But wait! This isn’t the only award we have won this year; we’ve also been awarded Good Housekeeping’s Winner of Eco Toilet Paper 2022. In The Health and Wellbeing Awards 2022 our plastic free toilet roll received 'Highly Commended' in the Sustainable Hero Category and was nominated by The Veggie Awards 2022 as a finalist in the 'Everyday Essentials' category. Phew! We are out of breath just telling you all that. Anyway, back to the reason why we are here… our beauty wipes!
]]>But wait! This isn’t the only award we have won this year; we’ve also been awarded Good Housekeeping’s Winner of Eco Toilet Paper 2022. In The Health and Wellbeing Awards 2022 our plastic free toilet roll received 'Highly Commended' in the Sustainable Hero Category and was nominated by The Veggie Awards 2022 as a finalist in the 'Everyday Essentials' category. Phew! We are out of breath just telling you all that. Anyway, back to the reason why we are here… our beauty wipes!
Comments from the reviewers:
‘Plastic waste is one of the biggest concerns for eco-conscious consumers, with the plastic content in many wipes a source of surprise and alarm.
That’s what gives these Bamboo Cleansing Facial Wipes from The Cheeky Panda such a clear advantage, said the judges. Made from sustainable bamboo with zero plastic, the beauty wipes are also vegan, cruelty-free and FSC certified. In short, they “tick every box” a mindful consumer could be looking for and could even be strong enough to tempt back consumers that have stopped using wipes altogether, pointed out one judge.
Best of all, our judges found this emphasis on sustainability wasn’t to the sacrifice of functionality. “The sustainable aspects of the offering are clearly its big selling point, but the actual product delivery isn’t compromised by this,” summed up one judge. Instead, the wipes are “really effective” at gently cleansing away make-up, had a “lovely” coconut aroma and were a great size too, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed’
Our coconut scented (a firm Cheeky Panda favourite), rose scented and unscented wipes are available to buy on our website now. What are you waiting for, click here to nab yourself an award-winning product – fancy!
]]>To celebrate, we have an on-pack promotion running across our eco-friendly kitchen roll and baby wipes giving you the chance to an all expenses paid, fun filled family trip to Edinburgh. If you want to grab a pack of our limited edition Kung Fu Panda products you can shop on our website here, or find us in retailers such as Booths, Ocado, Planet Organic and Wholefoods.
The promotion runs from Monday 4th July 2022 until Friday 30th September 2022 and it is free(!) to enter via The Cheeky Panda website, click here to enter the competition and learn more about what’s included in the prize (hint: it includes pandas).
Now, we all know Edinburgh is beautiful, full of history and culture but did you know:
Enter our competition be in for the chance of seeing all of this for yourself – good luck!
]]>
We are VERY excited to welcome David Carter to PandaHQ as Chief Operations Officer.
David's former employers include Body Shop, Burberry and World of Books, where he was director of operations. Our CEO Julie Chen says David has “been there and got the T-shirt in several scaleups” and “demonstrates excellent leadership and his approach to world-class operations, customer service and manufacturing across multiple geographies”. He was “exactly what we were looking for in a COO to take us to the next level”.
The Cheeky Panda has grown significantly over recent years, from sales of £100k in 2017 to £11m in 2021, selling over 12 million products in over 25 markets including Europe, the US and the Middle East.
According to David, The Cheeky Panda offers “exciting opportunities with significant growth potential both in the UK and internationally, whilst meeting desires to work for an environmentally conscious and forward thinking innovative business”.
We are so pleased to have David join the growing Cheeky Panda leadership team.
]]>December has crept up on us out of nowhere, which means two things: you’ve heard Mariah Carey at least 30 times, and it’s time for our yearly wipe! We’re going to go over everything we’ve done throughout the past 365-or-so days. Well, not everything, you’ll be reading for hours, and you don’t need to know about the time we ran out of milk in the office. Dark, dark times (literally, because we had no milk for coffee).
A lot has happened so please be patient while this blog writer pulls it all together into a convenient little panda parcel for you to feast your eyes on. So, grab a *insert festive dessert here* and a glass of *insert festive drink here* and have a jolly ol’ read!
Shopify launch
We made the switch over to Shopify back in January to make your bamboo-buying shopping experience the best it can be.
Since the launch, not only does our website look *chef’s kiss*, but we’ve also hit some huge milestones. In May, we received our 10,000th order, in September we reached our 20,000th order, and most recently in December, we hit our 30,000th order!
Here’s to the next 30,000, so we can save more trees and carbon AND provide you lovely people with loo roll and other glorious products.
Regale us with your new retailers…
It was a BIG year for your favourite black and white buddy Colin, who found himself on the shelf at some huge retailers (online shelves, too!).
You can now find us in Waitrose, gracing the loo roll and tissue aisle with our panda presence. We’ve also dipped our bear-y toes into the same-day delivery domain; you can spot us on Weezy, Getir, Jiffy and Gorillas. So, if you’re low on bamboo goodness, you can get it within the hour. No more panic-inducing trips to the shops.
We’re also on Ocado and Milk and More, so you can pop us in your virtual basket alongside your other bits of shopping, like milk and bread (mainly chocolate), to arrive at your door. Convenient, no?
USA! USA!
Our growth doesn’t stop there. Just like bamboo, it just keeps on going until it’s made into eco loo roll. Our expansion into the USA continues, in December we launched with KeHE, a national wholesale organic distributor.
We’ve also launched in Hannaford supermarkets, with 183 stores spanning across the USA.
Can we crack America? Probably.
All around the world
We went even more multi-lingual this year by launching in some new European locations – can EU believe it? We landed in Douglas, a huge department store based in Italy, online and in-store, so keep your eye out if you visit or you’re browsing online in Italian mode.
We also launched in Lyreco France, Rossman Poland, Rossman Hungary, and Spar in Qatar (which is very fun to say).
Other new countries we now ship to include Australia, Israel and Iceland. Phew, it’s been a BIG year.
Brand new pandas
We had some NEW and noteworthy people join us this year – most newly and noteworthy are Giles Brook and Sophie More.
