The Green Collective - SPRUCE
RRP: $8.90
Bronze
Non-toxic
Made from excellent non-toxic materials. 100% cellulose and cotton. (Certified sustainable trees and cotton fibre offcuts). Water based, eco friendly dyes.
Ethical
SPRUCE non-toxic dishcloths are from Sweden and are printed with emerging designer’s art. They are made in a sustainable factory, where staff are fairly paid under some of the strictest employment laws in the world. The brand’s art designers are also paid for their work, which helps them in growing their brand. The Green Collective utilises local production and support when possible.
Sustainable
SPRUCE dishcloths are sourced sustainably and The Green Collective is currently working towards their EKOS carbon neutral certification. The brand’s minimal packaging is recyclable and compostable, they ensure products are not individually wrapped and tissue paper and stickers from No Issue are also home compostable. All their information is printed on recycled paper using local printers, invoices are always emailed and the brand repurposes all offcuts, straps, pallets, boxes, card, paper, thread, and packaging. The brand estimates to have taken over 5,801,718 single use plastic bags out of circulation, stopped over 60,000 plastic sponges going to landfill and no more microplastic particles going down the plug hole when doing the dishes (Based on once a week use of Goodie Bags sold and on SPRUCE lasting a minimum of 6 months heavy use).
Responsible
The Green Collective has supported charities such as Chasing Coral, My Climate, RSPCA, Sustainable Coastlines, Forest & Bird, Trees for Bees, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. The brand also donates to local school groups, community organisations and auctions to help provide prizes or fundraising opportunities. The Green Collective also matches waste products to businesses who can use them. For example, old kites have been passed to the Cancer Society to use for post surgical purposes.
The brand's superior cloths are often custom printed by corporations, moving away from single-use plastic gifts. Through businesses gifting these to customers/clients they are introducing them to a new habit of cleaning without micro-particles and micro-fibres. Some businesses also on-sell these to assist them in raising money for charitable trusts.
What our experts say...
How nice it was to have a washcloth/sponge that actually looked lovely! It brightened up my kitchen and made me smile every time I saw it. What I really loved about the product was that it acted like a microfiber cloth but (being made of cotton) didn’t lead to pesky fibers going down the drain and adding to the plastic pollution issue. It was incredibly versatile as well; given it’s high level of absorbancy I used it as a drip mat at our water station to soak up any child-induced flooding. A lovely addition to the kitchen.
I am really impressed all over by this company’s dedication to the environment and being a conduit for change. I love that they are the “waste tinder” and that they would put in extra work (that doesn’t necessarily have a financial reward) by offering solutions to other companies/organisations and offering them ideas for eco initiatives. As an artist myself, I was particularly happy that they paid their emerging designers – far too often artists (especially those yet to be established) are asked to make art in exchange for exposure. Exposure does not pay the bills, so I was really pleased to see that. I’m also really happy that they provided the statistics on how much plastic they have replaced and that I don’t need to worry about microfibre shedding from the cloths, which is a really big concern of mine.
– Emily Ehers
I loved that the cloths felt high quality. They don’t break apart when in use like normal sponge type cloths and they also dry out really quickly when not in use. The patterns are pretty and fun too. I found this business’s social responsibility statement really inspiring. I love how they are thinking “outside the box”. I also love how they have been able to repurpose old damaged goods (hot air balloons etc). They obviously prioritise donating to a range of worthy causes as well. Overall I’m really impressed with this business’s product and their ethical, sustainable and socially responsible statements. I will be buying this product again.
– Shannon Welch
Brightening up my kitchen with beautiful prints, these gorgeous cloths are absorbent, surprisingly durable and easy to clean; surfaces, plates and itself – in the dishwasher! My 6 year old daughter loves the Australian animal print so much that she has taken on the responsibility of wiping the table after meals, just to be able to claim it as her own! (If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is!) I love that at the end of it’s long, hard working life I can pop it in the compost. Highly recommended.
– Emily Fletcher
These are fabulous sponges for everyday use – perfect for bench tops, table tops and even washing up. Love how they can be washed easily and reused many times. They absorbed water well and cleaned up spills with ease. Beautiful prints on them – bringing art into your kitchen. Great use of water based, eco friendly dyes and overall low impact products.
– Corrine Sultana