Oh hello there!
I'm Andrea Descargar, the founder & CEO of Ecovana Retail Inc.
Don't be fooled by the fancy title, as I still wear most of the hats in the company. I enjoy constantly learning, and helping households reduce their waste by creating sustainable products.
From formulating products, to being the face at pop-ups, and managing local deliveries, I truly enjoy every aspect of building this brand.
Like most start-ups, and eComm founders, we all have or had a day job. Mine led me to launch Ecovana during the pandemic in March of 2020. After working in industrial plastics recycling, and waste management for almost a decade, I saw the window of opportunity to create every day waste-free solutions for the average household.
I take pride in successfully executing several projects such as "Zero Waste in Industrial Manufacturing", and creating plastic scrap recycling programs for manufacturers throughout North America, and I am on the journey to replicate the same solution for the average household.
Below is a not so lovely picture that enhanced my "why".
Photo credit: Andrea Descargar in Cancun Mexico December 2019
Why do we need to make the change to more eco-friendly products? Simply because we're putting the environment, future, and wildlife at risk suffering for hundreds of years, only for minutes of use.
If the above photo made you just as frustrated as I did, then you've found the right brand to connect with for all your essentials.
I look forward to growing our team, and the Ecovana brand with your support!
With sincere gratitude,
Andrea Descargar
Our commitment
Packaging
Our packaging is designed, recycled, and printed ethically in Canada. We even reuse packaging from our suppliers to pack your orders. We believe in small changes making a big difference.
"Packaging is the largest contributor to plastic pollution around the globe. Only 9% of recyclables actually are recycled." We aim to set the standards for other brands to rethink their carbon footprint by designing sustainable packaging we can dispose of guilt-free.
Recycling
All defective, and damaged products are recycling in an industrial facility to ensure it has zero negative impact on our environment and landfills. They are shredded into plastic regrind forms to be reused by the next end user, creating new products.
Zero Waste Production Scrap: "Practically Perfect" items
We sell our dish soap scraps, and other production waste at a bulk discount in our shop. These products are not defective by function, but they just aren't as pretty as the ones on a retail shelf.
Ethical and Sustainable Manufacturers only
We spend a great deal of our resources to thoroughly vet our manufacturers and suppliers prior to creating and selecting new products. We have spent 1.5 years prior to launch of testing, and research to narrow down the best fit suppliers. Our product manufacturers require a tour facility and video call to learn who is behind the scenes of creating our products. We stretch all options in choosing suppliers prior to selection. Any products incapable of being produced in Canada due to lack of supply and resources are made overseas.
What we look for when vetting manufacturers/suppliers:
- What do you do with any excess off production material?
- What are your sustainable practices and brand values?
- Can you ship and package our products as plastic-free as possible?
Our Guidelines
All partners, manufacturers, and suppliers require the following. No exceptions:
- Animal cruelty-free
- Eco-friendly practices
- Fair wages
- Full transparency of origin of materials.
- Certification required for organic cotton claims.
- Health Canada Certifications
