This article appeared first in the Revelstoke TIMES magazine.
Wedged between an Indian restaurant and a pizza parlour on First St, in downtown Revelstoke sits Forage and Fill Eco Retail Ltd. Acting as both a consignment store and refillery, the store epitomizes the pursuit of sustainability and its owner, Jenise Lamoureux, equally embodies the store and its message.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 always kind of inherently been a part of me since I was young,91裸聊视频� said Lamoureux.
Lamoureux is the owner of Forage and Fill, which has a strong reputation in the community for championing positive sustainable change. She91裸聊视频檚 also one of the minds behind Thuja, a business whose goal is to dismantle greenwashing. Whether it91裸聊视频檚 supplying others with the means to be more sustainable or holding big companies accountable, Lamoureux has established herself as a leading voice in the community for positive environmental change.
Lamoureux said her environmentally conscious business and lifestyle has always been part of her. Raised in the 91裸聊视频榦il and gas hub91裸聊视频� of Ft. Saskatchewan, AB, she said that it didn91裸聊视频檛 take a 91裸聊视频榗oming to God realization91裸聊视频� to understand the environmental consequences of the industry of her town.
91裸聊视频淚 remember being quite young and being like 91裸聊视频榖ut when does it stop91裸聊视频�? So, I think for some reason that was always kind of ingrained in me,91裸聊视频� she said.
Lamoureux moved further west about 13 years ago. Although she had a strong sense of environmental sustainability from a young age, even she admitted to going through a period where it slipped due to the demands of her life at the time.
91裸聊视频淚 was just trying to get by, so then I fell into this complacency.91裸聊视频�
The lapse ended when she met her business partner for Thuja (pronounced 91裸聊视频榯oo-ya91裸聊视频�), Arnoul Mateo.
91裸聊视频淲e just had so many good conversations and he91裸聊视频檚 a born activist. He never became complacent. And I was really inspired by him.91裸聊视频�
Thuja was the first of Lamoureux91裸聊视频檚 business pursuits, and aims to dismantle greenwashing.
Greenwashing is a form of marketing that positions businesses as eco-friendly to attract well-intentioned consumers trying to opt for more sustainable products. Methods can vary from packaging, tags, or advertising campaigns, making it tough for people to decipher whether a company is working to be sustainable or using it as a marketing tool to gain more business.
Lamoureux and Mateo 91裸聊视频榙ismantle91裸聊视频� greenwashing by doing thorough investigations into brands, providing a clear measure of their status on four elements: product, climate and ecology, social justice, and third-party verification.
Thuja, Lamoureux explained, is a testament to working towards something you91裸聊视频檙e passionate about, as the business still doesn91裸聊视频檛 generate revenue. She wants it to be used as a tool by consumers who want to make responsible choices, but don91裸聊视频檛 necessarily have the capacity to do their own research.
Her work with Thuja led her to Forage and Fill.
91裸聊视频淚t was just such a good match,91裸聊视频� she said.
Lamoureux took the store over in February 2023 from Sarah Sampson. At the time, the store was operating solely as a consignment store, but she has since expanded its operations into a refillery.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 so much clothing in this world.91裸聊视频�
Forage and Fill91裸聊视频檚 thrifting policy differs from other shops, as it will allow clothes with light stains or rips to be sold in the store. The decision was reflective of Lamoureux91裸聊视频檚 overarching sustainability goal of increasing circularity. Rather than adding to the clothing already in circulation, Lamoureux said she91裸聊视频檇 rather see pieces get mended to increase their lifespan.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not going to take something that91裸聊视频檚 janky as f91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频搆,91裸聊视频� she said with a laugh.
Lamoureux explained that the shop receives roughly 100 drop offs a month, with an average of 12 pieces, making for 1200 pieces of clothing coming through the doors every month.
The expansion into refills was an inspired idea that she got from the 91裸聊视频楴erdy About Nature91裸聊视频� podcast that examines sustainable commerce. On her walk to work, Lamoureux listened as the guest spoke about something she wanted to replicate in her own business.
91裸聊视频淚t was a refillery on Vancouver Island, who were doing exactly what I wanted to do,91裸聊视频� said Lamoureux.
She picked up the phone and called the business when she got to work and asked them if they would give her some more information about their process. The business responded more positively than Lamoureux imagined.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e like, 91裸聊视频榳e will just take you under our wing and give you our full business model91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�
The owners of the business told her that they were strong believers in the program and were eager to share their expertise. With the help of the Den Quality Goods & Refillery, Lamoureux has been able to get Forage and Fill91裸聊视频檚 refillery operations up and running quickly and without many issues.
