Ecopreneurs 2025: Turning Passion into Action

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whiterabbitskincare.co.uk
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Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in supporting the growth of the green economy, advancing a world where resource efficiency and social inclusion are priorities. Sublime introduces five ecopreneurs whose dedication and purpose are driving positive change.


Suzanne Carnall

British entrepreneur and co-founder of The Green Woman Ltd and Health Mastery Ltd. After a successful corporate career, she shifted her focus to promoting sustainable and ethical living. In 2013, Suzanne and her sister, Eve, launched The Green Woman in Ludlow, Shropshire. Their mission was to create natural, organic, and eco-friendly skincare products that align with their values. Their first product, Fit Pit natural deodorant, quickly gained popularity for its effectiveness and ethical formulation, leading to an expanded range of sustainable skincare products.

Under Suzanne’s leadership, The Green Woman has become a leader in sustainable beauty. The company achieved COSMOS Organic certification, demonstrating its commitment to high environmental and ethical standards. In 2022, it was recognized as one of the top 100 UK companies to work for, a testament to its focus on creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. The Green Woman operates according to permaculture principles, ensuring its processes are sustainable, resilient, and environmentally friendly. Suzanne is deeply committed to cruelty-free practices and the use of ethically sourced ingredients. The company also collaborates with Breast Cancer UK, reflecting Suzanne’s passion for combining health advocacy with environmental stewardship.

Beyond skincare, Suzanne recently co-founded Health Mastery Ltd, an initiative dedicated to empowering individuals to take control of their health and well-being. The company focuses on providing knowledge, tools, and strategies to help people lead healthier, more balanced lives. Through this work, Suzanne encourages proactive approaches to wellness, addressing both physical and mental health.

Looking to the future, Suzanne is determined to expand the reach and impact of both ventures. Her vision is to inspire more people to make eco-conscious and health-conscious choices, driving positive change in their lives and communities. Through her dedication to ethical beauty, sustainability, and personal health empowerment, Suzanne has built businesses that exemplify the values she seeks to promote. Her work continues to serve as a source of inspiration in the beauty and wellness industries.

Follow the work of Suzanne Carnall on IG: @thegreenwomanuk

thegreenwoman.co.uk


Melanie Blane

Melanie started White Rabbit Skincare in April 2014 after being diagnosed with the skin condition psoriasis, which had flared up during her time at university (studying history!)

She discovered that there isn’t a cure for psoriasis – but you can improve the symptoms and appearance of skin patches through topical treatments.

She researched into such traditional topical treatments, and was horrified to discover that not only does your skin absorb quite a considerable amount of what you put onto it into your blood stream, but the majority of products on the market are full of irritants and synthetic ingredients, which might soothe the symptoms temporarily, but could have long term implications.
So, inspired by apothecary gardens of old,  Melanie set out to create a range of natural, vegan and sustainable skincare products that not only she could trust, but others could too, and help you feel confident in your own skin again, as well as making a big impact, with minimal imprint on our planet.

White Rabbit Skincare eco products are still carefully crafted and packaged by hand by our skilled, female-led team within our unit in the west of Scotland to ensure the highest quality, and are presented in plastic minimal packaging (94% plastic free, to be precise. We’re working on the remaining 6%!)

Being vegan herself, Melanie is adamant that we never include animal-derived ingredients (such as beeswax), nor do we use Parabens, SLS, Silicones, Mineral oils or derivatives of petrochemicals, artificial fragrances, artificial colours, or anything else synthetic –  or confusing!

2025 plans for the company include increasing our brand reach and recognition, expanding into body care products and growing our team – all whilst contributing to a better world of course.

Follow the work of Melanie Blane on IG: @whiterabbitskincare

whiterabbitskincare.co.uk


Bengt Rittri

Swedish environmental entrepreneur Bengt Rittri has dedicated his career to improving tap water and indoor air quality through groundbreaking innovations. Best known as the founder of Blueair, a leading air purification company acquired by Unilever in 2016, and now Bluewater, a global water purification and beverage company, Rittri has harnessed his passion for sustainability to create a cleaner, healthier world for future generations.

BluewaterSquareA firm believer that clean air and water are fundamental human rights, Rittri, now in his early 60s and a years-long yoga and mindfulness practitioner, has spent decades developing planet-friendly solutions to tackle pollution and reduce single-use plastics. His journey began with Blueair, which revolutionized indoor air purification with high-performance filtration technology. After successfully scaling Blueair into a global brand, he turned his attention to water with the launch in 2013 of Bluewater, a company focused on providing sustainable hydration solutions through advanced water purification and eco-friendly refill stations.

