Latest / Talk Commerce / From Tech Marketing to Toilet Paper: Hey Bamboo's Journey to Sustainable Innovation
Transcript
- Brent Peterson (00:02.281) Welcome to this episode of Talk Commerce. Today I have Jocelyn Faust. She is the founder of Hey Bamboo. Jocelyn, go ahead, do an introduction for yourself. Tell us your day-to-day role and what's exciting in business for you right now. Joslyn Faust (00:15.766) Yeah, thanks so much for having me on Brent. So I'm Jocelyn. Not only am I a founder of Hey Bamboo, which is a sustainable bamboo paper products company, but I'm also a mom. So I'm a teen mom. I'm a pet mom. I'm a wife. I was in technology marketing for many, many years. And no, I did not have a goal of being a toilet paper czar, but I love it. And I'm very excited that we just launched into Amazon and doing really well. Apparently people buy toilet paper and paper towels on Amazon. So I'm really happy to be on there. Brent Peterson (00:58.709) All right, and so Jocelyn, before we get started, you have volunteered to be part of the free joke project. All you have to do is give me a rating eight through 13. And I have a very special joke for you today. So here we go. Brent Peterson (01:20.531) Why did the roo- sorry, here we go again. Take two, take two. There we go. Why did the toilet paper roll down the hill? To get to the bottom. Joslyn Faust (01:33.55) I really like that. I would give that a 13 because we would totally put that somewhere. Brent Peterson (01:35.624) all right. Brent Peterson (01:40.556) good, good. I was a little worried. I was a little worried that it was going towards potty humor, but it really was going towards potty humor. Joslyn Faust (01:49.71) It was, but not as tacky as a lot of other ones I've heard. So kind like it. Yeah. Brent Peterson (01:55.411) Got it. Okay, good. All right, so Jocelyn, tell us, give us a little bit of background. You said you were in marketing before, and tell us what led you to founding Hey Bamboo. Joslyn Faust (02:08.448) Yes. So I, you know, really wasn't B2B and actually a bunch of SaaS companies for many years. And it really was during the pandemic. I was working full time at the time. But if you all remember during the pandemic, everyone was talking about toilet paper. So, you know, as a mom, not only could I not get the brand that we've bought every week for ever, But suddenly there was a lot of news about toilet paper and some of it was shocking and I'd never heard of it before. Such as, you know, 27,000 trees were cut down every day just for toilet paper. And so because of that, I wanted to buy more sustainably just for my own family. So I started buying different brands at Safeway and Whole Foods and direct from, you know, retailers. And it was my teenagers that made me see that there could be a better way because every brand I brought back, know, teenagers don't pull back on their feedback. So they would say things like, what's up with this one ply toilet paper? Why is it so rough? Like, what's this roll is so tiny. And so all of their feedback, you know, and even like, wait, is this supposed to be sustainable toilet paper? Why is it wrapped in plastic? You know, just all of these things I just didn't really think about. And it made me realize that for something that has such a big impact. that we all use all the time, there should just be a brand that feels good and that you really want to use. And so that was kind of the genesis of Hey Bamboo. Brent Peterson (03:44.403) Yeah, think people don't think well, people think about the sustainability of toilet paper, but you mentioned just the wrapping. So we get our toilet paper at Costco and it is in big packs, but it's also wrapped in a big package and then each package is wrapped again. So talk about how you've gotten over the wrap part of things. Joslyn Faust (04:07.934) Exactly. So, I mean, I, when I started to take a look at this product and this industry, I dug into my research background. I also have a background in research. And so I thought, I was thinking to myself, what would make a really great sustainable toilet paper? And for me, it wasn't just the product itself, which we really did focus on. I wanted to make sure that it was, you know, comfortable. It was a nice big roll and also unbleached because Why do we need bleach toilet paper? But there is a lot of packaging involved and even the logistics involved in it. So on our direct to consumer packages, it's zero waste. So it's wrapped in a thin paper wrap that is recyclable or compostable depending on where you are. We have soy based inks so that it definitely can be recycled. On our retail packaging, which is brand new, it's also actually wrapped in bamboo. So every one of our roles from toilet paper to paper towels have a bamboo core. But our retail packaging is like the whole package is completely bamboo, which I think is really cool. So it is a very intentional way to take a look at the product. So it's not just what's inside that you're actually using, but the entire thing. Brent Peterson (05:29.297) So you've entered a market that has an un it won't ever stop unless everybody well, I suppose there's reasons why people would stop using it. But it is it's a I'm assuming it's a growing market. What led you to kind of break into this market that's kind of dominated by some of these bigger, bigger players? Joslyn Faust (05:49.484) Well, because