Fillaree

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST - YOU COULD WIN SOAP! 

FOR THE LAST WEEK OF JULY: Every Instagram or Facebook share or @Fillaree mention will enter you into a contest to win a free Bulk Refill of your choice! Share anything from our feed or create your own content about your beloved Fillaree products to be entered! 

THAT'S 64 OZ OF YOUR FAVORITE FILLAREE PRODUCT!

Why are we doing this? 

Y'all... social media is a drag. We're a small business with a small marketing budget, and for a long time, social media was a great way to reach people like you who really care about our mission and our products. These days though, the algorithms and the men in charge are making it harder and harder to reach people without pouring more and more money into the machine. Okay, fine - if the big corporations want to play that way, let them throw money back and forth at each other all day. We've got better things to do! 

BUT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA VOICE STILL MATTERS! One thing that is still true in the mysterious land of social media, is that when real people share posts, their friends still see that content. And word-of-mouth recommendations from friends are pure gold to a little business like us! So, let's play with different rules! From now until the end of the month, share any Fillaree post from our feed or create your own shout-out/review, and we'll enter your name (for every post you share!) into a drawing to win a free bulk refill of your choice! 

RULES FOR ENTRY: 

This contest is in no way sponsored by Instagram or Facebook.

1. You can enter with your own original content about Fillaree (must show a Fillaree product or the Fillaree storefront in an image or video) or by sharing any existing content from our social media channels - it can be in a post, a story, or a reel. 
2. You must tag @Fillaree on Instagram or Facebook with the share.
3. If your account in is private, you must DM a screenshot of your entry to Fillaree on Instagram or Facebook, otherwise, we won't be able to see it or enter you into the contest. 
4. We'll draw at least 2 winners, maybe more if participation is high, on Monday, August 1! 
5. You must live in the U.S. to win. Winners outside of the NC Triangle area will receive their prizes by mail. 

✨ Hey there, friend! ✨

Welcome back to our little email space for reflection and sharing, the old-school way (peace out Social Media!)! If you missed our last email… you can read it here and catch up on our new philosophy about communication and keeping in touch with you! 

So, what's been on my mind this month? Well, do you remember back in 2020 when we hung our Black Lives Matter chalkboard in the window at Fillaree? It was shortly after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd and during the height of the BLM movement’s surge across the US. I can remember a palpable feeling during that time: an emotional soup made up of discomfort, fear, shame, and disgust on top of an intense activation and motivation to do something, anything, that I could to support the Black and Brown members of my community.  That was an intense year or so of active anti-racism work and dialogue - sometimes quiet and intimate, others screaming at the top of my lungs with a bunch of strangers. I definitely wasn’t alone. Other businesses, both tiny and huge, were making efforts to join the BLM movement. 

As time passed, we renovated and rearranged our storefront more than once, and that chalkboard shifted from the window to other homes around Fillaree - further and further from our front door. It’s always been present but lost its placement on the front lines. We can’t help but recognize the greater metaphor there - it seems BLM has moved to the background on many levels, everywhere. 

But that shift isn’t because the fight is over. It’s far from over, and we have so much more work to do in this arena. In conversations with Black and Brown business owners in our community, I keep hearing from them that the flame is dwindling… the intense community support that spiked (in the form of dollars spent on their services and wares) in 2020 has diminished considerably, and as a fellow small business I know that makes it hard to stay in business. Our margins are low and expenses are high - every customer counts toward our success or failure!  

As I’ve been in deep reflection about this, a few things have floated to the top for me: 

•  We’ve gotten complacent again (myself included) – it’s a privilege to be complacent, and it’s a comfortable place when you're benefiting from white privilege. Complacency is a huge part of the problem.
•  I'm not always going to get it right. Showing up as a white person being actively anti-racist means working against years of white supremacy programming, internalized racism, and unconscious biases, as well as recognizing and giving up the privileges that come with whiteness, which are so ingrained in our existence that we often don’t see them unless we’re really looking and open to others pointing it out to us.
• Willingness to show up and keep showing up, even though we might mess up. At those times, being able to see and hear those impacts, and change accordingly, is the only option.  It may never get more “comfortable”, but this is necessary discomfort is the only way to give future generations a chance at being born into a more equitable world where this work becomes less and less necessary. 
•  My community needs me, and so does yours. 