Giles was the CEO at Vita Coco (delicious coconut water buddies of ours) and worked on the senior management team at innocent (delicious smoothie buddies of ours). He’s here to help us grow thanks to his vast experience and amazing track record.
Sophie has previously worked at both Red Bull and BrewDog, but kept up the animal-themed job trend by making the switch to pandas. She’s offering us awesome marketing insight following years of brand building and growth strategies.
That means our global team has grown to 34 – not bad for a company that started in 2016 from our co-founders’ kitchen, eh?
Accolades!
A round of a-paws to OURSELVES, because we’ve been winning accolades and awards like there’s no tomorrow (there won’t be if we keep using trees for loo roll).
Just a few to show you how AMAZING we are:
- 13th in the Startups 100 list
- Sunday Times Fast Track Company to Watch
- Ocado Rising Star Award (Best Plant Based Product)
- LDC top 50 most ambitious companies
Our CEO and chief cheeky panda Julie Chen also won MSDUK’s Businesswoman of the Year award, which is an incredible personal achievement.
FUNdraising
Way back in the summer, we opened up the chance to invest in us, and the response was incredible. We managed to raise a mammoth £3.7m in growth capital via Seedrs, which is a wild amount of $$$.
That’s 4,000 direct shareholders who have directly invested in us, because they believe that we can continue to grow and do a world of good.
And they’re correct.
Upping our sustainability efforts
To date, dear reader, we’ve achieved the following:
- 7,900 tons of carbon saved
- Offset 10,700 tons of carbon
- 300,000 trees saved
- £55,800 donated to the World Land Trust
We’re constantly striving to improve our eco credentials, and 2021 was no different, despite the hardship we’ve all had to face.
Our shiny new Sustainability Officer Eleanor Turner will be keeping us on track with our green goals and making sure everything is up to date and Earth-friendly. Keep your peepers peeled in 2022 for our sustainability report.
Perfect panda partnerships
We had fun AND made some new friends on the way this year. Feeling like the popular kids at school with all these cool new buddies.
We established and built brand new partnerships with amazing organisations and brands, such as Edinburgh Zoo (where we sponsor the Panda Cam), St. Johnstone Football Club, Faber and many other B Corp brands.
We’ve also maintained and developed our relationships with our current Earth, Ocean and People charity partners – World Land Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and Toilet Twinning – raising money for them and supporting them however we can.
And that’s pretty much everything! If we wrote more we’d be here forever, so this is just the main stuff. You can scroll through our social media if you’d like to go more in-depth, too.
2021 has been a year for tremendous growth for The Cheeky Panda, we’ve loved having you along for the ride, so thank you for joining us.
Here’s to an incredible new year - we’re set to make 2022 the year of bamboo (again).
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>
In case you forgot, we've partnered with 3 amazing organisations who we think are doing a world of good for our planet, who help us in our goal of achieving a better, more sustainable future for us all.
Each of our staff members choose one of three teams when they join us, with each team raising money for their chosen charity while having a bit of fun doing it.
Here’s an update on current progress and plans!
Team Earth
This rugged squad of sustainability legends are passionate about protecting trees on behalf of the World Land Trust.
So far, they’ve taken part in trepidations in the name of trees by strolling a half marathon across London, and next year they plan on doing the same in the Lake District!
They’ve raised £500 to plant new trees to date and are hoping to beat that total in 2022 with even more activity.
Team Ocean
This sea-themed eco team have partnered with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to protect whales, dolphins and other marine life from threats such as plastic pollution and dirty waterways caused by humans.
They’re currently raising money via our special baby bundle on our website, with a portion of each sold going to WDC. They also recently took part in a walk along the Thames from Tower Bridge to Greenwich, picking up litter along the way, to raise £115!
The team has raised £550 so far for our aquatic friends, with beach cleans and more walking endeavours planned for the future!
Team People
This planet-loving posse are working with Toilet Twinning to bring safe, hygienic toilets to third-world parts of the Earth.
2 billion people don’t have anywhere safe to go to the toilet, so this team’s purpose is to ‘twin’ the toilets of our clients, partners, even our own in the Cheeky Panda offices, with toilets in vulnerable communities so they have somewhere safe to do their business.
They’ve twinned a total of 17 toilets, which provides a safe place for poverty-stricken areas to go to the bathroom. They’ve also raised £1020 for this amazing charity!
Each of these teams take part in fundraising activities and awareness drives to raise money for their chosen charity while supporting them in their incredible Earth-saving endeavours.
Whether it be a challenging walk, litter pick up or beach clean, each team will do their best to represent their chosen charity. You can help support by donating, or simply sharing our updates to raise even more awareness.
Check out our introductory video and update videos here.
Join us to make the world a better place!
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>Let’s chat about what we’ve been up to recently, because we realised, we haven’t done that for a while. So, let’s do it, we’ve got a few exciting things to tell you because we’ve been super busy as usual.
In fact, read this quickly because we’ve got an awful lot to get on with (just kidding, read it as slowly as you like, we’ll go get you that drink).
Brand new pandas
A couple of new faces have joined our flock of pandas recently…
We’ve hired Giles Brook and Sophie More! The former is a serial eco entrepreneur and investor, while the latter worked as global marketing director at beer giants BrewDog. Both have joined our team as non-executive directors and will and their areas of expertise to our already expanding growth as a brand.
Giles and Sophie have settled in splendidly and we’re very happy to have them as part of the team.
Have you seen us in Waitrose yet?!
You might have been strolling down the aisles of your local Waitrose recently when all of a sudden, out pops a Cheeky Panda from out of nowhere!
But don’t be alarmed, we actually put those loo rolls and tissues there. Well, we didn’t, but some lovely Waitrose workers did. We just made it and sent it to them.
Basically what we’re saying is, you can find our Plastic-Free 9 rolls of toilet paper, Handy Wipes and Flat Box Tissues in Waitrose! And if you can’t be bothered to grace the aisle of your local store, shop online instead here: Waitrose.com.
And remember, if a wild Cheeky Panda attacks, just put one in your trolley and it will soon calm down.
