Founded in Vancouver in 2023 from a desire to combine artistic expression with a dedication to sustainable practices.
A NOTE FROM ASHLEEN
Named after three important people in my life, I started Anwyn Skye & Co. as an outlet for creativity. With a background in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and a belief that art is a key to enriching lives, I wanted to start a passion project that combined two pursuits in my life: science & art.
After spending the bulk of my career working in R&D and product development, I started fantasizing about selling soap at farmer’s markets for a living. I made the decision to leave my job in pursuit of something new & fulfilling and started playing around with various creative endeavours. When I realized that many of my hobbies were not living up to my values of sustainability (for example, learning that acrylic paint contributes to microplastic pollution), I decided that soap would be my canvas and botanicals would be my paint. This way, I could use my R&D skills and create functional art in alignment with my zero-waste lifestyle. While I didn’t end up becoming a full-time soap-maker (yet), I did decide to launch my small business to share my creations with others.
Thanks for supporting a small business that cares deeply about lessening our impact on nature.
OUR RESPECT FOR NATURE SHAPES OUR ACTIONS
Zero-Waste Operations
We believe that anything being manufactured or sold must have a proper end of life solution that doesn't include a landfill. All raw materials, packaging, and tools used in the making of our products are either reused, repurposed, donated, or recycled. As per the zero-waste hierarchy, we only use recycling as our last alternative to landfill because it is not the answer to combatting climate change.
Sourcing
We only source ingredients from renewable, non-animal sources. Instead of using synthetic dyes or fragrances, we use botanical infusions and distillations to colour and scent our products. The materials we use for shipping have been reused or repurposed (the exception being the paper-based tape used to seal the boxes. This tape is recycled paper and is also compostable.)
Simple Supply Chain
We use a local supplier for all our ingredients and opt to have a streamlined list of ingredients to prevent waste. Rather than sourcing many different colourants to achieve our designs, we source a handful of botanicals that provide black, brown, yellow, red, and blue hues and blend them to achieve all the different colours you see in our products.
We’ve also opted to only ship within our own province and to only use ground shipping services via Canada post for the most sustainable shipping option available to us.
Opposing Animal Exploitation
We believe that animals shouldn’t have to suffer for human gain. We only source vegan ingredients and never conduct animal testing. Instead, our products are tested on willing humans before they are released to the market.