Green Cricket Interview with Kendall and Paige from Pine Boutique

1) What does a day at work look like for you?

I think the best word to describe what work looks like for my mom and I is fun! We love that we get to help people take care of themselves, while also helping to take care of the environment. Work feels more like play because we get to constantly be creating and sharing a lifestyle we’re passionate about. I think working these past couple months has been so much fun, not only because we get to do what we love, but for a community we love. Also, working with my mom has been a dream come true because I’m lucky enough to say that she’s also my best friend. And with so much going on in the world right now, we know that this time can be stressful and it’s our hope that Pine can be a space where you can always feel good, happy, and at home.

2) With the COVID 19 pandemic, what has changed in terms of your store and customers?

We opened Pine amid COVID 19. We had our grand opening May 21st and luckily at that time, we were able to open our doors. Opening a business during COVID offers its own challenges but it has also presented many wonderful benefits. With COVID, we were able to approach the store and customers with safety as our top priority. In terms of the store, aside from the amount of cleaning, COVID only influenced my thought process when designing the flow and layout. I wanted there to be a nice balance that allowed everyone to keep a safe distance while still being able to have a positive and enjoyable experience in-store. We’ve felt an enormous amount of support from the Collingwood community. Everyone seems to be more conscious about what their buying and are going out of their way to buy locally. We are truly grateful for this effort, it means the world to us, and we are really look forward to continuing to service the Collingwood area.

3) What’s your favourite product from the store right now?

My mom and I use as many products that we sell as we can, so we have quite a few favourites right now!

For the kitchen, our current favourite is the Canadiano wooden pour-over. We are both big coffee lovers and it’s the best way we’ve found to make a zero-waste cup of coffee. The aroma is amazing and it makes having coffee a real treat!

For the bathroom, our favourite product right now is the Oneka shower gel. Their fragrances are fresh and not overpowering, and it lathers nicely which gives you that clean feel after every shower. It’s made with all-natural ingredients in Quebec. It’s a product we’ve definitely fallen in love with and our refill option can allow you to try it and see if it works for you!

Our favourite product for the body right now is the Love Fresh body butter. Love Fresh is another amazing Canadian company and they use all-natural, clean ingredients. Their body butter is rich and creamy and has been amazing at healing dry skin and eczema. As well, the scent stays on your body throughout the day as well, which we love!

Our current favourite piece of ethical fashion that we carry is our Kraywoods sunglasses. Kraywoods uses real wood to make stylish, and lightweight sunglasses in Montreal. We also love that they plant a tree for every pair of sunglasses that’s sold.

We have a few favourite products from our utility section, one is the beeswax wraps. Using beeswax food wraps is a fantastic way to ease into living a more sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle because they’re fun and easy to use. They completely replace plastic wrap and naturally keep your food fresher for longer due to their antibacterial properties. Another utility favourite is the Green Cricket dish soap. It is sudsy and effective on grease and grime, while being gentle on the environment. We also love that we offer it to our customers in refill format.

4) How has adopting a more sustainable lifestyle changed your daily life?

Adopting a more sustainable lifestyle has changed our daily life immensely because it has completely changed our mindset. It has made us both more conscious and aware of what we are consuming and the importance of thoughtful consumption. Every change we have made in our daily life has left us not only feeling good but wanting to find more ways to live sustainably. It’s a lifestyle with no downside and inspires us to want to continue to take care of ourselves and the environment, while also encouraging Collingwood residents to refill and find amazing alternatives to plastic products.

5) What’s your favourite part about Collingwood, ON?

The people. Everyone is so welcoming and kind, we feel honoured to be a part of such an uplifting and supportive community. While the community is our favourite part, the natural landscape is a close second. We both live active lifestyles and being outdoors plays a huge role in our overall well-being and happiness. With trails, beaches, and mountains nearby, there are so many different places to explore and an abundance of ways to connect with nature. The people, places, and overall atmosphere of Collingwood is truly special and is one we are proud to call home.

Visit Pine Boutique website.