Indie beauty conversation with Lofty Box

16 Sep 2021 --- Subscription-based Lofty Box teams up with ethical beauty and wellbeing brands to take their surplus stock and offer it to those who want it. We spoke to Claudia Meller, co-founder of Lofty Box, about the concept of giving a home to surplus stock that would typically go to waste or landfill.

What was the inspiration behind launching Lofty Box?

Click to EnlargeClaudia Meller and Lofty are on a mission to eridicate waste. Source: Lofty Box.Only last year, in 2020, my business partner Emily Joyce and I were discussing ways in which a small business might get their product in front of new customers without breaking the bank with expensive advertising and PR. 

At the time, I was running a small, made-to-order fashion line, and we decided that getting some sample items, like scrunchies, into a subscription box could work well. 

What was missing from the mainstream beauty subscription market that you sought to fill with Lofty Box?

We couldn't find any boxes with sustainability and small business at the heart, so we made one! We are both passionate about supporting independents, but also living sustainably and saving stock which may go to waste for one reason or another, such as best before dates. We have combined these two aspects into one box.

What are consumers demanding from their favorite beauty and personal care products and brands?

Eco-friendly ingredients and packaging are huge for beauty and skin care at the moment. We have worked with a couple of brands producing their stock in biodegradable packaging, which we find fascinating and foresee this becoming a huge trend. Vegan and cruelty-free products still reign supreme and we now have an option to request a fully vegan Lofty Box.

What was your inspiration behind collaborating with other brands that have surplus stock?

Click to EnlargeThe small start-up has big plans to connect companies and consumers. Source: Lofty Box.I think this probably goes back a long way, as Emily and I have been lucky enough to grow up being taught about food and waste. We have always been conscious to live sustainably but are trying to encourage others who may not be aware there is such a huge waste problem, especially in the food and drink industry. Often, supermarkets will only take stock with a very long shelf life and smaller brands can struggle to move along products with shorter dates. This can often end up in landfills, which we absolutely can't stand! 

We are on a mission to educate people about best before dates and how it is perfectly safe to consume products past this date. The Food Standards Agency clearly states this on their website.

What does collaboration with other brands involve?

Brand collaboration starts with either the brand reaching out to us, or vice versa. At the beginning, we contacted all the brands we believed were creating innovative or sustainable businesses. It is great that word has spread and brands are coming to us now. 

We work with sample items and surplus, and collaborate closely with brands to ensure we convey the most important messages. As well as inclusion in our boxes, we create a marketing campaign for each brand to launch on our website, socials and at events.

What were the greatest challenges to achieving your vision for Lofty Box?

Time! We are a small start-up and have funded our launch ourselves, alongside working other jobs. It is a huge amount of work and we have lots of ideas we are trying to work on.   

On a more practical level, there are a lot of brands trying very hard to make sustainable products, but it is often very difficult for them to achieve with the funds they have available (in a similar way to us). For example, recyclable and biodegradable packaging is much more expensive than that which you just throw away.

What are the greatest opportunities to come from it?

Firstly, we want to support as many small businesses as possible. They can let their product do the talking rather than competing with a saturated market with digital ads and PR. Secondly, we have already saved thousands of products from going to waste and want to continue to do this throughout our journey.

What are your short and long-term hopes and goals for Lofty Box and the wider BPC industry?

We are passionate about creating a community of both entrepreneurs and consumers wanting to create a more sustainable world. Our aim is to connect these two and help everyone make more informed choices. We have a few new products in the pipeline, including a Christmas 'special' and a more tailored box.

By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist