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Thank you so much for all your support and generosity to date. With the help of each...
LITTLE BEAU SHEEP
Ilkley, England, United Kingdom
Aim
Let’s turn the tide on plastic - help this little sheep find a friendlier alternative to plastic packaging
MEET LITTLE BEAU SHEEP
Using the best of British wool, lovely lanolin and a fondness for all things natural, Little Beau Sheep is flying the flag for a kinder, gentler and more eco-friendly approach to laundry and body care. As the name suggests, we’re a sheep-based business and front and centre of our growing range of goodies are our famous tumble dryer balls.
Offering an effective and sustainable alternative to traditional plastic balls, these adorable woolly mascots are a natural alternative to fabric softeners. Handmade in Yorkshire from 100% British wool, our dryer balls are chemical free, relying instead on their native lanolin content to naturally soften clothes. Natural and bio-degradable, they provide a planet-friendly alternative to their plastic prototypes – and also do their bit to support native and rare sheep breeds along the way. What’s not to love?
BALLS TO PLASTIC
Dryer balls first came about as the result of two big life events: the arrival of my ace children and the renovation of our home. This meant living in a small flat whilst the family house was knocked into shape. The laundry quota for two little ones is pretty high and in direct contrast to the amount of drying space in our temporary wee abode.
Consequently, the tumble dryer became my best friend – along with plastic dryer balls to hurry things up. But have you heard the noise those things make? In our little flat, it was more than I could bear and so the search for a quiet alternative started. A long-standing love affair with pure British wool got me thinking and after a bit of experimentation, dryer balls came into being. Hey presto, soft dry clothes without any nasty plastic or chemicals. Win-win!
TIME TO RAISE THE BAAA ON PACKAGING
At the moment, Little Beau Sheep’s dryer balls come in packaging in a plastic box. This lets customers who come to see me at events decide which sheep tickles their fancy. Will they go for a Whitefaced Woodland, Suffolk or Zwartble or indeed any of the adorable characters in my multi-breed flock? It’s also robust enough for postage in the UK and overseas, so seemed the perfect solution. Along with the fact it was recyclable (and I thought people would do the right thing) plastic initially seemed a good solution. Since Little Beau Sheep started, however, we’ve all learned a lot more about the disastrous effect of plastic on our planet and especially our amazing oceans. That’s why I want to do what I can to be part of the solution and not the problem…
WHY NOW?
Barely a day goes by without some update on the drastic plastic epidemic. Who can forget David Attenborough’s awe-inspiring Blue Planet and its heart-wrenching images of a mother pilot whale cradling a dead calf killed by her own plastic-contaminated milk. Who can’t feel sad and angry at the fact there will be more plastic than fish in the seas by 2050. Who doesn’t feel shocked that UK plastic recycling rates are just 44.9% as opposed to 81.9% for card and paper. And who else wishes that plastic didn’t take a whopping 450 years to decompose?
As the President of my local Women’s Institute, I’m also part of the campaign to End Plastic Soup. One of the shocking truths I’ve learned from my involvement is that even when plastic is recycled it often ends up in clothing fabric which when washed, sheds into the water system and our seas. The only solution seems to be ending the use of plastic. With your help, I can do that with Little Beau Sheep and do my bit to keep the world a better place for all of us.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
By helping me reach my campaign target of £2,000 – which includes the £1,000 funding prize from Crowdfunder – your donation will go towards the plastic-free re-design and production of packaging for my 100% Wool Dryer Balls, Laundry Ball, Essential Oils and Felted Soaps. With your help, I’ll re-create my packaging and postal boxes in totally recyclable cardboard. Ideally, I would then roll this out to include replacing plastic bottles used in my laundry and body care range with aluminium versions instead. Together we can make a difference and in return, you get a special Little Beau Sheep Reward for your caring and kindness.
REWARDS
MEET THE SHEPHERDESS...
Sarah Turner is the founder and driving force behind Little Beau Sheep. After a high-flying career working for a global bank, she wanted to do something more locally focused when children arrived on the scene. Living in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and being a natural crafter and creator, Little Beau Sheep ticked all the boxes. (The Yorkshire Dales, if you don’t know, is Sheep Central.) Besides a love of all things sheep and Yorkshire, Sarah’s driven by a need to make a difference on a local level and beyond. As President of the Women’s Institute in her area, she plays a key role in the organisation’s activity which works tirelessly on issues that are important to women and their communities.
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
Q: I’d love to help out. Can you ship Little Beau Sheep Rewards abroad?
A: No problem. Your donation includes the cost of delivery so you can join in from anywhere on the planet. Intergalactic pledges welcome, postage we may need to discuss.
Q: Can I pledge for more than one Reward?
A: Of course – I’d be delighted if you did. You just need to make a separate pledge each time. If you get stuck just drop a line to [email protected] and they’ll help you out.
Q: How many dryer balls do I need for each load?
A: Good question. Three minimum and for heavier loads, I’d go six. You can even scent them with essential oils to give your washing a lovely fresh aroma. (Just make sure you do it an hour or so before tumbling to let the oil dry off.)
Q: Can I pledge anonymously?
A: No problem. If you’re using your Reward as a gift, it’s a great idea. Just make sure to tick the right option as you go through the pledging process. I’ll still be able to see your details at this end, so your Reward will still end up wherever you want it to.
Q: How soon can I expect my Reward?
A: I have already started working up concepts for the new cardboard packaging and aim to deliver all rewards in plastic-free packaging mid-April 2018.
Q: I love the idea, but will it really make much of a difference?
A: To paraphrase Gandhi, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. And only by everyone doing so can we work together to reverse the tide of plastic pollution for us and the generations to come. I believe that every effort – no matter how big or small – helps to achieve that goal.
This project successfully funded on 28th March 2018