At Fillaree, our most important core belief is that individuals taking small actions will have a big impact. It is literally the reason I founded this business. What we do in our homes, from how we treat our planet to how we treat our neighbors, matters. Fillaree has been committed to building a diverse community with voices from many different lived experiences, both on our team and in our Refiller community. And in order to continue this important work we do, we have to recommit ourselves to fighting the systemic racism that continues to haunt this country. While our mission may seem on the surface to be centered around environmental impact, the roots of environmental justice are tangled and intertwined with the racial injustice on which this country is built.

Here are some questions we’re posing to ourselves in order to facilitate our renewed focus on this work and we invite you to do this work alongside us from your corner of the world. 

•  When was the last time you made a decision to get out of your comfort zone and stand up for someone less privileged than yourself?
•  The most important step is always the next one. What next right thing can you do to make an impact for another person? 
•  Have you been paying attention to (and eliminating) individual and systemic micro and macro aggressions that hold others in systems of oppression?
•  Knowing what to do in a moment of discomfort is very challenging, especially if it is a surprise (which it often is when you’re complacent in your privilege). What’s one thing you can put on a personal action plan for such moments so that you might respond more intentionally? For me, I am practicing active apologies in those moments of discomfort - which involves first really listening with the goal of understanding how I’ve caused harm, how and if that can be repaired, acknowledging that harm out loud, and most importantly stating how I will move forward in a changed way to avoid causing that kind of harm again in the future (and then, of course, doing that)
•  Are there minority-owned businesses that you can show more support for? Have you supported local non-profits doing life-affirming work in communities of color?  Who are they and when will you prioritize helping them succeed with your purchases and contributions?  

This month we brought our Black Lives Matter chalkboard back to the front of the Fillaree storefront. It’s not only an important signifier to our community, but it’s a reminder to walk our talk, even if we stumble over our feet and our words along the way. If we fall, let us fall in the direction of revolution and liberation, toward true freedom for all. We’re all in this together, let’s stop sliding back! 

In solidarity, 

Alyssa 

While I understand, intellectually, the need for months and days designated to honor and/or celebrate marginalized communities and cultures, I’ll be honest that sometimes they feel inauthentic, performative, and unhelpful - especially in the business world. As this women’s history month is coming to a close, I have spent time in reflection pondering what I, as a woman and a mother, need woman’s history month to be in order for it to feel productive, relevant, and valuable.
Where I have found nuggets of hope is when I watch my children participate in women’s history month activities in their classrooms, learning about historically important women who I didn’t know anything about as a child. When I think back, there was a serious lack of critical thinking or discussion around the differences that make us human - gender identity, race, sexuality, physical abilities, citizenship status, age, economic status… and the list goes on.

The egregious lack of a baseline truth around these matters made my experiences as an adult traversing the world fraught with jarring reality checks. When I was in early elementary school, a woman literally couldn't own a business in the United States without the signature of her husband. That law wasn’t changed until 1988. Today women technically own 40% of businesses in the country, but in 90% of those cases, the woman is the only employee. Women still have very little power in large industries. Take manufacturing, for example, where women own less than 2% of the 400,000+ manufacturing companies in the country.
An important note on intersectionality

While women across the globe are in the same shitstorm of patriarchy and misogyny, we’re not all in the same boat. Intersectionality plays a gigantic role in a woman’s experience and access to success. I am a cis white woman and have more advantages and privileges than women who are Black or Brown, LGBTQ, disabled, immigrants, formerly incarcerated, impoverished, or elderly. Take for example the manufacturing industry -- while less than 2% of companies are woman-owned, the number owned by women of color is not even recorded, but we can assume it is less than a tiny fraction of a percent.

