The OLA Bamboo family is made up of three young entrepreneurs who want to make a real difference for the planet. Everyone knows that plastic causes devastation to the environment — especially for marine life! The Internet and social media are full of heartbreaking photos that show the terrible effects that plastics have on nature. But what can we actually do to change things? This is where the idea came about.
Our commitment
To make a real difference, you need to start by taking small steps. Our journey began with the bamboo toothbrush because toothbrushes are something that we all use in our daily lives, and which are (almost) always plastic. But we didn’t want to stop there! Tons of utilitarian objects are disposable and tremendously polluting.
So, we started making other eco-friendly products like bamboo utensils and straws, bamboo makeup remover pads, eco-friendly dental floss and a lot more!
Social Economy
For OLA Bamboo, social involvement is integral to the company’s mission. That is why we do business with Re-Source Intégration, a social economy enterprise based in Gatineau that employs over a hundred people with disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, physical limitations and mental disorders.
When you place an order on our website, they are the ones who prepare your package. They also handle shipments at the various points of sale and even assemble some of our products. We are proud to work with this wonderful team.
Planting Trees
When you purchase an OLA Bamboo product, you are helping Compensation CO2 Québec plant trees. For us, reducing our carbon footprint and benefitting the health of our beautiful planet is crucial. Since the beginning of this venture, over 2,000 trees have been planted in Notre-Dame-des-Bois and another 1,000 in Stratford, Quebec—thanks to you!
Three thousand trees cover the emissions from 375 Montréal-Paris round-trip flights. In other words, during their growth, these trees will capture an amount of carbon equivalent to that emitted by 130 cars—every year! And that’s just the beginning.
In addition, we created a contest for Earth Day 2019: a draw for trees to plant in your yard. Five winners across Canada had the good fortune of choosing a new tree. And we have a ton of other ideas.
Donations
Since OLA Bamboo’s beginnings, we have made numerous donations to various organizations for fundraising events or volunteer tourism. Notably, we donated 1,500 toothbrushes to the Salvation Army Canada in Toronto and 3,000 toothbrushes and 400 zero waste kits for the Association québécoise pour l’Avancement des Nations Unies-Haïti.
Together, for an eco-friendly lifestyle!
OLA Bamboo, it’s more than a brand, it’s a lifestyle. Let’s reduce our environmental footprint together by eliminating plastic waste and planting trees!
Becoming eco-responsible takes a few simple steps and that’s what we propose. Join the OLA Bamboo journey!
If you enjoy our shop and we align with your values, please click the Love Button in our profile or write a review to spread the word to the Mindful Market community. The more love you share, the more our community will grow and thrive!
Reviews
FAQs
How do OLA Bamboo products have a positive effect on the environment?
Every year, more than 4.9 billion plastic toothbrushes, billions of straws and disposable plastic utensils end up in garbage dumps and various natural environments around the world. All this plastic takes about 500 years to decompose. Even when it does decompose, its chemical composition remains intact and the entire plastic substance remains in the environment for centuries longer. A lot of this plastic is found in the oceans where it is ingested by birds and fish. Approximately 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic. Bamboo is the main element used in the manufacture of the OLA Bamboo toothbrush. This 100% natural and 100% biodegradable material replaces plastic, a substance very commonly used for the manufacture of conventional toothbrushes. OLA Bamboo utensils are made of 100% birch and straws are made of 100% bamboo. Since bamboo is a plant and birch is a tree, they decompose naturally in the environment. In short, when you dispose of your OLA Bamboo toothbrush, utensils or straws, in whatever way you do so, you help eliminate unnecessary plastic in the environment by replacing it with bamboo or wood, which break down naturally.
Bamboo is the main material used in the manufacture of the OLA Bamboo toothbrush. This 100% natural and 100% compostable plant replaces plastic. Because bamboo is a tree, it decomposes naturally in the environment. By purchasing an OLA Bamboo toothbrush, you help eliminate unnecessary plastic in the environment.
Is a bamboo toothbrush is different from a plastic toothbrush when it comes to cleaning our teeth?
The quality of brushing remains the same, regardless of the type of material used to make the handle. Good tooth brushing depends more on the bristles, the head of the toothbrush, and proper brushing technique.
What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
There are two categories of compostable products: those that break down in a home compost system and those that decompose in an industrial compost system (e.g. a city compost). Products described as compostable will break down naturally as they are usually made of organic materials (e.g. plants).
The term biodegradable is not always well defined. It refers to any material that will decompose in nature after a certain number of years. However, there is no clear definition of the time frame needed for a product to decompose; moreover, a product can change shape but retain its chemical composition (e.g. biodegradable plastic bags).
