Describing itself as an ambitious challenger brand on a mission to disrupt a sector ‘which has not seen much innovation in decades’, Spruce is starting ‘a refill revolution’ with the launch of its plastic- and toxin-free refillable cleaning products.
Made in the UK with locally sourced ingredients and suppliers, the three initial products are: a Multipurpose Starter kit (Eternity bottle and refill); Bathroom Starter kit (Eternity bottle and refill); and three-pack Refills.
The start-up says it undertook extensive trials and testing to finalize its refill form factor, ingredients and formulation – a concentrated, dehydrated solution – and packaging, which is 100% certified plastic-free, home and industrial compostable, with all outer packaging FSC-certified.
The products are free from SLS, parabens, triclosan, phosphates, pesticides, petroleum derivatives, artificial colourants and fragrances. Made using carefully selected natural ingredients that are mostly food or cosmetic-grade, with 100% pure organic essential oils, they are also vegan and cruelty-free.
Plastic over-consumption is not only an environmental hazard, in recent years, the adverse health effects from consuming micro and nano-plastics have become evident
The brand says that its minimal product design represents its minimal offering as the Spruce team believes consumers don’t need a separate plastic-packed product for every inch of their homes. It is also reflective of the brand ethos to use ten or fewer ingredients in its formulations. Each refill pack weighs only 4g – 125% less carbon footprint of transportation compared to a typical 500g cleaning bottle – and produces a full bottle of cleaning spray simply by adding tap water at home.
“The Spruce journey started with a personal quest to find non-toxic products for my family, after going through a series of health problems,” explains founder & CEO Mahira Kalim. “I ended up making DIY cleaning products for a number of years to avoid the toxic chemicals found in most household products available in stores.
“Whilst on my clean-living journey, I learnt about the grave plastic crisis our planet is facing. Not only are we polluting our oceans with single-use plastics, but our consumption habits have a direct impact on climate change. Plastic over-consumption is not only an environmental hazard, in recent years, the adverse health effects from consuming micro and nano-plastics have become evident.
“At Spruce, our mission is to make eco-friendly convenient for all, and I am proud to say that our products and refill model do just that.”
Spruce is going live on Kickstarter today and products will be available through its e-commerce website and retailers in November.
