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We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers, old and new for joining us on our journey... and we wanted to give you a little more background about our business, our philosophy and the direction we want to move in the future.
We recently had a Q&A session with Dream Web Design in Southport who wanted to find out a little more about BrushFresh.
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Question:Thanks for joining us today to give us some more information about BrushFresh... Can you tell us a little about your background?
Answer: We are dentists that graduated from and now live in Bristol. Dr Michael Anaman is our founder and is originally from South London. He loves dentistry and helping anxious patients feel comfortable during their visits. In his spare time, he loves to play sports, relax with family/friends and explore the countryside.
Dr Ciara Deehan Jackson is from Devon, and she enjoys giving people the smile of their dreams. She also loves facial aesthetics and facial recontouring. In her spare time, she likes to read, bake and run.
Question: How did you get your idea for BrushFresh?
Answer: Walking down the supermarket aisle (looking for toothpaste) we noticed every single product used excessive plastic packaging, and the toothpaste tubes were non-recyclable. After having seen the impact of pollution on our environment (yes we are big David Attenborough fans) we decided we needed to take action.
Question: When you first created BrushFresh, what did you hope to achieve?
Answer: Our aim is to eliminate plastic waste from dental care altogether. We want traditional toothpaste tubes and plastic toothbrushes to be a thing of the past.
Question: Are there any other entrepreneurs you take inspiration from and why?
Answer: Juliet Anaman. She runs a company called bluebird skincare (www.bluebirdskincare.co.uk) that produces cruelty free skincare products, that are not tested on animals. Her work ethic is admirable.
Another contender here is Bill Gates of Microsoft. We admire his determination to use his wealth to better others in need – something that isn’t often seen with successful entrepreneurs. With Brush Fresh we aim to follow his model of bettering the world with revenue.
Question: You’ve got two products currently, your toothbrush and toothpaste tablets. Can you tell us a little more about these?
Answer: Nearly 60 million plastic non recyclable toothpaste tubes are sent to landfill every year. Our toothpaste has been designed to completely overhaul this – instead ensuring all our components can be recycled.
We have fluoride and non fluoride variants to suit your preferences, and additional ingredients such as bicarbonate to lift stains/brighten teeth. What we don’t include are the vast additives normal toothpastes have, because our toothpaste tabs are non-liquid, additives aren’t required.
We design every aspect of our products and our toothbrushes are no exception. The handle is made from treated bamboo which is both recyclable and compostable, the bristles rounded at the tips to prevent damage and wear to your teeth. This is a market first with eco friendly toothbrushes.
The best thing is that these are both hand luggage friendly.
Question: How did you go about researching the products?
Answer: We spent months researching our favourite dental products and including as many features as possible into our own. From scientific studies/papers to customer reviews and evaluations, we ensured no leaf was left un-turned.
After the science was figured out, we proceeded to ensure our products were guaranteed to be as eco friendly as we wanted to promise. A whole year after first designing our products, we found a suitable manufacturer who was able to meet our health, safety and eco friendly needs.
Question: Your toothbrushes come from sustainable sources. How did you go about finding suppliers to work with and ensuring that they were reputable?
Answer: The first step in the process was speaking directly to the managers of the facilities, questioning them current ecological and environmental challenges. Then, we were granted access to information on their sourcing, sustainability and ethical policies. Lastly, we signed contracts that our materials will only come from the most sustainable sources, even if that meant paying slightly more for our materials.
Question: Although your toothbrush bristles are not recyclable, there’s good reason for that… can you elaborate a little more on why?
Answer: Nylon 6 is our material of choice here for a few reasons: it is hygienic and doesn’t absorb moisture, it’s the right consistency to remove plaque but not damage teeth, and it’s the best material out there for ethical reasons. The only alternative is pigs hair.
Question: Why do you feel that the big dental companies have not gone into eco-friendly / environmentally friendly products historically?
Answer: This one is simple – to save money. Currently, making eco friendly dental products comes at a premium. It is much more straightforward to sell customers something they can throw into the bin and forget about afterwards. This is a shame, and we hope we can change the tune of the industry.
Question: Do you feel that your type of products will have a big impact on the industry and when do you think they will become more mainstream?
Answer: We think eco friendly products such as ours will become the standard by 2024.
Question: You’ve got big plans for future products. Can you share some more information about products currently in development with us?
Answer: We've got some great new products currently in development. At this stage, our latest products are in research - so keep your eyes peeled on our Instagram page (www.instagram.com/brushfreshco), facebook (www.facebook.com/brushfreshco), our website (www.brushfreshco.com) and youtube page (www.youtube.com/brushfreshco) for updates when we bring them to market - they'll further add to our range and fill out our great dental product offering.
Question: And what’s next after that?
Answer: Once we have changed habits with products that maintain dental health, we will have a go at cosmetic dental eco friendly products.
Question: What do you feel is unique about what you do?
Answer:We are the only brand in the UK that is tackling this specific problem head on, with our own products.
Question: Ultimately, what’s your goals for BrushFresh and how do you hope to achieve these?
Answer: Our goal is to make non recyclable items in the bathroom a thing of the past. We will do this by spreading our message, educating the world and expanding our reach. Hopefully we can inspire similar companies to follow this trend.
Very thoughtful bblog