Our story
About Juniperseed Mercantile
Live the sustainable life you are striving for with our affordable home and personal care products.
Why Juniperseed Mercantile
Juniperseed Mercantile is a local Colorado small business with a passion for great skincare, simple living, and the earth that sustains us. We make all-natural bath and body products, home cleaning solutions, natural parenting essentials, and fabric UnPaper alternatives to your everyday disposables. Around here, it’s all about Down To Earth Decadence!
Our products are made right here, locally, by real folks. What we do takes time and is deliberately both slow and careful, in contrast to the fast consumer culture of big box stores
We have everything you need to take good care of yourself and your family. We’ve researched how to make these products high quality, as sustainable as possible, while keeping the prices accessible.
As environmentally concerned individuals in the age of climate crisis, we believe in a way of thinking and doing that seeks to connect us to who we are and where we come from that repairs our relationship to the earth. It’s not second nature to us—it IS our nature— and that is something we are proud of and eager to share with the world!
Handmade for sustainable living on a small planet.
Sustainable is when you can keep following a pattern consistently without worrying about whether you’ll be able to keep following the pattern in the future.
Sustainability is like really careful budgeting. There’s a balance between getting what you need, and making sure there’s enough capital leftover so that you can have your needs met next time too.
We have to start really budgeting our earth’s resources on a massive scale level, and that is mirrored in the home. We still need soap, and deserve to pamper ourselves, but we can’t just spend our financial, emotional, or environmental resources without being mindful of the effect of these choices. There’s a balance. And a spectrum of what sustainability can mean to different people. No one is “doing it right”. But we can all probably do better.
We have everything you need to take good care of yourself and your family. We’ve researched how to make these products high quality, as sustainable as possible, while keeping the prices accessible.
-- Tiffany, Owner and Founder
Juniperseed Mercantile began as somewhat of an entrepreneurial accident: as a chemistry nerd, science teacher, and young mother, Tiffany was frustrated by the high premium environmentally conscious consumers like herself were often paying for everyday essentials branded as “natural”. With her science background and love of crafting, she started making her own lotions, soaps, and other body care products to keep things affordable and earth-friendly. Tiffany teamed up with her mom, Joan, and together they created an impressive catalog after Tiffany had been selling her wares from a literal picnic basket of handmade gifts kept under her desk.
From decadent skin treats to simple and effective cleaning solutions to reusable alternatives to everyday disposables, they continued the tradition of thrift and gentle, earth-friendly living passed down from Tiffany’s Oma (Joan’s own mother).
As a child in World War II Germany, Oma learned how to survive by being thrifty, tidy, and a tirelessly hard worker. She came to the US as an adult and managed to make a modest and comfortable life for herself and her family. She lived the saying “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without”— inspiring a sustainable and resource-smart perspective in Joan and Tiffany before “going green” was even a thing.
From an early age, they learned to look for what was already available to work with before buying something new – whether it was cleaning products, first aid remedies, clothing, or bath and beauty items. They remember how Oma started each day’s cleaning routine by making a fresh bucket of homemade cleaning solution and gathering a stack of neatly folded cleaning rags cut from old clothing, and they grew up knowing that very good cleaning products can be made from ingredients probably on hand in the kitchen. Oma also passed on her gifts of herbal wisdom and folk medicine, and many of Juniperseed Mercantile’s herbal remedies are versions of the family’s old traditions.
At the beginning of 2018, Tiffany decided it was time to expand her business and hired on the essential staff to build the next phase of Juniperseed Mercantile: a brick and mortar store with a visible workshop and kitchen where all our products are still made by hand and community forms around shared commitments to DIY making, education, and earth-friendly living. In 2021, a second brick-and-mortar location was opened in Historic Downtown Littleton. Though Oma and Joan are no longer with us, their legacy touches every part of Juniperseed Mercantile and inspires a new crew of neighbors, makers, crafters, and would-be entrepreneurs. We’ve all come to the same place of valuing thrift, wisdom traditions, and simplicity for the sake of the planet and of reviving an older, sometimes slower, and more connected way of doing things.
