Living on the shores of Lake Superior, we’ve always been aware of the waste that finds its way into our waterways. While canoeing down the river behind our house, we noticed how much garbage was in the water and started talking to our kids about it.
At the time, our kids really wanted to start a business, and we started brainstorming ideas (some more practical than others...paper airplanes, anyone?). We wanted to create something that would help reduce waste so I suggested beeswax wraps because they seemed like the perfect fit...useful, sustainable, and something we could all make together.
We started looking up DIY methods and our very first wraps were made by ironing fabric and beeswax between two sheets of parchment paper. Thankfully, our process is much more efficient now!
From there, we spent months tweaking the formula—trying to get it just sticky enough without being too sticky, waxy, but not too thick so it wasn't flexible. We made a LOT of messes. If you've ever worked with beeswax and pine resin, you know what I mean! We ruined pots, utensils, measuring cups, etc.!
Why Three Huggers?
When we decided to sell a few wraps on Etsy for friends and family, we needed a name. Someone suggested Three Huggers, and because it started as our kids' business, we thought it was perfect. We had three kids, and we wanted to care well for the earth.
We opened our Etsy shop thinking it would be a small, short-lived project.
Then something unexpected happened.
We got an order from someone we didn’t know.
And then another.
And another.
Suddenly, our little side project wasn’t so little anymore.
As orders kept rolling in, we found ourselves making more and more batches, perfecting our technique, and even taking our wraps to local markets. A few years in and it became my full-time job.
With that growth, we wanted to create more sustainable products that were practical, beautiful, and sustainable.
As we grew, we expanded our product line and partnered with other like-minded small businesses—something we absolutely love.
We know that switching to a low-waste lifestyle can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Maybe you still use regular paper towels, but you swap in reusables when you can. That’s okay! Every little bit helps.
At Three Huggers, our goal is to make sustainability easier, one simple swap at a time.
Thank you for being part of our journey. 💚