Superstar CEO
Our CEO and Chief Cheeky Panda Julie Chen won MSDUK’s ‘Businesswoman of the Year award!’
The MSDUK Awards winners are clear recognition for those businesses working hard to make supply chains both inclusive and competitive.
The awards celebrated the outstanding people and organisations in the MSDUK Network and were presented at the 8th bi-annual gala.
Let’s give Julie a round of a-paws, shall we?
Startups 100!
We've been ranked 13th in the UK's recently published Startup 100 list!
In case you’re not too familiar, Startups 100 have been recognising the UK’s most disruptive and progressive small brands for 13 years now. They help start ups grow and succeed while highlighting the important work they do.
Check out the full list of 100 startups here and see the company listed alongside! We’re very proud to be recognised as number 13 in the whole of the UK.
And that’s your news for the month! Pretty good, right? Lots going on here at Panda HQ, and we’re glad to have you along for the ride.
Now we actually do have a lot to get on with, so if you could kindly leave, thanks very much.
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>Something happened last week.
One of our resident pandas stole the work camera and filmed himself going about his day, pretending to be an influencer, telling us what he’s up to, joking around etc.
We want to be clear that this kind of behaviour is fully encouraged and endorsed by The Cheeky Panda.
Not thievery – rather showcasing some sick behind-the-scenes action so everyone can see what we do.
Plus, Alex has been here since the start since way back in 2018, he’s a panda pensioner. So he knows the ins and outs and gives us all a little insight into where we started and how much we’ve grown.
Alex leads our Sales team, working hard to try and get our products into your hands by any means necessary.
Any. Means. Necessary.
So, without further ado, here’s Alex W’s day as told by the man himself, featuring cameos from other members of our embarrassment (group of pandas) who are also called Alex. Just to make it a little more confusing.
]]>Fancy seeing you here. Have you come for an Earth, Ocean & People update? Lucky you, you’ve found it. Congrats on your excellent mouse-clicking skills.
It’s been a while since we updated you on what we’ve been up to in the name of our three fave charities, so here’s a quick run-through to get you up to speed.
TEAM EARTH
To celebrate World Environment Day on the 5th June, Team Earth strolled to success all in the name of saving trees.
Taking part in a half-marathon walk to raise money for World Land Trust, they managed to cover 21km across London in the respectable time of 4 hours and 24 minutes!
That’s approximately 27,000 steps, which is around the same amount of trees used every day to make paper toilet tissue. Team Earth managed to raise an amazing £500 to help support the planting of new trees for WLT’s ‘Plant A Tree’ initiative. Meaning the team have managed to plant around 100 trees!
Team Earth were rewarded with a nice glass of prosecco and a tasty burger to replenish the calories they had burned.
Keep your eyes peeled for some more challenges – Team Earth are itching to push themselves further for the sake of trees!
Team Ocean
Those nautical guys in Team Ocean have been supporting Whale and Dolphin conservation with a special, one-of-a-kind bamboo bundle.
Head over to our website and you’ll find a super special Bamboo Baby Bundle, with part of the money from each one sold going to WDC!
Each bundle contains nappies and a pack of eco-friendly baby wipes – all you need for your bounding bundle of dribbling joy.
Team Ocean are also planning on putting together a HUGE beach clean, so stay tuned for that! (They tried to do it at the Thames but the tide was too far in…).
Team People
Listen up, people. There aren’t many teams better than Team People (the other two teams are equal).
Our wonderful group of toilet-twinners have been extra busy this month. First of all, they arranged an incredible ‘Design the World’s Best Toilet’ competition all in the name of raising awareness for Toilet Twinning.
The award was taken in amazing fashion by Wayfield Primary, who designed an incredible Techno Toilet worthy of any bum known to man.
Secondly, this people-powered squad cleaned up Cheeky Panda HQ of excess stock (there was a LOT, we almost lost Colin amongst a sea of loo roll at one point).
Any stock that could be given away was donated to local food banks and people who need it most. Great work, peeps.
What next?
Earth, Ocean & People has been running for almost a year now, and we’ve received incredible support so far.
Not just from you lovely lot (our fans, customers, friends, family), but from brands and our charity partners, too. So thank you.
We want to continue to make the world a better place through this initiative. We’re making changes, they might be small, but hopefully they have a big impact.
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>
You hear a lot about ‘diversifying your portfolio’ and making your money ‘do more’. So much so that it can be a little confusing at times. Well, what if we told you that it’s super easy to own a part of the brand you know and love? (that’s us, by the way).
We’re leading the charge when it comes to a green economy, and we want you along for the ride.
Read on to learn why you should invest in The Cheeky Panda and exactly how you do it.
Why invest?
You need to know why you’re investing in us, right?
If you DO decide to invest, first of all - thank you. Second, we can guarantee that you’re not investing in a company committed to only growing in a business sense.
That’s because, as you may well know, sustainability is at the forefront of what we do.
As a proud B Corp, we’re passionate about balancing people, planet and profit. That’s why, since we started in 2016, we’ve saved 250,000 trees so far. Not only that, but we’ve also saved 31,000 tons of carbon (the stuff that’s causing things to heat up) from entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
We work with numerous charities – most notably those part of our Earth (World Land Trust), Ocean (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) & People (Toilet Twinning) initiative – who we care about deeply because they make a huge difference to the world.
We’ve made a commitment to only use natural, sustainably sourced bamboo which causes significantly less damage to the planet than using tree-based material
Our entire manufacturing and delivery process is also carbon balanced, and we’re working on making our entire range plastic-free (where possible!).
So, you’re not just investing in a business solely focussed on making money. We actually care about the planet and safeguarding its future.
Green Economy Credentials
We believe that, if we were 10x larger, our positive impact on the planet, global conservation efforts and green economy credentials would only continue to grow. The more bamboo products we make, the more trees we save – simple.
Not only would you be putting your money into a company with clear green credentials, you’d also be investing in a company with extremely high growth. ‘Hypergrowth’ is judged as a company which grows at over 40% CAGR (which stands for Compound Annual Growth Rate). Our CAGR over the last 4 years has been 204%.
