About.
01
How It Started
Uniplug began when we discovered seaweed-based packaging — truly plastic-free and already trusted at some of the world's biggest venues. We couldn't understand why more businesses weren't using it.
The answer was awareness and visibility. Genuinely good independent brands simply couldn't be found — and when people did look, this is what they found instead:
So we built something different. Not a marketplace, but a movement.
02
Who It's For
Uniplug is built for three kinds of people — and everyone is welcome.
Conscious Consumers
Browse a curated directory of independent sustainable brands. Every single one is vetted, independently owned, and authentically green. You buy directly from them — we never touch the transaction.
Businesses
Find credible sustainable alternatives across any category. Explore the directory yourself, or work with us directly to source, sample, and switch. For packaging and compostable cutlery, we supply directly through our network of authorised supplier partners.
Independent Brands
There are a lot of amazing brands out there — and we want to hear from all of them. If you're genuinely sustainable and independently owned, apply to be featured. We'll research you properly, and if you meet the standard, you'll earn a place in the directory. No fees. Ever.
03
How We Curate
Every brand is evaluated against five criteria. All five. No shortcuts.
Materials & Ingredients
We evaluate what brands disclose about their ingredients and supply chains. Where available, we review third-party certifications and laboratory reports. We do not conduct our own lab testing — but we scrutinise everything put in front of us and ask questions when something doesn't add up.
Company Responsibility
Fair wages, ethical supply chains, honest practices. Official certifications like Fair Trade and B Corp are strong indicators — but we also champion small brands doing right by people without the costly paperwork.
Ownership & Representation
The sustainability industry has historically been exclusive. We prioritise underrepresented founders — female-, BIPOC-, and LGBTQIA+-owned businesses — because genuine sustainability must include the people who get to build it.
Packaging & End of Life
We strongly prioritise brands using recyclable, compostable, or reusable packaging — and it weighs heavily in our curation. It is not an automatic disqualifier, but brands using unnecessary plastic will need to demonstrate exceptional standards everywhere else.
Weighted factorGive Back
1% for the Planet, social enterprise, local ecosystem stewardship — however a brand does it, demonstrable impact beyond the product is mandatory.
04
Ownership & Independence
Independent does not always mean bootstrapped. A founder can take outside investment and still operate with full integrity. What matters is who controls the brand — and our policy below makes clear where the line is.
What we also know is that externally funded brands follow a predictable pattern. Once a brand reaches significant scale, acquisition by a major corporation tends to follow — a pattern we've seen repeat across beauty, consumer markets, and wellness. External funding can also erode a founder's independence long before any acquisition takes place.
Large conglomerates increasingly maintain quiet influence through minority stakes in private equity or corporate venture capital firms — meaning a brand can appear independent on the surface while already operating within a corporate orbit.
Zero-Exception Policy
If a brand is acquired by, becomes majority-owned by, or accepts direct investment from a major corporate venture arm, it is immediately removed from our directory. No exceptions.
By "major corporate venture arm" we mean any investment vehicle majority-owned by, or operating on behalf of, a corporation with annual revenues exceeding £500 million.
We conduct periodic ownership reviews of every listed brand. Community flags are a valuable additional check — if you notice a brand has quietly shifted ownership, please flag it for our curation team.
05
How We Operate
Completely Independent
Uniplug does not accept payment from brands for placement, visibility, or promotion of any kind. No brand can buy its way into the directory. Every listing is earned on merit — full stop. The only goal is to give you a trustworthy place to discover brands that are genuinely doing things right.Affiliate Commissions
Some brands offer affiliate commissions — if you buy through a link, we may earn a small fee. We disclose this openly. It has no bearing on who gets featured or how they're presented. A brand earns its place before any commercial arrangement exists. Whether you buy or not is entirely your call.Authorised Distribution
Occasionally we become an authorised distributor for a supplier — but only when we believe a product is genuinely exceptional and has the potential to change how entire industries operate. The conviction comes first. The commercial relationship follows. Currently this applies to Notpla, ZeroCircle, and No2ndPlanet — all evaluated against the same criteria as every other brand in the directory.Funding
Uniplug is currently founder-funded. Any revenue model we adopt will be disclosed here, in full, before it goes live.06
How We Compare
| Practice | Others | Uniplug |
|---|---|---|
| Get paid to feature or promote brands | ✓ | ✕ |
| Charge brands to be listed or seen | ✓ | ✕ |
| Charge consumers to browse and use | ✓ | ✕ |
| Use fear mongering to drive engagement | ✓ | ✕ |
| Remove brands acquired by corporations | ✕ | ✓ |
| Disclose all commercial relationships | ✕ | ✓ |
| Vet every brand before featuring | ✕ | ✓ |