Wilton’s Sara Quantock is the importer and U.S. distributor for milly&sissy, a European brand of eco-friendly personal care products.
“It’s so environmentally friendly,” Quantock said proudly. “And that is the future of consumable products.”
Quantock, a Wilton resident for 18 years and also a part-time staff member at the Cider Mill School, launched the business in November 2020 after being inspired by her friend Camilla Gaillardin (the “Milly” in milly&sissy) who co-founded the brand in the U.K. with product sourced from France.
The milly&sissy product line includes hand soaps, shower cremes and shampoos — products that normally consist of 70%-80% water, says Quantock. In contrast, milly&sissy products come in powdered form, packaged in an easily compostable sachet, then mixed with water by the customer.
By reducing the product’s size and weight to a small fraction of single-use packages, the product has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional personal care products, particularly when it comes to shipping. A re-fill sachet weighs just 1.4 ounces.
The company aims to be zero-waste. It sells reusable, printed glass bottles for use with its products, and although it also offers a recycled, reusable plastic bottle for safer use in the shower, an aluminum option is being explored as a more environmentally friendly alternative.
While other companies offer household cleaning products with similar, no-water formulas, Quantock says, “In the world of personal care, there’s literally nothing like this.”
Her business has also been recognized by the Wilton Go Green initiative and certified by the Wilton Go Green Sustainability in Business Program.
COVID Impact
Quantock launched the business in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The timing was not entirely bad, considering the heightened importance of hand-washing and the fact that most sales were online.
“I always anticipated being an online store, so I would never have been affected by foot traffic, which is obviously what most [stores] have been affected by,” Quantock said.
However, she noted, “The one thing is though, I have not been able to go to any trade shows or do any demonstrations anywhere. That was definitely an impact.”
Retail Presence
While Quontack decided a standalone retail store didn’t make financial sense for the business right now, some local brick and mortar stores are carrying milly&sissy products, including Local Soul in Wilton Center and Penny Ha’Penny in Cannondale Village.
The milly&sissy products are also available at Eco Evolution, an exciting new pop-up store with a coffee shop on Washington Street in South Norwalk, which opened just days ago by the Eco Dude of Fairfield notoriety.
Quantock sees the mercantile-café as a model for what she would like to do someday. “My dream is to open an eco-friendly store and café in Wilton!” she said.
She was also a vendor at the June 16 Wilton Farmer’s Market (as seen in the story’s main image, at top), and plans to continue there whenever possible. (Check the Wilton Farmer’s Market weekly vendor updates on Facebook.)
The Future
Quantock has observed that young children are often driving the interest in her products. She credits elementary school science education with much of their awareness of environmental issues.
“When I was at the farmer’s market, it’s the kids that are walking around that bring their families over to talk to me, because they’re learning about the environment in school,” she said, adding, “The youth is our future.”
She continued, “The shift towards environmental learning is huge. And it’s going to just increase exponentially, I think. I can’t say enough, our kids are the future of what goes to save the planet.”
Products ordered online can be pickup locally or shipped. Customers may direct inquires to the company on its website, contact Quantock by email or follow the brand on Instagram.