Christmas waste drove me crackers – now I sell reusable ones
Too many bin bags full of plastic left from a big Christmas party four years ago put Lucy Ewles on the path to entrepreneurship.
The fact that some 40 million crackers are thrown away each year didn’t sit well with Ewles. And when she tried to buy reusable crackers, what was on offer was not up to scratch.
So as many sustainably-minded entrepreneurs do, Ewles, 38, got to work building prototypes of reusable crackers at home, often using leftover toilet rolls and scraps of fabric.
“It’s something fun, and it’s a nice tradition, but then you don’t really want that to be at the expense of the environment,” she said.
It’s something fun, and it’s a nice tradition, but then you don’t really want that to be at the expense of the environment.
Lucy Ewles
Elwes started Kaneo to sell stylish reusable crackers in 2021, named after the church in north Macedonia where she and her co-founder husband Jonny married.
It wasn’t long before she decided to ditch her teaching career – allowing her to raise a family and run the business – but it hasn’t been an easy journey.
With little to no knowledge of how to start or run a business, she said it’s been a constant challenge,
So how does a business, especially one so specific and seasonally traded, survive?
Branching out
Given that Ewles’ business model is to sell a product that is reusable and you can fill them yourself, she misses out on the benefits of repeat customers.
“In terms of a business model, it’s kind of a shame,” she said.
Realising that a business like hers might need to cater to new crowds, she’s beginning to move Kaneo into events – which she believes will bring a much-needed boost to her long-term sales.
What is a challenge for Ewles, however, is that she has to sell more than just a product – she has to sell an idea.
It’s the idea that Christmas crackers can be a “long-term investment” rather than a “one-off purchase”.
“When you’re trying to be sustainable, there’s so many hurdles,” said Ewles, who styles herself “chief cracker officer”.
A box of six of Ewles’s velvet-laced Christmas crackers sell for about £62, whereas bundles with gift fillers can be anywhere from £20 to £80.
And don’t worry about missing out on the fun – the crackers still go “bang”.
Learning process
Growing her business isn’t all Ewles needs to do; she must continue to grow as a person, too.
She had already taught herself to sew from YouTube during lockdown.
“The first year made me realise how little I knew about everything, and about running a business,” she said.
But as she spends the rest of the year building brand partnerships and plans for the season, she continues to make the most out of each opportunity – even if she has little room to “make mistakes”.
“Ok, well it’s a step in the right direction, and we’ll keep reviewing and keep trying to improve,” she often tells herself.
As for many entrepreneurs, stepping outside of one’s comfort zone can be a daunting task.
“As a small business owner I have had to learn so many things outside of my comfort zone and areas of strength,” she said.
“I am naturally creative and a people person but I’ve found myself learning basic coding, video editing, ecommerce, SEO, and accounting.”
But starting a business in the capital has been a great help, she said, given that community support is crucial in learning how to tackle the many challenges that come with entrepreneurship.
“I do find that being in London is really helpful, just in terms of events, networking, and meeting the right people,” she said.