There's nothing we love more than getting to know our local business community. At a time when natural skincare products are in demand, we want to make sure you can find them locally. Learn more about new ENSA business member Careha + Co and the amazing and safe skincare products for pregnancy and beyond.
What does ethical mean to you in daily practice?
"Do good, be good" is a motto that I live by daily. In my daily acts of living a sustainable and ethical lifestyle, I always try to think about how my actions will affect others. No matter how small, everything culminates into something much bigger. In my business practice, everything down to the vendors I use for my supplies is important and hand-picked by myself.
Tell us about Careha + Co.
Careha + Co. originally started as BayBee Boutique LLC back in February of 2014. While on maternity leave with my law firm, I still wanted to find a way to support our household financially. Originally the idea was to have an online retail shop of the best mama and baby products out there. Then somehow I found myself to be the maker, no doubt inspired by the needs of my growing son! About 4 years ago I rebranded to Careha + Co., with a new logo and look. I wanted to not just be associated with "babies" as my original name suggested. Instead, I wanted mamas to be front and center. That's how my new name came about. It was created using the first two letters of my full name, CArley REnee HAll. The "co." is representative of my (and all) kids. Careha + Co. now focuses on providing high-quality wellness products for mama and baby, but with a specific focus on pregnancy and the postpartum period.
What aspects of Careha + Co.’s business model connect to ethical spaces?
As I am the only employee for the business, this gives me not only all creative control but all decision-making control. It is very important to me that all my supplies are sourced from the USA as much as possible. I try my best to also shop directly with suppliers rather than go through a third-party website (e.g. Amazon - I am actually very anti-Amazon). Reducing my carbon footprint and my overall waste is very important to me as well. Not only reducing my in-office waste, but reducing the amount of waste I send out to my customers. All my packaging can be repurposed or recycled. As a small business, I work very hard to collaborate with other small businesses in my community as well. Lifting up others is very important to me. As a family, we also donate a portion of every month's sales to various charitable organizations including food banks, international non-profits, and even local humane societies.
What have been the biggest challenges in your ethical journey with Careha + Co? How do you address these obstacles?
Nailing down reputable, eco-friendly, and USA-based suppliers were probably my biggest hurdles as I grew in my business. It was always very important to me to make sure my ingredients were locally-sourced, with minimal packaging, and the company itself was responsible. I always try to "vet" my suppliers, call and ask about their practices, and ensure I can get my supplies shipped in eco-friendly packaging when possible.
What inspires you to keep going?
I could say my inspiration to keep going is being a mom and wanting to set an example for my kids. But, honestly, my true inspiration is all the mamas and babies I've watched grow up the past 7+ years. I love reading about their experiences using my products and how I made a difference for them. Whether it's faster healing, a relaxed baby, or just an overall happy mama, I absolutely LOVE reading their stories. I am so incredibly thankful. Each time I feel like closing up shop, I will get an alert for a new 5-star review that just continues to fuel my fire!
How do you see Careha + Co. growing in its ethical practices? Where would you like to be in the next few years?
Eventually, I would like to be completely zero-waste, and then some. I do offer an empty jar/ bottle return and also ask for my local customers/ followers to drop by their packaging materials for me to use. However, I would like to focus more on those two options and make sure that it is a primary focus in 2022. I would also love to do more collaborations; with natural-minded healthcare providers, mental health providers, women-owned businesses, BIPOC-owned businesses, and more!
Tell us your funniest fail as an ethical/sustainable business.
I don't think I've had an epic failure at this point... I did purchase a huge bundle of boxes for a gift set that. Unfortunately, the gift set didn't come to fruition and now I have these odd-shaped boxes that will probably take me years to use. But... they WILL get used!
Shop woman-owned skincare brand Careha + Co on their website or in person at Handmade on Main in Boerne, TX.
