More Dragons' Den stuff... a bit more indepth though!!

Hi there,

Due to a phenomenal number of questions about our appearance on Dragons Den, we thought we would share our thoughts with you about the experience and what has happened since!

So Christian decided it would be a good idea to try Dragons' Den in order to allow us to expand our "Tiny" company. Good idea....except he didn't tell me! The first I knew was when I got a call from the BBC asking me what we would do with the money.

We desperately needed funds though as we had grown so rapidly, we were having to finance more stock, and we had started off with one small office and had spread over the farm we worked on, to 3 premises. These still weren't big enough and we were literally sitting on boxes - you couldn't get through the office door.

So a few months later we arrived at the "dragon" location at about 6:30 in the morning, both of us so nervous we appeared hyper. we sat in the "green room" twitching and fidgeting, waiting to be summonsed, in the meantime helping ourselves to endless cups of tea and chocolate to calm our nerves ... great idea as we were both then even more hyper!

The BBC staff had done my hair beautifully first thing, but the "green room" was so hot and humid, my hair just got frizzier and bigger as the day went on. So by the time we got in front of the Dragons it looked outrageous - one massive frizzball.

So finally we were called to the "den". How terrified were we?! We walked up the stairs wondering if it was anything like the experience shown on t.v. It was. The 5 dragons sat there just looking at us, waiting for us to do our pitch. So we did, and we got well and truly slayed! Both of us thought we had completely blown it, as apparently I was on a crusade and Christian's addmission to rehab was met with less than sympathy to say the least.

After about 20 minutes of questioning, out hearts just sank as some of the Dragons were clearly unimpressed. Duncan Bannatyne in particular, who had for the previous 20 minutes been picking at the paper on the box sample he had, then announced that the paper was peeling off! Christian and I stood there in disbelief. Any paper product if picked at for that length of time would not withstand being torn. So we were ready to leave the den dejected.

Peter Jones (who is lovely by the way) had not said a thing up to this point, and suddenly threw us a life line, but only if Theo joined him. The BBC then ran out of film, so asked for a short break. Christian and I retreated to the back of the room and saw Theo shaking his head at Peter. Could our hearts sink much deeper? Christian and I felt even more dejected and then just waited for the film to be replaced and then for us to be expelled from the Den.
But Theo said Yes!

We came out of the den absolutely stunned. All the BBc crew were congratulating us, but it just wouldn't sink in that we had 2 dragons on board - and definitely our favourite ones.
So what happened next ?

We went to London to meet all of Theo's team and Peter's team to work out the way forward. They were all lovely (especially Peter!) and we are now working on moving to much bigger premises, expanding our stock range to include 100% recycled wrapping paper, pillow boxes, mailing boxes and bigger square gift boxes. We are also updating our printing facilities and on a recruitment drive for people who can actually cope with working in our "tiny" offices! We have a regular flow of communication between our office and Peter's and Theo's offices and it's great because if there is any business decision now that we are unsure of, then we can just pick up the phone.

So all very good news so far. We will keep you posted on what happens next!

One last note - Deborah Meaden is nothing like how she is painted out to be on Dragons Den. The programme is heavily edited and although she questioned us lots to check we knew what we were talking about, she was actually laughing with us and was very amicable.
Bye for now,

Rachel.

The Aftermath of Dragons Den

Hi, So sorry for a major update following our Dragons' DEn appearance anyway Dragons’ Den for us in one word; Whirlwind! And it still is in our Tiny Box Company office.

After securing investment from Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis it all started and I mean right when we were still on the TV! At 9:59pm (the show ends at 10pm) the phone was ringing with orders coming in.

Christian was on BBC 5 Live a few hours later and I am sure you have read/heard or saw one of us in some newspaper/radio and even TV shows in the week post our DD appearance !!! I have perfected my stuck up 'showbiz' air kiss; 'Dahlink!!'

Our website (www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk) took so many hits that we crashed our server, actually we not only crashed ours but also our hosts too!!
After securing more investment than we had asked for on the show we had initial meetings with Theo and Peter, they are lovely. We have taken on 4 members of staff and are currently in negotiations with a few very big high street names, fingers crossed they want to change to eco-friendly packaging and use us.

We are still searching for bigger premises as we are growing out of the three separate warehouses we have at the moment, as I write this I am literally pushing a pile of recycled bags off the keyboard!

Our philosophy remains the same even after our TV appearance; to only provide eco-friendly packaging and with no minimum order. The ‘no minimum order’ is important to us and really sets us apart from all other Packaging Companies. A lot of retail outlets still believe that ‘recycled’ is of inferior quality. It most definitely is not.

I was recognised in of all places my local post office by a girl who set me up on some kind of businessperson pedestal it was like I was some Rock God, so embarrassing! She told me that the clip, yes just our clip from Dragons’ Den, was being used by her University in her ‘How to be a Great Entrepreneur” course. I frantically tried to hide my embarrassment behind my post pile but the queue were having none of it, before long the entire queue were discussing recycling and even packaging!!

Amongst the influx of new orders and enquiries about our eco friendly packaging, transparent boxes and how many colours we do in our 100% recycled bags I am even answering business questions from people that don’t even want my boxes or bags. They just want business advice!

Anyway we here at the Tiny Box Company welcome your calls and enquiries about anything, so do get in touch for a chat. 01342 322333, we would prefer orders though!!

Peace Out,

Rachel Watkyn - Tiny Box Founder

Tonight (Monday) BBC2 9pm

Hello,

Yes!!!! We cannot contain our excitement (?!) any more. BBC2 on Dragons' Den Monday night me and Christian take to the 'stage'.

I feel quite embarrassed that Christian calls me 'Rainman' on national TV but the one million pound question; Do we succeed? Well, you'll have to wait and see...

So, I just want to say a big 'thank you' to all our lovely customers and friends... If you are around East Grinstead Monday night then we are having a party in the Rose and Crown pub where they will be showing the programme on their Big Screen. I am very embarrassed but I will be going down to say 'hi' to everybody, Christian is less so, he unfortunately is making the excuse that he has to get up at 4am on Tuesday morning and can't make it. Pussy!

So, the invite to you is out there, please do come down and join us. If you can't make sure you watch Dragons' Den at 9pm.

Me out,

Rachel Watkyn

Tiny Box Company and Tiny Difference Founder and 'Lord and Leader'!

Dragons' Den

Hello,

Thanks for all emails and phone calls from people saying, "There's a company that we saw a glimpse of last night selling boxes like yours...". Actually last nights Dragons' Den featured a 4 second promotion for me and Christian appearing on Dragons' Den on the 1st Sept 20-08 (that's this Monday!!) at 9pm.

I can't tell you if we got investment or not as the BBC has told us that we can't! Damn them!!

If you sawe the little snippet last night you would have seen Christian sticking up for me and giving Duncan Bannatyne a piece of his mind... Bless him, he's like my brother!

Anyway we will be gracing your TV screen and if you want to find out more then point your browser to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dbh7k and be watching Monday September 1st at 9pm. Both me and Christian are extremely embarrased at our appearance and especially where Christian calls me 'Rainman' on primetime TV!!! Yep just like a brother!!

Anyway you may have noticed that we have changed servers on our Tiny Box Company website so the shop and products and well everything looks a lot smoother and is more secure and looks great!!!


Anyway til later,

Rachel

Founder: Tiny Box Company and Tiny Difference

Couple of big points.... AND A NEW CLUB!!!!

Hello and Wow!!!!,

I cannot believe that it has been sooooo long since I posted! So much has been happening in the Tiny Offices it is unreal...

Our big TV appearance is imminent (within the next few weeks - I will let you know when, as soon as I know!)... we are in the process of switching servers for our website... We have a new, lovely member of staff, her name is Viktoria and she is the reason why I am tapping my keyboard right now:

Y'see we will only employ people who have that extra something, that little bit of madness that makes them 'special' and hopefully we will get a good idea along the way!

Well Viktoria has just had 'Viktoria's Great Idea Number 1' and here it is...

When V started in the Tiny Offices she saw it as a stepping stone for her fortune, as well as helping us out she was secretly planning to take over the world! Unbeknown to us she was reading and studying the book was called “How to Net a million” by Josephine Monroe and she burst into the office one day exclaiming, "I know what the Tiny Box Company needs!!!???" "What's that"? I said...

Turns out Viktoria reckons that we need a box and bag 'club' (?????).

After about 20 minutes of not being able to do a thing because of the rasping laughter that ensued we came around to her way of thinking!!!

Ladies, Gentlemen, Boys and Girls the Tiny Box Company is launching (drum roll please) - The Tiny Box Company's Box and Bag club...

We are inviting you to become a member. It is free to join and as a member you are now entitled to not only go bag and box spotting and telling us of your finds but also to use secret code words such as “bagmergency”, “boxmergency” and our favourite "bag (or box) alotititus"

We are working on day trips out bag and box spotting (with Viktoria of course as our own Bag Lady... we just need to get her some cats and a shopping trolley.

Have spoken to some of our customers already about the idea... they think it's a goer. So much so LA Jewellery have already tried to muscle in on it, demanding to be Box Member # 1! But that would be unfair!!!

The benefits of course are that if going for a new job or anything then you as a member would be able to put under the hobbies section of their CV that they are an active member of “the bag and box club” and have infinite tales to tell... we will of course provide membership badges (or little boxes) to pin on and various other merchandise... You will get Box and Bag discounts and more so you will have the honour and distinction of being a member of this ohhhh so secret club!!

Need I say anymore? No, didn't think so.

So sign up now with you name (and company) at boxandbagclub@tinyboxcompany.com to start changing your life forever...

Yours sincerely,

Rachel Watkyn (Box and Bag Club Director)

Tiny Box News

Hello Pop-pickers...

I spoke at the Barbican last weekend at the huge ethical 'UK Aware' event... I was speaking in Room 2 at about 3:15 so was absolutely bushed and could not bring myself to get into a (friendly) ethical argument and get excited in the debate... which is so unlike meeeeeeeeee!!! I decided to answer the question, which was also the topic of the debate; "Is being good, good for business?" - To summarise I said that consumers see past a company just adding a small amount of Fair Trade or ethical produce in their business to be seen to be green/ethical... One needs to adopt a whole business culture rather than a shallow product offering...

Anyway some TIny Box Company news;
We have just got a new printing machine so we can do double the amount of of printing as before. Yay for us!!! We can print on anything we supply; that's boxes and bags.

We are recruiting for a new member of staff at the moment so if you call us and neither I nor Christian answer and it's a strange voice then BE NICE!!!!

We are still the UK's sole recycled only packaging supplier with no minimum order!

We have just recorded our TV show. I can't tell you which one as both myself and Christian had to sign a secrecy agreement... I know dahlink... we are superstars now!! (hahahaaa) I can tell you that it's on a terrestrial channel and will air in the next few months.

Last but not least... Is it possible to actually have everything in life? Are we better off having a life of wealth without love or experience true love and be poor??

