A family holiday to the Daintree Rainforest sparked Belinda Everingham’s wonder for native botanicals. Soon after, Bondi Wash took flight and a series of game-changing meetings brought its products to the world.
In 2013, Belinda Everingham launched Bondi Wash, a range of natural home, body, baby and dog products that now sells in more than 34 countries. The brand, which harnesses the powerful ingredients of Australian botanicals, was inspired by nature but born of a real need. “I got a headache using commerical spray on my kitchen bench and was getting rashes from mainstream shampoo,” says Everingham. “I thought, ‘Gosh, if they are doing this to me, what are they doing to my children and the environment?’ My ‘A-ha!’ moment came a few years later on a holiday to tropical North Queensland in July 2012, when we visited a fruit farm and a rainforest in the Daintree and saw all these trees I’d never heard of before. I’ve always loved fragrance and I wondered whether we in Australia could make beautiful products from our unique natives, like Tasmanian pepper and lemon tea tree. With the help of a professional chemist, I worked to develop scents and formulas, starting with a kitchen bench spray.”
More products followed and Bondi Wash was born. “I live in Bondi and I was inspired by the crystal-clean wash of the waves at our local beaches. I also wanted a name that said ‘Australia’ in a fresh, modern way.” Fast forward a decade and “we now have 130 Australian stockists and 400 around the world, as well as our ecommerce site,” says Everingham. Since 2019, her business has grown 400 per cent – the Bondi Wash Bench Spray alone hits sales of 100,000 units annually. And just like the seed that was sown on that inspiring family getaway, the business has taken off with the help of several game-changing trips made since, as Everingham explains
“A chance discovery in Hong Kong changed so much for our business”
“Not long after I launched Bondi Wash, I flew to Hong Kong. I wanted to find a stockist there and I happened upon 1010 Hope. It was a tiny store, with a range of natural products from around the world and I gave them my business card. It was a chance discovery that changed so much for Bondi Wash. Unbeknown to me, 1010 Hope had 17 shops in Taiwan, three more in Hong Kong and was launching in China. Six months later we launched Bondi Wash in Asia and today China is 20 per cent of our business. I’ve travelled up there many times to meet our distribution team, run events and to visit shops where we’re stocked. Right now, I’m planning on launching retail stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. I must say, the Qantas Club Lounge in Hong Kong is one of my favourites. I always have a shower before my next flight and I’ve gotten to know the menu – they have the best gluten-free brownies! We save on Qantas Club membership as part of Qantas Business Rewards, so several of our team have been able to sign up. Access to lounges makes travel so much more comfortable and productive for us all.”
Tip: As a Qantas Business Rewards member, you and your travellers are eligible for up to 30% discount when you join or renew your Qantas Club membership.^
“Travel is a must - there are some things you just can’t pick up over video calls”
“It was 2015 and my first time in Japan. In the shops, absolutely everything was of such high quality and there was a gentleness to the people. I just loved it. I’d previously turned down a Japanese distributor but he’d offered to meet and give me advice. We took a train to Kanagawa, he took us to lunch and we ended up forming a partnership that’s still going strong today; we have more than 50 stockists in Japan. There are some things you just can’t pick up over video calls so travel is a must. We get savings on flights through Qantas Business Rewards and it helps us travel more frequently than we otherwise would.”
Tip: As a Qantas Business Rewards member, you and your team can save up to 10% off the base fare of selected flights, plus up to 5% off Red e-Deals~
“Being there in person is vital when working on new products”
“This is a frequent trip for our team because our manufacturer and warehouse are in Melbourne. Our products are 99 to 100 per cent natural and we’re rigorous about testing the efficacy of our formulae. Being there in person is vital when working on new products. Ideas pop up and come from trying and seeing new things. We were looking at samples with our packaging company and there was a pearlescent finish on a sample on his shelf, which wasn’t in the samples he’d initially sent us. This set us on the path to a new look and feel for the products that we wouldn’t have found if we hadn’t been there. Typically, we use the Qantas Points we earn through Qantas Business Rewards to book our flights. It’s a good value way to use the program and we can book and access it all from the Qantas Business Rewards Account.”
