Jill.  We’re proud to produce product that creates a sense of wealth/value for the end receiver.  It’s likely to be used until it’s totally thread bare (I’ve often seen our bags in this state still being used by their loving owners!) or passed to a loved one before at worse it ends on Trademe! I’m particularly
aware and sickened by the general publics lack of value of “things” these days with the advent of cheap imports and ever lowering standards of
quality creating a disposable mentality.

. Value = quality at Jill Main.

B.  What do you do on a practical level that supports this your personal and business commitment to an ecofriendly footprint?

• Jill    Practically, we buy as many raw
  materials as possible from local suppliers (this isn’t easy as more and
  more manufacturers are going offshore). We rarely if ever discard any raw
  materials or seconds etc. There is always some use found. Even our
  smallest fabric swatches are donated to schools.

  
  

• Every bit of paper is recycled within the business – using both
  sides of paper where printing is needed. Between a staff of seven we’re
  lucky to put out ½ to 1 rubbish sack per week and less than 1 blue bin of
  recyclables every 2 weeks. We’re very aware of our power useage and if
  offices aren’t in use, doors are closed to retain heat in smaller areas
  and lights are turned off in those spaces.

  
  

• We use recycled boxes for our dispatch of product – for many years
  I used to scoot around filling my car from the bins behind the 4 Square,
  chemists and when the shops were putting out their old boxes – I haven’t
  done that for a while but now remembering that I’m thinking perhaps I
  should do it again – nothing like finding a good solid clean box for
  free!!!

  
  

• For a number of years now we have reduced the packaging of our
  products and when we have used packaging it’s been either from recycled
  card/paper or we have made the packaging (never from plastic!) desirable
  enough and useable enough for the customer to hopefully hang on to and
  continue using –
• 
  
• I personally have a huge passion for plants and trees and plant as
  many of these as I can afford to do (most of Jill Main NZ profits goes
  into this!!!)

B. What do you want your customers to understand by eco-friendly?

• Jill I want our customers to understand that we do care and consider our
  methods and means of production. That we’re not producing for the sake of
  just making money. That we are considerate of our environment, our
  environmental practices and the future of this planet.

  
  

B. Why is being an eco producer important?  And why is caring for our planet important?

• Jill It’s important to me to know that
  I’m doing my bit within my personal and business life to reduce the impact
  on our planet. I see cleared land with erosion where there was once native
  forest and this depresses me, that people continue to leave these areas
  with no regard for what that is doing to our environment, money being at
  the forefront of their mind. If I can someway do my bit to compensate for
  this kind of thing, I will. Our planet is a beautiful place and there are
  so many species that have already been made extinct or are on the danger
  of extinction lists and these seem to keep growing. Of course the ultimate
  is that like the Easter Islanders – Man could be the next threatened
  species!