If there’s one question that defines our generation, it has to be this: how do we align our lives with our work, so that we’re doing work that represents our desired lifestyles and values, while supporting ourselves and our families? Natalie of Natalie Hands Studio is one business owner doing just that.
I’ve seen a few freelancers who have branded themselves in a way similar to what I do in my business—targeting small brands and organizations that are committed to environmental and social responsibility in their work. I get a little spark of hope with every new website I see that makes it loud and clear that they’re here to support positive change.
When I saw Natalie’s website, I noticed how different it was. It was gorgeous. It had personality. Scrolling to the bottom, I saw this headline: Book your project with us and we plant 12 trees.
It wasn’t long before I connected with Natalie, asking her what it means to be a designer focused on a zero waste lifestyle. As I got to know her, I learned that she lives in Portland, OR, working toward zero waste in her personal life and in her studio, and is gearing up for a minimalist, mobile lifestyle spent traveling the continent with her husband, beginning this July.
As we chatted, I could sense that many things in her life was done by design. This idea of intentionally designing your life so that your personal and professional sides align, and so that you align with the needs of your environment hits on that burning question.
Tell us a little about your personal commitment to low impact living and how that came to be:
So, my low impact living journey actually began about 4 years ago. I was super broke and looking for ways to achieve these beautiful looks I had conjured up for my first apartment on a tight budget. That’s when I stumbled upon zero-waste living online. I had always been a DIY type of woman, but I immediately became enamored with the zero waste lifestyle and knowing that it had such a positive impact! From there, I dove headfirst into doing everything I could to minimize my waste, reduce plastics in my life, and reduce my impact. I’ve been working over the years to further reduce my impact, and my excess as a whole, in ways that work best for my life. My next step in that is going vegan!
Was there a time when your professional life didn’t mesh with your commitment to green living? Was there a turning point or more of a gradual shift to running a “green” business?
Absolutely. I was the Art Director for a wholesale candy company in Kansas City, MO for a while. While working there, I was overseeing all product development and packaging needs. I realized how much waste was happening in my department and for some reason that had never clicked with me as a designer. All those candy wrappers from product photo shoots, baggies from mockups, hardly used paper, etc. It really clicked one day, and I ended up developing a recycling program for the company and implementing more eco-friendly methods of product development. Soon after, the company was bought, and the entire staff was let go. This was when I jumped into the full-time independent creative life and brought those methods over to my own business.
In what ways has your eco-friendly lifestyle influenced the ways you run your design studio?
It’s really affected my business in many ways, but some of the main ones are how I work in general. I’m just overall more conscious of my decisions and their impact. I do 99% of things digitally, I rarely ever print, and I skip the coffee shop waste and make my own cold brew and nut milk. Every decision I make in my business always comes with the question “But, what’s the impact of this?” For example, I love the current trend of laying out your work all beautifully and getting great shots of it, but what do I do with that paper I printed out for that one photo shoot afterward? What do I do with the product my client sent me for portfolio photos after the shoot? Instead, I just avoid all of that and make mock-ups in Photoshop. Another thing that really crossed over was how I utilize tools. Everything in my workspace has multiple purposes and will last me a very long time.
You plant trees with every project you book. Tell us about your partnership with OneTreePlanted, and how that came to be an integral part of your business:
Yes! Every time a client books a project with me, I donate to OneTreePlanted to plant 12 trees in areas affected by forest fires. It was something I was doing for quite some time, without talking about it. Once I began letting clients know it was happening, they were intrigued and happy knowing their dollars went somewhere great. Now, it’s just something I put out there in hopes of other independent creatives seeing it and doing something similar in a realm that they’re passionate about.
As a business owner in a creative industry, what advice do you have for others about finding work or clients that align with your passion for sustainability?
When a client doesn’t directly align with your passion for sustainability—which is often—it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work together. It’s an opportunity to educate and help them align a bit more. You have the chance to chat with your clients about these things and to help implement them into their business. Everything from merely talking about why you provide digital mock-ups instead of traditional or sourcing local-to-client, sustainable goods all add up and leave an impact! Also, just put it out there. People love knowing you’re doing something good and aren’t just another independent creative trying to get that money and go.
Love this perspective. Find Natalie nataliehands.com at and follow her on Instagram.
(First three graphics by Natalie Hands Studio)
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