green*
Flasks, flops and
FOCUS
IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES TO ALIGN WITH CONSUMERS’ CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. BRANDS DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT, BUT JUST CARE MORE ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN REDUCE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. LOCAL DURBAN BRAND LIZZARD IS DOING JUST THAT, WRITES ANNE SCHAUFFER
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hris Hall-Jones and Cuan Cronje – active outdoor guys – are the brains behind Lizzard, a name that slips off most tongues as a home-grown local brand, synonymous with our city, surfing, and the Durban lifestyle. Like any business which survives and thrives for over 30 years, Lizzard has done so by adapting and responding to the shifting market, changing times, the needs of their customers, as well as through keeping personal relationships with the stores/ businesses they supply. Lizzard began as a brand producing bespoke wetsuits. Cuan was set on producing a locally made, perfectly fitted wetsuit as there was not much available to the surf community back then. At the time the company started, his life was all about the ocean, so naturally he had an increased awareness around environmental issues – hence the flask story. Before the introduction of stainless-steel flasks, South Africans only had the option to purchase re-usable plastic water bottles to reduce the impact of single-use bottled water
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ABOVE: Chris Hall-Jones and Cuan Cronje – passionate about their brand and increasing environmental awareness. SURROUNDS: A selection of Lizzard’s products to help the environment – doublewalled stainless steel flasks, T-shirts and fleece ranges.
plastics. With around eight million tons of plastic bottles finding their way into the ocean every year, Chris and Cuan both recognised the importance – environmentally and health wise – to offer a more sustainable solution. They introduced the Lizzard flask range knowing it would create environmental awareness, something they are both so passionate about. Chris says he and Cuan are always ready to take a risk for something that is important to them: “We always say ‘Let’s just do it …’. Some things have worked in the past, others haven’t, but that never stops us. We knew we had to get involved.” After taking time to develop, source and create a product they were happy and proud of, their first batch of Lizzard flasks landed in Durban.
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