An interview with… Harry’s House Re-fills

Tell me about Harrys House Refills? What’s it all about?
I’ve always been relatively eco conscious in terms of recycling, not littering, turning power off, etc, and worn my clothes to the point of charity not accepting them… I’m not materialistic, and try to not buy things unnecessarily. However, whilst I was on maternity leave I realised just how much I was throwing away, and how much isn’t recyclable! I also found out that a large percentage of our recycling ends up as landfill or is incinerated. Over the years I’ve collected random jars and I looked into refilling them. There are a couple of options around, but the delivery times didn’t suit me. That, and I’m a visual person, I like to see what I’m buying.. I’d end up accidentally ordering 100kg of pasta otherwise. So I thought about a mobile store to try and help people reduce their use of plastic, but funding was an issue. I decided to start small, see what the local communities wanted and take it form there.

What inspired you to start the business?
Firstly, the videos of turtle having straws pulled from their noses. It’s mad to use plastic to house items that really don’t need it. I remember as a child, a wholefoods shop in the town I grew up being one of my favourite places, it smelt amazing! That was over 20 years ago and we just don’t see those sorts of shops, with bags full of coffee beans, and rice. Also, I live near a big supermarket and the amount of litter on the very short walk there is unbelievable. People are dumping 2 tonnes of shredded plastic down one of the local country lanes, and another who dumped near a national park. Plastic needs to end!

How can I use Harry’s House to help me cut down on my waste? What does this look like practically for a busy parent?
I wanted to be able to provide really basic products at first. It’s difficult to change habits and I absolutely understand that. There’s also a bit of a stigma around this sort of thing. I spoke to a few people recently that didn’t want to feel judged for not eating a purely organic vegan diet… we don’t judge. The point in this venture is to try and help people make small changes to start. It’s easy to pop into Tesco and just grab everything whilst you’re there, so I wanted to make it easy for people. I would like to be accessible so I prove a 7 day a week click and collect service from The House in Taplow, but am hoping to be able to do pop up shops in different towns (including Marlow of course). Zero waste shopping can be time consuming so I try to make it as quick and easy as possible. As a parent, you can bring along your kids and get them to help you weigh foods, or get them to go through the cupboards and fridge with you to see where you can reuse or refill, rather than buy!

Will these changes cost me more money and time?
Yes, in a word. It takes slightly longer to weigh your jar, fill it with pasta, weigh it again, and pay than it would to grab it off a shelf and stick it through a self serve till. I think people are becoming more and more aware of that though and are willing to spend the extra 10p on not using plastic. It’s a bit of a lifestyle change, we understand that, but I find it a nice way to shop. I don’t buy solely organic produce because I don’t want the prices to put people off. Refilling needs to be accessible to everyone.

Does me cutting down on a few bits of packaging really make a difference?
“It’s only one straw”, said 8 billion people
We can’t save the planet by putting lentils in jars, but we can make a real impact on plastic pollution. 186 countries have now signed a UN pact to reduce plastic pollution (I really hope it works!), and although we’re slowly getting there, Sir David Attenborough has now warned of the danger to humans and well as wildlife.

What would you like to set up to make Harry’s House even easier for us to use so we can all cut down on more waste?
I’d love to be able to have a little regular spot in a shop, or cafe, who have similar values, where people could come and buy directly or collect goods they’ve pre ordered online. It would be great to be able to make a little community and help it thrive without plastic!

Where can people browse your full product range and prices?
Everything can be found online at www.harryshouserefills.co.uk but I’m always adding bits and pieces. I hand make some products so I’ always trying out new things to use up my basket of fabric!

What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you?
People can either drop me a message via the website, or via email at harryshosuerefills@gmail.com, or on facebook on the Harrys House Refills page