Tip: Use your business’ Qantas Points to upgrade your next flight with Classic Upgrade Rewards^^ directly from your Qantas Business Rewards Account.
“The Qantas network makes it easy to reach all corners of Australia”
“We seek inspiration all over Australia. In April 2021, we flew to Perth and then onto Paraburdoo to four-wheel-drive into Karijini National Park. It was the most amazing trip. A First Nations ranger gave me a list of plants little known in the rest of Australia and explained their uses – many have healing, antibacterial or insect-repellent properties. For my other brand, Wash Wild, we collaborated with CSIRO to develop a blend of native oils that are potently effective against a range of bacteria and moulds. The Qantas network makes it easy to reach regional and remote areas as we undertake research about native botanicals. I’ve been down south of Perth to Denmark and Albany and the diversity of plants in WA is incredible. There’s so much more that our business – and our country – can share with the world.”
Are your Qantas Points helping you save on business travel?
Qantas Business Rewards lets you earn points with 50+ partners on everyday business expenses, such as flights, credit card spend, fuel, car hire and hotels.1
Save on travel costs for your business
Turn your business’s Qantas Points balance into your next business flight by redeeming your points to book Classic Flight Rewards or pay for your booking with a mix of points and cash with Points Plus Pay.~~
Request an upgrade for your team
With Classic Upgrade Rewards, you can use your business’ Qantas Points to upgrade your next flight directly from your Qantas Business Rewards Account.*
Save on business expenses
Travelling with samples and stock? Use your business’ Qantas Points to pre-purchase additional baggage directly from your Business Account for you or your travellers.~~
Important Information
* A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member to earn Qantas Points for the business. A one-off joining fee of $89.50 applies, is inclusive of any applicable GST and may be varied by Qantas from time to time, without notice, in its absolute discretion. Membership and Qantas Points for business are offered under the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions and earning thresholds apply.
~ Savings are available exclusively to Qantas Business Rewards Members on the base fare of selected fares only and do not apply to taxes, fees and carrier charges. Availability is limited. Member Deals are subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions.
^ Discounted Qantas Club membership is available to Qantas Frequent Flyer members who are Qantas Business Rewards Flyers of the Qantas Business Rewards Member. The discount applies to Qantas Club Individual membership rates and is managed under the Qantas Club Qantas Business Rewards scheme. Qantas Club membership is subject to the Qantas Club Terms and Conditions. Please be advised that lounges are subject to capacity limits at the time of your visit. If you're flying domestically on Qantas, QantasLink or Jetstar within Australia, and on Jetstar within New Zealand you may bring one guest to join you in a Qantas Club lounge. When visiting an international Qantas Club lounge, you are able to invite one guest each time you visit. Both you and your guest need to be travelling together further that day on the same flight. Lounge access eligibility conditions apply.
^^ Classic Upgrade Rewards are available on Classic Flight Rewards in Economy and Premium Economy and eligible paid and confirmed Qantas domestic and international flights, with a Qantas (QF) flight number on your ticket and from time to time on codeshare flights operated by another carrier that have a QF flight number on your ticket. Classic Upgrade Rewards are subject to capacity controls and availability is limited. Classic Upgrade Rewards are not available from all fare types. See tables for details.
~~A business can redeem Qantas Points directly from their Qantas Business Rewards Account on Classic Flight Rewards, Points Plus Pay bookings, paid seat selection, additional baggage allowance (when purchased at time of flight booking) or on Classic Upgrade Rewards. In order to directly redeem Qantas Points from a Qantas Business Rewards Account for Classic Flight Rewards or Classic Upgrade Rewards, the Business Account must have a balance of at least 3,000 Qantas Points. We recommend you consult your accountant or tax adviser to ensure you understand possible tax implications, for example fringe benefits tax (if applicable). For full T&Cs of Classic Flight Rewards, Points Plus Pay, Classic Upgrade Rewards and Seat Selection, see qantas.com/businesspassport
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