Social enterprises are really making their mark in the current market, as our focus shifts to supporting local communities in a challenging climate.
For eco retailer and female led social enterprise LoveLuvo, the past 10 years have all been about compassionate social responsibility and providing a premium retail experience for the local community.
Australia has seen a proliferation of eco-orientated refill and sustainability-orientated ventures in recent years, but very few have survived long enough to make a real impact. Even fewer have articulated a vision which links local economic sustainability with wider social change.
As a social enterprise, LoveLuvo has successfully developed a business which retails its own in-house eco range alongside other curated locally-made products that are environmentally friendly. Its core range rebrand to mark its 10th anniversary will allow them to grow, with a new focus on developing business relationships with other ethical ventures in Victoria and wider Australia.
Speaking of the brand’s genesis, the refill was always the big focus, says marketing manager, Jacinta Manivong.
“The store was in a quiet part of Seddon, Cleanable used the back (Cleanable being the brand’s sister enterprise, focused on commercial cleaning, gardening and property maintenance) and we started selling environmentally friendly cleaning products in response to people coming in and asking,” she remembers.
“We worked on developing the social enterprises including the Seddon shop which had simply evolved organically up until that time. Nobody else was doing anything like this at the time―for example, the ply on the walls does not have toxic glue in it―and that was a major point-of-difference which our community really responded to. Alongside our unique and distinctive product offering, and empathy towards people with barriers to employment, we’ve developed a strong and loyal customer base.”
Indeed, in the past financial year alone, LoveLuvo (certified by Social Traders) has provided over 1,000 hours of paid employment to those facing barriers to employment; almost $100,000 of funds reinvested into local business and social enterprise, and saved 2,345 bottles from landfill by refilling 4,690 litres of home and body products.
