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Shoo-Foo exhibits among fellow eco-friendly businesses at EPIC Sustainable Living Expo
June 1, 2010 by admin
This year’s EPIC Sustainable Living Expo in Vancouver drew over 300 exhibitors from eco-friendly toy companies, to recycled clothing and of course, bamboo towels and linens! Shoo-Foo was there – as usual – showing off our luxuriously soft and organic products, perfect for any home.
The ticket-buyers were just as diverse as the exhibitors. Along came viewers who were shopping, viewers who were looking and viewers who were ‘down to business.’ Almost every Shoo-Foo product was on display, from beddings to towels and robes, and let’s not forget our unforgettably cute baby layette! Ah yes, and of course our brand new spa head wrap and head band (thank you bald mannequins for modeling those for us!)
Everyone who came by the booth also had a chance to win bamboo products every month by following us Twitter, liking us on Facebook, subscribing to our e-newsletter and/or starting a gift registry! The offer is, of course, still extended to anyone who wishes to follow along and be a little social with us!
Was it fun? Oh yeah! While all tradeshows make for great samplers of products galore, the businesses showcased at EPIC were especially magnetic! How calming, and yet exciting, to know that the eco-friendly choice is becoming so easily accessible to the modern consumer who wishes to ‘go green’ as they say. Not only that, we were so proud to see that many of our fellow exhibitors were also Canadian, like us! Go Canada!
EPIC is put on by Vancouver-based GLOBE Foundation, which is a non-profit organization supporting sustainability practices among businesses. They put on events that draw thousands each year to focus on producing planet-friendly initiatives among businesses and government bodies.
For more information on EPIC, visit epicexpo.com. For more on the GLOBE Foundation, visit globe.ca.
Check out our YouTube slideshow video of the event below!
We’re moving into the spa business!
May 8, 2010 by admin
…Well, at least the towel and linens part of that industry. Orders are now being taken for our already popular headbands and head wraps. Users who’ve previewed these products say they LOVE them, especially the head wrap! No more falling towel, no more soaking mop on your head and no more sweat from wearing a plastic shower cap when your ‘do just can’t get wet!
For spas out there who want to go green, Shoo-Foo’s bamboo towels and linens are the products of eco-friendly choice! Tell your friends and spread the word – we’re reducing the textile waste and pollution that comes with the high turnover rates of regular ol’ spa towels. Not only that, spas will be able to easily recuperate their cost of towel inventory by retailing these oh-so-sellable bamboo wonders to their clients!
Incorporating sustainable bamboo towels into your spa’s regimen can be a step-by-step process. Start by picking one service product, like the mani-pedi towel, and then start incorporating more as time goes by, like the makeup and facial towels. Bit by bit, we can all go green with our linens!
Not a spa? Not a problem! Shops of all sizes, shapes and colours are welcome to put in their orders for our new spa collection – items that can be used in every day households for both women AND men! Talk about a great wedding shower gift!
Click here to start your Gift Registry today! Don’t wait, get started early!
Retailers: Click here to log in and start ordering your wholesale bamboo spa items instantly!
P’Lovers Environmental Store – Reaching and Preaching to the “Non-choir”
March 31, 2010 by admin
With four locations across Canada and now one in San Antonio, Texas, P’lovers Environmental Store is truly a haven for advocates of sustainable living. With the variety found in this one-stop-shop for all things eco-friendly, it’s easy to see why P’lovers is best described as the “environmental department store.”
Founders Liz Crocker and Ann Caverzan both have decades’ worth involvement with business and interest in environmental concerns and their relationship to commercial production. The two first met in 1991, and discussed the concept of a store specializing in environmentally friendly products at a time when such things were fairly unheard of. A year later they opened a shop by the name of P’lovers, which is an abbreviation for both “planet lovers” and “piping plover” (an endangered species of bird indigenous to Nova Scotia). Like the world around them, they still knew little of ecologically conscious wares. They have learned an immeasurable amount since and continue to do so still.
