Sustainable Periods: How Here We Flo Built a Brand by Breaking Taboos

In episode #74 of Build Better Brands I had the pleasure of chatting with Susan C. Allen Augustin, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Here We Flo, a brand that’s making waves in the personal care industry.

Here We Flo’s journey is an inspiring one. Susan shares how she and her co-founder Tara met at the London School of Economics, and how their shared vision for a more sustainable future led them to create a brand that would challenge the status quo.

Challenging the status quo isn’t always easy, though. Susan admits that early on, people would question what they were doing. But this was never a whim: “We met in one of the top universities in the world. We did the research and Tara wrote a dissertation on the business case for this, so what we were saying, we weren’t saying flippantly.” I love this, because when you’re disrupting a market, doing your homework is what gives you the confidence to hold your ground.

One thing that really stood out to me was their dedication to breaking down cultural shame and stigma around menstruation. It’s a tricky subject (even though it shouldn’t be). Menstrual care brands have always been built around being discreet, and Here We Flo did the complete opposite. Susan explains how they’ve used humour to do just that, saying, “There’s a reason why funny is first, and funny feminists and fierce is really using humour to break the ice, because there is generally a stigma and a shame that’s been socialised around these topics.” That boldness helped them build a dedicated fanbase. It’s a great reminder that if every brand in your category is whispering, there’s a real opportunity in speaking up.

Sustainability has been at the heart of the brand from the start. Susan explains how they were helped by the climate change movement and the growing awareness of the damage single-use plastics do to our oceans. She’s also refreshingly honest that, as a small business, there’s only so much pressure you can put on manufacturers and suppliers to use alternative materials. Being open about what you can and can’t control builds far more trust than overpromising.

Their commitment has paid off, too. Here We Flo won the Sky Zero Footprint Fund, which recognises brands driving positive behaviour change towards a more sustainable future, and secured £1 million worth of ad spend with Sky. Proof that a genuine mission isn’t just good for your conscience; it can be a serious commercial asset.

What I find really impressive about Here We Flo is the way they’ve approached building their brand. They’ve been intentional about creating a company culture that aligns with their values from day one. Susan shares how they spent time thinking about their mission, vision, values, and recruitment processes before even launching the business: “We were really intentional from the start to spend the time thinking about our mission, our vision, our values, and then we got to design our recruitment processes… That’s how you’re bringing people into the company and those values are a part of that from that first phone interview.”

And it’s working. At the time of recording, Here We Flo had just launched in Tesco. Long-term partner Boots had quadrupled their distribution, and they were about to launch with the UK’s second-largest grocer. That’s what happens when a brand knows exactly who it is and what it stands for.

As someone who’s passionate about building better brands, I think Here We Flo’s approach is something we can all learn from. By prioritising sustainability, authenticity, and humour, they’re creating a brand that makes a positive impact on the environment and challenges societal norms.

If you’re looking for inspiration on how to build your own brand that makes a positive impact, listen to the full episode here.