Packaged with Compassion

Article by Shannon Jenkins, SAFindit


‘You do not have to be a barefoot, tree-hugging vegan hippy to work in the Green industry.’ Rather, says Natashia Fox, you need to be ‘’optimistically realistic’ about what you can do for your environment. However, this doesn’t mean you lack passion for your cause!

Natashia started Green Life Store – an online eco-store – in 2008. As a green consultant, surfer, sailor, free-diver and ocean-lover, going into this field was a natural choice for her.
‘’After getting involved in project managing the re-fitment of a charter yacht in 2004, I found a new life calling – at sea. Sailing and living at sea for 4 years I realized the need to conserve and protect the Oceans. I have set out to dedicate my life to making a difference,” Natashia explains.

At the time of launching Green Life Store, she had over 2000 products listed, but in 2011, her business became a global partner to Vegware UK and the focus shifted to importing, exporting and selling a range of eco-friendly food packaging – Vegware. As the UK’s first and only completely compostable food packaging firm, Natashia was excited to get on board and is now the Vegware distributer for Africa.
“All of our eco packaging products are made from annually-renewable or recycled materials, and are all biodegradable or compostable,” Natashia says, “Some of our products are made from bagasse, which is biodegradable and compostable, that is made from sugarcane fibre left over after juice extraction.”

Though there is a perception that eco-friendly food packaging is substantially more costly to clients, Natashia says the industry has become more competitive and as the market expands and her volumes increase, so the prices would adjust accordingly.
“Becoming a sustainable society will take time but the Green wave has started in South Africa and I am confident that it will spread from the more eco-conscious communities that can afford to drive the Green wave, and later to the poorer communities as prices comes down,” she says.
“Becoming more sustainable is, in my opinion, about living more sustainable yet having the same lifestyle. We do not need to compromise on our way of living, going 50 years back, lighting candles to save electricity. We need to choose the more sustainable options available to us. Choose to support the restaurants that support Sustainable Seafood and use eco-friendly packaging.”

Still, Natashia says that the majority of local consumers are still ignorant of their sustainable choices.
“Sustainability is consumer driven. Large companies will not switch to more expensive packaging if they are not made aware that they are losing profits due to consumers choosing their Greener competitors. Consumers have the power to insist on products being eco-friendly.
Choose wisely.”

It’s a long road in terms of seeing a major impact, but Natashia is happy knowing that her business is a part of the solution: that every item packaged in her eco-friendly packaging is guilt free and no plastic will end up floating around our ocean currents for hundreds of years to come.