Hmmmm maybe I am just a hopeless romantic still looking for Mr Right?? AND NO I AM NOT NOR EVER HAVE BEEN SEEING CHRISTIAN... URRRRGHGHGHGHHHHHH!!!

Christian here... I am not that bad. I scrub up well and have a beautiful girlfriend... less of the 'Urrrrghghghhhhhhh' please Rachel!!!


Sorry Christian (Bleugh!)

Rachel

Tiny Box Company for recycled gift and jewellery packaging
www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk

I hate being in the middle...

Please dear readers... it's not meant to be rude! "Get that thought out of your head!!!... Thanks".
Anyway us here at the Tiny Box Company pride ourselves on our customer service... If on the odd occasion we make a mistake (and I mean very rare!!!) we rectify it and then some. Our business has grown so much over our very first 6 months of trading as anyone who has visited the 'Tiny Offices' will confirm!

What I hate though, is the lack of concern of some people that we deal with, with this I mean when we are caught in the middle... A courier has delivered to Birmingham when it was an urgent 'next day delivery' to Devon!!! The postal service do not leave notes to say that a parcel has arrived from us and could not be delivered to a customers house usually because it won't fit in the letterbox! All of our customers are lovely and I am not just writing that because it will look good for us, it is true! But when I (and the company) is let down and we are 'caught in the middle' it automatically looks bad on us. I hate it! All I get when I try to get justice done is 'well these things do happen...' etc etc.

I have been known to actually drive orders to customers when I have been let down. I am not just talking about couriers... We had an external print job and the sample came back with the customers logo back to front!!! I mean how downright careless is this?

Now I know mistakes do happen, just ask Christian and he will tell you that I am as scatty as they come but some of the things we have to put up with you would not believe and ALL of them if not rectified at considerable time and sometimes cost to us can easily be avoided by just a little bit of pride and care in the first place.

Rant over!!! I am sorry you had to read this I needed to vent..

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Rachel

It's a trade off.

Hello!! Yes it's meeeee looking very red! I really do think that it is this extremely dodgy camera, but hey ho!!!
I wanted to post this here because I am just so proud of the 'Tiny Difference' Necklace that I am wearing. I swear that whenever I don it at least 1 person comments on how gorgeous it is. It is (I think) perhaps the nicest piece from my Tiny Difference range (here comes the plug...) You can see it without the lobster posing with it at the Tiny Difference website...

Anyway the reason that I am talking about Tiny Difference, which is my Fair Trade Jewellery company (where 20% of the profits will go back into the poorer areas to help them become self sustaining) is because I want to tell you about Eric who is one of my contacts in Africa. Eric is an honest man that I have been dealing with for over a year. He strives for a better life for him and his fellow villagers.. he's kind of like their spokesperson.

People in the poorer areas in Africa are so used to doing things their way that they (quite rightly!!) don't want to look at Western ways of doing business because they want instant results... I can so see where they are coming from from my trips to Africa. But Eric can see the potential for him and his village. Here is an email that he sent me recently;

Hi Rachel!
I wish to bring to your attention in full the situation I am facing back here which is hindering the supply of the pre order till.The production of the Pre Order is not at all the issue to us.
I am faced here with a situation of finance, $35,000.00 to acquire and furnish a working premises to accomondate about 75 craftsmen and management staff altogether if I am to be on a good footing to gaurantee sustain productivity and prompt supply of the products you have put before us, ie. Bra straps, silver jewellery, jewellery boxes and Tee shirts which we capable of producing talking about samples and Pre Order production.
I have contacted my Bank on this issue, I have showed them some of the samples we have produced for you and emails you and I have in the past exchanged.
Much as they are willing to help us out they are asking for a FIRM DETAILED OUT ORDER FOR THE VARIOUS ITEMS from your end, the orders should cover a period of One year with information on monthly orders, their unit and quantity prices and Mode of payment. They need these figures to enable them provide us with our request.This amount is to provide us with rental of the Working premises for a minimum period of 24 months but subject to renewal there after.
I am compelled to take this decision after suffering several disappointments in my attempt to produce your Pre order as getting all the craftsmen together on daily basis became virtually impossible as this was due to the fact that, African craftsmen operates as masters of their own so are used to CASUAL form of working, ie. working individuallly or in small groups at their individual work places and homes, and again their acquaintance to craft works they already are used to over the years past and their blend of such with seasonal farming and other income making activities, which they keep shuttling through like migrating birds for their daily subsistence.
These led to the conclusion to myself that this form of Labour force is not the best for our intended business activities hence the need for Proper structuring to enable me operate with FULL TIME WORKERS.
I am very confident in the success of this business, provided it is properly tackled and managed and as such I am very determined to go all out to build and grow it to success.
Please Rachel, do your best to provide me with the Firm Order as the Bank have requested as soon as possible. I believe they want to see how Serious you are with the Proposals you have put before Me for which I need this Financial assistance. Thank you!
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Warm Regards,
Eric.

In the Western worlds attempts to help with their malnutrition, disease and unemployment where we (especially I) really have a real desire to help, I can't help but think that in order for them to survive and become self-sustaining they must adopt our western ways of doing business... but the cost is that they will lose their unique way of life.

Are we right by inflicting our western policies and way of doing business on them because we are 'really trying to help them'... but they lose their way of life?

What a wicked trade off!

Rachel Watkyn

It's been so busy!

Hello,

Many apologies for not posting for a while... you would not believe how manic things have been in the Tiny Offices. I had to meet a TV agent last week. Christian came up with a TV idea that involves me and this person liked it and wanted to talk about it... CCCCCCccccccrazy! On a different TV note, both me and Christian will be on TV soon, but we can't tell you which show etc as we have had to sign a secrecy agreement!! ssshhhhhhhhh... I can tell you that it's not some no budget satellite channel that you have ever heard of. It's a big budget show that's on terrestrial TV... so big ups to us on that!!! and shhhhhhh again!!! More on when it airs etc after we recorded it etc...