What it means to be Fillaree, a woman-owned, and led business.
Community - Family - Safety - Grit & Integrity

Community

“It takes a village” is a phrase I have heard throughout my life and one that continues to hold significant meaning in my heart, my mind, and my actions. Perhaps most commonly referring to raising children, it’s a philosophy I put into practice while growing this business as well. Our village is our community made up of all you loyal refillers, our retail partners, our vendors up and down our supply chain, and fellow business owners in Durham and beyond.

I believe that it is because we are women that we embody our core values and protect our community so authentically -- it would feel unnatural to do it any other way. It stems from a lifelong knowing that it truly does take a village to achieve success. We don’t do anything in a vacuum. We live this daily by working with, buying from, holding up, and living for our community of small women-owned businesses. In fact, 99.5 % of all goods we sell in our store and almost all of our refill partners are women-owned businesses. We care for our village and each other in a way that can easily be described as maternal.

Family

When I began Fillaree I had a one-year-old and a four-year-old. I was balancing my number one job (Mom) with my entrepreneurial spirit and this great need I saw in the world for a company like Fillaree. (Read that full story here!) But having children puts up lots of barriers to entry into the business world, especially when you’re a woman. For me, that meant limited time, limited energy, and a visceral risk aversion to anything that might put my family’s resources at risk. The momma bear in me was not about to rack up debt or tap friends and family for funding, because we couldn’t afford to lose the resources we had. This meant that I started Fillaree from a very grounded place, with less than $700 of my own money, zero investors or loans, and a very slow growth mindset that allowed the business to grow at a pace that I could bear, which increased as my children got older.

Intuitive fear and the extra parenting burden that comes with being a mother was a real thing for me that simply isn’t the same for men or fathers, or even women without dependents ( elder parent care often falls on women and carries similar concerns). For years I was embarrassed about my risk-aversion tendencies. I was existing in fast-paced entrepreneurial circles surrounded by headlines of “venture capital raises”, “multiple million dollar series As”, “grow fast,” “break things,” which made me feel like I was doing it all wrong. In 2017 I was 3 years into Fillaree with barely more than 0% growth yet I still wasn't willing to break anything! I stuck to my gut and my senses and over the following few years things started to shift in a slow and steady way that was comfortable for me and didn’t put my family at risk. Being a woman-owned and led business means organic, slow, intentional growth. At Fillaree, that’s person to person, one refill at a time.

Safety

When you walk into Fillaree you’re greeted by warm lights, bright smells, and a welcoming safe environment. This is very intentional and very important to our business model. If you’re a woman who has never felt sexualized, harassed, or physically harmed on the job, you’re one of a very small minority. When women hold leadership positions and are intricately involved in building workplace culture, we will protect each other and create safe spaces. Our longtime team member Meredith shared her thoughts on this, so take it from her first hand:

“It is hard to articulate exactly what it is like to be part of something as special as Fillaree. The women I have met through this experience have all been nothing but encouraging, strong, intelligent, funny, and supportive. I walk into work each day greeted with beautiful energy, either from the store itself or one of my lovely co-workers. I leave behind reservations about how I need to dress or how to act. I can be myself without comment or judgment. Self-expression has been something that I used to have to fight for in spaces that I worked at in the past. The lie that was told to me about needing to fit into a certain box so you can land a corporate job couldn’t be more inaccurate. I got this job with these women by simply being true to who I am. Working for someone who wants to build a positive environment, and give people that she loves the chance to thrive and learn is the best part of the job. It is clear that when Alyssa hires someone, that she hires them to be part of our family.”  ~ Meredith Lewis, Fillaree Team Member 

Our reality as women who have grown up in a world where sexual violence, threatening aggression, sexual harassment, and unwanted advances are part of our daily lives is that we are always vigilant: locking the door when we're alone, always being alert and aware when walking to our cars, documenting harassment in notes on our phones, and telling each other about men who are threats. As a woman-owned and led business, our physical and emotional safety is top of mind, but it’s rarely noted how much of our time and energy this consumes.

