Big Bee, Little Bee didn’t start as an eco brand. It started with a baby towel.

My first product was the Snow Angel — a cushioned baby bath towel I invented when Marlo was just a few months old, because getting a wet, wriggly, angry baby dried off safely was harder than it needed to be. Eco wasn’t the mission. Solving a real problem was.

We don’t sell the Snow Angel anymore (manufacturing costs — a whole other story), but it set the template for how this brand works. We make things because there’s a problem worth solving. Sustainability came in through the side door: we kept reaching for silicone and reusables because they worked better and lasted longer, not because we set out to build a green company.

That’s the thing about the swaps that stick. They’re not the ones you make because you feel guilty — they’re the ones that turn out to be genuinely more convenient than what you were doing before.

Here’s what’s made the biggest difference for us.

1. Replace the ziplock bag with a reusable container

This is the biggest one for most families because it’s the most frequent. Sandwiches, snacks, leftovers — the bag count adds up fast. A good reusable container pays for itself quickly and usually works better anyway. No squished sandwiches, no leaks in the backpack.

We use the SoftShell for everything. The attached lid means nothing gets lost, it goes in the dishwasher, and it opens flat to double as a plate. One less thing to think about.

2. Switch to reusable produce bags

Those thin plastic bags in the grocery store produce section are used for about four minutes and then thrown away. Reusable mesh bags do the same job, weigh almost nothing, and are machine washable. We keep a set in our market bag so they’re always there when we need them.

3. Swap plastic wrap for containers and beeswax wraps

Plastic wrap is one of those things that feels necessary until you stop using it and realize you don’t miss it. Leftover half-onion? Container. Bowl of cut fruit? Lid on top. Beeswax wraps handle the weird shapes plastic wrap used to cover. This one takes about a week to adjust to and then becomes second nature.

4. Get a reusable straw you’ll actually use

We make a straw called the Build-A-Straw — adjustable height, fits any cup or bottle, comes with a travel case and cleaner. I’ll be upfront that I’m biased. But the reason we made it is because every reusable straw we tried either didn’t fit our cups or was a pain to clean. A straw you actually use beats a better one sitting in a drawer.

5. Keep a reusable bag somewhere you’ll remember it

Everyone knows reusable bags exist. The problem is remembering them. Keep one in your car, one by the door, one in whatever bag you carry most often. The swap only works if the bag is with you when you need it.

6. Replace the paper towel default with a cloth option

We’re not paper-towel-free — let’s be realistic. But having a stack of small cloths for spills and everyday wiping cuts the count way down. Small thing that compounds.