Start the week with a startup: Wild

This week we spoke to Eli Miansarow, who is brand & partnerships lead at Wild – a UK-based personal care and hair care company that sells refillable and natural products.

How Wild is changing the game…​

We offer natural, refillable alternatives to traditional personal care products, with a primary focus on deodorants and body wash. ​We target individuals who are seeking effective, natural, and eco-conscious alternatives to conventional personal care products.

Our wider mission is to remove single-use plastic from bathrooms, envisioning a future where retailers embrace refillable options to make a real difference in reducing single-use plastic.

Our future goals for the business…​

We aim to continue this mission of removing single-use plastic from bathrooms by expanding our product line, increasing accessibility, and furthering our commitment to sustainability. The company also seeks to grow its market presence globally while maintaining its position as a leader in the natural personal care industry. 

How we started out…​

We were founded in 2019 by childhood friends ​Freddy Ward and Charlie Bowes-Lyon with a mission to address the issue of single-use plastic in personal care products. Our founders identified the need for sustainable alternatives, and we launched to provide consumers with effective, eco-friendly options.

Challenges we have faced…​

One of the biggest challenges we've faced along the way is how difficult it actually is to remove plastic from personal care packaging. We were probably quite naive when we were initially developing the compostable deodorant refill and we were also self-funded, so had very little money to iterate with, which meant trying to persuade investors that we could create something that was yet to exist.

This took a while, and it was only after our first funding round that we really had the cash to bring our creation to market. It wasn't the easiest route to market, but I think we felt it was of the utmost importance to authentically create something that was genuinely game-changing within the industry.

This was similar with our compostable body wash refill, which was the first bottle that could hold liquids without a plastic liner, upon which other bottles to date have relied. It took years of setbacks and failed attempts until we finally made a completely plant-based bottle that was stable enough to hold liquids over a prolonged period.

How we’re disrupting the industry… ​

We are promoting sustainability, reducing plastic waste, and offering natural alternatives to consumers. Our focus on refillable options and eco-conscious practices is setting new standards for personal care products and we are encouraging others to follow suit. 

How we see the future of personal care...​

The personal care industry is increasingly moving towards sustainability, with consumers demanding eco-friendly and natural products. Within this trend, refillable packaging, biodegradable materials, and cruelty-free formulations are gaining popularity. Wild's emphasis on these aspects aligns with the broader industry shift towards more sustainable practices.

Additionally, personalised solutions and inclusive product offerings are expected to shape the future of the beauty and personal care market, reflecting changing consumer preferences and values.