In the Tiny Box offices it's been more hectic than ever... Me and him are run off our feet and it looks like we will be hiring someone pretty soon. We have to.

Anyway thanks to everyone who emailed asking 'where's your blog?' etc etc...

We are still alive.

Just.

Rachel

The Big Tiny Box Tour... minus Christian!

Hi Guys...

I decided to take a well earned day off last week, leaving Christian in charge!!! Oh what trust I have in him!! Am I sane? Anyway I went to London thinking I can unwind for a little while... I switched my phone off and relaxed for a nice comfortable 'train snooze' only to be woken by a very strange man offering me the 'London Lite' paper... I seized upon it knowing that I can complete the Su Doku in breathtaking time, and knowing that the cute guy who gave me the paper may have thought I was/am a bit of a bimbo (It's an image I sometime portray!!) anyway I opened the relevant page and HEY HO Brilliant!!!!, an unabused Su Doku had my name on it. I searched my cavernous bag for a pen... nothing... 'I won't let this stop me!' I thought. 'Excuse me!' I loudly said, "May I trouble anyone for a pen?"... this out burst was met with silence (insert tumbleweed here)... Ahhh great, now they think I'm bloody mad... why is it the closer one gets to London the quieter and less talkative one becomes. I realised just why at East Croydon; a scruffy young man with a dog got on and proceeded to give his well rehearsed story of being homeless, he had found a bed for the night... and he needed funds to book in. I truly felt sorry for him and was reaching into my pocket when Su Doku man took my hand and simply said 'No'... 'It will go on drugs'... he handed me a pen and said, 'go on then, how good are you'. I rammed the sharpened ballpoint into his... no I thought slow down Rachel... I calmly took it from him and in the 15 minutes it took to do the Su Doko and hand it back to the now Not Cute bloke, I had also given some cash to the homeless boy. Yes it does bother me that it might go on drugs, but I felt better. I got off at Victoria wondering did I give the money to pay for my own guilt or did I really want to help house him for the night? I think I know the answer...

Rachel

Latest News from the sole UK recycled only packaging company

Hi,
Yes I know the title makes it sound soooooo boring!!
But Me and Christian (and now Jess!!) do try to make this crazy packaging world more exciting.
Anyhooooooo I thought I would post the very first Tiny Box Company newsletter here so you can read what has been happening at the crazy, rock and roll world that is the Tiny Offices.

The Very First Tiny Box Company Very First Newsletter!

Hello lovely customers of ours… and non-customers too!
This is just a quick send-out to let you know what’s been happening in the ‘Tiny’ offices.
Well, due to the demand of people ringing and emailing us asking what the ‘Tiny’ founder Rachel Watkyn is up to and loving her story of how she set up the Tiny Box Company (http://www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk/) and the Fair Trade, Tiny Difference (http://www.tinydifference.com/) we now have a blog! You can subscribe to it at http://www.rachelwatkyn.com/ and find out about what goes on inside Rachel’s mind, her views on things ethical, a great story about fair trade soap that is made in the UK??!!!!! And is the UK really set up for recycling, Rachels now ‘uncool to be green’ post and there is the first of a series of Rachels ‘Why I am helping people’ postings.


Tiny Box Company News:

The Tiny Box Company is still the sole supplier in the UK of only recycled packaging, that’s gift boxes, jewellery boxes and a huge range of recycled bags.
We are continuing to live up to our promise of ‘no minimum order’ because we want to get everybody into recycling. So no matter if you order 10 or 10,000 it’s all cool with us!

Printing;

Due to huge demand we have splashed out on a printing machine so we can offer you ‘hot-foil’ printing on all our products, we have a large number of satisfied customers that is growing all the time along with Rachel’s right arm. We will be putting some pictures of our printed boxes on the Tiny Box website soon so check it to see them.

We offer a very short turnaround time and low cost on our printing. A one off £15 block charge (to have your logo/branding made into a block for printing off of) and then 5p a box or bag. You can’t get cheaper than that anywhere! (Satisfied customers include La Jewellery, Eco-Boudoir and Zanna)

New Products/Ranges Boxes;

We have extended our gift/jewellery box range to include; The ‘chocolate’ collection, the ‘metallic copper’ collection, ‘metallic blue’ collection and now black ring boxes.
Arriving soon are a new range of recycled ‘pillow’ boxes in different sizes, these can of course be printed on.

New Products/Ranges Bags;

The Tiny Box Company already has a huge stock collection of recycled bags in loads of colours and sizes. Add to this our new summer range of 100% recycled bags coming in soon in lemon, light blue and other colours. So now we can provide you with almost any colour of bag!! Some of the new ones are also ‘landscape’ i.e. they are wider rather than taller!!

What people say about us;

We were going to put a ‘testimonial’ or ‘customer comment’ page on our website but we thought that we would just have a link straight to our EBAY feedback page . We did this because there is no way we can influence the views on it, we cannot omit the bad ones and we can’t edit it – so as true as you can get feedback there. You can get to it by following the link on the Tiny Box Company website.

Speaking of EBAY, we now have a fully functioning shop there. We did this to increase awareness of the company on the internet.

Since setting up, the Tiny Box Company has grown so much that we now have 3 warehouses on the premises, with our box/bag stock now taking up 800 sq’ ft!! Most of the boxes of our boxes and bags stand 8 feet high!!! So we are bursting at the seams.