of this idea that most of the brands that are sustainable, which more and more people are trying to buy sustainable. But at the same time, I know that my family and probably a lot of other families and people out there don't really want to give up the quality that they're used to. And when I talk with people that have been using sustainable brands for a really long time, this really resonates with them, particularly those that have been using recycled paper, toilet paper, because that is, you know, it's known as being very rough and, you know, you use it because you really want to do well for the environment and that's great. But for a lot of other people, they're just not willing to give up soft and thick and strong toilet paper for that. Brent Peterson (06:38.449) And was it an interesting, so you're in marketing, I guess, and I'm sure a lot of listeners are curious into the journey you took in finding, not to get graphic, but the journey you took into finding what works and the whole market research part of it. How was that, I mean, it had to be super interesting, but was there challenges that you had in that? Joslyn Faust (07:00.65) Exactly. Joslyn Faust (07:07.074) Well, know, initially I was approaching it as if most of our customers didn't know that much about bamboo toilet paper. And a lot of people don't. A lot of people don't realize that bamboo toilet paper is a thing. But what I realized was the people that really got what we're doing and really wanted to try us were people that know and love sustainable products. And so they have been using either bamboo products or recycled paper products for a really long time. And they're looking for an alternative. They're looking to upgrade what they've been using now. So, you know, initially, and we're still going through a rebrand actually right now, but initially all of our messaging was about, can you believe 27,000 trees are cut down every day? Can you believe like all of these things and maybe, you know, there was an element of fear around it because, you know, that is part of the sustainability industry. But I realized that what resonates with particularly our market, is just to focus on how it feels, the quality, the value you get because it's such a large role and it's thick. All of those things are much more interesting to our market because they bought into sustainability. Like I don't really need to sell them on that. They're just looking for a better product in that market. Brent Peterson (08:25.971) And you mentioned now you're going to be going into different channels. What sort of channels have you seen that are going to be growth areas? even how does the social media aspect or social purchasing aspect go into what you're trying to do? Joslyn Faust (08:42.902) Yeah, I mean, I think that the social angle is super important because what we're trying to sell is a feel and it's really hard to communicate that in words. So it's these references of people that have it in front of them that are using it, that are telling other people that, this is what I've used before and this is why Hey Bamboo is so great for me. Those messages make a big difference. So I think the social, and we have an affiliate program which is doing well. But I think, I started off as just a Shopify site. I did a little bit in TikTok shop and it's, haven't actually seen a lot of growth in TikTok shop so far. People are not buying toilet paper on TikTok shop. But Amazon we just got in there early November and it's really taken off. But I think these days it's all about Omni Channel. So they might see somebody talking about it on TikTok or Instagram. You know, they'll take a look at our site to see what we're up to and then they'll actually buy on Amazon because that's what they like to do. So it's almost harder for entrepreneurs these days because it just seems like you have to be everywhere. Brent Peterson (10:01.213) Yeah, everywhere. Talk about moving into a new product. So you're moving into paper towels as well, which makes perfect sense. And is that market even more saturated than the toilet paper market? Joslyn Faust (10:17.72) Actually, I don't think so. think that toilet paper, toilet paper is still our marquee product and it's getting, it just, you know, gets a lot more interest. But there are other bamboo toilet, I mean, other bamboo paper towel products out there. But I think ours is just so different. I literally got one of my favorite traditional brands. And I sent it to my supplier and I said, I really love how thick and thick this is, the size of the sheets. Are we able to develop something like this, but in bamboo? So, you know, zero waste, no bleach, strong, but feels like this. And we were able to develop it. So I think it's a great product. Brent Peterson (11:07.797) Do you think the traditional model of how toilet paper is made is just because bamboo wasn't readily available at the time that toilet paper was invented? I guess why aren't people, it makes sense to use it since it grows so fast, Or maybe give us some background of why bamboo makes so much sense. Joslyn Faust (11:26.604) Yeah, I mean, and so both of those things you brought up, but bamboo can grow up to three feet a day, which is amazing. You can literally watch it grow. When you're ready to cut it, which is after it's mature in about 45 days, so it's not that long, you just cut it like grass. It is