This is part of our ongoing series, called DTL (that stands for Down to Learn), where we take deep dives into the odd, nuanced and mysterious world of sustainability. Each article in our series should give you a good icebreaker for your next Zoom, or perhaps even inspire you. Today, a nostalgic journey through our first year.

From our quarantine start-up garage beginnings to toasting one year of Goldune this week, we wanted to share our story with you.

May 2020:

Lots of quarantine downtime = lots of time to think… and our founder, Azora Zoe, starts thinking about this one idea she has... 

June 2020:

After a lot of sleepless nights obsessing over her idea, and a little nudge from a close friend, she decides to take the plunge! 

July 2020:

Azora Zoe calls up our designer, Leila, and asks her to take a stab at some branding that’s bright, colorful, and warm-- everything she’s been missing in the sustainability space. Oh, and Azora Zoe files for incorporation. Paperwork, and stuff.

October 2020:

After two months of building a marketplace behind the scenes, and cold emailing every sustainable small business that’s ever caught her eye, Goldune launches! Azora Zoe is writing product descriptions truly up until the last possible second. There is not much sleep and there are a lot of bagels.

November 2020:

Goldune has its first ever press moment-- a print and digital spread in Bon Appetit. Azora Zoe cuts out the pages to frame ‘em… Which she swears she’ll get around to now that it’s been a year. She also hires two brilliant interns-- Sarah and Carrie!

February 2021:

Azora Zoe films a TikTok in the bathroom of her parents house that goes totally viral and we sell out all the Zero Waste Shower Racks in existence. (We still get requests for this product on the daily, almost a year later!) Gotta love beginner’s luck on TikTok.

April 2021:

After a lot of writing and designing behind the scenes, Sarah and Carrie and Azora Zoe pull off a huge Earth Month and launch our Sustainability Spectrum and Circularity programs. It was the most impactful month for press, sales and content in Goldune history-- we got to raise a lot of money for WeAct, a non-profit that fights environmental racism, too.

July 2021:

Azora Zoe *finally* get to hire Goldune’s first-ever full-time employee-- Joan, our Operations Lead! A few weeks later, Preetma, our VP of Brand & Merchandising joins our team too, and Azora Zoe packs up her parent’s basement (RIP Goldune’s California HQ! You were beloved!) and moves Goldune’s office to bustlin’ Manhattan.

September 2021:

We double in size again (hello, Lauren, Leila, Yasha, Ari and Kara!) and gear up for our first birthday.

October 2021:

We survive one year in business-- mid-pandemic, no less! We celebrate by launching our first Goldune-designed best seller, re-imagining our best selling compost bin in a sunny buttercup hue that our community helped us pick out in our Instagram stories.

Thank you for sticking with us. It’s been a wild ride and we can’t wait for what’s to come. Your support truly means the world to us. Xoxo Team G