The breadth and quality of offered products is constantly being improved as more variety and a higher calibre goods become available in tandem with the ever increasing prevalence of environmental awareness. At the same time, if a product becomes overly mainstream or out of date, Liz and Ann search out goods that fall closer in line with the most current sustainable standards.
Of course, such a search can be tough, as increased interest in green goods come at a cost. Popularity entices, and many manufacturers appropriate the term “green” as a marketing tool and exploit ecologically-minded sentiments by offering products that are not truly or fully environmentally friendly. Not only do these not meet P’lovers standards, but they can also provoke a certain cynicism of the market in the consumer who is clued in enough to realise what is going on.
P’lovers have a mandate to practice what they preach, and all aspects of their business in green. This includes the very architecture and décor of their stores. Cork and bamboo flooring, recycled paint, compact fluorescent and LED lights, and antique furniture are all mainstays in each location. Yet despite demand for quality and adherence to strict criteria, the company is committed providing products that are not exuberantly priced. Two of their five locations are in Nova Scotia, which is economically modest. In the 90s when the business first started, there was a lot of sickening pollution in the air carried by wind from Ontario to the Maritimes which created a demand for goods free of such chemicals. Sensitive to that, the company has strived to maintain an affordable range.
One of the most unique aspects of P’lovers, I noticed, was the care taken to avoid any snobbery or judgemental attitudes in the sale of their wares. “We’re not just preaching to the choir, but we want to be appealing to the “non-choir” too.” says Liz. The business attempts to educate its potential customer base without pushing products and attitudes upon them. They avoid marketing items that primarily appeal as novelty gifts, instead opting for a department store model where goods are not only desirable but useful and practical and can also make great gifts. It is clear that P’lovers has accomplished its goal in providing a wide range of alternative products to the general public and not just to special interest groups www.plovers.net
Green Glamour photo Gallery
March 16, 2010 by admin
Here are photos of our fun Green Glamour event! Here’s what one participant said about it!
“This event was a fantastic success! Everyone was great who was there, both people helping to host and guests attending. I loved the location, and the variety from the tables that were shown to the food and desserts provided. I would love to help out with this event again.”
-Danai Wood, Arbonne Consultant
Click on “view with PicLens” to view as a slideshow!
A FREE event worth the world to attend in Vancouver
February 23, 2010 by admin
Green Glamour, a benefit for Sustainable Living
**Happening this Thursday, Feb. 25!!!**
FREE ADMISSION
HUNDREDS OF $$$DOLLARS in products and services being offered for just loonies and toonies, with all proceeds being donated to the Stanley Park Ecological Society.
This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/
Eco-friendly businesses in your neighbourhood have joined forces to bring you Green Glamour, A benefit event for sustainable living with free admission, pampering services, food, drinks and eco-friendly door prizes! The event hopes to celebrate sustainable living within our beautiful city of Vancouver, right at the heart of an international event like the Olympics.
For just loonies and toonies you are invited to get:
A manicure (By She to Shic),
An acupuncture facial (By SKN),
A massage (by Footprints Healing Arts)
Your makeup done (by Arbonne)
…AND be photographed by a professional photographer (PhotoArt by Simpson)
PLUS!!!
Listen to music by Vancouver soul musician Racquel Villagante and The Autumn Portrait
Drink coffee by Doi Chang
Eat chocolate from Cocoa Nymph
Try samples from Trillium Soaps and Candles
Win a door prizes from:
And more to come!
This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/
*ALL PROCEEDS OF THE EVENT WILL GO TOWARDS THE STANLEY PARK ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY.*
Time and place: The event will take place on February 25 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Jacana Art Gallery which is graciously donating their venue for this ‘green’ evening. Address is 2435 Granville Street, Vancouver BC. View the invite here: http://shoo-foo.com/en/green-glamour/
Thanks to the many generous doners who will be offering their services and resources free of charge to help promote sustainable living in our beautiful city!
