The Circular Future - A Quantum Lifecycle Partners podcast

50. Mabel's Labels: A Sustainable Success Story

• Quantum Lifecycle Partners • Season 1 • Episode 50

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In today’s episode, Stephanie McLarty sits down with Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels to uncover the story behind the business. Julie shares how Mabels Labels integrates eco-conscious practices into everything, from product design to operations. This episode offers real-world insights and actionable advice for businesses looking to embrace sustainability while staying true to their values.

Takeaways:
✅ They have successfully repurposed non-recyclable material into insulation
✅ Teamwork and shared values are crucial for achieving sustainability goals
✅ Businesses should start small and gradually incorporate sustainability into their practices one step at a time. 


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Want to be a guest on The Circular Future podcast? Email Sanjay Trivedi at strivedi@quantumlifecycle.com


Speaker 1:

Mabel's labels burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with waterproof labels for kids' stuff. They became, and still are, an international hit. But did you know Mabel's is also very environmentally innovative. Welcome to the Circular Future your access to thought leaders and innovations. To help you be a business sustainability champion, even if it's not your core job, I'm your host, stephanie McLarty, head of Sustainability at Quantum Lifecycle Partners, your trusted partner in electronics circularity.

Speaker 1:

I love the origin story of Mabel's Labels. Basically, four moms were frustrated by their kids losing their stuff. Wow, do I get it? There was no good solution on the market at the time, so they made their own cute, durable labels and started to sell them. Mabel's has become a coveted brand by moms for moms. But what you probably didn't know is that Mabel's is also very environmentally progressive as a company. Behind the scenes, they've made their product operations packaging all of that sustainable with a number of initiatives, and I'm so excited to dig into how. With me is Julie Cole, one of the four moms who founded the company. Julie is co-founder and senior director at Mabel's Labels. She's an award-winning entrepreneur, best--selling author and a go-to expert for parenting and business talk, and I'm lucky to call her a friend as well. Welcome to the podcast julie.

Speaker 2:

Oh, stephanie, so good to be here.

Speaker 1:

I'm so glad we're able to connect yay, and I'm so glad to tell the story because I have a feeling it probably doesn't get told very often around sustainability. But first let's peek into your world and talk about what would be three things that the world wouldn't necessarily know about Maples Labels.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's a really good question. So there's probably lots of things. But yes, you're right, we have been around a while. We just had our 22nd birthday.

Speaker 2:

And yes we did start for a couple of reasons. One, as you mentioned, we were innovative moms who noticed a product missing from the market, so we filled that gap. And the second reason has to do with the fact that you know we're moms, and for me specifically, I actually have six kids, as you know, but your listeners don't. I actually have six kids, as you know, but your listeners don't, and I'm a recovered lawyer.

Speaker 2:

My eldest child, at the age of three, was diagnosed with autism and I really felt I wanted to leave the traditional workforce, so I needed a little more flexibility and that's what entrepreneurship offered. So that's when we said let's go with Mabel's Labels. And a fun fact there too is that I started it with my sister. We first started making labels in her basement in Hamilton Ontario, and then also with two of our friends from university who went on to marry my brother and I have a young uncle. So we're all friends and family from the start, way back in the basement. And a lot of people assume that our labels are made overseas, but they were made in our facility, our production facility right here. I'm in the building right now at Mabel's headquarters in Hamilton Ontario, and we also have a production facility in California.

Speaker 1:

That is so cool and that speaks to itself like buying local, you're actually buying. If you're in the greater Toronto area and like that speaks to itself like buying local, you're actually buying if you're in the greater Toronto area and then, in California if you're in the States, Right.

Speaker 2:

And it's great because then we can supply to our. You know, our market is split, really, between Canada and the US, so it allows us to make our labels in the place. That makes sense. That's cool.