Fillaree is a SAFE place. PERIOD!

Grit & Integrity

We put the 'grit' in integrity. Women forge paths and make way for our dreams with the same grit with which we have cared for our families, our communities, and ourselves for millennia. Modern civilizations are built on the backs of unpaid labor. Behind every man who gets all the credit (and pay!), there are women cooking, cleaning, hosting, entertaining, consoling, peace-keeping, and bridge-building in the background, always. We know how to get shit done in thankless environments. So when I dreamed of Fillaree, I put that same tenacity to work, within systems and at tables that had no place set for me. There was no roadmap or model for me to follow, but with my passion and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, safety, and community care, Fillaree slowly and steadily took flight the way I envisioned it would. It just so happened that for me this involved washing more dishes in the last decade than I care to recount. I dare say every woman business owner has her own dish pit of grit that she endured without a second thought because if nothing else, generations of unpaid labor have made us strong and resilient.

We are building the future we want to see, built for sustainability - for both people and planet. Our team members have to be able to tend to their own needs (food, shelter, rest, etc) while also producing essential products for our community like our tried and true Soap & Suds Hand and Body Soap, our “firstborn” at Fillaree and the product that keeps our doors open and our loyal refillers coming back again and again!

Being a woman-owned and led business today and reflecting on the past, present, and future, it’s clear to see that we have come a long way. And, we have a long journey ahead of us yet. I’m just so grateful that Fillaree is the vehicle in which I am taking this wild ride. It’s a bright beacon of light, a soft place to land, a place that feels like home when we need it the most. And as always, mi casa es su casa. You’re an important part of this community we are building and we hope Fillaree feels like home to you, too.

💚 Sustainably Yours,
Alyssa 

In today’s climate, it’s hard to imagine a U.S. city or state refusing to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Yet, I don’t have to imagine, because I was born and raised there. It’s a little-known fact that Arizona was the last state to recognize MLK Day as a state holiday. 

I vividly remember witnessing this controversy unfold during my formative years in Phoenix. Do you recall the first time you consciously recognized hate and racism in action on a systemic level? For me, it was in 1990 when Arizona denied the observance of MLK Day with a strong 76% majority of voters. 

I am grateful to have been born into a progressive family, which meant that there was absolute outrage in my home about the outcome of that ballot measure. I remember my mother shouting in frustration at our television set, newspapers in her hands, and the car stereo on our way to school as reporters, politicians, and even citizens interviewed on the street tried to justify this outcome. She screamed as if they could hear her through the t.v., though it’s not out of the question that they heard her expletives from their swivel chairs in the capital building downtown. She was livid. 

It was my mother who taught me to see through lies like “taxpayers can’t afford another holiday” to the racist truths buried underneath. Together we witnessed celebrities like Stevie Wonder and Rev. Jesse Jackson boycott the state of Arizona, canceling appearances and making it clear they wouldn’t return until MLK Day was recognized in the state. Even as a kid, I remember the embarrassment I felt by this stubborn display of racism and bigotry from my state, and at the same time, it was a catalyst for me to dig deeper and better understand this man who my state officials wanted so badly for everyone to ignore. It was the first time I recognized that if people in power want you to look the other way, they’re probably hiding something that is hurting someone. 

Arizona voters and politicians effectively indicated that money was more important to them than honoring the most prominent civil rights leader of our time. It wasn’t until the NFL communicated to the state politicians in their language of money that we finally saw change in Arizona. By stripping Pheonix of its rights to host the Super Bowl in 1993, politicians finally changed their tune. Shortly thereafter, a new ballot measure was introduced that was eventually passed, and we became the last state in the U.S. to recognize MLK Day as a holiday, all in the name of money. My mother was once again disgusted that money was the driving factor, not the opportunity to show the Black and Brown constituents that a prominent civil rights leader such as Dr. King was worthy and important enough to honor with a state-recognized holiday. Arizona was still being run and controlled by a bunch of racist old white men who stood for greed, hate, and racism - nothing had changed.  

