The Perfect Sustainability Trap

Dear reader,

Last spring, I interviewed Professor Dr. Jeroen Hugenholtz, co-founder of NoPalm Ingredients. When he mentioned their innovative palm oil alternative wasn't vegan, my first instinct as a vegan of nine years was to dismiss it. But on my drive home, something shifted.

Here was a circular innovation using dairy industry waste to create a palm-free oil. Yes, there's animal suffering in dairy production, but would rejecting this solution help? The waste stream exists regardless. Without this application, it would generate methane emissions. Instead, it's becoming a building block for a more sustainable future—one where even the process's own waste stream could provide protein for pet food.

This moment crystallized something I've observed throughout my career: the pursuit of perfect sustainability often blocks real progress.

In six years of working with (aspiring and starting) indie brands, I've watched countless promising innovations stall because “perfect” became the enemy of “better.” One in four brands never launched, typically because they refused to compromise on their ideal of 100% sustainability. Like the brand that wouldn't launch with 70% PCR packaging while waiting for 100% PCR to become available in smaller quantities—quantities that never materialized.

The truth? There's no such thing as a perfectly sustainable product. Every production process has an ecological footprint. But that doesn't mean we can't make significant positive impact:

Real progress looks like:

• Using waste streams as raw materials

• Starting with 70% PCR now, planning for 100% later

• Building regenerative supply chains step by step

The most innovative solutions I've encountered frequently challenge our binary thinking about sustainability. They remind us that progress isn't about ticking every box—it's about making conscious choices and being transparent about our journey.

What sustainability “compromises” have you made that led to unexpected positive impacts? I'd love to hear your stories of choosing progress over perfection.

With curiosity,

Priscilla

P.S. I'm developing a decision framework for navigating sustainability trade-offs, based on my experiences with over 50 brands. Want early access? Reply with “Framework” and I'll share it when it's ready.