The little changes for Mother Nature — Q&A with James from Amaroo
From selling microfibre clothes to owning an eco-Australian brand, the journey of Amaroo owners James and Lee-Ann to sustainability.
How did your journey with Amaroo Eco begin?
I was selling Microfibre cloths for many years covering an area of approx. 800kms. Then we had a baby come into our lives – my wife was a University lecturer at the time, so it made sense that I stayed home and became Mr Mum (which I loved). But I still wanted to help out so we created our first Eco-Friendly business called Go Green at Home over 12 years ago which has now evolved into Amaroo Eco. We changed the name because we were getting confused with a business selling Solar panels and they were a little unscrupulous. Amaroo is an aboriginal name meaning ‘Beautiful place’ and we truly believe that Australia is a beautiful place.
What was the initial vision behind Amaroo Eco, and how has that changed?
We wanted to create an online store that sold eco-friendly products at a reasonable price – when we started if the word sustainable or environmental was mentioned people were charging up to 4 times the price and everyone wondered why people were not making the change. We wanted to change that and make things more affordable – we did not get into business to make a million dollars we wanted to make a difference….. I believe that we are making a difference.
Why is having sustainable products so important?
We only have one planet there is no back up. There is an island of rubbish floating in the ocean and rubbish washing up on our beaches every day. Recycling is not the answer – there is only so much we can recycle. Making products out of other materials that does not have to be recycled I believe is the way to go – and we could do so much more. Every product that we sell we personally use. I believe that Amaroo Eco is making a difference.
What was the biggest challenge you had to face running a business?
Initially, it was getting people to realise that the environment was a real issue, yes there were some of us that did understand the issue, but the general public needed education (and in some cases still do). Then there are the little things like packaging materials we purchased a machine that turns our used boxes into packaging to fill the empty spaces in our cartons – this has done away with bubble wrap and those plastic air bags.
What has been your biggest achievement?
As a business, we have been lucky enough to win a few awards helping with the growth of sustainable awareness in Australia. Our biggest achievement is being a family-based business – I am lucky enough to work 30 meters from my back door and spend time with my family doing the school pick ups and drop-offs and more. If you call you will either speak to Donna (my Sister-in-Law) or myself – we also have Donna’s son Stewart working with us now.
What is your personal favourite Amaroo Eco product?
I would have to say it’s our Soap Nuts. They are simply amazing and straight from mother nature herself… These little berries can be used for so many things, as laundry detergent, Shampoo, Body Wash, Floor Cleaner, Glass Cleaner, Car Wash – I even wash my dogs with Soap Nuts. They are Anti-Bacterial, Antifungal Economical, effective and easy to use. I have seen so many people with skin allergies get amazing results from switching to these, there are times I cry telling stories of some of the people this amazing product has helped.
What are three things we can do today to be more sustainable?
We have a saying in our business – “The hundreds of choices we make each day impact the environment. Sometimes it’s a big decision….. Sometimes it’s as small as changing your toothbrush or the way you clean your clothes”.
- Change your toothbrush to a more sustainable version.
- Change the product you use to clean your Home, Clothes, and Self.
- Tell others what you are doing share the message.
What can we expect to see from Amaroo Eco for 2021 and beyond?
We are always looking to find good quality products to add to our range. So far this year we have added Dental Floss and Cotton buds with more to come. Or family will stay strong and continue to make a difference every chance we can.
