Meeting like-minded people at The Good Trade

Last weekend (April 13 and 14 in Up Town Center) was our first time to join The Good Trade, a gathering of eco-conscious brands in the Philippines aimed at creating awareness around the zero-waste and plastic-free lifestyle. The Good Trade also celebrates handmade, cruelty-free, and locally-sourced goods. Their Summer Series will run for three more dates in Ayala Malls the 30th, Glorietta 2, and Alabang Town Center.

Teena and April

It was enlightening to witness so many passionate people educating and instilling sustainable living in others. Being able to provide zero-waste and plastic-free alternatives was totally empowering and it was refreshing to see tons of options for those who are transitioning to the lifestyle or already living it.

We were lucky to be situated beside @dreamwideawakeph - the smells of their coffee and tsokolate de batirol kept us awake and smiling all throughout the event. Right behind us was @consciouscanvasph whose bags are made by PWDs. Their brand supports Philippine National Para-athletes, too. Beside them was @simulaph who, interestingly, is owned by the sister of one of our friends! Maan (simulaph), Ella (dreamwideawakeph), and I swapped stories about our geriatric furbabies and it was 💕

We got to walk around in the morning before things got too busy, and I was able to say hi and reintroduce myself to @druid.things, and my sister bought dehydrated dog treats from @barf.ph which even our rescue cats enjoyed! We made new friends, too, in @kalikhasan and @humblemarketph - from whom we got our first taste of adlai. I bought a Rosemary-Peppermint candle from @artem.skincare which I lit as soon as I got home.

So many people dropped by - both familiar and unfamiliar with our brand. We were sooo kilig when some mentioned they saw us on TV via our interview with Green Living and when those we met during our first-ever bazaar in Shangri-la came to visit! We enjoyed talking about a lot of things - our brand story and Zippy's part in it, our advocacies, the ingredients of our handmade products, down to how to use our tooth powder. We met Bean, Smith, Cooper, Muffin, Ink, and T'Challa, all beautiful dogs, and brought our own Toffee, Ashley, and Kerrio to help us man the booth!

The tons of firsts in this event included actually pumping refills of our shampoo and conditioner, and weighing scoops of tooth powder. Which, I must say, kudos to @kathalifestylestore for the muscle and patience in dispensing our products at their package-free shop in Cubao Expo.

My sister-in-law, Tricia, and I woke up on Monday feeling like we got run over 😆, but becoming partners in the eco-journey of the people we met in those two short days made it worth it.

We are forever grateful to @thegoodtrade.ph for welcoming us into the community and providing a platform for people like us who have a dream of changing the world. and to our family and friends (old and new!) for their unwavering support.

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