.
Website: https://www.ninearrow.com/
Location: Dublin
ZOE CAROL
Meet Zoe from Zoe Carol. Mother of 2 most adorable humans and a loving furry baby.
From the glamorous streets of New York to the hustle bustle of Dublin to her quaint and charming Rose Cottage in quiet Irish countryside.
Zoe has explored the world with her creativity and adapted to every challenge and change life has thrown at her.
Zoe has the energy of a teenager and a burning passion for her art. She has accumulated many accolades along the way and you can read all about it on her website.
She is now focused on creating small collections of Irish linen clothing and homeware, sustainability and slow living being the core of what she does. She works with local linen suppliers and makes sure that every aspect of her business is in line with her ethos.
Website: https://www.zoecarol.com/
Location: Co. Kilkenny
CLUAINMOR PERMACULTURE WILLOW
Meet Lonneke from Cluainmor Permaculture Willow. She lives in the picturesque Irish countryside in her lovely cottage with her 5 cats, 1 dog, a couple of chickens, a couple of goats and some lovely humans. Lonneke makes baskets out of willows grown locally. They range from flower baskets to berry picking baskets to many other varieties and the finished product is so beautiful and sturdy. But basket making is not that simple. It starts with selecting the willow fit for purpose, soaking it to make it flexible enough to work with, and then comes the most difficult part, making the basket. It can take hours to make one piece and is rough on the hands.
But when you speak to Lonneke about her work, she will convince you that it is all worth it. She is very passionate about her art and the impact she is making on this world.
She is also an avid gardener with a green thumb. She grows all kinds of herbs and vegetables in her beautiful garden and I am definitely going to get all the gardening tips from her. She has started growing her own willow as well.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cluainmor_permaculture_willow/
Location: Co. Tipperary
LOVINGLY
Grief. One emotion that doesn’t come with a manual. No one can teach you how to manage grief, and no matter how prepared you are, grief can still take you down.
Meet Julie from Lovingly, who is working towards making the process of grieving slightly simpler for others.
Grief struck her in the worse possible way in 2017 and her journey through this period and what came afterwards made her think of others who are going through something similar and how she can help provide some comfort. And the brainchild of this process was Lovingly, where she carefully selects items for care packs that you can send to a loved one who is feeling low. Julie focuses on mental health and positivity while selecting the items, also make sure these products are sustainable and eco friendly. She collaborates with local businesses who follow a similar ethos.
So, if you know someone who is in need of some love but you cannot be physically present for this person, then why not send something that could provide a little bit of comfort.
Website: https://lovinglybox.com/
Location: Dublin