I find myself moved, emotional, and in awe of so many people throughout history who have fought against injustice, yet I’m always especially touched when I learn more about and reflect on the work of Dr. King. And it’s particularly poignant for me considering my lived experience in Arizona in the ‘90s. I hope you’re taking some time on this MLK holiday to reflect on your own experiences (were you alive in the 80s and 90s? Do you remember when MLK Day became a holiday in your state?), seek out the voices of others, especially those directly affected by the systemic racism still entangled in the fabric of our nation, and act in ways that make a positive change in the present day lives of the most marginalized among us. 

Fillaree will be closed today so that our staff can all participate in reflection and/or our own acts of service to honor the powerful Dr. King.

Wishing you love and light,

Alyssa Cherry.

Hey Fillaree fam! We’ve got some huge sustainability wins to celebrate, and it’s all thanks to you—our refillers, our waste warriors, our planet-loving community. 

This year, together, we diverted an incredible 7,115 lbs of waste from the landfill. That’s literal tons of waste given a second life instead of heading straight to the trash. Talk about impact! 

Turning Trash into Treasure: How We Did It

At Fillaree, we believe in closing the loop—moving away from a wasteful "Make, Take, Waste" system and into a circular economy where materials are used, reused, and reimagined. With our amazing partners at Gather Green, we kept valuable materials out of the landfill and in the hands of those who can reuse them.

And it’s not just about handling waste—it’s about preventing it in the first place. We’re helping other businesses reduce their waste footprint too!  Let’s break it down:

Grand Total: 7,115 lbs Diverted! That’s 7,115 lbs of waste that DIDN’T end up in a landfill. That’s real, tangible impact.

The Big Wins This Year

• Big Items, Big Difference: Two industrial scales, shelving units, and other large materials added to our e-cycling and donation programs.
• Cardboard Champion: Nearly 3 tons of cardboard were collected and sent for curbside recycling.
• Efficient Pickups: Thanks to Gather Green, we collected around 1,915 lbs of materials, averaging 300 lbs per pickup!

The Bigger Picture: Why It Matters

Sustainability isn’t just about avoiding waste—it’s about reducing our impact at every stage. By focusing on reuse over recycling, we’re cutting down on the energy needed to produce new materials and reducing carbon emissions along the way.

Where Your Waste Went

Your support helps us work with some amazing local partners who turn waste into resources:

✅ Industrial Waste: Sent to Waste Trader NC, Habitat for Humanity for reuse.
✅ Commercial Recycling: Hard-to-recycle materials processed through Orange Recycling Services.
✅ Shipping Materials Reuse: Given a second life with community groups & vintage resellers.
✅ Creative Reuse Donations: Shared with Scrap Exchange & Durham Mutual Aid.
✅ Compost Share: Diverted food waste to Brooks Contractor for composting.
✅ Electronics Recycling: E-waste recycled with Triangle E-cycling.

Together, We’re Making a Difference!

We couldn’t do this without you, our Fillaree family. Every time you choose to refill, compost, donate, or reuse, you’re actively building a sustainable future alongside us. And special thank you to our partners at Gather Green, whose dedication and hard work make waste recovery and circular solutions possible. 

So here’s to more impact, less waste, and a brighter future—one refill at a time. 

With gratitude,
The Fillaree Team

From Mali With Love (and Shea Butter 💛)

At Fillaree, every ingredient we choose tells a story. One of our most meaningful new chapters begins with Nina, founder of Sanoun Beauty, and her mission to share the richness of Mali with the world.

From the moment we met Nina, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Her energy is contagious, her shea butter lotions are beautifully crafted (and refillable!), and her values mirror our own—sustainability, community, and empowerment. Most importantly, her imported shea butter from Mali has now become a core ingredient in Fillaree’s conditioners, lotions, body butter, and bar soaps. 🌿✨

The Story Behind Sanoun

Sanoun—meaning “gold” in Bambara—was born from a love for Mali’s culture and the strength of Malian women. More than a beauty brand, it’s a mission: to empower women through fair trade and ethical practices while celebrating the country’s natural resources.

