Clean and conscious in one
Material published in issue 8(128), August 2019, "Osem" Magazines.
Link to the original: here .
“Thank you for shopping consciously!” This is what it says on the receipt you receive when you shop at the Tierra Verde Bulgaria store (tierra verde – green earth). The company sells eco-friendly household products and products for zero-waste living. But this is not just a business, but a social project with a clear cause – to encourage people to do everything they can to take care of themselves, their loved ones and nature. Because our planet is our home and our own survival depends on keeping it in good “health”. And the choice of each individual person matters!
Clean and conscious in one
For Irena and Vihra, Tierra Verde's eco-products are an eco-dream come true - free of toxic chemicals, with recyclable packaging, minimalist and efficient.
This philosophy brings together Irena Sabeva and Vihra Dincheva, who are first and foremost advocates of the environmental cause and only then businesswomen. That is why their store in Sofia near "Pirogov" is called "NA CHISTO" and, in addition to being a retail outlet, is also an educational center. Their goal is not just to sell organic products and goods for a zero-waste lifestyle, but also to make people think about why this is important for them, for their loved ones and for nature. Thus, with their conscious daily choices, people can be part of the solution, not the problem.
Irena Sabeva says about herself that she is intransigent to injustice. She is a psychologist and psychotherapist by profession. In 2008, she and her husband opened one of the first organic stores in Bulgaria. She is an intransigent eco-activist, over the years she has been involved and has developed all kinds of activities in this direction. For example, hers is the initiative for neighborhood composting “Food for the Earth - good for all”.
Vihra Dincheva has a business education and defines herself as idealistic and practical. She has lived and worked abroad for many years. Her deep interest in the environment and conscious lifestyle led her to leave her corporate job in Germany in 2014 and go to Sweden, where she studied for a master's degree in sustainable development and collective leadership. In 2017, she returned to Bulgaria with the desire to integrate her knowledge, skills and contacts on her native land.
The two ladies met in Bulgaria in 2017, when Vihra was part of the team that led a collective leadership training. The two found common interests around the topic of composting and nature conservation and stayed in touch. Vihra shared that in her household she uses Czech biopreparations and zero-waste goods, produced by an acquaintance of hers, and suggested that Irena try them. She tried them, was satisfied with the products, and after a while Vihra introduced her to their manufacturer - the Czech Natasha, founder of "Tierra Verde" Czech Republic. Soon after their meeting, in early 2018, Vihra, Irena and Natasha founded "Tierra Verde Bulgaria", a Bulgarian-Czech company.
The company offers organic household products and zero-waste living products to the domestic market. Tierra Verde brands include the following product range:
Yellow & Blue – ecological cleaning, laundry and dishwashing detergents
CasaOrganica – home products made from organic cotton and other household alternatives
MamaNatura – personal hygiene products
GaiaCup – reusable menstrual cups and pads
Currently, the products are imported from the Czech Republic, but the company's growth would soon allow them to be produced here.
TOXIN-FREE
"Few people think that household detergents contain many toxic chemicals that we ingest, inhale, get on our bodies and ultimately - into nature. It is a common practice in household chemicals to use raw materials from the oil industry, synthetic fragrances, dyes, optical brighteners, chlorine and many other ingredients that are toxic. They accumulate in our bodies, which are already exposed to the progressive pollution of water, food and air. These toxic chemicals are invisible, but they are the basis of many allergies and diseases. We can help limit them by removing them from our household. But for this to happen, there must be an alternative. That is why we started offering Tierra Verde preparations. They are based on natural sources such as soap nuts, essential oils, citric acid, as well as chemical substances that are harmless to humans and nature, such as baking soda and soda percarbonate," says Vihra.
MINIMALISTIC
She emphasizes that the products are developed on the principle of chemical minimalism – there is nothing superfluous in them, only that and as much as is necessary to be effective. “Efficiency is important because customers have to be happy with these products – they have to do their job, but with care for people and nature,” she says.