Our route to taking The Cheeky Panda public is clear - we are working with our advisors on all the pre-IPO checklists and public market approvals. It’s all very exciting.
Green IPOs are a huge commodity to the market and pioneering business like us tend to perform extremely well. Two examples of similar brands who performed incredibly well are Beyond Meat and Oatly. We hope to replicate their performance!
The shares we’re offering are all EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme). This basically means that they’re super tax efficient and that there will be no capital gains after 3 years. Read more about that here.
After more information? Want to take a look at a detailed business plan? Visit our Seedrs page here. You can even ask questions directly to us if you need to know something specific.
Our co-founder Chris Forbes also hosted an investment webinar, containing more key information. Click here to have a watch.
It’s an exciting time to join the team, and we hope you share the same vision as us of a cleaner, greener future!
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>What do you call a group of pandas? An embarrassment.
What do you call a group of cheeky pandas heading to the zoo? An embarrassment.
Just kidding. We haven’t just insulted our entire workforce by calling them an embarrassment, that’s literally the term given for a group of pandas. Please don’t call HR.
Anywayyyy…
We went to the zoo!
We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo…
As part of our ongoing partnership with Edinburgh Zoo (and because it was our co-founders’ birthday, Happy Birthday Julie!) we decided to drop by and say hello to our favourite animals.
We hopped on the train from London to make the 4-and-a-bit hour journey to the Scottish capital - all in the name of a team day out.
After disembarking from the train, we were met by the luscious sound of bagpipes echoing around Waverley station as we made our way to our hotel.
Once we’d dropped off our bags full of bamboo (actually full of clothes and toiletries but just pretend, ok?) we made our way to the magical kingdom that is Edinburgh Zoo.
When we arrived, we were lucky enough to be offered an exclusive chance to feed not one, but TWO amazing animals.
The first had a long neck and a seemingly even longer tongue…
These gentle giant Giraffes seemed to enjoy some carrot treats supplied by the paws of your favourite cheeky pandas, but not as much as we enjoyed feeding them!
Next up, our co-founders Chris and Julie were lucky enough to be blessed with giving our favourite black and white bears some tasty treats.
It was an honour and a pleasure to see the incredible Giant Pandas up close, especially after years of producing bamboo products!
Our support for the zoo
Coronavirus has had a huge impact on the zoo, and we wanted to help make sure they have the support they needed before they could finally open again now that restrictions have been lifted.
That’s why we pledged £50k to their recent Crowdfunder campaign, which allowed the zoo to keep running during lockdown when their doors were closed to the public.
If you pledged to the Crowdfunder, you were in with the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have your very own private tour of the zoo, feed the animals and stay in a super fancy hotel!
Our donation, plus the support from you, the wonderful public, has allowed the zoo to continue to provide food and care for their incredible animals. Through their Crowdfunder, they raised an incredible £200k!
They’ve also been able to keep up their amazing conservation work and research thanks to ours, and your support.
Following the recent news that Giant Pandas are no longer classed as endangered, David Field, RZSS chief executive, responded: “Giant pandas have long been a symbol for wildlife conservation across the globe and incredible ambassadors, raising awareness of the threats their species, and far too many others, face in the wild.
“Thanks to the work of dedicated conservationists in China and around the world, pandas are now also a symbol of hope as our planet faces a biodiversity crisis.
“When people and communities work together, we can save animals from extinction and create real change for the better.
“Tian Tian and Yang Guang play a critically important role in attracting and engaging hundreds of thousands of visitors to Edinburgh Zoo each year so more people can learn about the threats animals face in the wild and the action they can take to help. Their power to connect people with nature and encourage behaviour change is invaluable.”
Panda Cam!
If you want to see your favourite black and white bears in live action, check out Panda Cam!
Head here to check out what Edinburgh Zoo’s resident folivores are up to (that means they specialise in eating leaves, by the way).
What’s better, or more relaxing, than sitting and watching pandas munch on bamboo and sleeping? Nothing. That’s what.
We are as proud as pandas to be supporting Edinburgh Zoo, because we love big, bamboo-munching, black and white bears and we both share a passion for conservation.
We want to thank the zoo for having us and letting us interact so closely with their animals.
We want to work with this special zoo to raise awareness of the need to protect wildlife worldwide and create a more sustainable planet for future generations.
And if that means we get to feed more Giraffes and Pandas, so be it.
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>Our work with the World Land Trust
In case you forgot – WE LOVE TREES.
You probably haven’t forgotten because we DO go on about it quite a lot. More than most, to be honest. But there’s a good reason.
We love trees because they keep our lovely Earth nice and balanced. They keep all that global-warming-causing carbon in the soil, provide a habitat for our favourite animals and provide some nice shade for reading under.
We work alongside our buddies at World Land Trust to help keep trees exactly where they need to be - in the ground, providing habitats for animals and an equal ecosystem.
Our work with WLT, plus the fact that we use only bamboo for our home essentials like loo roll, wipes and straws, is helping to ensure the protection and planting of trees across the world.
But how?
Well, we’re going to tell you right now.
Khe Nuoc Trong rainforest
Since April 2017, we’ve been offsetting - through WLT’s Carbon Balanced programme - the unavoidable emissions associated with every step of the production, manufacturing and distribution of their bamboo tissue.
Basically, this means that any emissions we produce while making our lovely, eco-friendly products are ‘balanced’ by donations made by us directly to World Land Trust.
WLT will then use the funds we’ve donated to protect and restore Annamite Lowland Forest at Khe Nuoc Trong in Vietnam.
This vast, luscious piece of rainforest is home to an array of incredibly diverse animals and plants, including 40 threatened species. The adorable little mother and baby above are Five-Coloured Macaques, who now have a safer space to live thanks to WLT’s work.
Not only that, but Khe Nuoc Trong has been identified as a climate powerhouse. Viet Nature staff – who work to protect and analyse the rainforest – have spent years researching the carbon stored there.
