More than 20 years on, EcoBags has grown into a business helping organisations across New Zealand and Australia make more responsible choices. But behind that growth is a story shaped by people, purpose and a long standing connection to Fairtrade.
For co founder Simren Kohli, that connection is personal. Growing up in India, she saw firsthand what ethical employment could mean for families and communities, and her father’s garment factory also worked with Fairtrade cotton.
We spoke with founders Jas and Simren about how EcoBags began, how the business has evolved, and the values that continue to guide it today.
How did EcoBags begin?
EcoBags started with a desire to reduce unnecessary waste.
The defining moment came at Wellington City Library, where Simren noticed books being handed out in disposable plastic bags. She suggested replacing them with reusable woven cotton bags, and the library became their first customer.
There was no grand business plan at the time. The idea was simply to make a positive difference, one product at a time.
When did you realise EcoBags could create a bigger impact?
The turning point came when we realised we were not just selling bags. We were helping people and organisations change their behaviour.
What started with replacing plastic bags grew into helping customers reduce waste and make more sustainable purchasing decisions.
We saw that small product changes, when adopted at scale, could create meaningful impact.
What does sustainability look like for EcoBags today?
Our priorities are centred around reducing waste, supporting a circular economy and making responsible choices easier for customers.
That includes reducing reliance on conventional plastics, maintaining product transparency and integrity, supporting waste diversion and working with suppliers who share our values.
For EcoBags, sustainability has always needed to be backed by action, not just marketing.
What does Fairtrade mean to you personally?
Fairtrade means treating people with the same level of care and respect that we expect for ourselves.
For Simren, that connection is personal. Growing up in India, she saw firsthand what ethical employment could mean for families and communities. Her father ran a garment factory that also worked with Fairtrade cotton, so she understood early on what that commitment could look like in practice.
For EcoBags, Fairtrade is also about accountability throughout the supply chain, understanding where products come from, how they are made and who is involved in making them.
“Fairtrade means treating people with the same level of care and respect that we expect for ourselves.”
After more than 20 years, what has stayed the same?
The purpose remains much the same as it was in 2005.
EcoBags still wants to help people make better choices and show that sustainability and commercial success can go hand in hand.
At its heart, EcoBags was never only about bags. It was about creating better choices and showing that small changes can add up to meaningful impact.
More than 20 years on, EcoBags has grown from one reusable cotton bag into a business helping thousands of people and organisations make more considered choices.
But the idea at the heart of it remains the same: look beyond the product, understand where it came from, and remember the people behind it.