We have installed a new phone system too which means that we now have 4 lines coming in and going out as well as our fax line.

Press;
Rachel has been very busy recently on this front. She has been interviewed on BBC London and BBC Southern Counties; we have been on the front page of ‘Sustained’ magazine (http://www.sustainedmagazine.com/) where you will see Rachy looking a bit orange she says!!! http://www.allthingseco.co.uk/ did a lovely wedding piece on us. Rachel has been approached by TV stations and radio stations looking for a piece of her too.
Look out for upcoming features on Rach’ in Eco Living magazine which is free in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons and watch out for her speaking at a number of Ethical/FairTrade events throughout the country.Also keep an eye out for our adverts in upcoming editions of Jewellery Focus, Giftware Review and Eco-Living magazine.

Website: http://www.tinyboxcompany.co.uk/
Rachels blog: http://www.rachelwatkyn.com/
Call: +44 (0)1342 322333 Email: christian@tinyboxcompany.com


Thanks guys...

Rachel

Uk packaging companies know nothing!!

Hello friends,

It's Monday morning and I feel dejected ("What!! again???"). Now some of you guys will know that I run the sole UK supplier of recycled packaging it's the Tiny Box Company. Ta da!!!!

So here I am (and there I was last Friday) trying to source more manufacturers for recycled boxes and bags. Now you would think that this would be easy; I call a manufacturer, ask them if they can make recycled boxes and/or recycled bags. They say; 'yes we can' or 'no we can't'.

Well, here's what I had to endure when I asked that simple question:

One manufacturer said that recycled is out and nobody wants it! What???

One said that there is absolutely no proof that plastic bags harm anything and to back up his argument forwarded me this email to 'prove it'!!

"This has been going on for years with the Government, since 1997!
Other governments have always seen the sense from Science, but Gordon has a good mate in the Editor of the Daily Mail
and has only made this statement to produce a smoke screen to cover the real issues on CO2 emissions! Poly bags hardly produce any!
Have you every seen any printed scientific data on the subject !?!? (read attached)
People are responsible for not disposing of litter in the right way!
In Ireland they are using more polythene since the tax in the form of Refuse sacks, as nobody is using the Poly Supermarket bag to line their bins at
Home any more. Instead they are using a refuse sack which is made out of thicker polythene and 7 times as big as 1 give away carrier.
15 years ago the Government had the option to invest in fully captive incineration units for burning all waste and turning it back in to energy!
They did not do this. They have also had the opportunity to invest in fully managed local recycling plants for all waste products, including, paper, polythene,
Glass, metals! However, they have preferred not to!?!? Instead spending further billions on defence!
At the end of the day, yes we should re-use and reduce where possible, but not pick on one item which is 0.01 % of land fill! When the alternatives, like
Paper create even more carbon in the production and recycling process, using 4 time as much energy and water then when making a poly bag!!
When paper has been recycled 4/5 times the fibre turns into no recyclable pulp, ends up in land fill and give off a lot of methane, which is a Co2 gas.!??
Subject: FW: A bit of balance at last!
Some of you may well have seen this article in the Times on Saturday which almost appears as if it has been written by using the CBC website, however clearly the Times has investigated very deeply the claims of carrier bags damaging the marine environment, with a conclusion that most of the plastic found in marine life has actually come from fishing nets.
We are seeing a number of more balanced articles appearing in the press but this is the best yet, thanks to Bill, Attila, Josh and Dave for highlighting the article so quickly.
We will ensure the Times receives all of our updated information so that they can hopefully build on the article.
Gordon Brown is being shown in a poor light with regard to his focus away from the bigger issues, we will be watching the budget comment carefully this week in case he tries once again to divert attention with comments and potential taxes on carrier bags. Don't forget the London Bill comes up for a further vote this Thursday, which we are again attempting to block. Please use your MP contacts to help in this process if you can.
Kind regards,
++++++++++ (Name withheld)
Chief Executive of a packaging company whose slogan is:
Innovative Flexible Packaging Reduces Food Waste and Increases Shelf Life


Another told me that all their products are 'recyclable' and when I patiently pointed out that NEARLY EVERYTHING IS 'RECYCLABLE' she told me that 'they only use wood from sustainable forests'. I tried my best to tell her that they are not actually anything near recycled she huffed and put the phone down.

I have saved the best for last;

I was pleasantly suprised when one company this morning proudly said, 'yes our products are fully recycled'. Emails then went back and forth regarding my requirements (measurements etc).
Then because I have the reputation of my company to keep, I asked for an official statement from the company I was dealing with that said 'Yes' to recycled that... well their bags were just that, recycled.

They sent it to me and it said, "All our bags are made from wood pulp that comes from sustainable forests...". There was not one mention of recycled. That's because dear reader they lied!

How many people have thought they were 'being green' and actually purchased from a friendly voice that said yes when asked about 'recycled'?

Buyer beware.

Rachel Watkyn Super Sleuth and Tiny Box Company founder

A lovely answer to the question 'What is Fair Trade?'

Hello lovely people... for those of you who haven't actually subscribed yet... it's dead easy; the easiest is by putting your email address in the space on the right and hit the 'subscribe' button. You will get a verification message sent to your email address, click on the link and Bob's yer uncle!!