As of the summer of 2023, our two locations have been consolidated into one, and all of our operations are carried out at our Downtown Littleton shop and, as it has affectionately been named, the Formulary. We’ve trimmed our operations a bit – we call it “right-sizing”, and find that returning to our roots has helped us get back to the level of simplicity that feels truly sustainable. We have shifted our focus away from growing the brand to serving our community. And while we do still offer wholesale accounts, we have been prioritizing small local brick-and-mortar businesses like our own, who are helping their friends and neighbors live more sustainably.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to the questions we receive the most about our services.
If we missed anything, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’ll be happy to help!
Product / Ingredient Info
Information about our formulations, products, & remedies:
The formulator of our products is not a medical doctor, and none of these formulations are meant to cure, treat or heal any medical condition. We have an obsessive interest in chemistry, green living, herbal lore and frontier pharmacy history, and years of experience crafting traditional and modern formulations. Please do not take the popularity of these products or our feedback history as evidence that these products will work as you expect them to. We include information about the ingredients used in our formulas for educational purposes only. You are encouraged to do your own research to see if these ingredients can help you achieve the results you desire. We believe we, as consumers, deserve to be informed and empowered to take good care of ourselves naturally, whenever possible. It is your right and responsibility to understand your own body, and to make careful choices about any herbal or folk remedies you will use. By purchasing these products, you agree that you have not been given medical advice, prescriptions, or any kind of therapeutic recommendations.
Are your products organic?
We use certified sustainable and certified organic ingredients whenever possible in our skin care and cleaning products. Pursuing an organic certification for ourselves is not currently feasible, but it is a goal for the growth and strategy of the company. All of our fabrics are organic with the exception of the cotton chenille used to make our reusable mop pads.
Are your products vegan?
Many of them are! The only non-vegan ingredient we use is beeswax, which is preferred in some of our herbal remedies and lip balms. We offer a variety of vegan alternatives in lip balms and glosses, however, and all of our soap and cleaning products are vegan.
What do you use to scent your products?
We use pure essential oils to scent the majority of our products, providing natural aromatherapy and powerful botanical cleaning power across our product lines. Baby products developed for sensitive infant skin contain fragrance oils that are always pthalate free.
Are your “unscented” products truly unscented?
No fragrance or flavor of any kind is added to our unscented products. The only odor these products may contain comes from the raw oils, butters, and wax used to make them.
Can I use your products to treat eczema/ burns/ arthritis/etc?
We are not FDA tested or medically trained and cannot make medical claims about the effectiveness of our products, but many of the ingredients in our products have a variety of naturopathic and medicinal uses that can be researched individually. We have thoroughly tested these products ourselves and are confident in their quality in addition to receiving positive feedback from hundreds of customers. We encourage everyone to research our ingredients to make informed decisions for themselves and their individual bodies.
Can you make me a custom blend?
Yes we can! We can accommodate custom orders of a variety of our products and welcome your inquiry. Please contact hello@juniperseedmercantile.com for pricing and details.
Do you use palm oil?
Great question! We understand the controversial nature of palm oil. Our stance for many years has been to use palm oil sourced from certified sustainable sources, but with the recent catastrophic fires in the Amazon, we believe there is no sustainable way to continue the pressure palm demand puts on vulnerable ecosystems and human communities. We have reformulated all of our soaps to use more US grown oils, and have eliminated palm completely. We continue our support of a sustainable rainforest by sending periodic money donations to restoration funds instead.
Packaging / Shipping Info
Can you ship plastic free?
All of our shipping materials are either recyclable, compostable, reusable, or all of the above. We only use paper tape for shipping, and we use a variety of recycled, donated boxes and mailers from community members to pack orders. You might find your order cushioned by some interesting lesson notes from science class or local news from The Denver Post and The Denver Voice. You may receive a shipment that has a plastic bag or recycled mailing envelope protecting your liquid contents, to comply with postal regulations, but these are ALWAYS previously used. “Keep-it-outta-the-landfill!” is our position, and by keeping materials in circulation we extend their usability and lower the environmental impact of petroleum based convenience products.
Do you use any plastic packaging for your products?
We have transitioned all of our products previously packaged in plastic to glass, paperboard and aluminum. with the exception of some cleaning products. Caps and closures are metal where possible, but in some cases, plastic dispensing caps or pumps are used. We encourage refill and reuse of all of our product packaging, and offer a discount when you bring your packaging back to be refilled.
How long will it take for me to get my order?