Another manifestation of the minimalist philosophy is to achieve maximum effect with a minimum amount, which is why the products are highly concentrated. "People don't need to pay for unnecessary filler. 30 milliliters of our liquid laundry detergent is enough for one quality wash. Have you ever thought about how much detergent you use for one wash? It is generally from 50 to over 100 milliliters. And this means that in addition to unnecessary filler, you also pay for more or larger plastic packaging. With us, there are as many as 33 washes in 1 liter, and this saves money and unnecessary plastic waste," explains Vihra.
Tierra Verde's policy is that the development of packaging is also subject to the philosophy of minimalism and the pursuit of zero waste. All dry detergents are now entirely in paper and cardboard packaging, which can be recycled and composted. This choice has also saved over 20 tons of plastic in production over the last 3 years, which would otherwise have ended up in nature. The offer of large packaging is in the same direction - for example, the washing gel is also available in a 5-liter cardboard package, enough for 165 washes!
Also with the aim of reducing plastic waste, another step has been taken – bulk (and soon bulk) detergents are offered. In Sofia, this happens when the customer comes with their own container to the “NA CHISTO” store and pours the required amount of the desired detergent. The two ladies hope that more stores in Bulgaria will join in and start offering bulk and bulk sales of ecological detergents. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, this is already a practice in over 130 stores. “We encourage people to reuse packaging. This is a strong trend in Europe, where there are many people who want to shop and generally live consciously,” says Irena.
NO WASTE
A cornerstone of the philosophy that Vihra and Irena follow is the principle of zero waste. They offer and teach consumers to use products that have a long life and can be reused. And, of course, most of them are compostable. For example, brushes with wooden handles and plant-fiber bristles are a great alternative to dishwashing sponges. Reusable organic cotton bandages save huge amounts of non-recyclable waste. Organic cotton mesh bags and shopping bags replace plastic bags. Metal straws are an ideal alternative to synthetic ones and can last a lifetime.
ETHICAL BUSINESS
Irena and Vihra are committed to doing business based on ethics. Fairness and mutual respect are fundamental. They are building a network of ethical partnerships with other businesses, organizations and initiatives, believing and wanting to be an example of how, through our collective efforts, we can contribute much more to the world we want to live in.
Irena and Vihra say that the products they offer are their eco-dream come true. "With us, you can find many solutions in one place. And not only for everyday needs like cleaning. Together we can also look for global solutions - caring for nature, a sustainable economy, ethical business," say the businesswomen.
Clean and conscious in one!
PRODUCTS WITH PHOTO:
LAUNDRY GEL - Concentrated gel for colored laundry with cold extract of soap nuts, scented with natural lavender essential oil. Suitable for washing baby clothes and textile diapers. Does not contain toxic chemicals. Gentle on humans and nature. Highly concentrated and therefore economical, 1 liter is enough for 33 washes.
BIKA BICARBONATE SODA – removes all kinds of odors from textiles and surfaces, cleans burnt dishes and stoves, sanitary ware, everything in the kitchen, bathroom, children's room, car and garden. Soda is the most universal cleaning agent. The best degreaser and deodorizer. Widely used in the past, now interest in it is reviving.
DISHWASHING GEL – plant-based, non-irritating to the skin, with a natural lemon essential oil scent. Suitable for washing fruits and vegetables.
METAL STRAWS SET - made of stainless steel, specially developed for food purposes. In addition to replacing plastic ones and thus limiting pollution, they are a good alternative from a hygienic point of view, because they are extremely easy to clean. The set also includes a special brush for this purpose, as well as a convenient storage bag.
Contacts:
Sofia, NA CHISTO store, 31 Gen. Totleben Blvd.
WWW. TIERRAVERDE.BG
Many of the products can also be purchased from the company's partners, the stores Bio Mag, Zelen Bio, Zoya BG, etc. And from September, in the DM chain throughout the country.
