3 Dirty Little Secrets We Don't Like to Talk About in Small Business.

3 Dirty Little Secrets We Don’t Like to Talk About in Small Business (but absolutely should).

Let’s get into the bits and pieces that go around your order. You don’t pay for them, but they have taken a decent amount of brainspace trying to get just right for you. And without them, you wouldn’t be able to support small, interstate businesses very easily.

What are we talking about? The packaging.

There are three often-overlooked parts of our packaging process that we think we should shine a bit more light on, especially if you, like us, care deeply about creativity, sustainability, and showing up in the world with a bit more heart. And with that we have revealed those 3 dirty little secrets we don't like to talk about.

This blog is extra special, because I’m lucky enough to be collaborating with a fellow ‘conscious of our footprint’ human: Lou from Bound to Love Them.

A little about

Lou is the mind and maker behind Bound to Love Them, where bright, bold hand-bound books come to life using high-quality, artist approved, FSC-certified Fabriano paper and cotton/linen fabric covers sourced from Australian businesses and designers, all of which have a focus on sustainable fabric practices. Lou binds every journal by hand and creates books that are as beautiful as they are practical. 

(Fun fact: Lou is an engineer and has a postgrad degree in Sustainability from Sydney Uni. She doesn’t just talk the talk. She’s walked the recycled, compostable, and circular path.)

I (Monika from Planet Terra) use one of her journals every day to track the names, hopes, sizes, and dreams behind every order I send out. That journal is a constant reminder that paper and fabric are more than materials, they’re tools for storytelling, memory-keeping, and making your mark (literally and figuratively). That journal is also testament to the joys of 'shopping small'.

Dirty Secret #1: Packaging is the real MVP (Most Valuable Player)

Whether you order from me or from Lou, there’s a small but mighty layer between our creations and your front door: the packaging.

According to Sustainability Victoria, Australians toss out around 1.9 million tonnes of packaging a year. That's enough to fill the MCG nine times. If you think that number sounds outrageous, we wholeheartedly agree.

Packaging isn’t just bubble wrap and boxes. It takes energy, water, and natural resources to produce. And when it’s thrown away after a single use? Lou and I are making sad faces at the thought. 

So we’ve made it our mission to reduce the burden of that packaging, without compromising on the safety or experience of the important part of buying from us: your actual order. It’s a small step, but we hope that talking about it will help normalise this strategy with other small businesses so nobody feels judged.

Dirty Secret #2: Cute packaging ≠ ethical packaging

Let’s talk about ‘instagrammable’ packaging for a moment. You know the type: crinkly, coated tissue, holographic mailers, individually wrapped inserts, and enough frilly//sparkly//confetti-y extras to make you feel like royalty.

It looks luxe. But here’s the thing: most of it goes straight to landfill.

We’ve made a very intentional choice not to use a lot of packaging that only serves the aesthetics. We like our packaging to do double duty, triple if possible. Everything included has a practical purpose.

We want your order to be beautiful and responsible, so it is a conscious choice to not buy into the hype. When we do use decorative elements, they’re usually offcuts, recycled & recyclable, or designed to be reused again (and again). Or, sourced through brands like Hero Packaging (not affiliated) who have teams investing their energy in providing scalable packaging solutions that small businesses can access and not have to invest in research and development nor at scale that doesn’t track with our order volume. If you’d like more information on how your Hero packaging composts at home or any other resources, Lou is always happy to help. [Contact details to Lou's Website here.]

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a little razzle-dazzle. But we think the real glow-up is in doing less harm, so forgive us if we prioritise putting our money where our mouth is to source the materials of our craft with the least harm to the planet in mind, not more wrapping.

Dirty Secret #3: Reused plastic bags are the unsung heroes

Sometimes, your order arrives in a second-hand plastic satchel. It might say ‘karina + kind’ or have the name of another small business on the inside or outside. That’s not a mistake, that's the intention.

Friends and family know I collect these bags. Why? Because they’re perfectly reusable, and throwing them away after one use feels like sacrilege.

Most come with an extra seal strip and built-in carry handles- that feels like such a small but useful win! I pop your goodies inside, tape over the label or turn the bag inside out, and send it off knowing I’ve given that bag a second life, and if the order is being sent to someone like you, who has read to the bottom of this blog, then you might just be repurposing it too.

Now it’s time for some hard truths that did for a moment rattle us. Has someone said receiving an upcycled package look unprofessional? Yep. Did it sting? Also yes. Did it make us want to change our views? Heck no. But that’s why we felt it was important to do this blog.

The truth is: doing what’s right for the planet doesn’t always look ‘polished’ for us small business humans. We aren’t simply creating things for the sake of it. And, even though we make the best choices we can, we’re not perfect, nor would we want to greenwash our products. Talking about things like this is about transparency, raising awareness, and understanding that even us, as small business humans, can make choices that align with our values.

Lou's venn diagram illustrates this beautifully for us all. Planet Terra sits in the middle too.

We’re both in the ‘making’ business because it feels real for us: connecting, offering real people real solutions, and striving to create products that last, that are valued and that keep materials at their highest value. We value aesthetics and functionality so that our products are worth having. We are always searching for better alternatives and align with other businesses doing the same. We aim to use circularly economic principles including designing products in a way that eliminates waste and adds value to raw products. I am always striving to follow the best sustainability practices. And we are committed to providing you with supply chain transparency.

Small businesses like Planet Terra and Bound to Love Them look human. Because we are. And we’re proud that that’s the kind of business we’re running. These are real, personal values, not just looks-good-on-the-website vibes.

We’d love to know:

Do you reuse packaging too?

Does it matter to you what your order arrives in? Or just that it’s safely delivered.

What could we do better so you understand our WHY?

We hope this blog reminds you that behind every beautifully made product, there are humans doing their best to care for the Earth, one parcel at a time. Thank you for being on this adventure with us.