People with style: Fiona Taylor

People with style CLEAN & GREEN

Fiona Taylor - Island Refillery

Fiona Taylor refers to her pre-Island self as “a bit of a nomad.” She moved a lot as a child and enjoyed a career sailing classic yachts across the world. It was only when she came to the Island that she put down roots. Talking to her it’s clear the Island is where she feels at home, not least because of how the Island has inspired her to launch the Island Refillery. Based in Bembridge, her zero waste, closed loop enterprise exists to eliminate single-use plastics and encourages sustainable shopping habits by delivering doorstep refills of vegan and plant-based household and personal care products. The first seeds of the idea were sown when Fiona was competing and living at sea, sailing in competitions such as the Panerai Classic YC. “Sailing a boat offshore makes you value your resources and live sustainably. Witnessing the effects of plastic pollution in our oceans first-hand is something that has stayed with me, it made me want to do something about it.” Now Fiona makes environmentally considered business decisions at every stage, from the electric van she uses for deliveries, to the way the business cleans, reuses and recirculates old bottles so they don’t end up in landfill. Supplying everything from washing up liquid and body wash to shampoos, and everyone’s pandemic staple, hand sanitiser, Fiona’s motivation to build an environmentally conscious business on the Island has in many ways come from the Island itself. She credits its natural beauty with giving her the motivation to put sustainability at the top of her agenda and it’s a good thing she has - since launching last year, she’s been busy with an incredible demand. “It’s been amazing to speak with customers from a safe distance when we deliver our refills. This is one of my favourite parts of the job. The refill concept is something people feel passionately about, knowing they’re able to make greener choices more easily.” It’s not lost on Fiona that the Island’s biosphere status was in part awarded because of the relationship between the community and the environment and this synergy is certainly echoed in her business. “It’s interesting to me that the Island’s UNESCO Biosphere status considers nature and people and how they work together. That’s what we’re trying to do with Island Refillery – it’s about people and supporting both where and how they live.” As well as encouraging customers to buy extra products to donate to the Trussell Trust Foodbank, she also organises monthly beach cleans. It seems Fiona’s holistic vision for Island Refillery has come together beautifully and has inspired hope for things to continue in a greener direction “I’ve realised how much people love the Island and want to protect it.” We couldn’t agree more.

Credit: Daisy Brasington

Style is… Affordable, ethically sourced, cruelty-free and sustainable. Favourite thing about the Island… Popping to the beach with the kids after school. What are you looking forward to? My business becoming more customer facing and the buzz of summer! Tips for going green with style… Look out for glass bottles at second-hand stores for pieces you can reuse.