Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Janean Mann of Junes Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Penny Bauder
Gather yourself with employees who believe in what you’re doing, they’ll invest energy and vision into the brand.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Janean Mann.
Janean Mann is an activist and the founder of Junes — the only reusable bag made out of recycled plastic bottles with CiCLO® technology called Bio-Knit. Janean launched the brand in 2014, after taking a trip to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua for dinner with friends. During this trip, Janean noticed rows of posters of missing women, mostly young girls with no voice to advocate for them. This opened her eyes to the violence women were experiencing in the city of Juarez — a place plagued by human and drug trafficking.
With a passion for cleaning up the textile industry, Janean was on a mission to create a practical and chic product that could help create solutions around the environment and helping women. Following that trip, combining the two felt like a natural next step, and she decided to focus her energy on creating a bag that would give back to women and the planet — by partnering with an all-female sewing cooperative in Juarez to help women sustainably support their families. A portion of sales is donated to the Global Fund for Women, to empower and protect women from gender-based violence.
The intentional choices she made along the way when it came to sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, and shipping led her to achieve her largest environmental goal yet — launching a revolutionary new fabric made from recycled plastic that would not last forever in the environment. This summer — after a two-year search to find the right partners, materials, and process — Junes launched multi-purpose bags in a revolutionary and proprietary Bio-Knit fabric, made from recycled plastic bottles and mesh infused with CiCLO technology, which helps the fabric breakdown as a natural fiber would.
Janean’s goal is to trap all plastics in a loop of usefulness, eliminating the need to produce new plastics while providing a sustainable plan for those that are already here.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas which is border to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The experience of living in a border town alone helped shape my understanding of the world and ultimately fed my love of Mexican culture, social impact and environmental justice. My journey to becoming sustainable definitely stemmed from my childhood. Growing up, I always looked up to my mom for being environmentally conscious. She’s been one of my biggest influencers from an early age in becoming more self-aware for one’s actions and the impact it will have on the planet.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
When I started my business, Junes, I knew that I wanted to do my part in multiple areas that I felt passionate about. Creating a functional product became the door of opportunity that would allow me to bring awareness to one of those areas — the violence and femicide women face daily in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Our mission is not only bringing awareness to this issue, but driving a direct impact to these women’s lives. We work with an all-women co-op that helps us with the production of our eco-conscious totes — that alone provides them a safe and reliable work environment they can count on while also providing them a sustainable living wage. In addition to that, we continuously donate to organizations on the border who help fight for these women and to bring justice to their perpetrators.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
In May 2014, I launched Junes after a trip to Ciudad Juarez. While I had made plenty of trips to Juarez in my lifetime, after being away for a few years and coming back home, it felt different. It wasn’t the city that I had visited on my occasions before. It opened my eyes to the violence women were enduring and experiencing there daily, with no voice to fight for them. I vividly remember walking down what was once high-traffic streets on a rather quiet Sunday afternoon. It was hard to recognize a city that a few years back could not have imagined such quietness on such a day. It felt heavy, eerie. Rows of empty storefronts were plastered with posters of hundreds of missing women, mostly young girls. That became a pinnacle moment for me and my business, and it was at that moment when I decided that I needed to find a way to give back to the women of Juarez.
I was on a mission to create a chic, practical and affordable reusable bag that would help in the fight against plastic pollution which I’m passionate about. After that initial trip, I was introduced to an all-women sewing cooperative in Juarez and eventually found a way to partner with them. They’re an essential part of the production of my business and a true reflection of my product — strong.
We truly believe that we can help the planet and the people living in it. Our proprietary Bio-Knit fabric is like nothing else in the market. We’re creating a fully biodegradable bag made from recycled plastic bottles, which won’t last forever in a landfill or ocean. With this fabric, we’re fully able to close the loop and effectively delete plastic from earth.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I always knew that I wanted to take the lead in my career. It wasn’t an easy step to take, as I had a full-time gig before I launched my business but I knew if I could be an entrepreneur that was invested in impact, I just had to take the leap and trust the process. For me, my “aha moment” came upon my return from traveling abroad in 2014. A few friends decided to take me out to dinner in Juarez and they insisted on taking me to a fabric store after.
After looking at some fabric, I knew that there was a niche for a chic reusable bag. My second “aha moment” came that same day as we were walking across the bridge to come back home. I saw posters lined up of hundreds of missing women. It clicked for me at that point in time that I could create a reusable bag that would allow me to help these women in some capacity.
Many people don’t know the steps to take to start a new organization. But you did. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?
