I’ve been an activist and a vegan for years. Specifically, I’ve been highly passionate about the natural world and low waste living and this quickly made me want to translate these values into my professional life. In 2014, the more conscious outlook on the food I was eating made me think about the ingredients I put on my body, their manufacturing methods and the general disposable lifestyle all of us lead. The idea of The Kind Store was born, with the goal to bring together those hard-to-find items that are vegan, natural and sustainable all in one online destination.
We opened two years ago, after months and months of research into the vegan, natural and sustainable way of life. In that time, I’ve seen a surge in the popularity of veganism and overall plant based eating, and it is impacting more than just food. For one, there is definitely a growing demand for both vegan and cruelty free health and beauty products. Vegan and cruelty free are similar, but have slight differences, as vegan products could still contain ingredients such as beeswax for example. As a result of this trend many non-vegan health and beauty brands are now creating vegan ranges to attract more customers.
I’ve seen a change in the way people view vegan businesses in recent years. There has always been a very strong vegan community that is always actively searching for and supporting vegan brands like us. There is definitely more support from vegans for a vegan owned and operated company, compared to a non-vegan brand which creates a bespoke vegan line despite yet in other areas using animal products or allowing testing on animals. In the non-vegan market, there are many consumers who are inquisitive and want to make the right choice and that’s when they find us, compared to a couple of years ago when a vegan business would have been seen as niche and non-inclusive.
I can also see the trends in our customers, a good mix of vegans and non-vegans gravitating towards the plant based lifestyle. Approximately 50-60% of our customers are either vegan or vegetarian, and of those, it’s about a 50/50 split between vegan and vegetarian, so overall 25 to 30% of them are vegan. Many of our customers also choose to shop with us as they care about the environment and are conscious consumers, as our products are sourced to be kinder (which gave us our name, The Kind Store) in all aspects from our packaging, natural ingredients, fairly made and supporting a small independent business, alongside being vegan.
Generally, when people become vegan, their diet is the first thing they change and then start to look at health and beauty products. I set up the store as, as a vegan myself, I had such difficulty finding vegan beauty products and toiletries on the high street or in supermarkets around 4 years ago. We attract customers who are already vegan and looking to make everything vegan in their life, and non-vegans who are either interested in natural/cruelty free beauty, plastic free packaging or who want to support independent labels.
Celebrity endorsements of veganism have also been a help for businesses such as mine. They make veganism more mainstream and accessible, and when it isn’t seen as so niche or ‘hippie’, more people will try the diet and lifestyle and in turn, look for vegan health and beauty products. Normalisation of veganism by societal idols has definitely increased awareness and got the conversation going. However, at its core, veganism is about ending animal suffering and I’ve noticed that many celebrity endorsements are around a vegan diet and plant based eating, which may not lead to then looking for vegan health and beauty products as the concern is over the food they are eating in regards to nutrition.
It’s important to look further than nutrition when you think of veganism and plant based living. Animal suffering and pollution are two causes that are close to my heart. At The Kind Store we support Tower Hill Animal Sanctuary, with 10% of profits going towards the food and care of rescued animals locally in Essex. We’re also aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with sustainability at the core of our business plan, and we’re committed to Trash Transparency. People want transparency from businesses now, which is why our Kind Business Plan is fully accessible on our website.
The evolution in the way veganism is viewed and catered for is a great sign of its longevity in the future. Consumers call the shots, and businesses need to keep aligning with their values. I believe everybody can make a difference and we all have the power to instigate change. By making small achievable changes to our daily life, we will have a big impact on the environment, animals and ourselves. Where we spend our money will shape the world we live in.
Are you a vegan or thinking of adopting the plant based diet? I’d love to hear from you.
By Natasha Tyler, founder of The Kind Store, the 100% vegan, natural and sustainable online shop of toiletries, skincare, make up, home and on the go products all wrapped in plastic free packaging.
