Q&A With Delpis Eco
It was right about the time when the documentary Blue Planet I was released. Mark Jankovich Delphis Eco’s founder was in Italy, he saw a woman pour dirty cleaning water down a storm drain, on the coast, when the reality of how damaging cleaning products were to the environment seemed so obvious to him. And he thought, he needed to go and do something that is good for himself his soul and the world. So Delphis Eco was born. The aim was simple: to take eco-friendly cleaning to the masses. It was, and still is, a passion project for him. His logic was if he can have a tiny impact on reducing the amount of nasty chemicals going into the environment, he will have contributed positively.
Sustainability is a journey of progress not perfection in retail, what are your biggest wins as a business when it comes to reducing your environmental impact?
After years of perseverance we as a business are really proud to be the first company in the UK to make our bottles out of 100% recycled plastic milk containers. Which means when you buy a Delphis Eco cleaning product, there’s a high chance that the packaging it comes in may have visited your home in a previous life as a milk bottle. Last year, Delphis Eco customers saved the planet 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions as well as removing 13 million single-use plastic bottles from landfill, the ocean and incineration.
As a customer what do I buy into when I buy Delphis Eco?
You’re buying into an ecological cleaning brand that works and that is also kinder to the planet. Delphis Eco offers the first wholly sustainable, professional strength cleaning product range in the UK made from renewable, plant-based ingredients and entirely recycled packaging – it is Loved by Professionals and Approved by the Planet. By making a small change like switching your cleaning brand, you can hugely reduce your own personal impact on the environment.
Unfortunately, eco products have had a horrid reputation of not working. The early years of Delphis Eco were focused on overturning the sector’s biggest challenge – the reality that eco cleaning products did not clean as well as their mainstream, chemically loaded competitors. This widely held view was the biggest hurdle to overcome, and Jankovich began his conquest by focusing on converting the professional cleaning sector first.
What problems or issues should I be aware of when it comes to cleaning products which I may not be aware of?
Many common cleaning products contain hazardous and sometimes lethal chemicals that are large contributors to water pollution, including bleach, ammonia, nitrogen, and phosphates – with bleach itself having many chemical makeups that are banned across Europe for its corrosive and toxic effects. Equally concerning and not well know is that Phosphates do not get filtered out when passing through water filtration (sewerage) treatment plants meaning they go straight into the water course causing nasty toxic algae blooms which is detrimental to marine life and jeopardising our health.
The Delphis Eco range is different, made from renewable, plant-based ingredients
it’s formulated to be kind to our hands, homes, families, pets and oceans. We do not use carbon intensive ingredients; the cleaning range is safe to use in the household as we do not use harsh chemicals or any nasty toxins in our products.
What landmark achievement or moment are you most proud of as a business?
Our packaging, it’s the first-ever British made 100% recycled single-use plastic bottle for packaging. We wanted plastic bottles that were 100% recycled from the start and it took us seven years to finally make that dream possible, after a lot of hard work and dedication. When it comes to the environment, you encounter plenty of ‘old world’ thinking. Asking to do new stuff in different ways will typically be met with a shake of a head or sharp intake of breath, so the secret is to have a thick skin and a total belief that you are doing the right thing. We’ve pushed boundaries and changed opinions by convincing suppliers to work with us. UK recycling and manufacture means minimal carbon miles, which far outweighs the emissions cost of importing recycled raw materials from destinations like China. In a circular economy, keeping the production in the UK is the holy grail of ‘greenness’.
Being awarded two Royal Warrants was pretty special as well!
Which environmental issue do you feel most passionate about?
Climate change. It is very real, and time is running out. We all need to do more to save our planet and the time to act is now. We need to make mindful purchases based on brands ethics, its purpose and carbon footprint. Consumers have the power to drive the change by demanding more from the companies/brands they buy from – they vote with their wallet. Manufacturers and corporates will do what they must to get your pound. By buying with a conscience it will fundamentally change the direction of manufacturing and in turn save the planet.
What do you hope to achieve in the next year as a business?
We are very keen on everybody adopting “A Trigger for Life”. This would mean more concentrated products are bought and refilled at home. We are excited about the launch of our Laundry range which is almost ready and looking forward to introducing more of our fantastic professional range into homes.
Do you support any causes or charities as a business?
We started sponsoring the London Scottish RFC and Barnes RFC mini’s rugby teams with hand sanitiser and surface cleaner throughout lockdown and now support 25 clubs across England. Lockdown has been especially tough for kids who were not able to play group sports for quite some time. We’re delighted our products play a small role in ensuring that youngsters can enjoy the great game of rugby safely every weekend.
We also have Tim The Turtle a 10meter high and wide ‘blimp’, of a turtle trapped in plastic. It was the first ever to be made from 100% recycled plastic and we take Tim to school all over the country where we give talks about sustainability, the impact of litter and how we can all live more sustainably.
The sooner we adopt brands like Delphis into our everyday lives the better. You can use their products with pure confidence that you are improving your household impact on the planet.
