First things first, can you tell us about the brand’s beginnings and ethos? What is the OBJECT BEAUTY story so far?
The idea of Object initially came from wanting to create a plastic-free brand – that was our core principle, then it expanded to being a brand that tries to give back as much as possible, and that is where the butterfly mark comes in, as it is awarded to brands who pay special attention to their impact on the planet and society, while also creating a luxury offering. One of the other ways we are also trying to create a really solid community is with our Magazine (a monthly online newsletter), which will be back with a bang this month. In the ‘magazine’ we talk about a range of important issues, including food waste, self-care and mental health, and other zero-waste brands for our community to try.
Object as a whole was really triggered by the amount of plastic in our bathroom, and it quickly expanded into other areas where we wanted to improve the selfcare offering within the zero-waste industry. And it’s turning into a movement, which is great to be part of!
We have seen some amazing new plastic-free advances recently, including new packaging from Proctor and Gamble in Brazil. There are, thankfully, some really interesting new ideas for plastic-free and cardboard packaging emerging.
Can you describe your brand in just three words?
Premium, ethical, plastic-free.
What sets OBJECT apart from the rest of the industry?
The reaction that we have had so far is, we are the only brand that are making plastic-free and natural fashionable and cool. We are design-led and have ethics and sustainability at the core, so we are stocked in gen-z-centric outlets like Wolf & Badger, and we are bringing plastic-free to a new, younger audience.
Who is OBJECT aimed at? Do you have a ‘poster’ person in mind when developing your products?
Our products are for a younger ‘conscious consumer’, who is not attracted by the traditional, natural organic design aesthetic. Object speaks to a younger audience who want to still feel treated and cared for by luxury products, but not sacrifice their impact on the environment either – when you think each bar is the equivalent of 2 or 3 shampoo bottles, this is a real difference!
So, do you have a favourite product?
Our favorite is the Moisturising Shampoo Bar, because of the gorgeous natural smell that hits you when you open your box or travel tin, and the pink/blue combo on the packaging too. A definite runner up would be the Cleansing Bar, because of its boldness and neon yellow package – it is something both of us use on our face each morning, and it really moisturises! It is the most nourishing ‘soap’ bar we’ve used yet!
What is the best thing about being the Founder Of OBJECT BEAUTY?
For us, it would be getting to work with your partner together, it is brilliant – we are an openly gay couple, and that is something we wanted to bring to the brand too – it is made for everyone, and we are here to accept all gender identities, sexualities and our bars are made for all skin types too. We are incredibly proud that we have created something so powerful and beautiful, and even if everything went wrong tomorrow, we would still be proud that we would made something!
Jack[Wolton] has always worked for other companies, always wanting independence, and to start his own thing. It is a great challenge, the ethics and sustainability, and seeing how others run their business and challenging ourselves to do better.
What is next for OBJECT BEAUTY?
We want to make the first products a real success before launching more, but we are developing more bars at the moment, and want to move into other products like creams, and to develop a liquid shampoo and conditioner, but we have not found a container that meets our standards yet. We want to move with technology as it evolves, and maintain being a zero-waste, plastic-free brand.