I had started a business with a friend back in NYC but it only lasted a year. After that, I knew it wasn’t going to give up easily on my next idea and that it would take a lot of focus and determination. But I didn’t know anything about the industry nor did I know any hacks to get started to get by. I went into this with an idea of what I wanted to create and what I wanted the brand to represent. Other than my mission and values behind the brand, I had little to no clue. Every mistake has helped me grow and also has taught me how to quickly pivot as a small business. I’m still learning daily and expanding my knowledge on how to be the best business owner I can be.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
When I first launched the business, I made the decision to travel all across the west coast and attend as many of the “best farmers markets” out there as possible. I was lucky enough to make stops in LA, Ojai, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. I had no real plan but was on a mission to share Junes with as many people as I could connect with. Throughout that trip I stayed with numerous friends, friends of friends and even folks I had met at local places that were nice enough to host me. True story, a person I met let me camp in his vineyard in Sonoma. It was an incredible experience and I have high hopes to do it again soon!
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or take away you learned from that?
I was working with a new sewing manufacturer in LA and needed some samples done for a show I was doing there. We were on a tight timeline so I offered to help iron. I somehow convinced him and I got busy. I ended up working there for a while, mastering the iron, becoming friendly with the QC team and overall making myself at home. I did the same with the guy who did the cutting. My first fabric I was using could be hard to work with since it was shiny and slippery, so I wanted to help. I became the cutter’s assistant, rolling out and laying down the fabric and bundling up the cuts. I’m a curious person and like to understand how everything works but I realize now I’m a bit of a control freak. I was worried things would not be done well so I wanted to make sure everything was going smoothly. The lesson I’ve learned through all this, is to vet and take your time to find good people to work with, then allow them to do their job.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
My mom is definitely my biggest cheerleader, she believes in me and my vision and I probably wouldn’t have made it this far without her. I also have a great mentor in the textile/manufacturing industry who has helped by guiding me through the manufacturing process, wholesale and different aspects of owning a business. He’s been a great resource and support system in my journey of entrepreneurship.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
We need more awareness of the issues of female violence and femicide. Justice needs to be brought to the victims. We got enough signatures to propose a plastic bag ban for the city of El Paso. It’s been a controversial mandate in Texas and the US but we’ll see what we can do here. It’s a widespread mandate across Mexico, why can’t we do it here?
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
As a small business, we are still in the climb to becoming profitable. For us, at this stage of the company, we’re more invested in creating opportunities for individuals to want to add impactful habits to their daily routine and an easy avenue to living more consciously is incorporating reusable bags.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- You’re not going to know everything about running a business and that is the point of being an entrepreneur — learn, adjust, try again.
- Gather yourself with employees who believe in what you’re doing, they’ll invest energy and vision into the brand.
- Don’t wait for things to happen, do research and ask questions.
- Be cognizant of how you’re spending money and where it’s driving impact.
- Create a community by connecting with other entrepreneurs in the same space.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Invest time in creating small daily habits throughout your week. Over time, the amount of impact you’re making will surprise you and can create a domino effect with those you surround yourself with.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
A quote that resonates a lot with both my business and personal life has to be: “The hardest thing about getting started, is getting started.” — Guy Kawasaki
After you get started, the momentum you gain overpowers the feeling of wanting to stop so the trick is just to get moving on your plans and goals.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Wow, I’ve thought about this question many times. I would want to brunch with Sara Blakely. I’ve always been inspired by her story and how she got started. I would love to have the chance to sit down and talk with her about creating a disruptive product, perseverance and not giving up.
How can our readers follow you online?
Sure! If you’re interested in shopping sustainable, visit us at www.junes.co or take a peek at what we’re up to over on our social media channels @junesbags — We’d love to have you join the #JunesFamilia.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the author: Penny is an environmental scientist-turned-entrepreneur. She’s worked as a climate scientist, an environmental planner, and a wilderness park ranger. Motivated by a passion to raise a generation of environmental leaders, in 2010 Penny founded Green Kid Crafts, a children’s media company that provides kids around the world with convenient and eco-friendly STEAM activities. Today, it’s become a leader in the subscription industry, with over 1 million packages shipped worldwide that have exposed a generation to think about and take a leadership role in sustainability. Penny, her husband Jeff, and her children Rowan and Declan live together in San Diego, California. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Management and an M.S. in Environmental Science. Penny has over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, strategy and finance. She’s a seasoned leader, an inspiring speaker, an encouraging business mentor, and a creative writer. You can learn more about Green Kid Crafts at https://www.greenkidcrafts.com/ and follow Penny’s stories and updates at https://www.instagram.com/greenkidcrafts/ and https://twitter.com/bauderpenny.
Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Janean Mann of Junes Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.