Now there is an easy way to skip wasteful single-use plastic in the shower!
A Michigan-based start-up is bringing sustainable showers to mainstream shoppers. Newly launched Ouila is helping consumers ditch their wasteful plastic bottles by delivering a variety of liquid hair and body care products in easy-to-use paper-based packaging.
Ouila (pronounced “wee-luh”) began when founder Dawn Marentay tried and failed to find less wasteful alternatives for her shower. “There are a few great options out there for reducing shower plastics, but most require users to make considerable changes to their routine or greatly limit their product selection. Anyone uncomfortable with those changes is being left behind,” says Marentay. “There are plenty of people excited to do better for the planet when solutions are easy and don’t require much change on their part. We’re here for them.”
Focusing on what they’ve coined “sustainable sustainability”, Ouila strikes a balance between the elimination of waste and the convenience and variety consumers appreciate in their daily routines. Ouila’s unique user-friendly cartons (“OuiFills”) are designed to be dropped directly into a reusable canister for use – eliminating the messy task of pouring refills while helping users access every possible drop of product.
How much better are OuiFills than your current shampoo bottle?
Ouila’s cartons are 81% paper: a fully renewable resource supplied only from sustainably managed forests.
OuiFills also generate 66% less carbon emissions during production than typical plastic bottles and they ship flat, creating a much smaller trucking footprint. “Of course, our OuiFills are fully recyclable in most U.S. communities, however, with the troubling state of recycling we needed to think beyond recyclability and deliver a holistically better package from start to finish.” Furthering their mission, Ouila committed to planting one tree for every OuiFill sold and are already in early talks for achieving carbon neutral shipping.
With a thoughtfully curated collection of twelve shower products and an active campaign for brand partnership, variety is at the core of Ouila’s platform. “As Ouila came to life, we discovered a need on both sides of the hair care market. Demand for liquid hair and body products won’t disappear anytime soon and these brands need a solution that empowers them to reduce their footprint without changing the attributes that make them great.”
Ouila began taking orders in early November, targeting fulfillment in January. Those not ready to commit to their new care products yet can support Ouila with the purchase of a gift card. Ouila’s first 500 shoppers will even be granted Founding Member status, an array of benefits including premium pricing, free shipping, exclusive access and more. Marentay is especially proud of this membership: “Support from pre-orders is crucial to launching Ouila and we are excited to celebrate those people who are making it happen.”
