I’ll never forget the moment Justine from Botnia Skincare looked me in the eye and said, “When one goes up, we all go up.” It was simple. True. And exactly what I needed to hear.
Over the years, Justine and I have shared so much more than just a love for plants and wellness. We’ve had the same business coach, swapped dreams and growing pains, hosted our annual lavender harvests side by side, and even welcomed her bees into our care. It’s a friendship rooted in soil, sweat, and the kind of sisterhood that small business often quietly nurtures behind the scenes.
So when Justine made the bold and beautiful decision to shift Botnia’s packaging to aluminum—a move toward sustainability that we deeply admire—she faced a classic small business dilemma: what to do with a warehouse full of leftover milk glass bottles. Storage was expensive. The transition had to be carefully timed. And no one wants to waste perfectly good, high-quality packaging.
At the same time, I had been dreaming of elevating our hydrosol packaging—something that could better protect the delicate plant waters from the sun, and offer a more refined, lasting presentation. But buying glass in large quantities is no small feat for a small brand.
And that's where our stories aligned.
We were able to purchase Justine’s milk glass bottles at a price equivalent to a large bulk order—a total win for us. Not only did we save on costs, we got to repurpose something beautiful and functional that would have otherwise sat unused waiting for the right home. Our hydrosols now live in elegant, light-shielding milk glass—bottles with a story, a soul, and a second life.
This is what it looks like when small businesses support each other. Tiny wins. Friends helping friends. Sharing resources, wisdom, and yes—sometimes even bees.
“When one goes up, we all go up.” I carry that phrase with me every day. It’s more than just a sentiment—it’s a way of doing business. And it’s exactly how we grow.