Every Sanoun product is crafted with clean, natural ingredients like unrefined shea butter and indigenous plants. But beyond skincare, Sanoun is about creating lasting impact: each purchase supports women in Mali, granting them financial independence and a stronger voice in their families and communities. It’s beauty as a force for good.

This is why we’re so proud to use Sanoun’s shea butter in Fillaree products—it allows us to not only elevate the quality of what we make but also extend our commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Celebrating Mali & Collaboration

As we got to know Nina, she shared the significance of Mali Independence Day—a time to honor her country’s cultural pride and diversity. To celebrate, we invited her to a Q&A, and while she swore she was nervous, she spoke like a pro—radiating light, knowledge, and joy. You can watch our conversation here. 

In Bambara, there’s a word: DJATIGUIYA, meaning hospitality. It perfectly describes what we’ve felt in our time with Nina and Sanoun: genuine warmth, generosity, and connection. That same spirit is infused in every product we’ve created together.

Nina also shared one of her favorite songs—“Anka Maliba”—as a way of bringing her heritage to life. It’s soulful, joyful, and the perfect soundtrack to celebrate this partnership. Give it a listen, dance with us, and help us honor Mali’s legacy.

Why This Matters

This collaboration is about more than soap or skincare. It’s about honoring roots, celebrating culture, and building a community that chooses products with purpose. By choosing Fillaree, you’re also choosing to support Sanoun’s mission—empowering women, sustaining traditions, and creating a ripple of positive impact that stretches from Mali to our hometown here in Durham.

We’re honored to share Nina’s story and to have Sanoun shea butter as the heart of so many Fillaree essentials. We hope you feel the love, the joy, and the purpose with every refill.

Hi friends,
Alyssa here. 💛

As Fillaree approaches 10+ years (which still blows my mind), I’ve been thinking a lot about who we were when we started… and who we are now.

When I began Fillaree, it felt deeply important to spend money with businesses that aligned with your values — businesses that were trying to make the world better, not worse. “Vote with your dollar” felt powerful back then. Like choosing where you spent your money was a small but mighty way to shape the kind of world you wanted to live in.

And honestly, that belief carried me for a long time.

Ten years later, I still believe it matters where we spend our money… but I also think I was a little naïve back then. Because fast-forward a decade, and we’re not exactly living in the more just, more sustainable world we imagined we might move toward. In many ways — environmentally, politically, socially — things feel heavier. Sometimes scarier. Sometimes like we’re going backwards.

And it can be hard to hold onto that early hope.

Back then, many of us — small businesses included — felt it was essential to speak loudly and publicly about where we stood politically and socially. It felt important to declare who we were and what we believed, and Fillaree was no different.

I think back to 2020 often. Days after George Floyd was murdered, we felt compelled to show up with clarity. We made the biggest sign we could and put Black Lives Matter right on our storefront chalkboard. And it mattered. It still matters — the sign is still there. I know some people didn’t like it. I know some chose not to shop here because of it. But we also had people tell us that seeing that sign made them feel safe. Seen. Welcomed.

And while so many of those signs disappeared within a year, ours didn’t. Because some things we believe in quietly, consistently, every day — even when we’re not talking about them publicly all the time.

That’s been a shift for me personally, and for Fillaree.
Not less caring. Not less committed.
Just… quieter. More grounded. More focused on our community.
On the actual people who walk in, refill their bottles, and connect with us online.

It’s a strange thing to hold: the hope we had 10 years ago, and the world we’re standing in now. There’s heartbreak. There’s fear. There’s the constant stream of global crises on our phones — climate disasters, wars, injustice, suffering. And at the same time, there’s this tiny, persistent flame that refuses to go out.

And that’s where Fillaree lives.
In that little flame.

So I guess this is me checking in — with you.
Are you okay with this quieter Fillaree?
Do you need us to show up differently for you?
Is there something you want from us that we haven’t been offering?

