Footscray’s Lilac and the Cat tackles waste in florist industry

SICK of waste in the florist trade, Janelouise Hearn has created an environmentally conscious business, doing away with packaging and instead upcycling and recycling at her business.

Janelouise Hearn runs sustainable floristry business, Lilac and the Cat.

DURING 20 years in the florist trade, Janelouise Hearn became increasingly concerned about the waste associated with the industry.

Excess packaging, wrapping, cellophane, foam designed to delight the recipient for a matter of minutes until it is cast aside and the flowers popped into a vase, annoyed her.

Having trained as a florist, working and managing prestigious florists in the inner city for many years, Ms Hearn struck out by herself nearly 10 years ago.

In 2008, she found a clapped out old shop in Flemington where she launched Flowers by Janelouise.

“Throughout my life in the flower industry I have watched flower shops dispose of so much landfill,” Ms Hearn said.

“It’s sad to see so much wastage in the flower industry just from laziness. Gifts don’t need to be imported and flowers don’t need to be arranged in floral foam nor wrapped in cellophane.”

Business was good and she became part of the community but after three years she was keen to do some travelling.

The florist upcycles comic books and old wallpaper, along with recycled lace.

She lived overseas and having witnessed the devastating 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami she was determined to throw herself into something she was passionate about.

She managed a South Yarra florist for about three years and then decided she wanted to do her own thing, launching her business Lilac and the Cat.

The aim was to be an online florist. She undertook a New Incentive Enterprise Scheme program through nearby Kangan TAFE.

She worked out of a warehouse in Cremorne and was happy with the progress of the business.

Later, with some friends, she founded a collaborative business in an old terrace in Cremorne St, just a stone’s throw from Swan St.

The offering was coffee, flowers, records and books.

It was ticking along quite nicely and they developed a loyal following.

However, Ms Hearn said they could never secure a decent lease and the coffee shop wanted to start serving more food, with an emphasis on vegetarian and vegan. But the cost of fitout to provide a commercial kitchen when the lease was not secure was a major impediment.

By March this year, the group in Cremorne decided to amicably go their separate ways.

Ms Hearn found a house with a dilapidated shopfront in Geelong Rd, Footscray.

She said she came up with the name Lilac and the Cat because she shared a love of lilac with her grandmother. The reference to Cat is not because she is a cat lover, describing herself as a “conscious cat” and concerned about the environment.

She has been working out of the Footscray site for some months. It is not running as a retail outlet as yet but she is tinkering away to spruce it up.

Ms Hearn said her business ethos was to ensure an ethical and sustainable supply chain and fair trading terms for imported items.

“The flower side of Lilac and the Cat, the heart of the business, considers the impact that flowers can have on an atmosphere and space,” she said.

“We upcycle old pieces of wallpaper and comic books for gift wrapping, use twine and recycled lace instead of commercial ribbon.”

Her Instagram page is asking people to donate bra straps and old shoe laces to wrap flowers. Not the cups, though.

“I have had some response and people think it is a great idea,” she said.

At present she does everything from buying flowers to assembling them and delivering around Melbourne.

“My goal is not to have to do the delivery,” she said.

The shop is a few doors from Footscray Primary School.

“My aim is to have an inviting space for people to come and just be and just enjoy the environment of the space, and sell flowers, of course,” she said.

lilacandthecat.com.au