Today we’d like to introduce you to Tippy Tippens.
Hi Tippy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Tippy Tippens is the Chief Eternal Optimist/founder of Goods that Matter and her two collective stores, the GOOD Shop (New Orleans) & Kind Hearted Goods (Richmond, VA). Kind Hearted Goods initially opened in Asheville, NC but was forced to close due to Hurricane Helene. Her dear friends at Proper Pie (Nikki & Tippy have been besties since 7th grade) offered a helping hand after the storm, with a serendipitously timed available storefront, neighboring their infamous pie shop.
Tippens is a social entrepreneur, & designer, who is passionate about building sustainable and equitable growth; making the objects that we live with, work for us instead of against us; and fighting climate change. She is honored to be in the GOOD 100, named as one of 100 people pushing the world forward and a How I Built This fellow in 2018.
In September of 2010, she moved from Brooklyn to New Orleans after the BP Oil Spill in order to create BirdProject Soap. Matter got its start on Kickstarter & Tippy is a 2011 alumni of Propeller’s Fellowship & New Ventures Accelerator program. She was inspired to form the company upon developing BirdProject, where she saw the need for socially inspired eco-products that poetically fulfill our basic needs.
Her additional professional experiences have included teaching Social Political Design at Loyola University, designing faucets for Kohler, freelancing for lighting, furniture, graphic, architectural, and wayfinding firms; and designing/making home furnishings for over ten years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University.
— Happy to elaborate on any of this/if any follow up questions
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most recent struggle was experiencing Hurricane Helene in Asheville, 1 month after our grand opening. Ironicallly, I had opened the second location there in an effort to balance out the climate change & weather events in New Orleans. Additional struggles have been surviving the pandemic as a small business (found a way to make hand sanitizer), multiple/regualar weather & infrastructure events in New Orleans, as well as experiencing climate change in New Orleans
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Lately, I’m known for my business, Goods that Matter – I started with a soap that gives to oil spill cleanup in 2010, BirdProject Soap. This was my way as a designer to help after the BP Oil Spill Disaster in 2010. I got my start on Kickstarter with that product and then was inspired to start the company, Goods that Matter. We design and make a variety of eco-goods from candles to custom first aid kits to cards – each product raises funds for a unique cause.
Goods that Matter creates everyday design goods, with extraordinary impact. Each Matter product is handmade in the U.S., of eco-friendly materials, & gives back to unique social and environmental causes. 10% of all proceeds flow to causes that impact the health, happiness, and sustainability of our communities both locally and for our neighbors around the world. I’m proud that GTM has donated 88K to our partner causes thus far.
My background is in design – I started designing & making furniture after attending VCU for undergrad. Eventually, I then went on to Pratt Institute for my Masters Degree in Industrial Design. I also worked for Kohler for a few years designing faucets. Design & making is still what I’m passionate about, but for me, with an eco-focus.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Our environment, fighting climate change, & helping those in need. Everything is connected & as a society, I believe we really need to do a better job of working on the things that truly matter.
Pricing:
- Bird Soaps – $28
- Candles – $21-$38
- Wool Mats – $27
- Teas – $9.50-$22
- Turkish Towels – $48
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kindheartedgoods.com
- Instagram: @kindheartedgoods
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindheartedgoods
