Maker Spotlight

We love this part of the job because we get to shine the spotlight on people who make good products and add more good to the world. Even though we ask each of our makers the same 6 questions, we learn something new — every time. You might too. 

This month, we're featuring Lindsay Stutzman, Founder of Weslee Rose.

Weslee Rose is an AAPI woman owned company dedicated to providing a range of kitchen items, organic skincare, concentrated cleaners that help customers move to a greener lifestyle. The company as a whole strives to reduce its own footprint by using compostable & recycled materials, glass packaging, and by creating concentrated recipes. Weslee Rose uses non toxic, wholesome & organic ingredients that have been sustainably sourced. 

As a wife and mother who was simply trying to avoid single use plastics in her own family, Lindsay began by making beeswax wraps and snack bags for her kids' lunches. She very quickly discovered that there was a need in her local community for greener household goods, so her family went all-in on building the Weslee Rose business and their selection of eco-friendly products. From humble beginnings as a small family business, Weslee Rose products are now popular across the nation, and Lindsay is constantly inspired to create new and innovative products for her customers.

So, without further ado, here's our Q & A with Lindsay:

What's Good: What does being eco-friendly mean to you?
Lindsay: To me, being eco friendly means thoughtful intention. Trying our best to make choices that are healthy for us as individuals and for us as a community.

What's Good: What's your biggest climate change fear/concern?
Lindsay: Without question my biggest fear is the idea of too little too late. I worry about the world we are leaving, and that as a collective, people will realize it’s too late and we should have done more sooner.

What's Good: If our readers could only do one green thing, what would it be and why?
Lindsay: I think sometimes we get caught up in these big habit changes, or going all in, and that is something that can be overwhelming & prohibitive, or hard to maintain. I think the best thing we can all do is to try and make reasonable lifestyle changes that makes sense in your own life, and just keep leveling up from there. Keep learning, use & reuse, and make switches as they fit into your life.

What's Good: What's the biggest 'bad habit' YOU have as it relates to eco/sustainable lifestyle? 
Lindsay: I think it applies to all aspects of my life - not planning ahead! I can be the Mom at the playground with my carefully curated healthy snacks in my reusable snack bags, with my cutlery rolls and silverware, hand wash sheets, reusable water bottles, etc etc. Or I can be the hot mess lady with hangry children and no plan, so I have to grab something on the go. I am trying hard to think ahead so I can make mindful decisions.

What's Good: What started you on your eco-journey?
Lindsay: I have two answers. The first time my children were both in school full time, I was going through so many ziplock bags for snack & lunch time. I went to buy snack bags in December (after the back to school rush) and there really weren’t any great options locally. I researched making bags, and there were so many really bad tutorials - like melting different toxic laminates from the craft store onto fabrics. I found a fabric I loved, then moved on to removing the cling wrap from our life, so I started making beeswax wraps, and our business just came out of that.

The other answer is funny: I found a “magazine” I made when I was 8 1/2 years old (very clearly stated in the magazine) that had a “Kids Can Do It” section. The whole article was about recycling and how easy it is for kids to help out — I definitely remember school in the early 90’s really going hard on teaching recycling.

What's Good: What is your favorite aspect of the eco products you make or one in particular?
Lindsay: Everything for me really starts at home, from a need in my own family, and a product that we developed as a solution. Every product we make is something that I 100% use in my home, and I just love to think of others using our products in their homes and helping them on their eco friendly journey as well.

Thanks so much, Lindsay, for helping people move away from single use disposable and plastic items. You were the first local maker we ever started carrying in our shop, and we continue to enjoy the sustainable household goods Weslee Rose creates. You are What's Good.