ON DUTY CITIZENS
CORINNA & THERESA WILLIAMS
1) What inspired you to get involved in the sustainability movement?
Growing up in Germany, we learned about composting and other eco-friendly habits from a young age. Our mother is very passionate about sustainability and actually built our childhood home from sustainable materials (pre-Internet days!), so it’s always been ingrained in us. When starting our business, we wanted to serve a need that was unfulfilled while remaining true to our eco-friendly roots.
2) What specifically is your involvement in the sustainable/ethical world?
We created Celsious, a premium sustainable garment care provider, and New York’s first laundromat-café located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Our goal is to make laundry day a fun, relaxing, and productive experience, and for the process itself to be as kind to the environment as possible. Our laundromat features the most energy efficient equipment, non-toxic laundry powder (free doses with each wash!), and a knowledgeable team to help our visitors at every step. This year, we’re also launching our own range of eco-friendly garment care products, available online.
3) What are some daily habits or tips you have to live a more conscious lifestyle?
We almost always wash on cold. It conserves energy and is better for the longevity of garments. We order organic produce from Misfits Market in order to reduce the need to get take out, we don’t add new clothing to our closets very often (but when we do, we opt for consignment, upcycled materials or natural fibers), and we always look for biodegradable alternatives when buying things for the business. This is just to name a few!
4) In the climate change movement, who inspires you most?
Céline Semaan and Dominique Drakeford, for raising awareness about climate change from an inclusive point of view. We find them highly informative and pragmatic with their content.
5) What are you most optimistic about in regards to environmentalism?
Young people have such a heightened sense of awareness and are receptive to data and information because the stakes are high for them and their futures. They’re doing so much to affect change.
6) Name some of your favorite sustainable or ethical brands and why you trust them.
Theresa: ARQ for their super soft organic cotton bralettes and underwear that actually covers my entire bum. Amberlight Beauty for their high quality natural skin care products that smell like heaven and don’t aggravate my skin. Big Reuse for interesting reclaimed building materials at a killer price.
Corinna: Everybody.World for their 100% recycled cotton ‘Trash Tee’ and Industry Standard for their organic cotton t-shirts. Mara Hoffman for amazing organic cotton or linen statement pieces. Yay for Earth and Runako & Co for moisturizers made from natural ingredients to soothe my winter skin.
7) What are some of your resources you use to learn more about sustainability?
Environmental Working Group (EWG) to check on beauty and household product ingredients and their effect on personal health/the environment. Fashion Revolution for being a great fact-based and no-bullshit source about the social and environmental impact of the fashion industry.
8) What advice do you have for someone who would like to live more sustainably?
Buying less is the easiest way to start because you literally do less and it has a positive impact on your wallet! Evaluate your spending and consumption habits, but don’t try to overhaul your life all at once. Start with baby steps, like packing lunch a couple times a week (if you’re used to take-out), bringing reusable bags and cups (we always have our Keep Cups on us), and declining plastic straws and single-use items. Be mindful about the way you consume, and do your best without worrying about being perfect.
9) What projects or campaigns are you currently supporting?
We just launched an in-house line of sustainable garment care products, where each sale benefits 1% for the Planet. Our products (3-ingredient laundry powder, chlorine-free oxygen brightener, and vegetable soap stick) are perfect for anyone who wants to consume less by taking good care of the clothing they already own. We’re also part of West Elm’s new hemp bedding campaign. We love hemp because it’s durable but soft, hypoallergenic, and on top of that, West Elm’s is Fair Trade Certified. We were happy to support the launch of this new product.
10) Could you tell us about a challenge or obstacle you faced working in sustainability? How did you overcome it?
Synthetic microfibers are our nemesis! These microfibers are shed during each wash cycle and end up polluting waterways and making their way into our food chains. While there are a number of ways to reduce the amount of microfibers released at a consumer level (by using, for example a Guppyfriend wash bag or a Coraball), we haven’t found an enterprise level solution. We’re working to overcome it!
Current projects!
Current project: Studio Celsious! We are building out the floor above us to become a hub for all things sustainability – education, panels, workshops, and more. We’re so excited to launch this and already have a number of exciting events lined up. We’re also looking to host residencies up there so if you’re a pro at tailoring, mending, embroidering, leather cleaning, denim fixing or sneaker cleaning, hit us up!
