The idea for Slowood, a one-stop shop in Kennedy Town supplying a
huge range of eco-friendly lifestyle products, occurred to a pregnant
Dora Lam in April last year when she had to traverse the city in search
of sustainable household items for the family home. “I wanted to create
a place where people could easily get organic food, skincare and
home decor [in one place],” she recalls. “No one else was doing it, so I
had to take action.” So she and her husband, Chen Kai-ping, set about
developing Slowood.
Slowood, which opened in January, sells a range of produce, skincare,
cleaning supplies and dishware. With its minimalist decor, floor-to-ceiling
windows and wood accents, it looks more like a Scandinavian showroom
than a supermarket.
And buying organic won’t break the bank. Dora says prices for
Slowood’s produce are 30 per cent below supermarket versions because
the items are sold in bulk and without packaging. “A lot of products like
vegetables don’t need packaging, and we end up using less plastic,” says
Dora. “And people can buy as little or as much as they want.” Under its
zero-waste policy, customers are required to bring their own shopping
bags, or they can purchase muslin totes and glass jars.
Dora and Kai agree that adopting a sustainable lifestyle has improved
their quality of life. Kai left a career in finance in 2010 feeling burned
out. Since then, in addition to Slowood, he and his wife have established
a cosmetics store and clothing boutique featuring eco-friendly products,
and Kai has never felt happier. “Before, I was working with numbers, and
it’s not very down to earth,” he says. “I didn’t know how to take care of
myself. Now I feel closer to nature.”CHEN KAI-PING AND DORA LAM
FOUNDERS, SLOWOOD
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