Speaker 1:

So we're going to talk today about the sustainability elements of Mabel's Labels, and I want to first start talking about the fact that your product is an enabler for sustainability in itself, because it helps kids to lose less stuff and families to lose stuff right.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. I mean at the very core of our products. It's about keeping things out of the lost and found. Or, if they land in the lost and found, they make their way back to their little human so that they don't end up in landfill. So we find that, kids, they really have a lot more stewardship over their belongings. They take better care of their belongings when it's labeled. So parents know they're sending these lunch boxes, they're sending these containers, snacks containers, these ridiculous water cups that cost a fortune, and these are making their way home because of Mabel's labels and they're not ending up in landfill. And it's why schools, daycares, camps absolutely love us from the perspective of they're having less waste. And parents love it because, from their perspective, the items they're spending a lot of money on are coming home and they're not having to replace them. And Mother Earth loves it because we're keeping ourselves out of our landfill. So that is, you know, that is the core of our product.

Speaker 2:

But another kind of interesting thing too and this is about when you start a company and you know about this, stephanie too is that when you have the unique experience when you start a company to bring to it the things that are important to you. So for us that was a lot of things Like. One was about flexibility, because that's what we as young moms wanted and we knew that we could be highly productive at very strange times and very strange places. So we knew that we wanted a culture that supported that. We also cared about sustainability, we cared about the earth, we care about teaching that to our children, and so by bringing that core value also to the company, it's easier for it to become a part of your company culture.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I totally agree. I remember when I started Reficient, we became a certified B Corp, a benefit corp, for that very thing. This is what I want to create, this is what it's important to me, and when you run your own company, you have that within your control, so that makes so much sense.

Speaker 2:

And having that certification is no easy feat.

Speaker 1:

Right, you know, you know, yeah, so then it just becomes a part of your culture.

Speaker 2:

And, of course, you're going to have people in the business who are sort of the champions, you know, with you at Quantum. You know, stephanie, you're leading the charge in that here. It's not me, it's Marianne who is our production and operations manager, and thankfully, because she's the one who's touching the product all the time and she is a total nerd. But I'm going to do my best, sharing what I know about what we're doing. But I do think that a really important piece of this is making you part of your company culture. So it touches so many points, not just your product, but what you're doing. You know, as far as education, what you're doing in your own building and all of that so that it all ties in together.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, and just to that point, before we move on, one of Quantum's core values, one of our stakeholders, is the planet. So we think about the planet and all that we do, and that's such an important signpost of our journey. I love that. I love that.

Speaker 2:

And for us, one of our core values is we're all a part of something bigger. So, for us that applies to, you know, we're a part of our bigger outside community. That's why we have a park that we've adopted, that we take care of, that's why we do, you know, other volunteerism and things like that, and that's why we're all a part of something bigger, all part of the earth.

Speaker 1:

You know, we're all here we could nerd out on this stuff all day long. We you, before we move on the second time I've said that can you just share what your impact has been in terms of your labels themselves, either like since you started, or like how many labels, how many basically things are you preventing from being lost and ending up in the lost and found every?

Speaker 2:

year? Oh gosh, I would need to. I couldn't tell you an exact number, but I will tell you. You know, like we obviously like through our sales. We know that we are reaching and we are a very loved product and brand all over the world. You know, in Canada and the US we've sold in 100 different countries. There are millions and millions of Mabel's labels out there and we hear we get user generated content sent to us all the time about you're not going to believe what made its way home. We'll have somebody send us a picture of a label that's been on a pair of goggles that was in the lake for 10 years and then they find them and they send a picture and send it to us. It is a riot. It is a riot what we see come back and what people send us. So it's just, it's just been such a fun journey. Oh, that's so cool.

Speaker 1:

Okay, let's start by talking about your recycling program and some of the sustainability wins you've had, and I know for most companies you start off with recycling cardboard the easy stuff, but I know Mabel's actually does a lot more than that. Now.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know, we did start off with just cardboard, but then we're like, okay, we've got to do better than this. So it started with, you know, the Nerd Green crew, Marianne, really doing a big research project and looking at companies around our location that had the capability and were able to recycle more products, and so, after doing that research product, we were able to align with a company that had a more comprehensive recycling program and we aligned with them and we hired them and now we work. That's the company that we chose and you know what, for us even if things are a little bit more expensive or they're, you know, this is just something again aligns with our core values and we want to make sure that we're recycling as much as we possibly can.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's really cool, I mean. So it sounds like you started with research and understanding what your options were and looking at what was local to you and then being willing to pay more for certain things because it's part of your core value.