They’ve found that that protection of Khe Nuoc Trong’s 54,000 acres will deliver 50,000 tCO2e in annual climate benefits. Put in less science-y terms – that’s the equivalent of taking 23,706 cars off the road a year in the UK. Our carbon balancing has made that possible!
Some supporting stats…
To date, The Cheeky Panda has donated £55,800 to World Land Trust, to help save trees, support the rainforest and maintain this unique ecosystem.
We calculate the amount we donate based on our annual turnover, so as we continue to grow, we continue to further support WLT.
We’ve also cleverly worked out that since 2016, we’ve saved an incredible 249,600 trees. That’s around 1,371 acres of trees – just by producing bamboo products instead of tree-based essentials.
By using bamboo instead of traditional trees, we’ve figured out that for every ton of product we ship, we save 20 trees. Something to consider when you’re thinking about which loo roll to purchase in your weekly shop…
On top of that, we’ve managed to also save a staggering 31,200 tons of carbon since we started.
Okay, we’ll stop bragging. We’re just very happy with what we’ve achieved so far.
The future
Looking ahead, as we continue to grow as a company, we’ll be sure to continue to support World Land Trust along the way.
As a proud B Corp, we believe in becoming a better business by balancing people, planet and profit.
Luckily, our work with WLT allows us to do all three of these, which is something we’re extremely proud of.
Through our Earth, Ocean and People initiative, Team Earth will continue to represent WLT too, by raising both money and awareness for the cause via various activities. So, watch this space for further activity and how you can get involved!
So, in short, we’ll carry on making bamboo loo roll for you lovely lot as well as supporting World Land Trust.
It’s the least we can do for our planet really, isn’t it?
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
For more info on all of the good that World Land Trust do, visit their website here: https://www.worldlandtrust.org/
If you fancy having a read about our recent impact and involvement with the Khe Nuoc Trong rainforest, have a read here: https://www.worldlandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/World-Land-Trust-Carbon-Balanced-2021-Report-The-Cheeky-Panda.pdf?
]]>You might remember us putting a call out to schools across the country to design the most exciting and imaginative toilet they could think of as a class, and we had some incredible entries. Who would’ve thought that toilets could spark so much creativity?
Well, we did, because we sell loo roll.
The competition is to raise awareness for one of our Earth, Ocean and People charities - Toilet Twinning – who are represented by the lovely Team People.
Toilet Twinning
Did you know that one in four people on the planet – 2 billion people – still don't have a safe, clean toilet?
While most of us reading are living in countries with clean tap water, and even water filtration systems throughout the entire house, not all of us are so lucky.
Toilet Twinning helps provide proper toilets, clean water and hygiene training in some of the world's poorest and most remote communities. By training and equipping families to build their own toilet, it protects them from disease, improves their health so they are more able to work, and keeps women and girls safe from attack.
Toilet Twinning CEO Lorraine Kingsley says: 'We're really excited to partner with The Cheeky Panda, not least because of their strong focus on sustainability and their sense of fun, both of which are also key to our campaign.”
“We love engaging with schools too because children have such a strong, immediate sense of justice, and their optimism that the world.”
To enter the competition, classes were asked to research the benefits of a toilet to a community, then design the ‘World’s Best Toilet’. The Cheeky Panda judges looked out for teamwork displayed, sustainability and ethics as well as the look and the functionality of the toilet.
The Winner
So, are you ready to see our winner?
*Dramatic pause like they do on the X Factor*
And the winner is…
Wayfield Primary School for their amazing Techno Toilet!
Here’s what they had to say about winning the first-ever Cheeky Panda World’s Best Toilet Award:
“That’s amazing. Thank you! The children will be ecstatic; they really found some of the case studies for Toilet Twinning quite moving.
“Please pass my thanks onto the good taste of the judges.”
We do have excellent taste, to be fair. Just LOOK how incredible their entry is:
Due to Covid-19, Wayfield will be taking a trip to a local nature reserve called Port Lympne, rather than Edinburgh Zoo, where they’ll be able to see giraffes, bears and rhinos. If they take our tissues along for the ride, they’ll see a few Cheeky Pandas too…
We hope they have a wonderful day out - it is truly deserved for their incredible commitment to the project, their design skills and the extensive research that went into the project.
Check out their video about how they created this hygienic, heroic masterpiece of a loo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VQ09dU_6CQ&ab_channel=MTrag
The Runner-up
2nd Place goes to Kilbarchan Primary School for their Toilet Entertainment System (TES, for short)
A worthy runner-up, it was difficult to choose between the two. This fancy toilet has a DISCO BALL, which is incredible and finally makes dancing on the loo acceptable.
Here’s what Kilbarchan Primary School had to say about their excellent runner-up place:
“This is amazing news. It was a fabulous competition, and it was what my class needed to bring them together as they have struggled with teamwork this year due to long periods of lockdown.”
“If it was a normal year, I would love to have raised money in the school for the Toilet Twinning Charity, their website was so powerful for something we take for granted. I am over the moon about this news...I can't stop smiling!”
For more info about Toilet Twinning – contact for interviews seren.boyd@toilettwinning.org
One in four people on the planet – 2 billion people – still don’t have a safe, clean toilet.
Hello panda fans. How are you?
Welcome to another blog, this one’s a little bit different than the others. It’s not an Earth, Ocean & People charity update, it’s not learning about sustainability or tips on being a eco-legend and it’s NOT us talking about why bamboo is the best thing in the world (it is though).
No, it’s about something else completely. Colin, the cheeky panda, has a new friend…
Her name is Lin, and she’s a BAD Panda.
LOOK at how unimpressed she is.
She’s so bad that she hates pretty much everything and just sits there with a scowl on her face, she’d probably hate us writing this blog post.
She’s the polar opposite to our own little black-and-white bear Colin, who’s happy pretty much all of the time.
See? Happy as Larry.
A grumpy panda
Would you like to find out why Lin is so grumpy and hates everything?
Well, we’re happy (a lot happier than Lin, anyway…) to present to you, our lovely customers and readers, an exclusive sneak preview of the brand-new book published by Faber – Bad Panda!
