Founder of Tulz to Reduce
What is Tulz to Reduce?
TULZ to reduce - is a brand dedicated to inspire people to reduce their use of single-use plastic and as inspiration for zero waste living.
When and how was Tulz to Reduce born?
Me and Paola (my business partner) met in a sustainability program at UCLA, we both took an entrepreneurship class that focused on sustainability. There, we started playing with different ideas on branding and promoting sustainability. One day we sat down in Abbot Kinney and discussed the uncomfortable and inconvenience that comes from the designs of the bamboo cutlery (and other reusable products). Further, in the conversation, we realized that there are no cool modern designs for reusable products. So, we decided to start our journey to create a company that would be focused on designing high quality chic products for zero waste living.
Where did the name TULZ come from?
TULZ It is wordplay for tools, and we added - to reduce- as we design tools to reduce waste.
How long did it take to materialize the concept into a reality?
We started working on the idea and market fit around the end of December 2017 and we opened the company with the official TULZ design in September 2018. We are still on a start-up mode as currently, our designs focused on cutlery, but in the future we are planning to expand for other products as well.
Can you please share one of the most challenging experiences in the process of creating Tulz To Reduce?
Being an entrepreneur you always have ups and downs, therefore, everything is kind of a challenge, but we like it. At one point we almost gave up on the idea after having the first sample that came up horrible. Also, the thoughts of how to get the money to start it all were a huge barrier to get the ball rolling; we were students and didn't have a lot of money to invest. Because we didn't have much to start, we designed everything more minimalistic and every penny came from us. Now we are working on our Kickstarter and having outside investments!
What would you take as the greatest learning experience in building your own brand/company?
There is something to learn every day! New problems arise on the horizon that need creative thinking to find a solution. we are learning a lot by doing operations, branding, marketing, and communications.
Would you have done something different so far?
We are still in the beginning so I can't really tell so far.
Is TULZ To Reduce your full-time job?
Both me and Paola have other day jobs- Paola is a fresh full-time mom and I am working in fashion.
How do you manage to coordinate your passion and another job?
Lucky for us, we live in an era where you can manage a whole company online, so that makes everything much more simple.
Where are you based now? How does impact the operational systems of the brand?
We started in LA, Paola recently moved to San Francisco and I am spending some time in Israel now. We designed TULZ to be a global company and we are mostly working as a direct-to-consumer and wholesale brand. Our office, shipping, and handling are currently in SF but we are looking to expand to the EU market as well.
How does being diversely-based impact the company?
As we mentioned earlier, having an online platform makes everything much smoother to manage. It doesn’t affect the company since we aim to be accesible for people all over the world.
Where do you mainly source the product's materials from?
Like most companies, we source overseas mostly from China. However, at the moment we are working on manufacturing in Israel and Mexico! (our home countries).
Where do you produce the product? Do you visit the location? How often?
We still Haven't had the chance to visit the factory yet, but we communicate constantly on video calls with our suppliers. We are really happy and proud that we get all of our products shipped without the use of plastic packaging! it is something very basic that was built as a core value for the company, as almost every product that you order comes wrapped in plastic.
What practices do you use to ensure the quality is never compromised?
When we started developing the design we ordered samples from different places around the world to check what was the best for us. At first we wanted to work with an artisan factory in India that is specialized in copper and brass, but the handmade and artisans meant we had to compromise with quality, and that was a no-go. After doing deep research, we realized that china is doing an amazing job with utensils manufacturing and that are different eco friendly factories we can work with. Coming from fashion production, I know that the word made in China has negative environmental connections, but now we know this is not always the case.
What's the biggest source of inspiration for the look and feel for TULZ To Reduce?
Our inspiration comes simply from the idea of designing beautiful products in good quality. We realized that once you invest in a good product, you tend to keep it for a long time. Same concept as buying designer clothes and fine jewelry. We want people to remember to use their TULZ and reduce their use of single-use plastic. We believe that by having a beautiful, convenient, and affordable products we can make this a reality.
When thinking about creating new products for the company, how do you get inspired?
By observations and understanding what type of single-use products we use the most, and With this, try to design and make the ideal solution for reusable products.
How do you keep the brand alive?
Constantly looking at creative ways to convince people on being hooked to sustainable lifestyles. Making it more attractive and simple for our customers makes our brand stand out. We use social media as a way to be seen and connect with people and different brands that seek the same mission.
Where do you get daily inspired from?
Are there any days where you fill uninspired? If so, what do you do on days you are not so inspired to continue working on TULZ To Reduce?
Definitely! But then we remember our mission and the inspiration to keep on kicks right back in! Jorden refreshes her mind and Takes a break by going surfing :) and Paola does yoga as a way to return to their true purpose. when We realize how much waste we produce, we immediately remember how necessary it is to have tulz out in the world!
What scares you the most about having your own brand? How do you face these fears?
Competition. but then we realize that, like fashion, we have so many designers and brands and each of them has a place in this world. So, having more sustainable brands for zero waste living is a good way to grow the market. Besides, every brand and company bring their own uniqueness to the game.
What excited you the most about having your own brand?
Being an entrepreneur is like being an artist- an opportunity to create and express our passions. This is what environmental entrepreneurship is all about. Using our creative mind to be innovative and have a unique value proposition.
What is a perfect morning routine for you?
JORDEN: Wake up, go surfing, take a warm shower, eat a good breakfast, and work a bit on the computer.
PAOLA: wake up, drink some hot tea and read. Have breakfast with my 2 month old baby and my husband. Go to a yoga class or incorporate some movement.
What impact do you want to have both in the world and others? How do you hope for TULZ to reduce to impact in a positive way their customers?
Shifting awareness for the amount of trash we produce- having more people bring their own tulz as a habit for everyday living. same like being vegan and gluten free- we learn how to say no and stop consuming certain products- even though it is hard sometimes and almost impossible in certain places- also saying no to plastic is a way of living.
How do you see TULZ To Reduce growing in the next 2 years?
Being in more points of sale in the US and around the globe. Keep Shipping worldwide and be in more events so people start identifying themselves with the brand. Expanding our team is also in the near future, hiring talented people to help us spread this message.
Yael – SUSTAINABLE Guide
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