Right then, I had loads of replies and emails answering the question, 'What is Fair Trade?' Here's one that was sent to me (rachel@rachelwatkyn.com) by a one of my email subscribers , thanks so much Peter

Hi Rachel
About a year ago I attended a meeting of people who were working towards making our town (Dawlish, Devon) a Fair Trade Town. The guest speaker was from CAFOD whose job was to set up and inspect fair trade partners in the poorer countries and had experienced first hand the problems and appalling conditions of people in those countries. In attempting to answer that question "What is Fair Trade" he suggested that it is where the producer sells direct to his neighbours, as under those conditions where each side of the deal know each other and live and work locally then the fairest exchange is arrived at. The more middlemen, the bigger the marker place, the bigger bucks to be made, the unfairer it tends to get. The tea and coffee etc that are currently marketed in this country as "fair trade" are not exactly fair, just fairer than it could be, and so worth supporting if it helps relieve poverty. The speaker whose name I have forgotten if not his message went further, saying it might be better if we in the "West" did not drink these brews and allowed many more poorer people to grow native food crops to trade locally, rather than work in cash crop plantations. This obvioulsy is not always the case, but it throws open the wider ethical debate on world trade. We make jewellery a lot of which is sold to local people, the fact that many keep on coming back suggest we are doing something right and which is appreciated. In order to do this (and compete with imported jewellery like yours (http://www.tinydifference.com) , made where labour is a lot cheaper) we often work longer hours than the Working Time Directive and at the end of the year find we that have earnt less than the National Minimum Wage, however I am quite sure we are still better off than many in the third world. So whats fair?
Peter Vivian Gallery
http://www.viviangallery.co.uk/


Love and peace,

Rachel
Tiny Box and Tiny Difference Founder

Please tell me what is 'Fair Trade'?

Hello,

Ok answers to me please at rachel@rachelwatkyn.com the question is; What is Fair Trade?
Now before you click the link and rave on to me about fair wages and working conditions for people who can be/are exploited in the poorer parts of our world and how 'fair trade is giving these people...' etc etc

Is that really what Fair Trade is?

Let me explain; I founded Tiny Difference last year with the sole intention of being completely fair trade. From the silver we use (we get it directly from the Ghanaian government as it is impossible to know if any mines are completely ethical) to the workers having a fair wage (each of my workshops in Africa is IFAT registered) to even giving 20% profit back into the poorer areas to help them become self-sustaining.
Now dear reader I am perplexed for I am reading and hearing people bandying 'fair trade' in regards to almost everything these days (see my previous 'soap' rant on this blog).

Is my interpretation of this 'fair trade' thing incorrect... am I to take it that fair trade can be used in any country that gives it's workers a fair wage and fair working conditions, UK and US included? Now I am not having a go or trying to get a reaction from you, merely asking a simple question. If I pay my workers here in the UK £7.00 an hour for their labour can i say that my UK operation is fair trade? If I pay my African workers $1.00 a day is that fair trade?

I know that a recognised Fair Trade body is in operation for coffee and foodstuffs and they are extending it to include other products. Will they be able to label my other company Tiny Box Company fair trade?

What exactly constitutes 'fair trade'?

Rachel

We may be moving

Hello subscribers, guests, customers of mine, friends and people I have not yet had the pleasure of working with or speaking with.

I set up the UK's sole recycled packaging company and started trading a little under 6 months ago in about 300 sq ft of space and in that 6 months I have taken on help and grown a bit. In the Tiny Box Companys office location we added 2 warehouses (we now have 3 units) and basically with the thousands (and I mean THOUSANDS!!) of recycled boxes and bags we supply we are getting too big to stay in our current location!!! Yes my friends, we are moving to one giant warehouse and office on the same site. I must say that the location we are in at the moment is lovely, I really wish we could stay, but with the businesses growing rapidly there is no option. I have got really close with the lovely animals (especially the sheep!) in the farm location we are situated in now that it's going to be really sad to relocate but needs must!! You really would not believe our working conditions at the moment... it's quite comical!! I had an accident last week which could have been quite serious.

So if you are a person that comes to visit... we may not be here. But don't worry we are not moving far. We are about to secure our new giant storage and offices this week!!

Just to let you know our phone numbers will change... but there wil be a lovely message on the old number to let you know of our new one... and I shall post all the details here when the move is complete.

Rachel Watkyn Tiny Difference and Tiny Box Company

TNT Couriers don't want recycled!!!

Maybe I am taking things far too literally? But I have just been looking for more courier companies to take on for sending out products from Tiny Box Company and Tiny Difference and I read this on TNT Express's (the courier company) website and I am thinking that I am fighting a losing battle, or maybe I'm just in 'one of those' moods!!! TNT write, "Please avoid the use of recycled packaging to ensure your goods are properly protected..." Forgive me for pointing out (which I have done to them in a letter) that recycled packaging is ideal for sending packages in... What the hell is going to happen? Is it going to suddenly disintegate? It is as good as it looks and feels dear friend, Whether recycled or not, the physics of any packaging (unless it gets wet!!... OR BURNS!!) is not going to change overnight!! I sell only recycled packaging and guess what? I run the only company in the UK that solely deals in only recycled packaging that is far sturdier than some non-recycled products out there. So TNT Express... unless you guys have suddenly changed the laws of the universe give me a freekin' break! Oh yeah and I can get cheaper Next Day too.

Rachel Watkyn - Tiny Box Company UK Founder

I am sooooo uncool!!!

I read in a consumer magazine (Retail Week Feb 1 page 25) that ‘Green is getting old…’ and the new buzz word for 2008 is ‘moral’… What the hell???
So I am thinking; are people really that stupid to let the media dictate to them that it’s not ‘fashionable’ to be green and it’s all about ‘morality’ this year…

Have we become such a consumer driven society that we are not thinking about our children and our grandchildrens lives because my friends at the rate we are going in 50 years the UK will be just 1 giant landfill!

