UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa — Earth Day often earmarks an opportunity for the average person to embrace more environmentally friendly habits.
But for stores such as FD Market, it's just another Monday.
The sustainable refillery and houseware store offers a variety of eco-friendly products, as wide-ranging as cleaning products, body care and even kitchenware.
Sustainable business practices don't end at what meets the eye — there's more environmentally conscious efforts taking place behind the scenes,.FD Market owner owner Jackie Basset
Sustainable business practices don't end at what meets the eye — there's more environmentally conscious efforts taking place behind the scenes, owner Jackie Basset said.
Basset describes her business as one that embraces an “closed-loop” model — meaning FD Market has no waste in its supply chain.
To mitigate inflated costs, Basset said she’s partnered with Pennsylvania-based suppliers to stimulate the local economy.
She both offers an opportunity to keep costs low and business local and also decreases FD Market’s carbon footprint by not shipping goods in bulk from overseas.
Those items can be bought in-store or online.
Practice in packaging
In-store customers can bring their own items to refill. And oftentimes, regulars will leave reusable containers for newcomers who might stop by unexpectedly without a repurposed container. There’s a communal shelf up for grabs.
For customers who buy items online, Basset said she prefers to ship in pre-used boxes. If FD Market runs low on boxes, all it takes is one Instagram call out asking for donations, she said.
"We've actually never purchased like a shipping box before, which is crazy," Basset said.
"We've been in business for five years, we shipped thousands of online orders. If we're running out .. we put a post out and people love to bring them to us."
All products are labeled in-store with bio-degradable sugarcane labels, made from Cliff Ross Ad Agency, an Easton printing shop.
Basset said she worked with the company exclusively to pick a locally sourced sustainable label.
'Worth the extra time'
In the end, the efforts aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it — to Basset, anyway.
"We've seen a lot of people that get on board and that have no interest in supporting unsustainable brands anymore," Basset said.
"They really care about what they're spending their money on, and that's the kind of future that's important to them. So it's something that I do feel super passionate about.
"And I do think that it's worth the extra time, energy and money."
And she’s not the only one to feel that way.
Other businesses, such as Zekraft, in Bethlehem and the Promenade Saucon Valley; and Green Vida Co., in Easton have taken up eco-friendly practices, too.
Both stores, though individually owned, offer similar promotional programs that reward customers for returning the glass containers used for their food products.
Zekraft offers 50 cents off per jar, and Green Vida Co. offers 75 cents off per jar and 25 cents per juice shot container.
"We do try and go the extra mile in terms of thinking about doing the right thing. And quite honestly, that's really what it comes down to, and kind of how we started the business — It's just trying to do the right thing for overall."Zeke Zelker, owner of Zekraft
There’s no guarantee customers will return with their glassware, but those that do make it worth it, Zekraft owner Zeke Zelker and Green Vida Co. founder Jackie Rueda said.
Zelker said he sometimes even hears customers say they repurpose their containers, much like the “closed-loop” model Basset tries to promote at FD Market.
Not just Earth Day
Repurposing isn't the intended goal at Zekraft, but Zelker said he's happy to know its sustainable efforts make any difference, whether it's through biodegradable packaging, straws or glassware incentive.
"We do try and go the extra mile in terms of thinking about doing the right thing," Zelker said. "And quite honestly, that's really what it comes down to, and kind of how we started the business.
"It's just trying to do the right thing for overall."
Green Vida Co. also offers biodegradable packaging, but also prioritizes minimizing food waste, Rueda said.
Instead of throwing scraps in the trash, leftovers go to the chickens at Hens on a Hill in Bangor, from which Green Vida Co. sources fresh eggs.
"We try to we try to embody everything [sustainable], just because that should be the way you do business," Rueda said. "For us, especially because of what we serve and the customer we serve to."
It's not something Zekraft nor Green Vida Co. show off, owners said in separate interviews. Their everyday sustainable practices boil down to doing what feels best.
"It's the right thing to do. Because you don't build a community by isolating yourself, you build a community by supporting each other."Zekraft owner Zeke Zelker
Zelker said growing up with Pennsylvania Dutch roots, reusing items is in his blood — starting a business that didn't embody that in some way felt wrong.
By offering incentives to maintain a more eco-friendly business — albeit more time consuming and costly — Zelker said he feels is the best way to promote a sustainable lifestyle to Zekraft customers every day, not just Earth Day.
"Again, it's the right thing to do," Zelker said. "Because you don't build a community by isolating yourself, you build a community by supporting each other."
