Nicole Golland, former chef and mother of three, found she was sending envelope after envelope to school filled with notes and money and wanted a more sustainable solution. So what’s an enterprising mum to do? Start her own business of course, making reusable envelopes from organic cotton produced through a fair trade organisation in India. After sending her children to school with the new product, the requests for more starting flooding in, and Lopees Envelopes took off.
The business has grown steadily, gathering many awards along the way, including winning the Australian Business Awards 2009 Best Eco–Friendly Product, Australian Business Awards 2010 Best Environmental Sustainability and being placed as a finalist in the Keep Australia Beautiful Awards. Nicole loves that her products are teaching children that “small changes in our life can make a positive change to the environment.” Over the past three years, the company has developed ten different sizes and styles of envelopes which are now used in many schools and also as an internal mail system in businesses. Library book bags, CD bags and custom-made reusable shopping bags have also been added to the Lopees range. Stationery and sustainability? We like.
You’ve Got Mail
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
The right shoes have a knack for pulling an outfit together. So why settle for off-the-shelf? Sneaker Stitch founder Leesa Simpson is helping makers put their best foot forward with custom sneakers stitched entirely by you. (Yes, you can do it!)
Forget placards and pitchforks! This November, the revolution comes armed with dancing shoes and a firm belief that caring is the new cool. Clothing the Loop brings its joyful rebellion against waste back to Canberra, and everyone’s invited to join.
Slow fashion, frantic printers, the occasional magpie in lycra… At Sydney label Lonely Kids Club, making less doesn’t mean having less fun. Founder Warwick Levy explains how quirky designs, print-to-order production and less waste go hand in hand.
From Brisbane’s riverside to Manly’s oceanfront, The Great Artist Market is making space for art, makers and good old-fashioned face-to-face connection. We chat to creative duo Claire Ritchie and Dean Romeo to find out more.
The 2026 Clean + Conscious Awards have revealed their winners! We’re joining the celebrations with a closer look at some of the products that caught our eye.
Author Douglas Adams wrote that a towel is the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can own. But if you’re short on space, we recommend a tea towel, instead! These tiny canvases pack plenty of personality AND dry the dishes to boot.