Speaker 2:

For sure, and I think also, like that comes to you know, we're thinking about, like, what kind of things do we want to bring into this building? Right, and it feels like in our older days, like we weren't I mean, you know, we things were tight in those early days too right, so you're managing expenses and I felt, like, you know, in our earlier days we were bringing more plastics into the building and I feel like Marianne and our production team has done such a good job now of, you know, asking vendors and talking to vendors about their packaging and what their you know. So when it arrives to us, what is it coming in? And then we're making decisions around who we choose to partner with. You know, I always say know who you're getting into bed with, whether it's your, you know your co-founder, whether it's your suppliers or whether it's your customers, whether it's somebody you're doing a collab with, but, yes, with your vendors as well.

Speaker 2:

And this was something that we wanted to make sure we are aligned on. We want to make sure that we are reducing plastics that were actually coming into the building. So, yeah, we just, you know, did again, did the research, and it's funny because obviously you know, companies are competitive, you want to remain competitive, but when we find vendors that like are good in this, like, we're happy to share this information with anyone, because we want everyone bringing less plastics into their companies.

Speaker 1:

I mean, we struggle with it too at Quantum, because we essentially recycle anything with a battery or a plug, and how it's packaged coming into us is one of our biggest sources of landfill and for us it's a challenge. We have to educate our customers on ways to package and how to package differently. I love that you've actually made this basically a rule of no plastics coming into your building at Mabel's.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, it's been a real thing and it makes us feel really good about the kind of work we do and the products that we bring in and the products that we send out, and it's made for great vendor relationships as well, you know. And then we also try to keep you know, we try to pass that along. So you know, in the old days, like you know, our things, our packaging might have been plastic or whatever, and we've really tried to go eco-friendly with our packaging as well, and now I would say probably 95% of our packaging is now recyclable and that number keeps growing. We're still looking for ways and you know, stuff like technology is changing all the time and you have to remain innovative and you have to keep looking and negotiating and making this a point Like, if you want to do business with us, to keep looking and negotiating and making this a point Like, if you want to do business with us, then these are the. You know, these are the hills we're going to die on, right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so your packaging. So basically it's now pretty much paper-based right. And not only that, but it's FSC paper-based forestry stewardship council. Tell us about that.

Speaker 2:

Okay. So this is like this is wild. So. So, when you have that kind of certification, what it means is like the paper that you're using. So for us, on our you know, our labels used to go in like a plastic container. Now they're in these like little cardboard slips, right, and because they we have this sort of standard, it means that we're getting our paper like we're. We're getting paper that is certified and it's responsibly sourced. So the way in which these trees are growing, the way these companies are running their businesses are in ways that we approve of and get the certification. So we make sure that we yeah, that we are using that FSC. It is FSC, yes, fsc certification.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome, and was this something that really came in as a request by your customer? Do they care about this, or this is something that you just wanted to do as a company, you know?

Speaker 2:

it's. I'm going to say it's both and I think it's really. I think that's a really important question because you know people say, oh well, it costs more to do things like that. But I can tell you, if you know your market and we know our market and our market is moms parents mostly momsoms are making the business decisions, and all the research is showing us that parents are going to make their purchasing decisions based on what companies are doing from an eco standpoint. Are they considering the environment? What are they doing for social change? Where are their core values? So, yeah, it might be a little bit more expensive, but it's getting you customers and it's keeping you customers because it is an important value.

Speaker 2:

People are voting with their pocketbooks, right, and, as we see, with moms, especially the next generation of moms, this is going to be a very important thing, especially it's children's products. You know people want to leave the environment in a good place for their kids. We are a kids product, with moms making purchasing decisions. So, absolutely, at the end of the day, this stuff matters not only to the environment and to us, but to our bottom line. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Your, your moms are essentially, I would imagine, now like the younger gen X sorry, like the yes, the younger gen X generation, millennials, gen Y, all of this cohort that was brought up with.

Speaker 2:

We need to do something for the planet, so that's right and I feel like it all started kind of when we like I remember finding the like me and my friends founded the first environmental club in my high school, so like that was like late 80s. So all of a sudden it was like, oh, suddenly we're kind of paying attention. And then you know, from there on it's just gotten stronger and stronger. And again parents and how they're making the purchasing decisions. This matters.

