We celebrate February, (the ‘month of love’) each year by showcasing local businesses whose products stock our shelves! This year we’ll be sharing Q&As with some of our nearest and dearest independent suppliers on our blog.
We hope that by highlighting their stories you’ll get to know the lovely humans behind the hard work, and help support them too!
LOVE YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER:
Q&A With TRIPLE KISS DESIGNS
First up is Hannah of Triple Kiss Designs. We started stocking Hannah’s items last year as our greetings card buyer had been on the lookout for plantable seed paper cards.
Triple Kiss Designs cards are a great fit for Daily Bread as they are eco-friendly with fun concepts and designs, and we love that they are hand-delivered by bike from a small local business!
Tell us a bit about yourself:
Hi, I'm Hannah, 34 years old and I live in Cambridge with my boyfriend and adorable pet pooch named Lady. We relocated here almost 7 years ago now and just love everything about Cambridge so have stayed put.
Describe your business:
My business is an eco-friendly greetings cards and prints business with a main focus on plantable cards. I aim to be as eco-friendly (or planet-friendly, as I sometimes say) as possible so only use recycled materials in everything I do, there is no plastic to be seen and I buy from suppliers that care for our planet too.
Plus, the plantable cards give back to our precious pollinators in terms of providing food, and I donate a portion of my profits to a local environmental conservation organisation.
What inspires you/your business?
Inspiration for my business comes from a few sources; a wanting to help spread smiles and positivity in a world that can sometimes seem a bit doom and gloom, plus a wanting to give back to this beautiful planet we call home.
Why did you decide to start your business?
I designed my first few cards in the first lockdown to send to friends and colleagues to help spread some cheer. I also designed some new home cards upon hearing the news ones of my friends had bought her first house. It was my boyfriend who said they were good enough to sell, so I uploaded a few designs to Thortful and hey presto, people started buying them! This gave me the confidence to design more and open my own Etsy shop, and the business has grown from there.
Has the direction of your business changed over time?
Yes, absolutely! I care passionately for our planet and the environment so decided I could only grow my business if I could be eco-friendly, and to be as eco-friendly as possible. That is when I started my plantable card ranges. These cards are zero-waste, biodegrading away once planted in the soil, leaving just beautiful wildflowers.
What challenges have you faced as a small business?
Since I've been running my business we have been in funny times - the pandemic, lockdowns, cost of living crisis, so I never truly know how each month will pan out in terms of sales. It certainly keeps me on my toes! It continues to be a learning curve too, mainly an enjoyable one, but I have had to admit to myself I need help in certain aspects of the business, which has been tough!
What's the most rewarding aspect of running your own business?
I love seeing people's reactions to my cards, it brings me such joy to see the smiles on peoples faces when they pick up one of my cards and exclaim it would be perfect for a loved one of theirs. It is great to know that you've put something out into the world that brings others happiness.
I also love hearing feedback from recipients of one of my cards. A friend recently gave one of my plantable cards to their 90 year old grandmother, and out of all the gifts she got, she was most excited about the card that she can plant. Hearing that was truly heartwarming.
What advice would you give to new businesses that are just starting out?
Just go for it, don't doubt yourself, and don't give up! It's tough going at times, but so so worth it.
What's next for your business?
The plan for 2023 is to continue expanding my range of cards and prints, and to get into more physical shops so more people have the opportunity to buy planet-friendly, plantable cards that will not only bring them and the recipient joy, but the bees and butterflies too.
Anything else you'd like to mention?
A huge thank you to all of you at Daily Bread Cooperative for stocking my cards and featuring Triple Kiss Designs in this feature :)
Thank you so much Hannah!
Connect with Hannah at Triple Kiss Designs via:
Instagram: instagram.com/TripleKissDesigns
Website: Triple Kiss Designs
Simple ways to support an independent local business:
shop small and independent - spend with them as opposed to larger businesses. Even purchasing something low cost will help as every penny can count. See the Just A Card campaign as an example.
shop local - keep local businesses IN business!
word of mouth - tell people about/recommend them.
share their online posts or create your own for them to share.
write them a review/testimonial.
thank them and show your appreciation :)
