Welcome to our exclusive Q&A Exhibitor Interview series in the run-up to Eco Life Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair which return on 17-18 November 2021. we’ll be speaking to some of our exhibitors. You’ll find out how they adapt to the current climate, their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Plus, what they are doing to support their teams and local communities.
We’re delighted to talk to Vaiva Zvirblyte, the Founder and Director of SOLIDU.
Coming from a badly managed plastic waste country like China, it was easy to see why the world needs to focus on less harmful products to protect the environment. Part of my vision with SOLIDU was to eliminate water and plastic from an industry that is currently dominated by these resources.
How did you get into the natural sector?
Born in Lithuania, I lived in Shanghai for seven years. Once I decided to leave China, I went traveling around Asia. I gave away all my things and had to fit all my life possessions in one backpack. That’s when I discovered solid shampoos and they blew my mind! I was amazed that I had never heard about it, nor had any of my friends. I always thought that shampoos and conditioners were liquid. It never crossed my mind that they could be solid.
After this trip, I returned to Lithuania and started making solid shampoo and cosmetics by myself, which was a complete career change for me. Coming from a badly managed plastic waste country like China, it was easy to see why the world needs to focus on less harmful products to protect the environment. Part of my vision with SOLIDU was to eliminate water and plastic from an industry that is currently dominated by these resources.
Can you tell us a little bit about your company?
SOLIDU is an environmentally conscious, woman-owned cosmetics brand from Lithuania. We specialize in making solid hair care products as well as other body products only by using concentrated active ingredients and do not add any water – and it means no plastic packaging. In fact, our packaging is 100% backyard biodegradable in just 45 days! Your everyday body care products contain around 80% water, yet SOLIDU bars are made only from the stuff that you need: skin-loving active ingredients, quality oils, botanical extracts and natural essential oils.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities facing the natural/vegan/free from/sustainable sector/s?
In the near future, there will be no question which of the brands are sustainable or ethical. I think every single company will have to face the challenge and look for ways to cut their impact on the environment. We already see it with natural cosmetics. The movement started with small indie brands and now it is so mainstream that it is difficult to find cosmetics that are NOT mostly natural, so it’s not even a selling point anymore.
And what do you think are the biggest challenges?
I think people tend to look for an easy answer; an easy way out. They wish to be more sustainable without having to change anything in their lifestyle. However, it is unrealistic that a beauty product or any other product would be 100% sustainable. Everything we do leaves a footprint and our existence alone uses resources and pollutes the planet.
At SOLIDU we strive for transparency and honesty, and that means we often have to communicate a difficult message. Even as we try to choose the best of the available options, it’s never 100% good, never 100% sustainable, there is always something that could be improved.
However, we often get challenged by customers who look for definite answers. It would be much easier to just have sweeping, deterministic claims that would make people feel good and it’s difficult to compete when there is so much green-washing in the industry.
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What do you think can be done to educate consumers about the importance of living healthier and more sustainable?
A lot of educating is being done already; the question is if educating consumers is enough. Education is necessary, but what I think what we need most is accessibility. If a healthy lifestyle becomes affordable, if sustainable products become commonplace, people will make the switch. Most of us do want to be more sustainable, but if people can’t afford or find other options, they will stick with unsustainable clothing, beauty and food options.
What role should small and medium-sized businesses play in developing the natural/vegan/free from/sustainable markets?
Even though it is much harder for small businesses to afford R&D and product innovation, I find that they care much more and have a more personal approach. They are close to their clients, feel the pulse of the market better. They have the advantage of experimenting, innovating, failing or succeeding quickly, and are able to bring change about today, instead of making a 15-year sustainability plan. I believe it is important to encourage and support small and medium businesses in these endeavors and to act as a guide for the larger corporations.
How has the COVID pandemic affected your business?
All of the exhibitions, events and meetings that were planned that year were cancelled. However, we found this time useful to reflect, concentrate on improving our internal processes, and redefine our path. Due to the help offered by the Lithuanian government during the pandemic we didn’t have to let a single employee go or make other drastic changes. However, we can’t wait to get vaccinated, get out there and see our clients face-to-face!
How do you see the evolution of your business channel (Horeca, retail, online, B2C etc) after COVID?
Even before the pandemic we concentrated a lot on online sales, as did many of our clients. SOLIDU is a young company and upon our launch, we already knew that online is the way to go. We were never too attached to physical locations. So, I think we will not see a drastic shift in direction after COVID.
Do you have any plans or news that you can tell us about?
We are constantly pushing ourselves to design new products and to enter new markets. We are working on increasing our range of products as well as our exposure. If it is not already, trust that we are working hard on getting SOLIDU onto shelves near you.
Is there anything else that you would like to add to this interview?
I would like to thank Eco Life Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair for their continued efforts in promoting an eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. I am honoured to answer these questions for you all and take part in the ‘Fika with’ series. The entire SOLIDU teams loves talking and meeting new people, so do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any comments or questions! We will hopefully see everyone in Malmö in November!
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