Speaker 1:

Awesome. I wanted to ask you about one of your big challenges that I know you faced at Mabel's in terms of your being environmentally progressive, and that was around your liner material when there was no standard recycling option for that. How did you take on that challenge? What have you done?

Speaker 2:

So that was a challenge. We had this kind of. We had this product I won't say too much about what it is, you know corporate secrets but we had this one product that was part of our production process and it couldn't recycle it. We were like, what are we going to do with this? Because we don't like.

Speaker 2:

Ah, it was so frustrating and we did things like we tried to find ways to use it. We were able to, like, donate some to daycare because they were able to use it for crafts and that sort of thing, but it was being a problem. So eventually we found a way to repurpose that and it's for cellulose insulation used in walls, in attics, in ceilings. So now we're able to divert like it was the trickiest part of our process and now we're able to divert that product into home insulation and work with companies to do that. So you know I think it's 16,000 pounds of this material now a year will be going into insulation and you know that's a real nod to our production team and facility. And you know they got really scrappy and thought outside the box and were really innovative about finding a solution to that and made it a priority. And it's a real pride point for all of us here at Mabel's.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So yeah, I'm hearing being thinking outside the box and being innovative. I'm hearing, like talking to people, like doing your research, finding solutions, that, as you pointed out earlier, things are changing, so what might not have been a solution a year ago, maybe a solution today. So that's, that's really cool and congratulations, that's something to be really proud of. And the last thing I wanted to ask you about was your building, cause I know you're in an old building in Hamilton and you've gone through this major upgrade. And tell us about that.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so we are in a really old building and it's so interesting because when we first took it over, I think it was like 2007. Oh stuff, when we walked through here, it actually had been an old factory and it had been abandoned for years. There were so many mice and it was we definitely have ghosts, like all of that but we have, like, refurbished. Obviously, we had to make it so that humans could come in and, like you know, not just hang out with mice all day. So we actually most recently did a huge renovation in both our production facility and in our Mabel's headquarters and we had a lot of these green initiatives in mind through that process.

Speaker 2:

And you know, things like, you know, better insulation, right, like make it so that you know the heat stays in and the cold stays out and vice versa, depending on what crazy Canadian weather we're getting. You know the heat stays in and the cold stays out and vice versa, depending on what crazy Canadian weather we're getting, you know. And we redid all, like all of our windows. We put in, you know, censored LED lights so you know the lights will go off if there's no movement. So just really trying to find, like energy efficient solutions and even like machines. As our tech keeps innovating as far as how we make our labels, we're also looking for machines that are more energy efficient.

Speaker 2:

So you know, thinking about that, I think that was a really important message. By taking that on board, that's a really important message also to our entire staff team that this is a priority in not only what we bring in, what we put out, but how we live here too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, the thing that really strikes me with everything that you've done, from your recycling to your packaging, to your building is, if there is a will, there is a way Like you don't just accept status quo. If this is important and it is important to Mabel's, just like it's important to quantum you figure it out and maybe it's not like the first time around looking into this.

Speaker 1:

maybe it takes a little bit of research and like a lot of work and you know heavy lifting, but you do it and yeah, and you know what it's like anything in business, the first time might not be a win.

Speaker 2:

You know heavy lifting, but you do it. And yeah, and you know what it's like. Anything in business, the first time might not be a win. You know it might. You might partner with somebody. You think they're great and they're like actually no, we're not quite aligned. Or oh, actually they're quite.

Speaker 2:

Came back different, like anything in business, you know, sometimes you're going to have failures, but those failures are lessons. So you know, when we've had those, that has to do with product development, that has to do with content, that has to do with sustainability. So what you do is you take those lessons and you bring them with you as you find your next solution. And you know what I love that stuff Like I think there are. You have to keep going and I think you know right now we're in a great space for it because people like you are having podcasts. There is education that you can get. There are people out there. You can look up resources. I mean, I feel like when we started 22 years ago at Mabel's Labels, there was no social media, there were no podcasts. There was none of that. You remember, steph, those days where you only saw somebody at a live networking event and those could be really, really lonely times. But now you know you can access so many resources, so much expertise. So even if you don't have it, you can find it, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, if there's a will, there's a way. And there's really like no excuse, another way to put it.