a grass. It's not a tree. You cut it and just like your grass, it keeps on growing. So there's no replanting involved or not disrupting any ecosystems out there. There's over a thousand varieties of bamboo. So, you know, depending on what you're looking to do, there's a specific variety for that. And then when I was going into paper towels, I realized that bamboo is actually stronger than steel. So definitely stronger than wood and much more absorbent than wood as well. So it just makes an ideal paper towel as well. The only thing is the variety that is great for paper or these tissue products is not widely grown or really cultivated in the US. So it grows really well in Asia because it loves hot, humid climates. And it really does like natural forests. So where we get our bamboo is literally a forest. And so because it's a forest, there's no big machines that go in to cultivate it. It's these individual people with like kind of machetes and they chop off the one stock that is mature. And then they look around in their little area for the mature stocks. So it could be an intensive process. so, you know, that, that affects where it's grown and where it's cultivated. And so my hope is that as things progress in the U S we figure out how to grow bamboo really well here. I think that. I mean, you there's so many things that you can make with bamboo. All of the things that you can make with wood, basically you can make with bamboo. So, and I can't remember what the first question was. What was the first question? Brent Peterson (13:27.847) We talked about that bamboo is sustainable and wise is sustainable, which I think you answered. So I'm in Hawaii, which is a great place for bamboo, but I can think on the US mainland that maybe the South would be a good place to start cultivating bamboo and encouraging the growth. And does it take a lot of water? I'm curious on some of those things. Joslyn Faust (13:42.734) Okay. Joslyn Faust (13:55.052) No, it's actually something like 30 % less water during the manufacturing process. One of the big hurdles to making, not only is it not cultivated the same way, but the manufacturing process. So for any tissue, like wood tissue, these big, huge machines develop it. So they create the pulp and then they put it in big sheets. And so for bamboo, those machines are different. So it's a really big investment for companies to, if they've been doing traditional wood, to decide to get into bamboo. I even spoke at a conference called Tissue World. So some of the largest manufacturers, and that was a big question for them, is like these alternative fibers, like when is a good time to get into it? Because it is a very big investment for them. So I mean, I think it's gonna come. I think that demand for better sustainable products is out there. And I think that bamboo really is kind of a great way for us to still have a lot of the products that we like, but in a much more sustainable, renewable way. So I think it's just, it's just early. Brent Peterson (15:13.314) And what are you excited about next? you have felt paper, paper towels. What is next? Do have an ideal list of things that you're developing? Joslyn Faust (15:23.488) Yeah, so next up from a product perspective is facial tissues. So, you know, actually everybody asks all the time, you when are you going to have facial tissues? So that is going to be next. And then we're also talking to a few retailers. And so hopefully that will be next as well is Hey Bamboo being able to be purchased at a store, which I think a lot of people would enjoy. Brent Peterson (15:49.427) Yeah, so we'd go to Costco or maybe not, we'd go to a big retailer and find the brand in there, I mean, is there a lot of competition in the space already or are you sort of a trailblazer into what's happening? Joslyn Faust (15:54.403) Yeah. Joslyn Faust (16:03.736) I mean, I like to think that we're a trailblazer in our product, but there are other brands out there for sure. Especially I think it, Hey Bamboo makes a lot of sense in like natural grocers and even, you know, big ones like Sprouts and Whole Foods, but there are other products out there. But I did speak with, you know, a major buyer and he was saying that they were actively looking for a product in the category that feels better because that's what customers have been asking them. So I think that we have a good shot, but I know these things take a long time. Brent Peterson (16:38.133) Yeah, and I think one thing I learned last year just talking to a sustainable or a person that does sort of shammy based paper towels, not paper, whatever. There are paper towels, but they're shammy based, is that the big retailers didn't know how to position them. Like should they be in the automotive section? That's where shammy's are. Should they be in paper towels because they are reusable? Joslyn Faust (16:56.301) Mmm. Joslyn Faust (17:03.106) Right. Brent Peterson (17:04.253) I think, I guess for toilet paper it's pretty straightforward. They should go into toilet paper. But I think as you grow into different areas, you could venture away from the traditional places where people would find those. Or do you think it's always gonna be a certain category that the big brands are gonna put you in? Joslyn Faust (17:23.374) You know what, I think for the products that we're producing right now and we have in the pipeline, it'll probably