Let’s Rethink This: cancer-survivor and mother-of-three pioneers eco-friendly cosmetics company

“I was trying to avoid exposure to certain chemicals so I started to use more natural products,” she says. “But, while I was scrutinising what was available in the market, I uncovered a lot of greenwashing with claims certain packaging is recyclable when in reality it isn’t.”

So she started Let’s Rethink This, a Lancashire-based start-up which is aiming to improve on current brands on the market which use metal and plastic. Already making waves, the company’s award-winning eco-friendly deodorant called Nada was recently unveiled to industry experts in Milan, complete with 100% sustainable refillable cartridge made of cork.

“The cork tree is the only tree which can regenerate after each harvest of bark,” explains Laura. “It’s a remarkable thing. So it seems the perfect basis for a product that biodegrades with less impact on the environment.”

Laura’s impressive innovation was also developed with help from Lancaster University’s Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory (LCEI) programme, a groundbreaking initiative which helps small businesses develop low-carbon innovations, offering fully-funded access to cutting-edge chemistry and engineering facilities as well as expert researchers.

“Working with the university has brought many benefits,” Laura explains. “The bottom line is that every stage of developing a new product, especially one as different as mine, takes a lot of resources - time and money I simply didn't have. LCEI has overcome that barrier and given me access to expertise in turning my idea into something tangible.

“The support has de-risked the development process and accelerated my journey significantly,” she adds. “The experience of working with the university has given me so much confidence and self-belief in this product. It’s also opened my eyes to what a valuable research and development resource universities like Lancaster are.”

“One of the biggest challenges small businesses and charities have is the lack of resources to devote to starting their net zero journey,” says Carolyn Hayes, LCEI Project Manager. “The LCEI programme offered access to the skills and expertise of undergraduates, postgraduates, and world-renowned academics, leveraging our plethora of world-class facilities, to identify a bespoke course of action.

“It helped businesses to rethink their carbon footprint and energy consumption,” Carolyn adds. “And encouraged them to be prepared for situations like our current energy crisis.”

Aptly supported by a range of chemical and engineering experts from Lancaster University, Laura’s design of the spherical dome case containing a refillable deodorant core also won a design award through the WORTH Partnership Project and secured funding to support product development. She is now in discussions with manufacturers whilst exploring fragrance options and looking for further investment.

“We should be at the point of civilization when the presumption is that the products we use are not going to harm us or anyone else,” Laura says. “We need to rethink how we make our products and what we make them with, and stop putting the responsibility on consumers all the time.

“I have been starting from scratch, rethinking the process, [and] being realistic with what technology has to offer so far,” she adds. “But [also] putting honesty at the heart of every decision.”