91裸聊视频淚t came together really, really beautifully,91裸聊视频� said Lamoureux.
She explained that the refillery was an integral element of the store that she wanted to introduce to the community.
91裸聊视频淚 was very hell bent on introducing this to Revelstoke.91裸聊视频�
The help of the island91裸聊视频檚 refillery helped with the speed of setting up Lamoureux91裸聊视频檚 operation, but it still took time and effort. She was introduced to suppliers, she organized bottling and labelling. In all, the process took several months, allowing her to fully launch in June 2023.
With the systems suddenly in place, Lamoureux gleefully set about contacting different clients to start putting the refillery to use.
91裸聊视频淭he reception has been incredible,91裸聊视频� she said with wide eyes and a big smile.
Partnering with property management companies and several lodges, Lamoureux has secured more than 50 different customers. The business has been so successful that it91裸聊视频檚 kept her busy, and unable to chase any more clients since last September.
But all the growth and expansion can exact a toll. Business and busyness are sometimes hard to manage for Lamoureux, forcing her to rely on some coping mechanisms.
91裸聊视频淚 cry a lot,91裸聊视频� she sighed before bursting out laughing.
Later, Lamoureux pointed to her relationship status as perhaps another key to her success.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 also incredibly single so that helps,91裸聊视频� she said with another burst of laughter, explaining that she has more time to devote to her business without a significant other.
When her laughter paused, Lamoureux pointed to two specific things that she felt helped with her growing success. She pointed first to her people.
91裸聊视频淢y staff are incredible,91裸聊视频� she said.
With effective delegation, Lamoureux can avoid stretching herself too thin with the competing priorities of the three-pronged business.
The other trick to avoiding burn out for Lamoureux was ensuring that there are projects that the business takes on that give her a sense of passion.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 learning to incorporate things that really fill my cup,91裸聊视频� she said.
Lamoureux explained that coming out of school with a business background sometimes came with pressure to only focus on the tough inner workings of business. Accounting, inventory, and sales are important, but without something that makes the business feel worthwhile, takes the fun out of it.
The business91裸聊视频� upcoming foray into skin care is an example of a project that brings Lamoureux joy; another is some denim jackets that she will be getting custom embroidered for resale.
91裸聊视频淭he past few months, I91裸聊视频檓 really leaning in to just having a good time with it. And so doing things that are work that are also very fulfilling for me, really keep me going.91裸聊视频�
The crying and relationship status aside, Lamoureux suggested two practical ways that businesses can sustainably grow 91裸聊视频� both of which have been instrumental in the success of her businesses. They address two important facets of growth: building capacity, by relying on her team, and looking out for personal well-being in the process.
For Lamoureux, defining sustainability is easy.
91裸聊视频淪ustainability is really easy. Use what you have as long as possible,91裸聊视频� she started, 91裸聊视频渂ut in saying that, I91裸聊视频檝e been a ski bum for a long time, and it91裸聊视频檚 expensive to be poor.91裸聊视频�
She explained that within the context of clothing, sometimes the price of 10 less expensive pieces of gear can be more expensive than buying one great piece that lasts a decade. Still, Lamoureux insisted that sustainability is not out of reach for those in tougher socioeconomic positions.
91裸聊视频淭ruthfully, it91裸聊视频檚 the higher earners that have the highest carbon output comparatively to someone that makes an average income,91裸聊视频� she said.
As a business that was founded on the principles of sustainability, Lamoureux said it91裸聊视频檚 important to remember to give ourselves and others grace.
91裸聊视频淚 strongly believe that everybody needs to vote. But we also can91裸聊视频檛 be at each other91裸聊视频檚 necks because of personal choices that we make. This did not come about because you or I. It came from a lack of top-down action years ago, and now we91裸聊视频檙e dealing with it.91裸聊视频�
Like the pieces of clothing in Forage and Fill, people can wear out too, and faster when the demands on them are high 91裸聊视频� like balancing a housing crisis, a climate crisis, and an overall affordability problem. Lamoureux suggested that those willing to have tough sustainability conversations with themselves, are already 91裸聊视频榤iles ahead91裸聊视频� of other people.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just all kind of a s91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频搕 show, and that91裸聊视频檚 kind of why I do what I do. I don91裸聊视频檛 know what I can do, but I know I can do this, and I know this comes easy, and it91裸聊视频檚 for a good cause, and people want to see it. So, I91裸聊视频檓 just going to keep f91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频搆ing doing it.91裸聊视频�
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