Visit Austin’s All-Natural Body and Home Haven ~ Slow North
We’re chatting with Katey, @slownorth, a studio, and store in Austin, TX. Slow North produces and sells essential oil candles and all-natural body + home essentials in small batches with a focus on all-natural, clean and safe ingredients. Ethical goods from other makers sell there as well.
SKUE: Thanks for joining us today Katey! Slow North has so many great products to offer. Can you talk a little bit about how your business started with candles and blossomed into so much more?
KATEY: Thanks so much for having me! Michelle and Jon Simmons started Slow North After years of slowly ridding their home of less-than-healthy, toxic products and replacing them with natural alternatives, they hit a roadblock when it came to finding a suitable replacement for candles. They lived without candles for a good while but greatly missed the calming ritual of lighting a candle to relax in the evenings. So they began making their own candles scented only with essential oils and no artificial fragrances. From here the Slow North product line has expanded, and we continue to offer products that promote wellness and whole living.
SKUE: That’s such a great story — we love Slow North’s focus on all-natural, clean and safe products. We hear that you are also conscientious about your product packaging and packing materials as well. Can you touch on what you are doing to increase sustainability at your store?
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KATEY: We are continually seeking ways to lighten our impact on the environment. We take pride in our processes — from our recycled glass to our renewable, natural resources in our ingredients, to our packing materials and boxes that are recycled, recyclable and biodegradable. We are hosting our 2nd Annual DIY Planting Station at our shop this Saturday, and encouraging customers to bring in their old candle vessels, and repurpose them by turning them into a planter.
SKUE: What a great workshop idea!! ♻️ Ok, last question for you: In addition to your sustainability initiatives, what new habit has had a positive impact on your business in the past 5 years?
KATEY: We really value the art of slow living. It’s so important to take breaks away from work. We find that when we take time to ourselves to rest and reflect, we work so much better as a team and accomplish more. Thank you so much again for having us! We’re so thankful we could be a part of this today 😊
SKUE: That’s a great reminder for us all!! Thank you for joining us Katey, and thanks for being a part of SKUE! ❤️
Every week we do live interviews on Instagram with our makers before featuring them here. Are you interested in joining our wholesale collective? Apply at skue.co/makers
