Innovation

Raising two daughters heightened Irene's awareness of her household's significant reliance on single-use plastics, particularly in personal care products. Confronted with market options that were either expensive, of subpar quality, or environmentally damaging, she recognized a critical gap. This realization led to the inception of The Eco Shift in 2018. Spearheaded by Villaespin, the innovation of this enterprise lies in its comprehensive approach to mitigating environmental damage through consumer goods, specifically in the realm of personal care essentials in the Philippines. The enterprise is designed to offer quality, affordable solutions that serve its direct purpose and aim for broader ecological sustainability. The company minimizes its environmental footprint using handcrafted, natural ingredients and plastic-free packaging. In doing so, it addresses a dual crisis: the lack of affordable, plastic-free options and the escalating environmental degradation caused by plastic waste. The brand is active in this crisis, adhering to circular economy principles such as upcycling and recycling.

The Eco Shift diverges from typical commercial models by positioning itself primarily as a catalyst for environmental change rather than a profit-driven enterprise. Under Irene's stewardship, the company's purpose has been to address the plastic pollution crisis in the Philippines at the household level. With personal care products identified as significant contributors to plastic waste, the focus has been on offering alternatives that eliminate the need for single-use plastics. By integrating sustainable, plastic-free materials in their offerings, Villaespin and her team fortify each household's capacity for eco-responsible living. This endeavor aligns with their broader initiative, the #1MillionMission, which aims to influence a million people to transition to plastic-free alternatives as swiftly as possible. Rather than merely providing eco-friendly options, The Eco Shift seeks to be a linchpin in a societal transformation that couples environmental sustainability with daily living. Thus, the organization is not just a business but a mission-centric entity committed to achieving a tangible, lasting environmental impact.

"We envision a world wherein the use of plastic becomes the exception rather than the norm."

- Irene M. Villaespin

Inspiration

Irene Villaespin became aware of her household's heavy reliance on single-use plastic products. The constant accumulation of plastic bottles and sachets, mainly those containing shampoo, weighed heavily on her conscience as she recognized the environmental harm it caused. Driven by a profound desire to reduce plastic waste and extend these changes to other aspects of her daily routine, Irene embarked on a mission to adopt more sustainable practices.

Her journey began with a commitment to eliminate plastic drinking bottles, followed by a conscious shift towards adopting sustainable hair care products free of parabens and harmful chemicals while eschewing plastic packaging. However, finding shampoo options that meet her stringent criteria proved challenging. She wanted shampoo bars that gave her options on different scents while being affordable and healthy for consumers. A glaring gap in the market for shampoo bars that aligned with her values prompted Irene to consider a new path. She was more determined than ever to create her own shampoo and conditioner bars that were all-natural, handcrafted, and entirely plastic-free. While she may not have pioneered "shampoo bars" to the market, Irene's motivation remained unwavering: to offer eco-conscious alternatives to consumers.

Moreover, she wanted to provide different shampoo and conditioner bar options that were cost-effective, plastic-free, and healthy for consumer use. Her entrepreneurial journey began by crafting and selling her products to friends and family. Through the power of social media, her venture quickly gained traction, expanding within just five years of inception.

Irene's unique selling proposition revolved around making the transition to a plastic-free lifestyle seamless without demanding significant sacrifices. Her shampoo and conditioner bars became her flagship products. Starting in her backyard, driven by the desire to contribute to reducing plastic waste in her small way, Irene scaled her business. Today, while still handcrafting her products, she has assembled a diverse team to assist her in running the operation.

"I was struggling to find options (of shampoo bars); thus, I decided that I would be the one to provide it instead."

- Irene M. Villaespin

Her vision and dedication have made her instrumental in promoting sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives in the market.

Overall impact

"Our journey at The Eco Shift, from humble beginnings to now impacting society, economy, and environment, is a testament to our blessings and achievements. Thankfully, we've grown from a small startup to a sustainable business leader, garnering millions in sales, a loyal customer base of over 100,000, and significant environmental contributions, like partaking in removing single-use sachets and plastic bottles from landfills and in the market."

- Irene M. Villaespin

The Eco Shift's unique innovations, which highly emphasize sustainable and eco-friendly personal care products, have made a substantial impact across various aspects, namely, the business, society, and the environment. Right off the bat, the company's influence has been awe-inspiring. Since its humble beginnings in 2018, The Eco Shift has achieved millions in gross sales, indicating significant economic growth. Their strong commitment to promoting sustainability and eco-friendly practices has boosted their reputation and caught the attention of various media outlets. In addition to that, their capacity to expand their workforce and open kiosks in malls signals a clear indication of their success. On top of that, they have established a customer base of over 100,000, with 50% remaining loyal to the brand. The company's continuous dedication to providing fair wages to its employees also highlights its focus on the "People" aspect of triple-bottom-line management.

