In the current wellness market, "sustainability" has become a word used in almost every marketing campaign. It has become a buzzword that often lacks teeth, frequently serving as a superficial nod to values without any real sacrifice or rigor. However, at Up the Hill Inc., hand-harvested is not a marketing hook; it is a rigorous ethical commitment that dictates our bottom line. When we harvest plants like devil’s club, we aren't just gathering resources—we are participating in a cycle of stewardship that defines the respect and teachings of our Indigenous Secwepemc Ancestors.
When we use the respect and teachings of our Ancestors, we ensure the long-term health of the wild plant populations we rely on. This means we consider the time of year, the maturity of the plant, the density of the growth in that specific area, and the impact our presence has on the ecosystem. We carefully monitor our impact of harvest from the previous year. We know we are caretakers of the land. This requires a level of knowledge, restraint, and local awareness that many commercial entities may not have the patience for. We often skip harvests and move to another area if we see the land needs rest, even if demand is high.
Sustainability must be viewed as an operational Key Performance Indicator (KPI). If we deplete our resources, we deplete our business. It is that simple. In the world of high-end apothecary, transparency regarding supply chains and sourcing is a requirement to be compliant. Sophisticated customers and wholesale partners want to know where their ingredients come from and how they were gathered. They are looking for brands that have the ethical backbone to say and can say no to a harvest if the land isn't ready,
I have found that being transparent about these protocols actually builds deeper relationships with our clients. When I explain the complexity of our stewardship, I am telling a story of value. It justifies the price point of our products, and it signals to the market that we are a company that takes the long view. We aren't looking for a quick profit at the expense of the environment. We are building something that is meant to last, and you cannot build a permanent business on a temporary foundation.
If we want to continue this journey, we must look at our long-term effect our harvesting has on the land and the plant populations. We are always fearful that we may overharvest and completely deplete a plant population. For this reason, we are planning on building a commercial greenhouse and garden to help us sustain our business and the plant populations in the wild. We will also help to replenish plant medicines that may no longer be evident in the wild. To help alleviate the burden on the land, we also source supplies from trusted suppliers who are local to us.
June
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