Written by Swapna Haddow and illustrated Sheena Dempsey, this is the ultimate bathroom book for kids! It follows Lin, a trouble-making panda who is sick and tired of being labelled cute and cuddly, like all of the other pandas.
Anyway, we won’t spoil it for you. If you want to read the first chapter of this amazing book, click the link here!
We’ve partnered with Faber on this book because well, it’s about pandas for one. But also, Faber’s products are recognised as being environmentally responsible. The paper used in their books is FSC-Certified (like our bamboo!), meaning that sacred sites and trees are protected during production, and indigenous people have their rights respected.
The trees used are able to naturally regenerate, or are replaced, meaning sustainability is present in their production.
Oh, and there are pandas in it.
Let us know what you think to Bad Panda! It’s available to buy from bookshops and online book retailers on the 1st July and is available to pre-order now!
And keep your eyes peeled on our socials for a chance to win your very own copy PLUS some Cheeky Panda goodies!
To find out more about Faber's children's books, sign up to their monthly newsletter at faberchildrens.co.uk/sign-up
]]>If you haven’t, that’s okay, that’s why we’re here, so don’t worry about it at all. We won’t be upset.
Basically, Play It Green are a lot like us – they’re striving to create a more sustainable future through small, simple changes.
You already (hopefully) use our carbon neutral products, so why not go a step further? Because it seems difficult & costly, that’s why.
Well, Play It Green make it super simple to be more carbon conscious, just like us with our super sustainable bamboo essentials! Can you see where this is going?
And just so you know – we’ve not been paid/bribed/coerced into saying this. We genuinely believe in the good that they do and wanted to share it with you lovely lot, so you can continue making progress on your sustainable journey.
Easy-peasy eco-friendly
As well all know (if you don’t, you should by now), Climate Change is having a huge effect on our lovely little green and blue world. And it looks like it will continue to do so until it’s too late. Unless we put a stop to it together.
By joining Play It Green, everyone can become part of a simple 3 step solution to climate change.
Step 1 – Offset your footprint from £5 per month and the Play It Green Team will plant 13 trees every month.
Step 2 – Reduce your footprint through weekly tips and discounted sustainable alternatives.
Step 3 – Do good and choose a good cause – 10% of your subscription will be given to this cause.
Your very own Forest Garden
For those who join Play It Green, they’ll receive their very own online Forest Garden which will show trees planted, CO2 offset, and funds raised for good causes, so you can easily keep track of the progress you’ve made. Members can also run campaigns from here to plant even more trees for our lovely planet.
The team at Play It Green are also passionate about being totally transparent with their subscribers - publishing receipts, tree reports and accounts for everyone to see on a regular basis.
Play It Green helps take people, business, sports clubs and schools on a gentle, non-judgemental journey of sustainability so that in time, everyone can play their part in the future of our planet and become climate positive!
Not only that, Play It Green will be launching a sustainable directory of products and services (like us!) in the coming months to help make your green goals even more achievable.
Essentially, it’s a super easy way to offset your carbon footprint and negative effect on the planet.
Just like when you buy our bamboo-based loo roll or wipes instead of paper-based products, you’re making a small change, but a big difference.
The Cheeky Panda is proud to support Play It Green and their work in making the planet a cleaner, greener place.
Fancy signing up? Here’s the link: https://playitgreen.com/
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>Welcome to the first ever Cheeky Chat!
This blog post will take us right into the heart of the Cheeky Panda team, so you can learn all of our deepest and darkest secrets…
Not really. We’ll just be asking a different team member every month some questions so you can get to know us a little better.
Think of it as one of those forced social events you didn’t want to go to in the first place, but with waaaaay fewer awkward silences. Plus you might actually find it interesting, we’re quite a diverse bunch here at The Cheeky Panda with a lot of different hobbies.
Plus you get to find out why exactly they were hired and there's a chance that someone might not know the answer to that question, which would be interesting.
You might also be shocked to find out that we’re not actually pandas. Wild right?
First up on the panda pedestal is our very own Charlie Smith, he’s our Design and Marketing Team Leader. He loves Photoshop, Wetherspoons and fonts.
Here he is in panda hat glory:
(Cilla Black from Blind Date voice) What’s your name and where do you come from?
Why are you doing that voice? Hey, my name is Charlie.
Why were you hired?
I was hired to look after the design & social media of The Cheeky Panda, but now as we’ve grown I’m more focused on improving our presence across our Amazon channels, which is really challenging but also really fun and interesting.
Favourite Cheeky Panda product?
After working on a few of our lifestyle shoots I can say that the straws are my favourite product, they’re a lot of fun to shoot.
It's also fun playing around with the colours and creating drinks to shoot them in, mainly because we get to drink them afterwards. We shot the new Shake Straws five times, just to be safe...
Any special skills?
I’ve always been a big fan of typography and lettering, one of my hobbies is calligraphy which I try to practice as much as possible!
Wow. Very impressive. And finally, any sustainable tips?
Walk as much as you can, it’s the perfect way to travel as nature intended 😊
Thanks Charlie!
This concludes our first ever Cheeky Chat, we hope you enjoyed it!
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda (and Charlie) x
]]>It’s been three months since we launched our ‘Earth, Ocean & People’ initiative, supporting three charities we think do an amazing job for protecting the planet.
In case you’ve forgotten what it is, here’s a link to the video, explaining everything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8UDXL-jz_M
But it’s easy for anyone to say they’re supporting charities, what have we actually been doing?
Good job we have a blog to explain, isn’t it?
Team Earth
Supporting World Land Trust and their dedication to protecting trees and the rainforest, Team Earth were set to join a Winter Walk to support the charity.
However, due to multiple delays, this will now be a Summer Walk, taking place in June. Members of Team Earth will be strolling in aid of sustainability, supporting WLT and donating the £500 raised from our ‘Plant a Tree For Free’ social campaign.
WLT will use the money to plant trees for the first 100 people who commented on our Instagram post, as part of their ‘Plant a Tree’ initiative. Once Team Earth has (hopefully) crossed the finish line, the money raised will be sent to plant trees on behalf of our customers.
