The How and Why
we're Shannon and Stu
Let’s cut to the chase. As two active, outdoor people, we’ve seen firsthand the impact our modern lifestyle has had on the environment, animals and marine life.
Being from South Africa originally, we also saw how not having access to basic services has wide-reaching and profound effects on developing communities.
We quickly realised that, to make any sort of real change and to help both people and the environment, we needed to change our daily habits, without having to drastically alter our lifestyle.
And boom – the idea for SmidgeCo was born.
But - while we’re happy to talk about ourselves – who isn’t? – SmidgeCo isn’t really about just us. It’s about what we can accomplish together.
Together, making a change for the better.
What we’re up against
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We did a bit of digging and soon realised the incredible impact our daily dental routine had on the planet – generating around 32 billion plastic toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes that get chucked in landfill each year. Yeah – billions.
Not only that, but today, over 400 million people across Africa suffer from some form of oral disease, largely due to a lack of education, funding and affordable dental resources. The worst part is oral diseases disproportionately affect the poor and socially disadvantaged. Throughout Africa, dental pain is the leading cause of children missing school, which has obvious knock-on effects lasting long into adulthood. In the worst cases, oral disease can lead to disfigurement and even death.
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But – we’re all about solutions here.
The GOOD news is that almost all oral diseases are preventable and can be treated in their early stages. Access to dental services and the things we take for granted — like fluoride toothpaste and toothbrushes — have been proven to reduce tooth decay by 50%.
While it’s a big task, we’ve made it our mission to help both people and the environment (but we need your help).
That’s why we’ve partnered with organisations to provide developing communities with education and access to basic dental products, as well as delivering environmental and conservation initiatives. Because it’s about so much more than just a bright smile; it’s about a brighter future for all.
How you can do your smidge
We all want to make the world a better place. But – the reality is, life gets in the way.
We can make an impact by swapping out everyday plastic products for more environmentally friendly options, but you know what it’s like. Sometimes these products are out of our budget, or the deal on that single-use, ultra-unsustainable cleaning product is just too good to pass up. Or, you try and buy sustainable, but the product is delivered in three layers of plastic!
If this sounds a little like you, we suggest you buy a lotto ticket, because today is your lucky day. SmidgeCo makes keeping a sustainable dental hygiene routine easy and perfectly suited to your modern lifestyle, AND lets you help the planet in more ways than one.
How? We’ve done it all, so you only have to do a smidge.
When you join SmidgeCo, we send you a pack of SmidgeCo products – which is everything you need to keep those pearly whites of yours glistening, without costing the planet! Then, 3 months later, we’ll send the same pack.
3 months after that, we send another pack. You get the idea.