The Refilleri, a zero-waste store in Chicago, is a shining example of how businesses can make a difference in protecting our planet. Kelli Pelc started the refillery shop on a personal mission to live plastic-free and provide access to sustainable products to the local community. In this interview, she shares her journey, the impact of The Refilleri on environmental sustainability, and her advice to other entrepreneurs who want to make a difference.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Kelli about her business and its inspiration. Her passion for saving the planet and her frustration at the lack of access to zero-waste products led her to start this unique store. She believes sustainable choices should be easy and accessible, and The Refilleri takes the guesswork out of eco-friendly shopping.
Let's dive into our conversation.
Why did you start your own zero-waste business?
"The motivation for opening The Refilleri started as a personal journey to live more plastic-free. I've always been passionate about saving the planet and grew up as an avid recycler. However, once I was enlightened about poor recycling rates and flaws in the process in my city and across the US, I was shocked and knew I had to do more.
I started down the path of trying to make changes in my product purchases to those in an alternative to plastic. I love to shop locally, but I found it difficult to access zero-waste products in Chicago. Instead, I was spending so much time doing research on companies and ordering goods from many different places it was hard to keep up!
This prompted my vision for The Refilleri: a store where you could walk in and know every product and supplier was already vetted for you, so no matter what you purchased, you could be confident it was sustainable. This is how The Refilleri was born."
How is your refillery shop contributing to environmental sustainability?
"I opened a zero-waste store in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Everything we sell is package free, compostable or refillable, so you can shop the store and know anything you purchase leaves little imprint on the earth!
I vet every supplier we work with to ensure they are using sustainable processes and packaging. We only work with products in compostable and/or refillable packages or companies that offer closed-loop returns. The Refilleri takes the guesswork out of eco-friendly shopping.
We try to make it easy and accessible to be green! We also host workshops and events to help everyone learn ways to be more sustainable in their day-to-day lives."
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs serious about sustainability and business?
"As residents of planet earth, we have to start thinking more about our choices and environmental impact. If you are in business or are thinking about starting a business, build it into your ethos to be sustainable from the very start—then it will come naturally!"
What makes your zero-waste business unique?
"We are going to offer zero-waste wine! No one is mad about that :-)."
What would it be if you could get 85% of the world to adopt a single behavior?
"Stop drinking bottled water!"
Kelli's answer is simple. We agree with her—bottled water is harmful to the environment and unnecessary. Kathryn Letson, the founder of the luxury sustainable fashion brand By the Sea Organic, shares the same sentiment and recommends people bring their water bottles. She personalizes her bottles with the stickers of her favorite artists, giving them special meaning and making them more than just throwaway items.
A Refillery Shop Inspiring Others to Go Green
Kelli isn't just doing her part to conserve resources and reduce waste with her refillery shop—she's changing the conversation too. While we think everyone should take the initiative to be more eco-friendly, her approach to making it easier is important.
After all, easy is great. Going green is great. Why not make going green easy? The Refilleri is helping us do just that, one dish soap or dishwasher detergent refill at a time.
👉 https://refilleri.com
🌍 Sustainability practices
Say hi to kelli from The Refilleri!