Shoo-Foo's Story: The Soft Power of Natural Fibers 🌱

The Origins: A seed of Inspiration

The Euraka Moment
Shoo-Foo's journey started in 2006 when an unpretentious article on the internet about the bamboo fabric grabbed the attention of our founder, an ecologist. Intrigued by bamboo's rapid growth and minimal environmental footprint, she saw it as a breakthrough alternative to conventional textiles. This moment sparked the vision for Shoo-Foo: to introduce bamboo fabric as a healthier and more sustainable choice for consumers.

Research and Discovery
With limited information available, our founder delved into research, uncovering a few manufacturers in China who were pioneering bamboo fabric. Having studied Mandarin, she was able to communicate her interest to the manufacturers, and lastly, she went to China. Of the three, one manufacturer was open to partnering with her, and he shared her vision of sustainability.

Laying the Groundwork: Idea to Reality

Naming and Branding
Once back in Vancouver, the legs on which Shoo-Foo was going to stand were created. It was decided to call the product "Shoo-Foo." The word Shoo-Foo originates from the Chinese word 'shufu,' which stands for cozy and comfortable. This name expressed the nature of our products and spoke to people in different languages. Shoo-Foo embarked on its business journey with its name and vision.

First Steps in Production
Our first production run was with bamboo bath towels in natural colors. Soft and durable, such towels had the ecologically friendly quality we wanted to bring to the market. The response was immense, that we felt it was fantastic potential hidden in bamboo.

Growth and Expansion: Listening to the Market Gaps

Filling in Products
The triumph of our first product exploded inner excitement and gratification, and therefore, diversified our product offering by adding to our first product line: Towels in many colors, baby products, adult robes and our most popular bamboo bed sheets. We also redesigned our packaging and website for our customer convenience. We attended as many trade shows as possible and collaborated with ethical marketplaces to get the word spread on the awesomeness of bamboo fabric.

Challenges and Successes
The path was bumpy. Individually, we had personal backlashes in 2019, and the 2020 pandemic was disastrous for our trade. But we didn't succumb to the pressure. The encouraging acceptance of bamboo fabric in the mainstream marketplace was one of the reasons we kept moving on.

Looking Forward: A Sustainable Future

Redefining Purpose
With bamboo fabric finally becoming conventionally acknowledged, Shoo-Foo had a new objective: encouraging natural fibers for home linens. We continue to advance and endorse products that remove environmental toxins, staying true to our fundamental principles of sustainability and health. Hemp, kapok, flax and Canadian wool are a few other natural fibers that we are proud to offer you to help improve  your health and to reduce toxins in your home and in the environment.

Ongoing Product Development
Today, Shoo-Foo is proof of the notion that small decisions can create significant changes. We believe this is a commitment to innovation and collaboration in our pursuit of being the best. Join us in designing a better, healthier world—one fiber at a time. 🌿