Sustainable Packaging for Totum Women's Support Cookies

“Totum helps modern moms feel whole.  I started Totum because after I gave birth to our first child, I was shocked at the lack of resources, conversation and attention on a woman who’s just had a baby. Thankfully, there is a support structure for pregnant women and infants, but the postpartum woman is largely ignored.  As a result, many women struggle physically, mentally, and in their relationships and careers because they’re not sure how to assimilate.  That’s an injustice I can’t abide. I had to do something.”

“So I started our business by sharing the first thing I made for myself that helped.  Totum’s first product is Totum Treats -- our mother’s support cookie.  I came up with this recipe when returning to work after our first baby and finding it nearly impossible to keep up my breast milk supply, let alone maintaining the energy and brain function I needed to succeed at work and home. The cookies get rave performance reviews from breastfeeding moms, but moms of all ages (and even dads and kids) love the cookies because of their nutrient-dense ingredients and satisfying taste. They’re as delicious as an old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie, upgraded with healthy fats, antioxidants, proteins, and superfoods.”

“We also offer a cause-supporting nursing tee that’s a favorite of women like Kate Hudson, Minka Kelly and Sarah Michelle Gellar, and provide resources, community and expertise through events and at @totumwomen on Instagram and on our website.  Totum has partnered with brands like Happiest Baby, Lunya, ThirdLove and Hatch to reach mothers across the country with the message of truth and support in motherhood.”

“We’re working on expanding our resources, events and relationships to deliver boldly on our mission to help moms feel whole in 2020 and beyond.”

“I’m mostly a one-woman show, with help from two other women on an as-needed basis, and I have three little kids.  The intensity of growing and scaling while bootstrapping is overwhelming at times and requires a lot of discipline, boundaries and thoughtful delegation.  And I’m selective when deciding with whom to grow this business, as I learned the hard way last year that not everyone can be trusted to grow a mission-centered business.”

“Sustainability is vital.  Each of our ingredients is sourced and chosen with sustainability and ethics in mind, with help from our co-manufacturer New Hope Mills.  New Hope is a family business who packages their goods in recycled kraft paper and twine.  We promote our product bundles as an affordable way to eliminate wasted materials and unnecessary fuel emissions required with multiple trips. We are pushing Amazon to allow bundle bags that aren’t clear so that we never have to use poly bags and can rely on noissue’s compostable bags for all shipments.  Apparently, Amazon plans to be carbon neutral by 2030, so this is a small shift they could make with a big positive impact!”

“I’ve done research into the environmental impact of online shopping, and as the owner of a direct-to-consumer brand, I want to keep my burden on the environment as light as possible.”

“I was looking for a substitute to the “poly bags” that Amazon suggests for bundles and asked the Hey Mama forum (a support and trade group for mothers who are founders and executives) about suggestions for Earth-friendly packaging.  So many women jumped in and suggested noissue right away.  I’m so excited to not only have found a substitute for those bags but also to have found a way to mail our product in a compostable pouch when we sell directly from our site.”

“As we grow and scale and can afford the custom tissue and mailing boxes, I’ll definitely turn to noissue to help us scale responsibly.”