We’re listening. Truly.

And here’s the other part:
Even though our team is smaller than it used to be, we’ve been able to do more with less. We’re still making the products you love. We’re still connecting with people in our community in meaningful ways. If you’ve ever walked into the shop, refilled with us, engaged online, or used our products — I hope you felt that we do what we say, and we say what we mean.

I’m grateful we’ve made it 10 years.
I’m proud we’ve kept our heads above water.
And even though the future is uncertain (it always is), I’m hopeful for the next 10, 20, 30 years of Fillaree — hopeful for a future that is kinder, cleaner, and grounded in real connection.

Thank you for being here.
Thank you for supporting this little refill dream through all its phases and evolutions.
We love you.

— Alyssa

Fillaree’s First Spanish-Language Women’s Business Panel

March always gives us a chance to celebrate the women shaping our community. This year at Fillaree, we marked Women’s History Month by hosting our first Spanish-language women’s entrepreneurship panel and networking event in partnership with El Centro Hispano.

It felt especially meaningful to do this now. At a moment when immigrants — and Spanish speakers in particular — are often treated with suspicion or hostility in our country, gathering a room full of Latina entrepreneurs to speak, share, and lead in their own language felt, joyful, powerful, and exactly right.

Hosting the event fully in Spanish was intentional.

“Emprender ya requiere valentía — hacerlo en un segundo idioma no debería ser una barrera.” Entrepreneurship already requires courage — navigating it in a second language shouldn’t be an added barrier.

The evening brought together Latina business owners from across Durham to talk openly about building companies, navigating challenges, and supporting one another as entrepreneurs. After the panel, the conversation continued during a networking hour over coffee generously provided by our friends at Little Waves Coffee Roasters. Areli Barrera Grodski, was also on the panel!!.

When women support one another — especially across languages and cultures — entire communities grow stronger.

At Fillaree, we believe leadership isn’t always about taking the microphone — sometimes it’s about creating the space where others can step forward.

Our values of transparency and community don’t stop at how we make our products. They shape how we show up in Durham. Supporting entrepreneurs, building connections, and helping create spaces where people feel they belong is part of that work.

Last Saturday we continued the celebration by welcoming these incredible entrepreneurs back into the shop, where they’ll have the opportunity to share and sell their work with our community.

Because when women support one another — especially across languages, cultures, and experiences — entire communities grow stronger.

We’re deeply grateful to El Centro Hispano, to the panelists who shared their wisdom, and to everyone who joined us for a night of conversation, courage, and connection.

And like everything we do at Fillaree, it reminded us that the strongest communities — like the most sustainable ones — are built together.

— Alyssa
Founder, Fillaree

At Fillaree, every ingredient we use is intentional. It’s not just about how something feels on your skin — it’s about where it comes from, who made it, and the impact it carries.

That’s why we chose shea butter from Sanoun.

Nina, the founder of Sanoun, lives here in Durham, but her roots are in Mali — where shea butter is more than an ingredient. It’s tradition, livelihood, and community. Through Sanoun, Nina connects us directly to women-led cooperatives in Mali who carefully harvest and produce unrefined shea butter using generations of knowledge.

This is the shea butter that lives inside our Everyday Vegan Lotion.

It’s creamy, deeply nourishing, and melts effortlessly into the skin. Because it’s unrefined and additive-free, it retains all the natural benefits that make shea so powerful — moisture, protection, and a softness you can feel instantly.

But what matters most to us is the story behind it.

By choosing Sanoun’s shea butter, we’re choosing transparency. We know where it comes from. We know the hands that make it possible. And we know that every batch supports women who rely on this craft to provide for their families and build stability in their communities.

This is what “Everyday” means to us.

Not just a lotion you use daily — but a daily connection to something bigger. A global loop of care that starts in Mali, continues in our formulations, and becomes part of your routine.

When you choose our Everyday Vegan Lotion, you’re not just choosing skincare.

You’re choosing purpose. 🌿