Please forward this message to those who would like to hear about this event!
Shoo-Foo releases special ‘Vancouver’ souvenir bamboo gym towels
February 10, 2010 by admin
Vancouver Souvenir Bamboo Towels by Shoo-Foo
The towels are a great addition to retailers already carrying the Shoo-Foo brand of products as a special order to accommodate the influx of tourists that will be in the country during February. Wholesale orders can be made immediately, come in groups of four and each roll is still wrapped with the signature Shoo-Foo ribbon, keeping the product eco-friendly and free of excess packaging – one of the operating principles of Shoo-Foo. Singles can be purchased at retail price through the Shoo-Foo e-boutique at www.shoo-foo.com.
Vancouver towel souvenirs are expected to be popular not only during the Olympics, but all year round in the internationally-minded city of Vancouver, which receives about 8 million visitors each year.
Wholesalers click here to order Vancouver souvenir bamboo gym towels.
New Organic Bamboo Linens Launched as Eco-Friendly and Health-Conscious Choice for Consumers
January 20, 2010 by admin
For immediate release, Dec. 10, 2009
For a true ecologist, caring for the planet is a job that goes to bed with you. That’s where Shoo-Foo’s new organic bamboo sheets come in handy.
The new line of bed linens was launched recently as a response to customer pleas who have, until now, have been enjoying the Canadian brand’s high quality, super absorbent, cashmere-soft towels made from bamboo viscose – a new and emerging product for the eco-friendly consumer.
“We have been asked by so many of our clients over the last year. People like the softness of our bamboo towels on their skin and the next question was: do you have bed linens?” says Shoo-Foo founder, Dany Filion.
The new bed sheets come with all the known benefits of bamboo fibers, being made 100 per cent from naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic materials that are eco-friendly. Not only that, the sheets are breathable, which makes them fitting with any temperature, especially for those who suffer from thermal problems, such as hot or cold flashes.
“With these bamboo sheets, your body doesn’t need to fight to maintain its body temperature. This ‘fight’ is usually at the origin of feeling hot. When you suffocate under a fabric which doesn’t breath well – silk for example – your body starts to sweat, then the sweat on your body makes you feel cold,” explains Filion.
Filion adds the product will also appeal to those who suffer from sensitive skin, since the “biological nature of bamboo keeps germs and fungus away, so bamboo linens stay fresh longer. For people with sensitive skin, it’s a must because it’s a bacteria-free environment.”
The fabric also possesses a luxurious feel, with a 300 thread count and “a very sober design”, coming in a violet-gray colour (called “wild rice”), with ivory accents that could suit any room design, whether classic or contemporary.
The linens currently come in queen sizes, with twin and other colours becoming available in the fall. Orders and gift registries can be made online at www.shoo-foo.com, or for the in-store experience, the following retailers are already carrying stock, with more to come soon:
Organix on Granville Island
Noyma in Montreal
Dream with me in Nanaimo
The linens, which are a new product to the Canadian market, will also be featured for the first time at the EPIC convention in Vancouver, as well as the fall Alberta Gift Show and the August Montreal Gift Show.
About Shoo-Foo:
Shoo-Foo was born in 2006 when owner Dany Filion learned that cotton and textile production was causing major harm to the planet. Bamboo on the other hand is organic, free of pesticides, naturally antibacterial and sourced from one of earth’s most sustainable and naturally renewable plants. It is also four times more absorbent than cotton, which makes it great for towels. Thus, a bamboo towel line was launched, followed by a collection of bamboo baby products in 2008, and now, in late 2009, bamboo bed linens.
Shoo-Foo’s products are ethically manufactured in China close to bamboo forest and transported by ocean freight to Canada to ensure the smallest ecological footprint possible. Packaging of products is no more than a cotton ribbon that displays the Shoo-Foo logo, while boxes are reused for shipping and warehouse space is shared for even more sustainable responsibility.