The company's impact on society is equally noteworthy. The Eco Shift's dedication to fostering inclusivity and diversity is demonstrated by its commitment to an inclusive and female-empowered workplace culture, alongside its support for the LGBT community. Their products, which are crafted from organic ingredients and are free from artificial additives, such as sulfates, parabens, and more, promote sustainable consumerism and enhance the well-being of consumers. The business has significantly reduced plastic waste and improved the environment in three years by preventing 16.5 million single-use sachets and 750,000 plastic bottles from entering landfills. Regarding the environment, the innovation has led to a significant reduction in carbon footprint. By advocating for eco-friendly packaging materials and minimizing machinery use in production, The Eco Shift actively participates in the fight against global warming, directly supporting Sustainable Development Goal 13. In addition, their innovative "swap and refill" option prevents plastic bottles from polluting oceans and landfills, thus aligning with SDGs 14 and 15 by protecting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In the short term, Eco Shift's efforts have increased sales, created a growing customer base, and provided immediate environmental benefits by preventing plastic waste. In the long term, their commitment to sustainability and ecological responsibility will likely have a lasting impact. They are positioned as a purpose-driven ecosystem focused on creating positive social change while ensuring profitability, which indicates their long-term commitment to their mission.

Lastly, the company's quick expansion in sales, customer base, and media recognition provides tangible proof of these effects. Their environmental impact comes from removing 16.5 million single-use sachets and 750,000 plastic bottles from landfills. Likewise, their social impact is highlighted by their dedication to providing living wages for their staff and their devoted customer base. Ultimately, the business's support for the Sustainable Development Goals further bolsters the advantages of its innovation.

Business benefit

"We're aiming to drive a business revolution, blending our business operations with our mission to shift the Philippine personal care market towards affordable, effective, and sustainable plastic-free essentials."

- Irene M. Villaespin

The ECO Shift's business benefits are multifaceted, encompassing market differentiation and leadership, an eco-friendly supply chain, and increased consumer demand for sustainable products. These can be attributed to the company's mission: "To influence people to shift to plastic-free products by providing plastic-free essentials that are effective and affordable."

As stated, because of the limited plastic-free alternatives in the market, the company has become the pioneer in providing plastic-free essentials, positioning itself as a market leader in the sustainable product industry. This also sets them apart as they can gain a competitive advantage because of their unique products. In addition, they can also create a solid and loyal customer base because their advocacy can easily attract consumers who also value sustainability. It can also influence other like-minded businesses to start a similar venture, thus potentially increasing the demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products in the market.

Aside from being a market leader and differentiator, suppliers of eco-friendly and sustainable materials can also benefit from the company as its emphasis can extend beyond its products to its supply chain; thus, The ECO Shift prioritizes sourcing materials from these suppliers to achieve its objective. Lastly, the company can also tap into the consumer demand for eco-friendly and sustainable products as they raise awareness about plastic's environmental impact on our planet. This can foster a shift in consumer preferences towards plastic-free products, positively affecting eco-conscious businesses like The ECO Shift.

Watch video

Social and environmental benefit

"Apart from creating products, we're dedicated to achieving Sustainable Development Goals for the betterment of our planet and people. We also use social media to spread awareness about protecting our Earth."

- Irene M. Villaespin

The ECO Shift presents many benefits to society and the environment. One of the most prominent benefits is how they take concrete actions to help make our planet healthy. The company focuses on eliminating PET bottles, which is why they offer plastic-free alternatives that can help reduce plastic pollution, leading to the preservation of natural habitats and wildlife. This ultimately encompasses SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) as their efforts strive to reduce plastic waste, which eventually help preserve ecosystems. In addition, their efforts also aim towards lowering the carbon footprint, which can be beneficial in mitigating climate change. Because of this, they can encompass SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Concentrating efforts on making the planet a better place to live will undoubtedly bring significant benefits to both the environment and society; however, it is also vital to impart knowledge and information to the masses about being eco-conscious and sustainability-oriented. In other words, promoting sustainable consumer behavior is also as important as taking action to make the planet healthy. The ECO Shift does this by raising awareness about the environmental impact of using plastic daily on their social media pages and informing people about the benefits of sustainable living. With this, the company empowers individuals to shift to a sustainable lifestyle, motivates them to make informed choices, and encourages them to patronize eco-friendly options.

Interview

Irene M. Villaespin, Founder