About Us
Natural Replacements is a Michigan based brand, focused on providing eco-friendly alternatives to everyday products, as well as helpful and accurate information.
Our Mission
To break down the walls of intimidation and misinformation around transitioning to a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle by providing people with the knowledge, resources, and encouragement needed to make positive life changes.
The desire to live sustainability and reduce one's environmental impact is something that more and more people are realizing every day - and we think that's awesome!
But those people are often faced with some common problems
- Intimidation
- Misinformation & greenwashing
- Not knowing where to start
- Unfamiliar with sustainable products and brands
This list could go on, but the point is that even though it might seem like second nature to someone who has been sustainability-focused for some time, it can be hard at first. Our goal is to make that easier and get more people started on living more eco-friendly lives.
Natural Replacements Founders
Jim Plonkey
Co-Founder
Ever since I was a young kid, I've had a lot of respect and appreciation for nature. And I found myself upset when others didn't share that same respect.
Growing up, I found it difficult and intimidating to find the right resources to live more sustainably without sacrificing convenience and affordability.
As I developed a career within digital marketing, I felt the desire to build something that allowed people to find these products and resources in a less intimidating, more accessible way.
That's how Natural Replacements was born. It's about channeling that energy into something encouraging and productive - empowering others to live and think more sustainably. I hope to continue to expand and improve what we can offer and the impact we can make together.
How We Make an Impact Together
You don't have to be the perfect picture of sustainable living to start making a positive difference. Small steps can make a huge impact and together we can go bigger and better.
Our Products
We source our products through thoroughly vetted partners. Sustainability is our top focus, above cost and convenience. We want to provide you with the best of the best and stand by what we say.
Full transparency, it was quite a process finding good quality partners to work with, which only further confirmed for us that our mission is a good and necessary one.
The products we provide don't sacrifice quality and are all:
- Plastic-free or short-term biodegradable materials
- Cruelty free
- Ethically and sustainably sourced
Our Packaging
There's nothing more disappointing than ordering something "sustainable" and having it delivered to you triple wrapped in plastic, covered in plastic tape, am I right? Most of us have been there - if you haven't… we're jealous.
We hold our packaging to the same high standards as our products. You won't see plastic wrap, packing peanuts, or obnoxious tape.
- Our boxes won't be the prettiest and that's good! They're plain recycled cardboard, durable but thin, and free of any harsh chemicals or inks.
- Our tape is all biodegradable and paper, free of chemicals or polyethylene (PE) coating.
- Our package padding is made up of reused packing paper or newspaper. We have a lot of paper that comes with the supplies we get in bulk, so we're reusing that as much as possible for fulfilling our individual orders.
- Our branded business cards are made from all natural seed paper and natural inks. So you can plant the cards that come with your order and grow wildflowers!
Other Initiatives & Benefits
Here are a few of the cool things we're able to accomplish as a company, with the help of our partners and customers.
- One tree planted for every product ordered
- Donations to sustainable charities
- We’ve started with some of the more common disposable items first, and plan to continue expanding.