Contact info:
To arrange an interview or for more information, please contact:
Dany Filion, President & Founder
604.783.4806, dany@shoo-foo.com
To become a retailer or to purchase products, please visit:
www.shoo-foo.com
Ecologist grows bamboo business with planet-saving towels
January 20, 2010 by admin
When coffee accidentally spills on a hundred-something year old wooden table (worth thousands), owner of Shoo-Foo Eco Linens, Dany Filion dashes to her display towels and comes to the rescue with the absorbent power of bamboo fibers. In seconds the pressing of her towels against the wood dry up moisture and leave no trace behind.
“This should be a commercial! Where’s our camera?” She jokes, while the rest of the room stares tensely, wondering if the precious antique will survive. “There, now let’s sit down and please, have some cookies” are her proceeding words.
After sitting in an ancient, ornately decorated chair, the atmosphere calms down and one can’t help but think, ‘THIS, is sooooo cool.’
Filion started Shoo-Foo when a light bulb went on in her head back in 2006. She was reading about developments in bamboo usage for creating textiles. The same article revealed that cotton production, with the many chemicals used to treat the plant, was heavily damaging the environment. Bamboo on the other hand was organic, free of pesticides, naturally antibacterial and sourced from one of earth’s most sustainable plants. It was also four times more absorbent than cotton. Go figure – why not make towels out of it?
At that point, the Quebec born, ecologist-trained entrepreneur who spent more than 10 years living in China made a firm decision that she would be part of the bamboo textile movement.
“This project (Shoo-Foo) brings all my professional experience together…ecology, Chinese culture and business venture; you’ve got them all into the Shoo-Foo project. That makes me feel at home, this impression of being at the right place at the right time,” she describes.
From then on, it was action upon action. The bamboo convert registered her business name and began forming alliances with suppliers in China. At the time, no other Canadian company was doing the same.
Filion was a well-seasoned business woman ready for more adventure. Having built two retail companies – one selling antique furniture and the other an art gallery still in existence – Shoo-Foo was going to be a fresh slice of pie; it was born wholesale.
“I had been looking for a fun wholesale business to do for a little while. Being otherwise in the art business, a very volatile business, I was looking for something else…which can bring – at a business angle – a little more financial stability,” she recalls.
For spreading eco love, it made a lot of sense. Today production is still onsite, near bamboo forest in China, thus cutting down transport pollution. Large quantities are made at a time, which Filion calls “less energivore.” When complete, orders are sent by boat directly to their final retail destinations, leaving as few footprints on the earth as possible.
Filion cherry-picked the manufacturers she would work with in China. The deal was rolled out upfront: security and health of workers, the environment, ethics and quality control were not to be compromised.
“We…make sure we always share the same values.”
Filion hates packaging. If it weren’t said in words, it would be in action. Boxes are reused and towels aren’t wrapped in anything but a cloth ribbon displaying the Shoo-Foo logo. Office and warehouse space is shared.
In 2007, Shoo-Foo launched a Web site and set out to attend tradeshows across the country, giving it true Canadian reach. Retailers loved it and signed on. Then attention was, and still is being, brought to end users at shows such as EPIC.
“Bamboo is still very new on the market and very few people know about it, so we…generate direct experience for the consumers.”
And that she does:
“Most People love the softness and absorbency of bamboo fabric. The only concern I heard up to now is, once we convert yourself to bamboo linens, you don’t know what to do with all the other linens you have in your closet!”
In Fall, 2008, Shoo-Foo launched a baby line and now is moving into bed linens. Filion says sales are rising and popularity is growing weekly. The goal is that the Shoo-Foo brand will become a main reference to quality bamboo linens on the market.
“We want to offer a good quality alternative to cotton in the realm of home linens…that would help diminishing the need for growing cotton, which is a very damageable culture for the environment.”
For Filion, love of planet earth has become a means of survival. She hopes her efforts will in turn help earth survive. And so, the quest continues…
“We will constantly look for new ways to support choices for a healthy lifestyle and a low eco-footprint…And we truly love bamboo!”
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