In Canada, more than three million tonnes of plastic waste were produced in 2016. Packaging accounted for half of this waste.*

* Economic Study of the Canadian Plastic Industry, Market and Waste.Deloitte & Cheminfo Services Inc. (Feb 2019)

The eco-responsible standards of our products

The desire to consume products that minimize our ecological footprint is growing among the population. Most of us can exchange on different approaches such as responsible consumption, recycling, composting, slow fashion, sustainable development and other ecological concepts.

Samara & Co has decided to answer this need and to gather brands that manufacture products that will allow us to minimize our ecological footprint.

Please don't think that anyone can sell any product on Samara & Co.

We are not an open marketplace like Amazon.

We curate the brands we want to present to you. We validate the qualities of its eco-responsible values and we test the products.

Buying on Samara & Co means discovering companies that care about the environment and that want to create a positive impact.

Contribution to local economy by helping out start-up companies

A good proportion of our partners are entrepreneurs who started their business in the last 3 years. Some have grown faster and others prefer to keep manufacturing on a smaller scale to remain nimble in developing new products that are ever more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Each sale is so important to give breath to our innovative startups...

There is no such thing as perfection, but doing your best is certainly a good start!

We know that to be a good and responsible consumer we need to read and learn about various topics. This can be quite tedious and that's why we've made things easier for you. At Samara & Co, we take the time to do the research for you and we select brands and products according to specific criteria.

Each brand on Samara & Co meets at least 5 of the 12 criteria below. You can therefore buy here with complete peace of mind.

Quality of the raw material

Locally sourced raw material
Environmentally responsible raw material
Organic, biodegradable or compostable ingredients

Social and environmental responsibility

Involved in the community
Gives back to the earth
Is B Corp or in process
Canadian Head Office
Local R&D
Local manufacturing
Minimises the use of chemicals

Quality of packaging

Plastic-free product packaging
Responsible / biodegradable delivery material packaging

read our Green Procurement Policy

Packaging and delivery logistics

What could be worse than receiving a plastic bag in a cardboard box that is inside another cardboard box, all surrounded by Styrofoam chips? Or placing an order on the same website and receiving the items in separate packages?

We use ecologically sustainable cardboard boxes and if needed we add biodegradable packing peanuts. Packing peanuts decompose in water leaving no toxic waste. FDA compliant. Static-free organic starch. However we recommend you do not eat them.

In order to make you discover other eco-responsible products, we add to each order, a discovery product.

Sticker and Label

Are typically made with virgin plastic. Even paper-based stickers and labels arrive on a release liner, which is generally made with 100% virgin supercalendered paper that contains a silicone (i.e. plastic-based) coating. This is an aspect of shipping that is most overlooked. We are working hard on finding local suppliers for a more ecofriendly option. - Stay tuned for an update on this.

Transportation and Shipping:

The famous "last mile" of delivery. Does this sound familiar? It's not when a package is picked up from the warehouse and taken to a sorting facility that is the most environmentally damaging or costly. It's when that parcel leaves the sorting center to go to the customer. This last mile involves a lot of waiting, driving in residential areas or in the city center. Imagine a van having to deliver 3 small boxes in a downtown area under construction... We strive to find the best option for the final destination of the package, both ergonomic and ecological.

Here are some of our solutions:

Courant +: We make everything happen with just our legs and a little electricity. We don’t produce any greenhouse gases and we also contribute to reducing a multitude of nuisances caused by traditional cargo transport in town (traffic jams, street noise, accidents, fine particle pollution, etc.). Our fleet is designed to adapt to its community.

BoxKnight: Uses crowdsourcing. No additional cars or trucks on the road. Just people with a car willing to deliver your packages.

Our own electric car: We thank our financial partner for providing us with an electric car for visits to our partners and some deliveries.

Purolator: Is committed to reducing our environmental footprint, supporting health and safety, championing diversity, and engaging with the community. Read more at: https://www.purolator.com/en/protecting-our-environment

Canada Post: Building a sustainable future by reducing our environmental impact. Energy conservation efforts aim to benefit consumers and the planet. committed to reducing environmental risks and issues with fuel storage tanks management, waste management, vehicle fuel consumption and idling time and many more. Read more at: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/about-us/corporate-sustainability/environment-responsibility.page

In addition to Canadian wide shipping, we are also using local transportation companies that use electric cars or bicycles as a mode of transportation and delivery method.

Pay it forward

Samara & Co donates 1% of its sales to an organization that improves the fate of the planet!