be in those categories. So toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissues. And I do think that we'll probably end up staying in natural grocers for a while because that's what they're looking for. So they are actively looking for sustainable products. And ours, you know, we just like to think that ours is an upgrade to what they have already. Brent Peterson (17:57.653) From an e-commerce standpoint, what are you excited about this year? Do you have from a technology or from just a marketing standpoint, is there anything exciting that you're doing that you think is going to make an impact on your business? Joslyn Faust (18:11.446) I do. you know, when we realized early on that our customers are, you know, they're not unfamiliar with sustainable products. They actually, you know, they buy sustainable. They think wellness is super important and they're already buying sustainable, but this is, you know, something that they might be looking for because they might not be satisfied with what they have. We realized that Digging into this, the natural aspect, the fact that we're unbleached and so we have this light brown color is also meaningful to people. And digging into that even deeper from a rebrand perspective, we're just gonna do a lot with that. So I live in Northern California and there's just, surrounded by beauty from a nature perspective. And I think a lot of people are too, in Hawaii, obviously you are as well. And so we like to take inspiration from nature. And so our packaging will also have photos of nature on it as well. Brent Peterson (19:14.815) That's great. You know, I think that people don't realize that, I mean, maybe people know that toilet paper is bleached. Is there, is it just for the aesthetics that they do it? it, because it's always been done that way since whenever a toilet paper was invented. Joslyn Faust (19:29.312) Yeah, so a couple things. So wood pulp, actually, know, bleach is also a chemical, so it does make it softer. So it helps on that aspect. But on a cultural perspective as well, if you go to other countries, they might have unbleached paper. But the unbleached paper is, you know, for people who can't afford the bleached one. And also, you know, you've probably at some point in your life had unbleached wood pulp toilet paper and it does have, it is everything that you thought it would be like rough, uncomfortable, it doesn't flush very well, all of that stuff. So there is a little bit of that. It's like, people might see it and think back to, the last time I saw unbleached toilet paper, it wasn't a good experience. So just kind of getting over that, but I think that it's not necessary, especially in bamboo. Bamboo is already soft and comfortable. So if it's not necessary, then why add it in? Brent Peterson (20:39.719) Is there a benefit to the water treatment facilities for bamboo compared to traditional paper? Does it go through better or is it about the same? Joslyn Faust (20:49.132) You know, we did some testing on it and bamboo actually breaks down a lot quicker than wood pulp because it is grass. And so if you do like a mason jar test, which you can all do at home, just put a few sheets, four sheets in with a little bit of water and shake it up for, you know, six seconds, know, 10 seconds and see how it looks like. You'll see that bamboo like just like, bamboo is going to be really broken down. But you'll see, you know, the traditional toilet paper, they'll still be like big chunks. So it does break down quicker. And I think that's a benefit to septic systems as well. Brent Peterson (21:27.189) The name Hey Bamboo, was that your invention? How did it come about? Joslyn Faust (21:31.912) It was. You know, we tried a bunch of different names. We wanted it to be conversational and friendly, but also have the word bamboo in it because the whole aspect of it being bamboo is really important. So I think that it kind of, it hit all of the boxes that we were looking for and it was available online. Brent Peterson (21:52.597) That's great. Jocelyn, we are rapidly running out of time, but as they close out the podcast, I give everybody a chance to do a shameless plug about anything they like. What would you like to plug today? Joslyn Faust (22:03.638) You know what? I did not figure out what I wanted to plug. okay. This is totally random. But I have a cat. I have a dog as well, but I have a cat and she has this perch that we have sticking on suction cups that looks outside. And it is the best perch that we've ever had. is, it looks amazing. It's comfortable for her. And every time I pass by, I'm like, you I should have just sold perches because that gives the cat in us so much pleasure. Yeah. Brent Peterson (22:34.793) That's great. Can you tell us the brand of the perch? Joslyn Faust (22:37.364) It is, it's tuft and puff. So, great purchase. He doesn't know, but he has enough things. He doesn't need extra toys. Brent Peterson (22:40.029) All right, and does your dog get up on it too? Brent Peterson (22:47.727) Okay, yeah, we have a Jack Russell here who could could use a cat perch. They can jump that high, but he does a lot of just Right Jocelyn Faust the founder of Hey Bamboo. Thank you so much for being here today Joslyn Faust (22:54.25) Our dog can jump that high too and he thinks he's a cat so. Joslyn Faust (23:05.26) Yeah, thanks so much. It was great talking to you.