Hertfordshire, 2018 — Purdy Rubin wiped lavender essential oil from her hands as neighbors squeezed into her garage. The NHS nurse had spent night shifts worrying about the toxic chemicals her patients brought home in cleaning supplies. Beside her, horticulturalist Charlotte Figg adjusted glass bottles filled with amber liquids. “Try this on your countertops,” Charlotte urged a young mother. “It’s just lemon, vinegar, and thyme oil, no lung-burning aerosols.” The woman inhaled deeply, her skepticism melting into wonder. “It smells like… a spa?” Within months, locals were driving across town to refill bottles, trading chemical-laden brands for Purdy and Charlotte’s natural cleaning products with essential oils.
When Purdy’s sons, Jack and Charlie Rubin, witnessed strangers lining up for cleaning products, they saw more than a hobby: They saw a rebellion against an industry poisoning homes. Four years later, that garage operation would explode into £50 million in annual revenue and redefine eco-friendly cleaning products.
continue reading
English