Keep up to date with Team Earth’s progress on our social channels – you never know, you might just see a grown man shout ‘I can’t walk anymore!’ dressed as a panda. You wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?
Team Ocean
This sea-themed team are supporting Whale and Dolphin Conservation, helping them to protect vulnerable marine life.
Team Ocean are currently walking the length of the top ten longest beaches in the world, which is around 1070 km. Not in real-life, of course, but using apps on their phones to log their steps to reach the equivalent distance. Walking on that much sand would not be good for their knees.
For every 200km the team reaches, they will raise £100, with the hope of raising £500 for WDC to aid their efforts.
They’ve even got our youngest Cheeky Panda Leo involved!
April 14th also marks World Dolphin Day, and to mark the occasion, 10% of every sale made on Cheeky Panda will go towards Whale and Dolphin Conservation. So, make sure you need some loo roll for then!
Not only that, but Cheeky Panda’s adopted dolphin Rainbow has just had a baby! So, keep your eyes peeled for some adorable baby dolphin pictures on our socials. You dolphin-ately don’t want to miss it! (sorry).
There is also some top-secret craftmanship going on behind the scenes that we can’t talk about yet. Let’s just say Team Ocean have been whale-y busy with their hands (sorry again).
Team People
The wonderfully fit Team People have run, cycled and swam to Uganda! Not literally, of course, that’d be wild. And you probably wouldn’t be reading about it for the first time on this blog.
Team People used a clever app to track their exercise progress in order to reach the equivalent distance from London to Uganda collectively through their fitness efforts. That’s approximately 6,352 km (3,947 miles), so they’ve really shed the calories for a good cause. Also, the exact location is super special because it’s the site of the first toilet Cheeky Panda twinned as a company!
Here's one of our Cheeky Pandas Emily doing her bit. What a legend!
In total, the campaign has raised enough money to twin 10 toilets. Toilet Twinning is helping to transform lives in some of the poorest places on the planet. Through the charity, vulnerable households will:
This is the first toilet(s) which Team People have managed to twin as a team! So, if you see a member of the team in the street, give them a (socially distant, not-actually-touching) high five!
There you have it, after three short months, we’ve done all of this for our chosen charities. Imagine what we’ll do in the next three?!
You don’t need to, because there will most likely be an update on this blog. Keep your eyes peeled.
Support our Earth, Ocean & People initiative by liking & sharing our content on our social media channels and get involved when you can! We couldn’t do it without you.
Love,
Team Cheeky Panda x
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March 16th is officially National Panda Day!
Otherwise known as a day to celebrate our favourite black and white, bamboo munching, all-day snoozing bears from China. It’s pretty much our favourite day of the year, alongside Bamboo Day and Christmas.
Now, us being The Cheeky Panda, we couldn’t let this day roll by without some sort of celebration or announcement, or both. So, we’re happy to say that we’ve adopted a panda to come live with us in the office!
Just kidding, we tried, they wouldn’t let us (yet).
Edinburgh Zoo!
The REAL announcement is… we’ve partnered with the world-famous Edinburgh Zoo! Home to our two favourite bears (apart from Colin) Yang Guang and Tian Tian!
We’re supporting the zoo by donating £50k to its Crowdfunder, launched by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which will help feed the amazing animals that live there. The Crowdfunder also gives all you animal lovers the chance to enjoy exciting experiences at Edinburgh Zoo and help the wildlife conservation charity recover from the closure of its parks.
If you take part in the Crowdfunder, you can choose from a range of experiences and gifts, including memberships, adoptions, virtual tours and feeding giraffes when the animals arrive at the zoo later this year.
Coronavirus has had a huge impact on the zoo, and we wanted to help make sure they have the support they need before finally opening up again once restrictions are lifted and we can all go see our favourite animals again.
Panda Cam
Not only that, but head over to their enclosure livestream and you might spot a new, cheeky face…
The Cheeky Panda have taken over Edinburgh Zoo’s Panda Cam!
Now, we’re not saying you should sit and watch the Panda Cam ALL day, but given that it’s National Panda Day, you should probably devote some time to it.
If you find yourself needing a break from work or need to unwind, head here to check out what Edinburgh Zoo’s resident folivores are up to (that means they specialise in eating leaves, by the way).
What’s better, or more relaxing, than sitting and watching pandas munch on bamboo and sleeping? Nothing. That’s what.
Cheeky Panda at the Zoo!
And finally, when restrictions are lifted and we’re allowed to visit our favourite places again, you may notice that Edinburgh Zoo has a brand new, slightly cheekier resident to contend with…
You’ll find Colin the Cheeky Panda outside of the panda enclosure, letting everyone know about the benefits of bamboo!
If you spot him on your next visit, snap a pic and send it to us. We might put something nice in the post for you.
We are as proud as pandas to be supporting Edinburgh Zoo, because we love big, bamboo-munching, black and white bears and we both share a passion for conservation.
We want to work with this special zoo to raise awareness of the need to protect wildlife worldwide and create a more sustainable planet for future generations.
Join us in celebrating Panda Day!
Love, Team Cheeky Panda x
]]>Danone Yogurt, whose brands include Actimel and Activia, became the first UK dairy company to achieve B Corp certification in 2017. They recently recertified with an improved score. This was due to great things like offering all employees unlimited volunteering time, and committing to making all packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. We salute you, Danone!
Also, yogurt is the best.
#2: Toast Ale
Just like us, Toast Ale is the first in their industry to be a certified B Corp, putting the “B” into Beer. Since launching in 2016, one of Toast Ale’s core values has included environmental responsibility, driving to end food waste once and for all. They mainly do this by brewing craft beer using fresh surplus bread! Genius. On top of this, they’re donating their profits to charities, implementing flexible working opportunities for their employees and even offer paid volunteering days!
We’re raising our next beer glass to Toast Ale for their amazing work. Cheers!
#3: Little Soap Company
As a trademark core value of B Corp companies, Little Soap Company values the planet and the people over profit.
The eco-friendly company from the heart of the Cotswold Hills produces organic soaps and skincare products that are 100% vegan, absolutely cruelty free, with only natural ingredients and sustainable palm oil! They’re super passionate about making sure their products have as little impact on the environment as possible, so all their packaging is sustainably sourced!
