Looking for ways to live a more sustainable life? Your kitchen is the perfect place to start. With the average Australian throwing away an unbelievable 650kgs of waste every year, low-waste living has never been such a great idea.
One person who agrees with this sentiment entirely is Bronwyn Kidd, founder of Australian reusable food wrap brand, SUSTOMi. Based in Hobart, Tasmania, SUSTOMi was created after Bronwyn went travelling and saw the impact we are having on the planet.
With its origins in creating beeswax wraps, SUSTOMi is now a hub for other eco brands to offer sustainable solutions to food storage and other kitchen essentials. We caught up with Bronwyn to find out more about her budding brand.
Where was the idea of SUSTOMi born?
SUSTOMi started after I went travelling and saw the devastation on the earth from pollution. We are so sheltered here in Australia. It really made me think. I was brought up in a relatively low-waste household so it came naturally to me – I just had to share this lifestyle with the world!
So, SUSTOMi was really born from my personal values of low-waste living and optimising our health, but also from my belief that making a change in the world will always start with the people.
SUSTOMi is about making better choices around food and the products we use daily. It’s about getting life freshly sorted. It’s about creating good habits and nurturing values that support a low-waste lifestyle. Give to yourself and be kind to the earth in the process.
Tell us a bit about the journey of your brand so far.
SUSTOMi started as beeswax wraps in 2016. I was making them at home myself, with the help of some very kind family members and friends. Then new opportunities arose to expand the range, so I added produce bags, metal straws and other products that were real pain points for myself.
As the journey continues, my own values have developed and morphed into what SUSTOMi is today. It’s more than just a low-waste lifestyle – the SUSTOMi lifestyle is about getting life sorted out, particularly at home, to reduce waste for the earth and reduce toxin exposure for our own health.
You guys share our sustainable ethos. How does this translate into everything you do as a brand?
YAY for a sustainable ethos! Sustainability, to me, extends from environmental sustainability and regeneration to a full lifestyle. For SUSTOMi, we have clear set non-negotiables.
We want no-nonsense and transparency. All of our products are carefully designed and refined to keep in alignment with our values – to provide customers with low waste goods with good intention.
All SUSTOMi products are:
- 100% reusable for decades or 100% biodegradable
- Replace a single-use plastic item
- Do no harm to health
- Promote a lifestyle of healthy eating
With these non-negotiables set, we can rest assured that what we’re putting out into the world will have minimal impact and will help serve our environment well into the future.
We hear you guys are big fans of Boody. Any top picks from our ranges?
The Goodnight Nightdress! Sleep is a super high priority for me and doing it in supreme, sustainable comfort makes a good bit of shut-eye even better.
Also, I’m a huge fan of your hidden socks. Choosing a natural fibre for these means there are no embarrassing, unwanted scents!
In what ways can we all be doing more to move towards a zero-waste lifestyle?
We like to say we’re choosing a low-waste lifestyle – and doing so by choosing one thing to change at a time. Everyone will be different in their ‘wasteful’ habits, however, some of the common things we see (and have combatted ourselves) are:
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Reducing food waste through planning meals ahead of time and buying only what is needed (avoid those impulse purchases).
- Create an on-the-go low-waste kit and take it with you – in the car, at work or in your bag. This will include the items you use regularly when out and about, typically a reusable coffee cup, sturdy water bottle, food container/lunch box, reusable cutlery and a hanky to cover your essentials (and remove the usual takeaway convenience slip-ups).
Tell us a bit about your custom beeswax wraps.
We offer a custom beeswax wrap service for people wanting to add a personal touch to their favourite sandwich and food wrappers. It’s popular for corporate gifting – hooray for companies choosing sustainable, Australian-made gifts!
You guys run workshops to teach people how to make beeswax wraps and keep food fresh. Explain to us what we can expect at one of these workshops?
We offer a range of workshops to educate people on how to move towards the SUSTOMi way of low-waste, low-tox living. You’ll learn from a talented expert in their field and most importantly, you’ll have fun mingling with other emerging sustainability warriors, have a hot cuppa and make new friends!
As you guys are based in Hobart, what are 3 things everyone must do when they visit Tasmania's capital city?
- Enjoy shopping for Tasmanian goodies at the Salamanca Market on Saturday morning between 8:30am and 3pm. Be sure to stop by the SUSTOMi stand!
- Head out of town and up the mountain into nature. Take a hike on Kunanyi (Mount Wellington) and grab a coffee at the gorgeous Lost Freight Café.
- MONA. Get lost amongst the quirky art and beautiful location of the Museum of Old and New Art in Berriedale.
What are SUSTOMi's plans for the year ahead?
Launching exciting new products, growing our range, releasing a podcast, educating others, more fun events… the list could go on. We certainly have a jam-packed year planned!
Keep up with SUSTOMi by following them on Instagram and Facebook.
