Mindfully-made, sustainable fabric face masks that support those in need whilst you maintain social distance – it’s a shopping no-brainer
The coronavirus crisis has enforced many different ways of living upon us. But with social distancing now a part of our everyday life, and the wearing of face masks mandatory for UAE residents whilst out in public, finding ways to adapt their business whilst doing good for the local community became a heightened mission for Bridgett Lau and her partner, Michael Cooke.
Founders of Dubai-based business One Good thing – an online boutique selling eco-friendly and socially-conscious gifts – the pair set about creating locally-produced sustainable face masks that not only helped protect those wearing them, but ensured a Dubai tailor stayed afloat whilst simultaneously saving fabric remnants from going to landfill.
“Like so many, our business has changed somewhat over the past couple of months,” explains Bridgett. “But a conversation with a local tailor, a radio interview and partnership with local designers have, with our customer’s help, enabled us to make an impact and give back in the place we call home.”
Made using 95 per cent cotton fabric off-cuts otherwise destined for landfill, the double-layered machine-washable face coverings are sold in packs of 4. For every pack purchased, one is donated to vulnerable and less fortunate members of the community.
Bridgett Lau, co-founder of One Good Thing
Over 2,225 fabric face coverings later, sales have saved over 20 bin bags full of fabric cut-offs from going to landfilll, while over 445 fabric face coverings have been gifted to people in need in our local communities. “With the help of our customers, we’ve managed to re-open a local tailor and kept them running for a month. Not bad for sitting on our sofa with a laptop!” laughs Bridgett.
The fabric face covering initiative is the latest move by Bridgett and Michael to help give something back to the local community, and moreover, do good for the planet as a whole.
“We both came to Dubai over a decade ago for work, separately, and had our own experiences of corporate misadventure and the feeling that we wanted to do more,“ explains Bridgett. “When I was suddenly diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma just a month after giving birth to our son, the idea of starting up something of our own really came to life. It was over months of hardcore chemotherapy that we knew we wanted to live a more sustainable lifestyle, and help others do the same. And so One Good Thing was born.”
With the inherent desire to make people feel good, their initial business model was simple; support social enterprises around the world, give them a platform to expand their reach, and help people make better, more sustainable choices with a halo effect.
One Good Thing’s sustainable face masks that give back to the Dubai community
“In the beginning, we chose companies we encountered on our travels, where we could witness the impact they were delivering on the ground first-hand,” says Bridgett. “We have a few benchmarks – they need to be products in their own right and stand up on their own merit, so people would be happy to own them even without the social or environmental aspect. They have to have demonstrable impact, which is sometimes hard to break down, but we have the experience to know what to look for. And then the companies we choose to support, we want to be our partners, and need to know they genuinely are good people who want to do good in the world.”
Featuring 17 brands with over 550 products and growing, inspirational items on the site range from one-of-a-kind jewellery and sustainable bags, to reclaimed wood headphones, conservation-focused camping gear, and an up-cycled travel section. “We have sourced some genuinely brilliant products,” says Bridgett. “The Jenga game made from discarded fishing nets that would be otherwise dumped in the ocean and a definite threat to marine life; the wash bags made from decommissioned fire hoses; rescued leather and silk from parachutes; bracelets made from undetonated bombs dropped in Laos; sports bags made from thrown-away rice sacks …there are so many ingenious items it’s hard to list them all.”
One Good Thing’s sustainable mindset is central to helping them support disadvantaged communities and help the environment too. “We are a storytelling platform for small businesses around the world that are doing good, and we do it in balance – by focusing on the impact, but also on the products themselves, which are winners in their own right,” says Bridget. “We’ve opened up the market here in the UAE and regionally for these businesses, expanding their reach to ultimately grow their impact. Every one of our partners has a brilliant narrative – from economic empowerment to facilitating cancer treatment, from upcycled travel bags to handcrafted jewellery. The reverberating effects of every purchase are felt throughout the supply chain, and our job is to connect the two sides – our community and the businesses that do good.”
And the couple’s mindful business has been readily welcomed by UAE shoppers. “The market has been very kind,” smiles Bridgett. “We are just getting to understand and know our customers. But there are three things that no matter where people are from, what lifestyle they lead, that seem to be the common thread – they love the simplicity of being able to do good; they are moved by the stories and halo effect of their purchase that has a traceable impact all the way through the supply chain and beyond; and they appreciate the smart designs, quality, and genuine uniqueness of the products. That’s what appeals to everyone, not just those who are consciously seeking to buy sustainably.” One-goodthing.com
*Note – the mask are not surgical grade or filtered and will not prevent Covid-19 infection on its own. Wash before first use and after each use.
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- Words by Lucy Wildman