#4: Freestar Beer
What do we want? More beer! But this time, alcohol-free, please.
Our friends at Freestar are World Beer Award winners and passionate about creating a better booze-free beer that’s better for the planet.
This B(eer)-Corp emits an incredible 90% less CO2 than industry average, 80% less water, 80% less energy and creates 70% less waste. Phew.
Plus, it’s delicious. Win-win (win, win.)
#5: Callaly
Revolutionise your period!
If you’re a person who menstruates, you’re very aware of how much waste your cycle produces. Callaly wants to reinvent period products, so they’re not only better for you, but also better for the world!
This brilliant B Corp came up with the Tampliner – a half tampon, half liner hybrid - which reduces the additional waste arising from the often-needed combination of a tampon and a liner. All products are made from organic cotton, and their packaging is recyclable and biodegradable. In 2018/2019, Callaly also donated 5% of their sales to non-profit organisations, vowing to donate a minimum of 1% every year. On top of that, everyone working for Callaly spends 3% of their time for charities.
Keep up the awesome work, guys <3
That’s it, our list of our 5 favourite B Corps. You want to know more? Head over to B Corps’ official website and search through our great community. And if you want to try out this cheeky little company, you’ll find our products here.
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“The Cheeky Panda is a disruptor; it’s great to be the first to do Seedrs first pure secondary market transaction. It will open up the opportunity for other entrepreneurs in high demand high growth businesses to get liquidity ahead of gong public or a PE deal. To sell over £1.2m in just over a week shows the product works and the demand is there for trading in private market shares.”
Our co-founder, Chris.
This means that until the 10th of March, The Cheeky Panda shares are up for grabs – if you’re a big fan of us (with all the panda love for eco products and spreading joy) then this is your chance to secure a little bamboo shoot of us and support us as we grow even bigger!
But you’ve got to be quick, because there is only £400,000 is still available on the platform.
Our co-founder, Chris Forbes, said: “Our business has gone from strength to strength and the last 12 months. We now have thousands of 5* reviews and with new products and market launches across Europe, USA and China, we have achieved only a fraction of our potential.”
He also added: “With the demand for shares in B Corps and ethical high growth businesses with ESG at its core investor appetite in our business has never been higher. By releasing some equity now it creates a new liquidty pool for investors and it means we and a few of our angels don’t have to wait another few years for an IPO to benefit from the high growth curve.”
According to CEO Jeff Kelisky, Seedrs aims to become the largest and most trusted marketplace for private equity investment providing alternative paths for investment to the typical VC-Exit cycle. The secondary market delivers liquidity and is ideal for growth businesses like The Cheeky Panda. Seedrs makes trading for investors and founders as easy, trusted, and eventually as fast as a public market. Seedrs secondary market makes it possible for investors and founders to take advantage of the success and a rise in share value. In 2020, Seedrs Secondary Market had its most successful year, delivering nearly 14,000 investor exits and a total investor profit growth of 260%.
Would you like to own a tiny piece of us? Head over the Seedrs website and make sure to get your share! Psst - if you want to have a look at our products first, you can find them here.
That’s because we’re all very proud to be certified B Corps, which means we’re allowed to brag about it. But to some of you, it might not even mean anything at all. Unfortunately, you have to actually BE a B Corp to understand what it means, and the first rule about B Corp is…
Just kidding. We’re going to explain to you exactly what makes us a brilliant bamboo B Corp as best we can. But if you have any questions, we’re always around for a chat.
What does the ‘B’ stand for?
Bees? Bread? BAMBOO?!
It actually stands for ‘Benefit’, because that’s exactly what the community stands for, for everyone. It’s kind of open to interpretation, it can mean any positive thing you want it to, depending on what the aim of your business is.
Not bread. Even though that IS positive, because it’s delicious. That only works for our friends at Toast Ale.
Better Business
To put it in basic terms, being a B Corp means being a better business and using your stature as a business as a force for good. Being a B Corp means being purpose-driven towards benefitting not only shareholders, but stakeholders, customers, workers, the economy and the planet.
It helps to compare B Corp to what Fair Trade is to coffee – it demonstrates that as a company, we are giving as much consideration into our social and environmental impact as we do with our financial returns.
B Corp assess businesses on five key impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. To become a certified B Corp, you have to pass each area according to their standards. It’s like taking your GCSEs again, but with less algebra.
Companies must meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance both profit and purpose. Essentially, we want to make money as a business, while also doing good and helping the Earth using our sustainable products and messaging.
How do The Cheeky Panda qualify?
Well, our mission is, and always has been, to Innovate – Impact – Inspire.
We want to create a sustainable, eco-friendly world for future generations, while enriching people without exploiting the environment. We do this in a fun, cheeky way – mainly because that’s the only way we know how to do it.
We use fast-growing, FSC-certified bamboo and turn it into everyday essentials to put a stop to the growing deforestation issue the world is experiencing globally. We’re also trying to halt the use of single-use plastic alongside carbon balancing our supply chain.
Not only that, we champion our workers and encourage development, while also supporting a number of charities who do good for the world. See: our Earth, Ocean & People initiative.
We offer an eco-friendly alternative and we’re passionate about offering a simple, sustainable switch to our customers, which we think will make a world of difference. We’re also an MSDUK – Diverse Business, vegan and cruelty-free.
Our carbon emissions are also balanced by our forest-loving friends at World Land Trust – we donate the equivalent of our carbon produced from our supply chain back into protecting and preserving the rainforest.
All in all, we love the planet and the people in it (most of them anyway). We want to make it better.
So, who else is a B Corp?
Since B Corp launched, there are now 3,821 B Corps across 74 countries in 150 industries, all striving toward the same goal of being better businesses and doing good.
Who are our favourites? We don’t like to pick favourites, they’re all amazing, and it’s like picking a favourite out of your own children.
But stay tuned for our next blog post to find out who we love the most.
But we’re NOT picking favourites.
Those are our favourites, though.
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