Bluewater’s purification innovations – which remove over 99 percent of all known contaminants from tap water such as toxic chemicals like PFAS or microplastics – have been widely adopted by businesses, events, and consumers across the UK, Europe, North America, South-east Asia, and South Africa concerned about their tap water quality and looking to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

Beyond Bluewater, Rittri has furthered his impact through BluePurpose.com, a socially responsible investment company and website that backs ventures aligned with environmental and social sustainability. His investments support businesses that develop clean technologies and promote responsible consumption, reinforcing his mission to safeguard the planet for future generations.

A ceaseless and vocal advocate for environmental action, Rittri’s work exemplifies how business innovation can drive meaningful change. By pioneering sustainable air and water solutions, the Swedish entrepreneur has solidified his legacy as a leader in environmental responsibility, proving that profitability and planet-friendly practices can go hand in hand.

Follow the work of Bengt Rittri on IG: @bluewatergroup

bluewatergroup.com


Ines Karu-Salo

Ines’s journey into sustainable entrepreneurship began in 2012 after spending over a decade in the fast fashion industry. Having co-founded and worked for MOTHERCARE Baltics for 12 years before exiting the business, Ines began questioning the fashion industry’s impact on people and the planet. This led her to establish KiRiVOO, a multi-award-winning brand dedicated to sustainable fashion. As the sustainable fashion market was still in its early stages, she also co-founded THE REWEAR COMPANY, a managed kidswear rental and resale marketplace in Estonia. These experiences reinforced her commitment to sustainability, circularity, and waste reduction, solidifying her belief that fashion must evolve beyond traditional ownership models to embrace rental, resale, and thoughtful consumption.

Ines comes from an Estonian entrepreneurial family but lives and works in London. As the founder and Creative Director of KiRiVOO, she is on a mission to build a timeless yet distinctive sustainable lifestyle brand that minimises environmental impact and enhances circularity. KiRiVOO has evolved from a women’s shirts brand into a jewellery and clothing label, continuously expanding its product offerings and international presence. Inspired by Nordic modern aesthetics and heritage, the brand continues gaining recognition for its distinctive and elegantly designed collections. KiRiVOO embraces on-demand production, eco-friendly materials, and timeless designs with a unique twist—crafted for women who value authenticity, sustainability, and effortless sophistication. While the clothing is primarily made from organic cotton and silk, the brand’s jewellery pieces are 3D-printed from 100% recycled precious metals, ensuring minimal waste and promoting sustainable craftsmanship.

For Ines, sustainability is more than just an environmental concern—it’s a deeply personal commitment shaped by her life experiences. She has embraced a mindful approach to fashion from a young age, taking pride in reusing her clothes rather than following trends. Her personal health challenges have further heightened her awareness of how the materials we wear directly affect our well-being. As a mother, she has gained an even deeper understanding of overconsumption, recognising that children outgrow their clothes faster than adults. These experiences have strengthened her dedication to advocating for a more sustainable fashion industry, one that values longevity, conscious choices, and environmental responsibility.

Follow the work of Ines Karu-Salo on IG: @kirivoo

kirivoo.com


Denise Focil

Starting a luxury ready-to-wear business during an economic downturn, are you serious?!?”, is what designer Denise Focil constantly heard back in the Fall of 2009 when she launched her clothing brand, AS by DF.  Her answer to the oft posed question?,…..,”Yes.”  She knew it was a gamble and an uphill battle, but she was ready for the challenge. This gave her the courage, drive and determination to not only dip her toe into the water but to fully dive in,…..headfirst!

In 2009, retail was taking a massive nosedive and stores were shuttering left and right.  But so was every other industry out there and everyone was running scared.  Denise, knowing that historically when things fall apart the dynamics of the game change, she knew that therein lies unforeseen opportunities and the birth of new ideas.

Always being environmentally conscious and socially responsible, her concentration was on keeping her carbon footprint at a minimum.  Her ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking led the brand towards creating leather goods utilizing discarded leather scraps (which would have otherwise been landfill waste).  She reworked them into beautiful, supple leathers using modern technology and a tanning process that uses 90% less water than traditional methods.  In addition, she also devised hang tags that are biodegradable and strewn with poppy seeds the buyer can plant at home.  Even her packaging contains no plastic waste materials, and she also donates $10 from each recycled leather sale to non-profit organisation Ocean Conservancy, which protects our oceans.

15 years later, she is still here, standing strong, selling all over the US and now expanding into Europe as she’s currently celebrating the brand’s “Crystal” Anniversary!  In honor of this milestone, she is introducing her new “NAKED” collection, to celebrate women of all skin tones, to new (and existing) customers.

And Hollywood has taken notice!  Many of today’s top celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Kelly Rowland, Demi Lovato, Jenna Ortega, Kourtney Kardashian, Jennifer Hudson, Jessica Alba, Angela Bassett, Becky G, Thalia and Alessandra Ambrosio have all been spotted out and about wearing her brand!

Follow the work of Denise Focil on IG: @asbydf

asbydf.com

 


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