Supply chain transparency is a vital practice in anti-greenwashing approaches to marketing and communication, and a prized value at Hive to Home. With that, we’re excited to launch a new column on the blog: the Hive to Home Network!
So much of what we buy has hidden ingredients, processes, and origins, masked by flashy packaging and advertising. And this isn’t the fault of the consumer, but rather an (unfortunate) standard practice in our industrial ways.
When ingredients and processes are hidden from the consumer, advertisers can claim a product is ‘green’ or ‘environmentally responsible’ without providing much data to support their claim. The EU is cracking down on the issue of ‘greenwashing’ after a study found that 42% of ‘green’ claims in advertising were either false or deceptive. Greenwashing has emerged due to the consumer desire for environmentally friendly and ethical products. It’s a marketing and branding strategy that capitalizes on these desires, resulting in a mislead consumer and misrepresented reality!
With greenwashing in mind, it seems that a healthy dose of ‘materialism’ can be a good thing. Materialism might have negative connotations and associations with ‘consumerism’, but when siphoned from this term, it's simply about valuing material goods – the ones you have, the ones you want and the ones you need to buy. Knowing the origins, ingredients and processes contained in an item allows you to appreciate the energy and artisanship that was put into making it, as well as to understand how to care for that item. Nothing is indestructible, but with an understanding of how to care for an item, you can preserve and extend the life of the items that you love and need.
We’re excited to share a more thorough look at the ingredients and processes that go into the creation of HTH beeswax wraps. While the ingredient list may be shorter that other household supplies, it’s still important to provide a mental map of where each component comes from and how each component used. This week we’ll start with an obvious necessity: beeswax!
HTH uses beeswax from Cosman & Whidden Honey. In 2013, Chelsey met Cosman & Whidden while she was working at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market. Upon starting HTH in 2018, Chelsey knew exactly who to contact as her beeswax supplier. You can check out the their website here, as they too break down the process of beekeeping, harvesting honeycomb, and creating the variety of products that come from this incredible resource!
The beeswax comes in milk cartons from Greenwich, Nova Scotia. When heated to a liquid in the crockpot, each carton has a distinct smell – some floral, some peaty – which varies depending on the type of orchard the bees were pollinating! Chelsey melts down the beeswax and uses a roller to cover each wrap in a generous layer of wax.
Beeswax is incredibly versatile and is useful in many domains – cosmetics, candles, hygiene products, polishing, waterproofing, mummification, or even for waxing your skis!