Faces of the Leslieville Flea: Ahimsa Eco Solutions

This summer, we're profiling familiar faces from the Leslieville Flea to learn how they got their start and what to expect from them at the market. 

Ahead of the Sept. 15 market at Ashbridge Estate, we've checked in with Wes and Stefani from Ahimsa Eco Solutions who sell eco products that address environmental issues such as single-use plastics, microplastics, and food waste. This includes next-level reusable zero waste products that are sustainably sourced and made from biodegradable, upcycled, recycled and/or reclaimed materials.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START AHIMSA ECO SOLUTIONS?

We started Ahimsa Eco after working at the government (Ministry of Environment & Climate Change) and in corporate marketing for many years. We really wanted to do more to benefit the planet at the grassroots level, but weren’t sure where to start so we took some time off to figure things out and went travelling. On our travels, we saw beaches and countrysides covered in disposable plastic, which really broke our hearts, and decided to start there with reusable eco products, intended as solutions to empower people to live sustainably.

The name “Ahimsa” comes from a Sanskrit word that means to “do no harm,”, which perfectly sums up our philosophy on how to live sustainably with our planet.

TELL US ABOUT AN INSPIRING STORY FROM YOUR TRAVELS.

One of our most popular products is our sustainably harvested bamboo straws. We met our supplier in Thailand in his home outside of Bangkok, where he showed us how he wild harvested the bamboo and then he dug some up of roots from his backyard and gave us some of the roots to take home to cook with, that’s how natural some of our products are.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ECO PRODUCT?

One of our favourite products that we carry is the Urban Composter, which breaks down your food scraps in as little as six weeks! It’s an easy, wonderful way to prevent food waste, grow your own food organically, and regenerate our soil, making you, your family and the planet healthier!

Meet Wes and Stefani at the next Leslieville Flea on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Leslieville’s beautiful Ashbridge Estate. For all the details, go to leslievilleflea.com.