Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Carina, a Brazilian Product Designer and Founder of Beewise. She has been living in Amsterdam since 2016.
Her mission is to reduce plastic use by making eco-friendly, reusable, non-toxic, and sustainable products available to everyone. She encourages people to live a sustainable life by helping them make conscious choices with the day-to-day products they use through her brand Beewise.
Hi, please tell us about yourself.
I’m passionate about nature and the environment since I was a little child. This passion came mainly from the magical summer holidays spent at my grandmother’s farm in Brazil. I used to play outdoors every day with my cousins. Most of the food we ate was from the farm. We took care of the animals, ate fruit directly from the trees, and took baths in the dams and waterfalls. It was the best place to experience life together with nature.
What inspired you to start Beewise?
In the last few years, I was overwhelmed by the quantity of plastic waste we generate every day and the huge quantity of single-use plastic products that are still being used. In this period, my kids were babies, and I frequented places where there were other mothers. I saw many disposable products for kids that were bought without thinking about the consequences for our environment. After it, I felt that I couldn’t stay still.
There are already a few eco brands in the Netherlands, but they are not really available for people. They are not easy to find, and their price is much higher than the standard product people normally buy. I could also resell other brands, but I already had in my mind many details that I would like to change in the current products available. So, I needed to start from zero. I decided to create a brand that sells only eco-friendly products in plastic-free packaging.
Please tell us more about your company, Beewise.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
I love this quote from Howard Zinn:
‘Small acts when multiplied by millions of people can transform the world.’
Thinking on it, I hope to inspire as many people as possible to make little changes in their lives so we can together have a big impact on the world. If through sharing tips for a more sustainable life in Social Media I inspire only one little change per day, I will be already happy to make this difference in someone’s life.
It is also nice to hear from friends who follow me that they are getting some inspiration from my tips and making already some changes in their lifestyle. For example, searching for products with less packaging, buying more plastic-free products, buying less and better. It makes me feel that I’m on the right track.
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about you?
To inspire and educate people about the consequence of our ‘throw-away’ culture, I have an Instagram account where I share info about it @beewise_amsterdam. Feel free to reach me there; you can drop me a DM anytime. You can also check out the products available at my website.
Thank you so much Carina for giving us your precious time! We wish you the best for your journey ahead!