Speaker 2:

Steph's not taking anybody's excuses. You got that yeah.

Speaker 1:

I love that. Okay, Let me just ask you one how-to question in our how-to section, and that is what I've heard too is really you work so well together as a team, like you work cross-functionally well together. How do you do that? How to work effectively internally to make these broader sustainability goals happen.

Speaker 2:

So I'm going to go back there to talk about the core values. And some companies have their core values hanging on a wall somewhere and it says whatever, be kind. I don't know what they say, but I really think the way that you get the right people on the bus who are aligned and understand the actual core values of the company is that you make it a priority. It's a part of your everyday living. You're living it, you're breathing it. It's not just a poster on a wall. You're hiring and firing by your core values.

Speaker 2:

Okay, because you know what you can teach. I can teach somebody to make labels right, but can I hire somebody who has the same yeah, same general core value or has the things that are important to us as a part of them? And those are the things that really matter. And the other thing when you hire to your core values, not only do your teams work better and they're more entrepreneurial and they're more innovative, they stick around longer. So again, you know, there's nothing wrong with making money and saving money. We want to do that. So if you don't have as much turnover and your retention rates are high because you've got the right people on the bus, that also is good for your bottom line.

Speaker 1:

Ah, I love that Hire and fire based on your core values. Actually, I've never heard it like succinctly said like that, but it is so true and it applies even to this whole sustainability realm as well. Julie, I love you. You know that. Let's finish off this conversation with one last piece of advice. We've talked about so many things that you can do and you don't have to be, you know, a huge company. You can be. You just basically make it happen. What would be your last piece of advice that you would leave our listeners with?

Speaker 2:

I would say probably, and this again so much of this stuff applies to everything in business. You know, don't get overwhelmed, walk before you run. Do you think we started off like doing the insulation and doing vendors and doing? No, we started off being like let's start a recycling program here at our office. Let's do like you know you can. You can do these little manageable chunks and then just make it a part of your long-term plan when you sit down and do your strategic planning. We're doing that at the end of this month and we're going to do five years out. Are you including your sustainability goals? Because if not, you're missing out.

Speaker 1:

Love that, so do it in chunks, walk before you run. And to me too it's also kind of going back to if there's a will, there's a way it's like do something. I think so often we get overwhelmed and we just decide not to do it.

Speaker 2:

It can be paralysis right. We know that in anything Like I talk to people all the time because you know I'm very involved in social media marketing They'll be like oh, I just don't know where to start. Tiktok, instagram, whatever I'm like, start by just following me on Instagram and seeing who I engage with. You don't have to go on all the platforms. Toe dip, toe dip. Otherwise you get that overwhelming. You're like I can do nothing because that paralysis is real.

Speaker 1:

It absolutely is real and when I reflect back on what we've done at Quantum for sustainability, where we were before, and what we've done in the last three years, it's almost like night and day in the last three years, but that also shouldn't intimidate anybody from getting started too, because we're all on different journeys.

Speaker 2:

You started somewhere, steph. You started somewhere. You're not. Three years later, it looks a lot different than it did day one of Steph's job, right. Yeah yeah, totally.

Speaker 1:

Julie, thank you so much. Thank you for being candid, thank you for sharing your story and I particularly love that I feel like we've uncovered this little nugget about Mabel's Labels that probably isn't well known about what you've done. You should be very proud of everything you've done at Mabel's.

Speaker 2:

You know what, stephanie, I'm so honored and so happy that you gave me a platform to talk about it, because, you know me, I'm always talking in the parenting space. I'm talking about entrepreneurship, I'm talking about I never just get to talk about the great work we're doing from a sustainability standpoint. So, thank you, you are welcome Anytime.

Speaker 1:

Welcome back and remember, if you are looking for a partner in electronics reuse and recycling, we'd love to chat Head on over to quantumlifecyclecom and contact us. This is a Quantum Lifecycle podcast and the producer is Sanjay Trivedi. Thank you for being a Circular Future Champion in your company and beyond. Logging off.

People on this episode

Contributor

Stephanie McLarty

Host
Contributor

Sanjay Trivedi

Producer