My point is… it’s apparently now about to be untrendy to be ’green’ surely this should be the very tip of the iceberg… And the media should be on top of this. Maybe I am talking out of my green bottom… or maybe I am just being completely ‘green’?

Whilst ethics are of course very important (that’s why I set up Tiny Difference!!!) do we just abandon being green or be seen as untrendy…

Oh to hell with it!!! I am going to buy that mink coat I saw… ‘cause now if I wear it I won’t get paint splattered on me by some PETA nutter… Oh no, I’ll be on the front page of the glossies!


Rachel Watkyn - Tiny Box Company Founder

Why I do what I do (Part 1)

Hello, my name is Rachel Watkyn and some people may not know about me so here is reason number 1 why I run Tiny Difference and Tiny Box Company and why I am trying to help others.

When I was in Sierra Leone in about 1998, I worked for the government (I was in I.T and my UK company had a contract with them). One day a Government employee came into the office and asked for a measley advance on his salary. He implored that he needed the money as his wife had just been shot by the rebels and she needed urgent medical assistance. He was told to come back the next day as no advances were now going to be given. He trembled as he said that his wife would 'probably be dead by then'. I could only look and listen with horror.

He did not return the next day.

I am going to publish a series of these little snippets, please subscribe to be updated.

Yours sincerely,

Rachel Watkyn

'Fair Trade' in The UK--- Are they serious?

The point about the soap that Christian has written about (PART OF ORIGINAL POST: "The reason we are posting this is this: Two days ago Rachel ran into the 'Tiny' offices all excited... She had just been on the receiving end of a 'fair trade' sales push. A lady in a shop selling her 'fair trade' soap!!!!!!!!!!!!") is that it was made in England in the next village up from us. I was assured that it was Fair Trade but on reading the back label, the content was 60% water. So made in England, mainly from water. How much of the ingredients are therefore legitimately fair trade. I have, to date, not heard of Fair Trade water, but then I may be wrong!

I also came across a "fair trade" jewellery box company this week who on further questioning (not by me as i'm too gullible but one of our contacts who is far more sceptical, and rightly so) said that yes, child labour was used as the whole family was involved. She was adamant that there was nothing wrong with child labour and when questioned about schooling and that if she was paying a fair wage for the past 20 years to these families so they could afford school, she indignantly stated that in these communities it is a way of life for children to work as well. Is that fair trade ?


Rachel Watkyn - Tiny Difference Founder

'Fair Trade'!!! Really?

Rachel Watkyn set up Tiny Difference as a 'fair trade' contemporary jewellery company a little over a year ago. Rachels fair trade ethos is simple; All workshops she uses in Africa (there's 3 of them) and Thailand are all IFAT registered, meaning that the workers get a fair wage, she researched the areas extensively and her Tiny Difference company promises of giving 20% of it's profits back to the poorer areas thus helping them grow perhaps is maybe taking the Fair Trade thing a bit far. But that makes this ethical superwoman stand out just a little bit more.

Fair trade, as she sees it is just that... but what exactly makes a product or item
fair trade?

We thought it was simple; good working conditions, a fair wage and, well that's about the all of it. At the moment it's foodstuffs that actually have an official Fair Trade 'governing' body, that's why you see the coffee etc labelled with Fair Trade packaging. But now other sectors are moving in on this selling point! Just look around on your journey today and see... Ask yourself this though, "Are these other items really Fair Trade?", and how can you really tell, looking past a sticker or the word of the store worker who will use this to pull on your heart strings and send you on a mini guilt trip as part of their selling tools.

We ask you to beware and maybe ask for a bit more proof...

The reason we are posting this is this: Two days ago Rachel ran into the 'Tiny' offices all excited... She had just been on the receiving end of a 'fair trade' sales push. A lady in a shop selling her 'fair trade' soap!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now we know that today, soaps are made from fats and oils that react with lye (sodium hydroxide). Solid fats like coconut oil, palm oil, tallow (rendered beef fat), or lard (rendered pork fat), are used to form bars of soap that stay hard and resist dissolving in the water left in the soap dish.

So the coconut oil etc... may just have come from someone who actually does use fair trade conditions but where is the proof????

Until we have a proper 'Fair Trade' body overseeing just how and when this term can be used, at present it is ONLY used officially for foodstuffs, then we at Tiny Difference suggest using the age old adage when you see anything 'fair trade' for sale; Buyer Beware!



Christian

Is the UK really setup for recycled????

So here at the tiny offices we find ourselves (surprisingly!!) as the only UK packaging company that only sells recycled stuff... How the hell can that be? Don't get me wrong, it is great for us! I mean who else can boast that? But it is a sad state of affairs. I (Christian) get requests from potential customers every day to have recycled boxes made bespoke... Seems simple enough, but we can't (sometimes!) get UK manufacturers to produce these RECYCLED... With all the talk from everyone of 'recycled this and that' and everyone seeming to want it, the infrastructure just isn't there! We had a very big UK box manufacturer actually lie to us for 3 months telling us their products were recycled. After a bit of detective work, we found out the truth... Everyone seems to be trying to jump on the 'bandwagon' but without doing anything about it... even lying which if we actually believed this Midlands manufacturer our reputation would have been shot to pieces. The Tiny Box Company is proud of our detective work in making sure our stock is recycled... we even had to post this important notice on our website because we care about us and being honest. Is this too much to ask?


Christian

Go on, have a freekin' guess...

