Breastfeeding To Business: How Sarah Paiji Yoo Starts Green Clean Blueland

Sarah Paiji Yoo, a trailblazing eco-conscious innovator and the driving force behind Blueland, chatted with Shelby Wilder from Ecomilli about her journey. Sarah's mission as an entrepreneur is to transform the way we think about plastic bottles and containers in our homes, making sustainability a priority. Blueland, headquartered in the USA, specializes in eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Their commitment to the planet has expanded their reach to markets in Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. Radha Mishra has distilled Shelby's interview into a reader-friendly summary for your convenience. Listen to the full interview in the Podcast. 

You throw out everyday plastics, bottles, and containers, feeling content as your home gets tidier. But have you ever considered the ramifications of these acts on the planet? Every piece of plastic you've ever used is in the ocean or atop the mountain peak. Yes, plastic doesn't simply vanish; it endures, forever affecting our environment. While your homes may look pristine, the reality is far grimmer.

Plastic particles are found in every corner of the world. Humans produce over 350 million metric tons of plastic waste annually. Even more alarming, without any policy changes, experts predict this figure will triple by 2060, reaching an unimaginable one billion metric tons.

Fortunately, some individuals recognize the gravity of the situation and are actively working to lessen the impact. One such person is Sarah Paiji Yoo, the CEO and co-founder of Blueland.

Blueland provides eco-friendly, refillable cleaning supply solutions. They create everyday products that save money and space without adding plastic waste. The company has helped eliminate over 1 billion single-use plastic bottles from landfills and oceans between 2019 and 2023.

But how did it all start?

"I've launched three businesses before Blueland. Interestingly, when I came up with the idea for Blueland, I was not looking to start another business. I was on sabbatical, and it was an extended maternity leave," said Sarah, a mother of two.

However, during a shift from breastfeeding to formula, Sarah realized the gravity and relevance of the plastic issue.

"I was in my breastfeeding journey. When transitioning into formula, I researched what kind of milk powder I wanted to give my child and what type of water I should use to mix with this formula. And I had questions like, how clean is New York City tap water? Is bottled water a cleaner option?" she recalls.

"I was horrified in my research that regardless of bottled or tap water, our drinking water contains, on average, 100 pieces of microplastics," she said.

Sarah came to understand the menace all this single-use plastic creates and how it ends up in our oceans and waterways. It breaks down into tiny pieces of microplastics and gets mixed into the water we drink, the food we eat, and the formula she makes for her newborn baby. It was the moment Sarah felt strongly about doing her part. She began a zero-waste lifestyle journey.

"I got very interested in living a zero-waste lifestyle. I realized how hard it was to go to a grocery store. Everything comes packaged in single-use plastic, whether ketchup, lotion, soap, or glass and mirror cleaner," Sarah, who lives in New York City with her family, said.

Sarah began pondering ways to give other people more choices or better options. "That's when I realized I have this background in bringing new products and brands to market. I became very excited about the potential to do that in a way that eliminates our need for single-use plastic," she said.

Blueland has been live since 2021. When asked what the response was, Sarah said, "The response has been incredible."

"Initially, it was challenging, as it was an unexplored concept. I heard from people, especially investors, that people don't care about the environment. But we were blown away by the response," she added.

What do you aim for with Blueland?

"The original motivation for Blueland was to eliminate single-use plastic and packaging. But really, the broader mission, since our founding, has been, how do we make it easy for everyone to be environmentally responsible?" Sarah stressed.

"We approach the products with a lens of how we make eco-easy. We also ensure that our products work better than conventional ones. The ingredients that we use are to the highest standards."

However, apart from offering plastic-free green products, the founder of Blueland aims to educate and inspire people as well.

"But beyond that, we are excited to inspire, educate, and empower people to lead a more eco-conscious lifestyle, even beyond our products. And that comes to life in many other channels we own, like email or social media," Sarah concluded.