Sustainable Haus Promotes Eco-Friendly, Zero-Waste Lifestyle In Summit

SUMMIT, NJ — Sustainable House Mercantile in Summit is not your average zero-waste, refill and home goods shop, according to owner and "ecopreneur" Janette Spiezio.

Spiezio said the local business strives to serve as an important community resource in Summit, offering many low-waste products, as well as educating the community about sustainability and a "non-toxic lifestyle."

Through offering sustainable shampoos, soaps, food storage items, stationary and more, the store's mission is to change people's consumption habits to reduce the use of plastic or other harmful waste products.

Sustainable Haus has been located at 221 Broad Street since Feb. of 2020 after Spieizio started sharing and selling sustainable home solutions to local farmers markets in 2o18.

However, Spiezio said she first started the business in 2017, selling laundry detergent and reusable cotton napkins and wipes both made from up-cycled cotton.

"While most zero and low waste stores focus on no packaging and low impact, we focus more broadly on no plastic and low toxins," Spiezio said.

For example, Spiezio said Sustainable Haus won't sell products that contain plastic, such as polyvinyl alcohol — a plastic found in all commercial and “green” laundry strips and pods.

She said these pods and strips are a "classic form of greenwashing." Greenwashing is a form of advertising in which green marketing is deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization's products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly, according to Merriam-Webster.

Spiezio is a first-generation American who grew up with a strong passion for the environment. Her father had a large organic garden and her mother was a professional seamstress who worked for several years in a health food store.

"After raising my two daughters and spending too much time in corporate, I wanted better choices for my family ..." Spiezio states on her website.

More than two years since opening, Sustainable Haus now has nine in-store recycling programs and offers various educational events where people can learn about maintaining a zero-waste lifestyle.

Sustainable Haus is also raising money for GRACE (Giving and Receiving Community Assistance for Essentials) to provide laundry detergent for families in need, as it is the number one request non-food item, according to Spiezio.

Spiezio told Patch she makes over thirty of the store's "haus-made" products all from scratch, and she is passionate about sourcing used textiles locally.

What really sets Sustainable Haus apart, in Spiezio's opinion, is its use of both up-cycled, locally sourced textiles and cotton thread, which makes haus brand goods easily compostable. She added that these goods — napkins, towels, wipes, bags and more — are all designed to be reused many times, replacing single-use projects and provide for an end-of-life plan to ensure that even reusable products can be easily composted.

"I am driven by all things sustainable, and my goal is not to make the most money, but to help customers make healthier choices for themselves, their families, and the planet," Spiezio said.

Spiezio is also a Westfield Green Team member and former co-lead, as well as a Climate Reality Leader.

Sustainable Haus is extremely active on social media, and you can check out their Instagram, TikTok and Facebook pages.

For more information on the 600+ products that Sustainable Haus offers, check out their website here.

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