It was a surprising warm Christmas Eve in East Grinstead and the constant droning by Christian my lovely co-worker of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas…’, sung completely out of tune and without knowing what the actual twelfth day is, the muppet! It was driving me insane. So using the excuse of “late Christmas shopping” I hastily exited the Tiny Box offices.
Due to me founding and running a recycled packaging company and being featured in the press I thought it a tad hypocritical to not practice what I preach so with a warm cup of cocoa inside me I launched into my quest of completing my entire Christmas shopping, that’s right ENTIRE Christmas shopping without using one single plastic carrier bag!
So off I trotted with my Bag for Life, I still could not get that pesky twelve day’s tune out of my head when I reached my first stop; – Broadleys (a local store in East Grinstead) for a sweatshirt for Dad. I spotted it and in his favourite colour too! I whisked it to the till. Then it happened… As fast as Santa Claus slugs his complimentary, out came the very first (insert dramatic music in your mind here!) plastic bag. With a completely stupid grin on my face knowing that the cashier did not have any idea of the mission I chose to accept, rejected it and proudly (and still smiling stupidly) placed it in my canvas bag.
Next stop – WH Smith for cards and books. And yes as sure as ‘nine ladies dancing’ follows ‘ten lords a-leaping, the next damned plastic bag arrived. My smile was not so wide but I was still looking stupid, as I forgot my flipping PIN number. After attempt number two failed I paid with cash and whispered; ‘No thank-you I have my own’ and promptly positioned my purchases neatly on top of Dads sweatshirt.

McKay’s next for that hideous purple and white polka dotted dressing gown for Mum. I know the department manager, she’s the Mayors wife don’t you know! All of a sudden she was manning the till… and then, like Paul Daniels on acid she produced a paper bag. ‘Hark the Herald Angels!’ I exclaimed. I paid for my purchase, exchanged seasonal pleasantries and then as I hid behind the underwear to spy, the mayors wife whom I exchanged pleasantries with scurried from the till, a young girl took over and as sure as ‘The three French hens would fight with the seven swans a-swimming’- she went back to the old reliable plastic.

On to Boots, for those stocking filler type things that you only seem to find in Boots. I seem to spend a large proportion of any shopping day in a Boots somewhere. It’s kind of like they bombard you with some kind of subliminal message as you meander the High Street that infiltrates your subconscious and tells you that no purchasing or browsing excursion is complete without an obligatory trip to Boots. I love them! But not the three plastic bags they tried to fob me off with. One would have done too. My recycled sack was beginning to look like I had kidnapped Dawn French.

Next Phones4U for my little sister, she had been blatantly hinting about the new Sony Ericsson. It’s as small as a RAZR but as sure as I would hate ‘a partridge in a pear tree’ in my stocking, out came the next large plastic carrier bag. I proudly told them of my tinyboxcompany.com, I bored them with the tale of pleasantries exchanged with the Mayors wife, I breezed over the PIN shambles, I recounted my stupid grin. I mumbled ‘Merry Christmas’ and scuttled out, my sisters new phone peering over the top of my sack.

Next lovely Unwins for my seasonal cheer. A further two plastic bags rejected by me off I went to Woolworths, then Dorothy Perkins.

I cursed Unwins and their free Festive tasting session as I staggered home calculating in my hazy head along the way that I had saved at least 10 plastic bags which have an average life span of 12 minutes (Argus Article: Nov’ 10th 2007) and then take an unfeasible 500 years to biodegrade! Calculate that figure by approximately 40 million of the British population that participate in Christmas shopping and that is 400 million carrier bags given simply for one day of Christmas shopping.
Ps Note for my co-worker Christian... the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ‘Twelve freekin' Drummers drumming!’
Rachel Watkyn -Tiny Box Company Founder

hmmmphhhhh

Sometimes I wonder what business Christian works in..... could it really be the Tiny Offices ????!! If he did work there he would know that Tiny Difference has had quite a few orders, it was just our first order on the new internet site !!
01 February 2008 19:23

rachel

We argued today...

... about the fact that I was apparently being 'filthy' when I said that our new Tiny Box Company advert should just have a pair of breasts, which would be completely different and NOTHING to do with recycled packaging! She wanted something that 'stood out'... I obliged.
What's the freekin' problem?? Hmmmmm? I am a creative, and I was just erm... Being creative... and people would think, "whoever put that advert together is great!!"...

I am also getting stick for my email signature, apparently it's "massive and funny"...

Life in the Tiny Offices is never dull!

Oh yes, we resent out the stolen sample so all cool there!!! Phew x 5!!!


Christian

Rachel went to the post-office today with a load of sample send outs!!! She is distruaght as one of her parcels got stolen!! Busy day in the offices with Rachel finally mastering the 'Marshall 3'... that's our printing machine... I have made a vow to not go near the freekin' thing, I hate it and it hates me!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Today we ate the new Toblerone (fruit and nut) wooooweeeee that's a killer...

Oh and the small news that even though tinydifference.com has not begun any pr/marketing we got our very first order, so we are celebrating!!!

Christian

Oh the stress of it all!!! Hahahaaaaa it's great really, knowing that we are doing our tiny bit to help the environment and our tiny bit to help people who are poorer than me or Rachel...

We do actually have tiny offices 'cause we are squeezed in amongst our 100,000 recycled stock boxes and recycled bags.... Not wanting to use this as an advert but if you want to look at our stuff and funky pictures of Ethical superwoman (!!???) Rachel Watkyn then point your little cute browser to http://www.tinyboxcompany.com/ and if you want to help the people of Africa and Thailand live and restore their dignity then tiptoe over to http://www.tinydifference.com/ to see our pretty damn lovely (If I say so myself!!) contemporary range of Fair Trade jewellery!!!

Phew...

Christian