An accidental business. An extraordinary journey.
A better dishcloth was just the beginning.
It all started with a rather manky dishcloth - and some honest friends.
In typical Kiwi fashion, our rather manky synthetic dishcloth was hanging over the tap in our lovely new kitchen. Not a great look when you've just proudly finished renovating!
Some rather honest German friends pointed us towards the HAPPY SiNKS magnetic dishcloth holder. A clever little invention that hides your dishcloth inside the sink rather than leaving it hanging out for everyone to see.
Ingenious really. And rather fitting that we now distribute HAPPY SiNKS ourselves.
But while the holder solved the problem of where to put the dishcloth, it got me thinking about the cloth itself.
Surely there had to be something better than the synthetic cloths we'd always used?
That little question led me to beautifully knitted cotton dishcloths from Denmark. Absorbent, washable, long-lasting and, best of all, lovely enough to leave out.
Who knew you could get so excited about a dishcloth?
As it turns out, that was just the beginning.
One good idea led to another.
As Ecovask grew, so did the conversations.
Customers were frustrated with tea towels that pushed water around rather than actually drying the dishes. I wanted a better oven mitt solution.
And with a teenage daughter in the house, she wanted better alternatives to disposable makeup pads, face wipes and microfibre hair towels.
Different frustrations, but the same question kept coming up.
Surely there has to be a better way?
And that's really how our collection has grown. One everyday problem at a time.
Not all hands are created equal.
One of the things I've learned is that good design isn't one-size-fits-all.
I grew up with one hand, so finding different ways to do everyday things has always been part of my life.
Perhaps that's why I'm naturally drawn to questioning how things work, and whether they could work better.
Our dishcloth collection is a good example.
Some people love a substantial, hardworking cloth. Others prefer something lighter, easier to wring out or quicker to dry.
And over the years, feedback from our customers has helped us develop different cloths for different hands, homes and cleaning habits.
Because the best product isn't necessarily the one that suits everyone.
It's the one that works beautifully for you.
Better by design.
For us, sustainability, style and functionality belong together.
We believe the most sustainable choice is often the one you don't need to keep replacing.
That's why we put so much thought into the materials we use, how our products perform and how long they're designed to last.
Our organic cotton textiles are made in India by our manufacturing partners, using certified materials and thoughtfully developed designs.
We care about the details. The weight of a cloth. The way a towel absorbs. The feel of a fabric in your hands. The colours that make an everyday object a pleasure to have around.
Because sustainability shouldn't mean settling for something less beautiful or less useful.
Quite the opposite.
Who knew a dishcloth could lead to all this?
What began with one dishcloth has grown into something I could never have imagined.
There have been plenty of challenges along the way (as anyone who's built a small business will know!), but also some wonderful people, unexpected opportunities and moments that make it all worthwhile.
One of the best parts has been discovering just how many people share our enthusiasm for making everyday things a little better.
I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who's been part of the journey so far. And I have a feeling there's still plenty more to come.
Viv Wilson
Founder, Ecovask
Everyday essentials. Reimagined.
From the humble dishcloth to the everyday things that make a house a home. Discover what a little more thought can do.