Is the OLA Bamboo toothbrush is 100% compostable?
Only the handle of our toothbrush is 100% compostable, not the bristles.
Policies
General terms and conditions
Order processing
You will automatically receive a confirmation email from OLA Bamboo Inc. that your order has been received. However, this is not a commitment to sell the products mentioned. OLA Bamboo Inc. reserves the right, without prior notice, to refuse any business with a client and/or set a quantity limit for any item in an order. At any time, it may be necessary for OLA Bamboo Inc. to verify personal information and/or credit card information before processing the order. This is to prevent fraud and the use of software piracy.
Product out of stock
OLA Bamboo Inc. uses automated software that manages the inventory. It can happen that a product becomes unavailable between the time of your purchase at olabamboo.com and the update of the inventory software. In such a case, OLA Bamboo Inc. reserves the right to cancel the transaction and will inform the customer of the situation. An arrangement can be made between the customer and OLA Bamboo Inc. to postpone the order until the item is back in stock.
Subscription
You can cancel your subscription at any time at no charge. You must cancel your subscription at least 48 hours before the renewal date. After the renewal of your subscription, no refund of the order will be possible.
When you subscribe to a plan, you will create a new account on our website. On this account, you can edit or cancel your subscription at any time and at no charge.
Products description
OLA Bamboo Inc. is the sole manager of the olabamboo.com website and is committed to providing all necessary information about the products sold on its website. However, customers should be aware that mistakes sometimes happen. We encourage customers to notify OLA Bamboo Inc. of any suspicious information found on olabamboo.com.
Price
The prices of our products are in Canadian dollars and applicable taxes will be added at the time of purchase. All payments from customers must be made in Canadian dollars. Products are billed according to the prices set at the time the order is placed.
Limitation of Liability
All orders placed through the olabamboo.com website are subject to the shipping contract. This means that all risks related to loss and damage during shipping are the responsibility of the customer. An agreement may be reached between OLA Bamboo Inc. and the customer through our customer service. However, OLA Bamboo Inc. does not commit to enter into any agreement. OLA Bamboo Inc. is not responsible for costs incurred following the receipt of a damaged or defective item.
Warranty
There is a one-year warranty on new products that are sealed and kept in their original packaging. The warranty begins when the product is shipped by OLA Bamboo Inc. and ends one year later. Any warranty will be void if the product is opened or used.
Return
Since this is a personal hygiene product, no returns are accepted. If the product is damaged upon receipt by the customer, an agreement may be settled between OLA Bamboo Inc. and the customer through our customer service. However, OLA Bamboo Inc. does not commit to enter into any agreement. OLA Bamboo Inc. is not responsible for costs incurred following the receipt of a damaged or defective item.
Tracking number
In order to track your shipment, you must choose the track shipment option at the time of purchase; otherwise, the shipment will be sent without a tracking number. If the track shipment option is selected (Express Shipping at extra costs), you will receive an email with a tracking number when your order has shipped. By clicking on the tracking number, you will be redirected automatically to the Canada Post website where you can track your package.
OLA Bamboo
ONE TWO BAMBOO
JEAN-PHILIPPE BERGERON
From a young age, Jean-Philippe always had many passions, including politics, history, horticulture, entrepreneurship, and the outdoors. His varied interests led him to work on many different projects and business ideas, some more eccentric than realistic.
After completing a Bachelor’s degree in communications, he worked in politics for a few years and then returned to school. He then completed a second Bachelor’s degree in Education at the University of Ottawa. Against all expectations, he ended up launching an entrepreneurial career by establishing OLA Bamboo with his wife Vicky and his friend Simon-Pier.
Jean-Philippe is proud to work at a company that allows him to combine his many passions and that contributes to making a real impact in the community.
Vicky began her career in 2003 as a radio host, a profession she pursued all over Quebec for around fifteen years.
Since January 2019, she has been working full-time at OLA Bamboo Inc, a company she founded in 2016 with her husband Jean-Philippe Bergeron and their partner Simon-Pier Ouellet.
In her view, ‘going green’ is an essential shift that involves a host of small, simple actions. Not everyone can afford to change everything overnight… But everyone can make a difference by making small incremental changes.
It’s Vicky who responds on social media and it’s to her that media requests, whether for interviews or advertising, should be put.
You can reach her at: [email protected]
SIMON-PIER OUELLET
Simon-Pier worked as a journalist for nearly 10 years in the Outaouais region for a local television station.
Having nurtured a dream of starting a business for several years, he launched OLA Bamboo with his two friends in 2016. Since the fall of 2018, he has been working full-time on various management tasks within the company.
He takes great pride in contributing to the reduction of plastic waste in the environment, while at the same time contributing to the Canadian economy.
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