We strive for a three to five (3-5) day turn around on all retail orders and a three to five (3-5) week turn around on all wholesale orders. Sometimes we are delayed by a large influx of orders, supply issues, or production delays, but we will try to contact you about any delays or issues with your order in that time frame. If you have questions regarding the status of your order, please contact Morgan for an update.
Refills / Bulk / Wholesale Info
Do you offer refills of all your products?
We have a wide variety of skin care, body care, and cleaning products available for refill at the store. Refills are priced by weight per ounce, and we encourage you to bring your bottles in anytime! We may not have specific scents available to refill, but we try to keep our basics of each category in stock.
I'm not in the area - can I send my bottles back to you for a refill?
This option may be cost prohibitive due to shipping, but if you want to send us your clean and dry bottles or jars back to us, we will refill your bottles and generate a custom order invoice for you at our retail refill rates plus shipping. We will need the following information to be able to complete such orders:
- Your full name
- Email address
- Shipping address
- Fill requests – what product, how many ounces
- Bottles that are thoroughly cleaned and dry, packed to prevent damage in-transit
Upon receiving your request, we will calculate your refill cost and send you an online invoice for your purchase plus shipping and handling. Your order will be completed and shipped within three to five (3-5) business days after receipt of payment. Please note, you will be responsible for shipping and handling costs both ways, and we can only refill the products originally purchased in the bottles via this option.
Another refill option we will be offering in the future is bulk purchases of many of our products in 8oz, 16oz, 32oz, and 0.85 gallon options that come in collapsible pouches that can be shipped back to us after use for recycling through Terracycle. We hope to have this option available through our website soon, but in the meantime we can always to do this via a custom order request. Please contact hello@juniperseedmercantile.com for pricing and details.
Can I sell your products in my store?
We are always interested in partnering with like-minded businesses and organizations and have an active wholesale program. Please see the wholesale portal for more information on applying to be one of our wholesale partners, and thank you for your interest!
Where else can I find your products?
In addition to our website and the Work+Shop, we can also be found at a variety of local markets such as the Aspen Grove Farmers Market, the Horseshoe Market, and the Breck Bazaar at Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton. We are also proud to have wholesale partners around the US and the world. If one of these zero-waste stores is in your backyard, please give them a visit! Check out Our Retailers page.
Can I buy in bulk?
Yes! We are working on getting bulk options up on our website, but in the meantime please contact hello@juniperseedmercantile.com for pricing and details.
Location and Events Info
Can I bring my child to events?
Absolutely! We are a family friendly establishment and invite folks of all ages to visit our store and participate in our classes and events. While some events may be outside the skill level or interest of younger makers, we will try to announce any age related recommendations in our marketing materials. Children are welcome with adequate supervision—just please be aware that this is a production and manufacturing facility with hard surfaces and accompanying hazards. Rambunctious behavior and general hooliganism are ill advised.
What kind of classes do you offer? Why do you host classes unrelated to products that you sell?
Many of our workshops and classes focus on making simplified versions of our bath and body products for anyone to get started with a new hobby, but we also offer events unrelated to our immediate product lines because we believe in fostering community broadly and making connections across the environmental, social justice, DIY, and maker community. We believe in building our individual capacities through the collective and that we have the ability to integrate our choices and behavior into a holistic lifestyle that is restorative for ourselves, each other, and the earth.
Can I host a class or workshop at the Work+Shop?
We would be thrilled to work with you! Please contact hello@juniperseedmercantile.com to pitch your workshop idea and discuss a possible collaboration.
Do you host private events/classes/group experiences?
Yes we can! Whether you are looking for a unique birthday party experience or want to have a private class for a group of friends, we might be able to help! Please contact hello@juniperseedmercantile.com for information regarding programming options, pricing, and availability.
Is your store accessible?
Yes! Our shop has a slight ramped entry, and room for mobility devices to maneuver. Our Formulary is accessed only by stairs. For those with any other accessibility needs, please let us know what we can do to welcome you, and give you a pleasant shopping experience.
What are you doing for X communities?
Activism, education and allyship are very important to us, but we don’t like how performative it can be, so we don’t publish a laundry list. But we are happy to discuss our current or past initiatives with anyone who wishes to. If you have a need in your community, feel free to reach out, and we can chat!