- Hannah Stanton
- 26th November 2019
Today we have the absolute pleasure of speaking to BIDBI customer Hannah Stanton from Lune Essentials.
1. So, for those who haven’t heard of you, tell us a little bit about Lune Essentials.
Lune Essentials is a 100% natural vegan brand offering essential oil-based products including an aromatherapy pulse point treatment, a multi-purpose pillow, yoga mat and face spray and soy wax candles. Each product is infused with a calming blend of lavender, cedar wood and sweet orange essential oils. Lune started out of personal necessity as I wanted a completely natural spray for my yoga mat. I began experimenting with essential oils and after a few months of pairing different oils together, I decided upon the woody, floral and citrus balance. Several months later, the range had grown and before I knew it, I was making bottles for friends and family. The demand and feedback from those around me inspired me to take the plunge and Lune was born.
2. We love your ethically conscious and sustainable values, what really spurred you to make this central to Lune Essentials’ ethics?
I have always looked up to entrepreneurs who can combine their passion and product and give back. To me that is the ultimate goal as nothing feels better than being of service to someone else. The environmental values of Lune were a no brainer for two reasons; waste and aesthetic. I chose amber glass containers and recyclable labels and packaging to minimise unnecessary waste however I also loved the apothecary, clean and simple aesthetic. I also felt that I could take it one step further and that’s when I decided to include the “return, recycle, reward” initiative where you can return your containers to be refilled and get 30% off your next purchase.
Lunes mental health advocacy, was influenced by my own journey with mental health. The benefits of essential oils work hand in hand with calming nerves and anxiety and helping with sleep and so it felt right to align the brand with mental health awareness.
In the last week, I has decided to donate 10% of all commercial holiday sale periods (Black Friday, Boxing Day) to a charity of my choice that I feel needs attention. From a business point of view, engaging in the sales seemed important yet the whole basis of the day has never felt right (the yearly footage that circulates around the world of frenzied shoppers greedily pushing and shoving each other for materialistic nonsense has always hit a nerve). So the question became; to be involved or not be involved? Inspired by another wonderfully conscious brand, a solution presented itself; Black Friday...with a conscious twist. This year, I have decided to donate 10% of all Black Friday sales to the Australian bush fire relief and support for those who have lost their homes or for the earth angels who are caring for the burnt little wildlife who have also been displaced. This cause is personal to me as I am a born and bred Aussie living in the U.K and know many people who have been affected by the drought and consequential fires.
If I could find the core reason behind all of Lunes values, I would say that it comes from a place of; it feels good to help and I always want to do better. I don’t want Lune to ever become stagnant and so I am always researching and thinking of ways to make the brand and myself a positive addition to the world.
3. Something that is really great, is that 20% of the proceeds from your cotton tote bags will be going to Young Minds Charity, tell us about the charity.
YoungMinds is a U.K based charity that advocates and supports young people suffering with their mental health. It provides a 24/7 messenger and phone helpline and campaigns to raise awareness in schools around the country. I often think about my experience growing up and find it hard to comprehend how the youth of today cope with the added pressure of social media. It’s a plight that’s been on the increase and predicted to get worse. Often when you’re young you don’t have the experience to know hard times will pass and so it’s a cause I think is extremely important and I’m thrilled to be in a position to combine my brand and passion with this wonderful charity.
4. With the festive season coming up I think your products would be the perfect sustainable gift! Where can we get hold of them?
Lune has a handful of lovely stockists around London that can be found on the website, however we are also participating in the Regents Place Christmas Markets between Regents Park and Euston Station. Otherwise, our website, www.luneessentials.com hosts all the products as well. We’re also offering a complimentary gift wrapping service which will take the hassle out of Festive Season shopping even more (unless you love wrapping presents like me :) ).
5. And finally, why do you think it is so important to shop ethically?
I think to be conscious about how you shop can filter through to your everyday decision making; the food you buy, researching origins and practises, the way you treat people and ultimately the mark you will leave on the earth. I think it’s important to give power to the ethically conscious brands and make that the new norm as opposed to adding to the corporate giants. I also find that ethical brands have an artisan stamp to their products making them all a little more unique and often with an interesting story attached to them. The tell-tale sign for me can often be found in the quality. When a business is out to make a quick buck, there is often a careless cheapness sensed but ethical brands are usually founded upon a personal passion and so, this respect trickles down to every aspect of the brand from the labelling to the customer service to the impact it makes on the world and finally the product itself.
