“I want to make it the norm for people to buy reusable”
We caught up with Tabitha Eve founder Debbie Rees to see how keeping your impact on the planet small can produce big results
Morning. What beautiful products – how did it all begin?
I’ve always been aware of the need to make positive environmental and ethical choices and, as a keen scuba diver, I’ve witnessed the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans first-hand. During maternity leave I took up sewing and decided to make some items that could replace single-use or plastic products. One of the first things I made was the ‘None’ sponge – a washable dish sponge – then friends and family started asking me to make the same for them. The rest, as they say, is history – I left my career in finance and launched Tabitha Eve online.
And things just blossomed?
At first it was just me and my sewing machine at home, but it soon became clear that I needed more space – essentially my husband got fed up of living amongst packing boxes – so I moved into a separate studio and hired my first employees. We’re now a team of eight and we have over 500 stockists all over the world, which amazes me to this day.
Wow, that’s really impressive. You sound like a natural
Well, I’ve had to learn a lot of things on the job, such as barcodes and marketing. And something that I wasn’t familiar with was Tik Tok – I’m so grateful to the younger members of the team who showed me the ropes! As a small business, we change weekly – there’s always a new challenge to face or a new opportunity to explore. It can be nerve-racking, but mostly it’s all just part of the fun.
What are you most proud of?
The fact that we go that extra mile by providing products that are not only eco-friendly, but ethically made, too. The majority of our textile products are made by our UK-based team, all of whom are paid at least the minimum wage and have the opportunity to share in the business’s profits. I’m also hugely proud of the fact that we provide flexible working for those who need it – those with disabilities and parents who have to fit work in around childcare. I know I’d have found it almost impossible to return to the career I had before becoming a mum and I want to make sure that we provide an environment that’s 100% non-discriminatory and enables everyone to flourish.
You’re making a real difference
Well, I believe wholeheartedly in the power of business for good, not just for profit. We’ve run various charitable campaigns and have donated to a number of causes, both through product sales and also through wider objectives such as Green Friday. My ultimate goal is to produce beautiful, quality products that enable our customers to lead lives with a smaller impact on our planet – I want to make it the norm for people to buy reusable.
You have a great range, which products stand out for you?
The None sponge will always have a special place in my heart, but another favourite is our Reusable Nail Polish Remover pads. Did you know that one pack of five pads could replace 1,000 single-use cotton pads, saving around 80 bathtubs-worth of water! It’s not hard to see why they’re so popular.
Fantastic, we’ll be popping those on our wishlist. So, what does the year ahead hold for Tabitha Eve?
I want to expand our home and giftware range so that customers can gift more consciously and accessorise their homes ethically.
For info, visit tabithaeve.co.uk or follow on Insta: @tabithaeveco. The Simple Things readers can enjoy 20% off online by using the code SIMPLE20 at checkout. Valid until 28 February 2022.