Ferdinand-Marc Gallinelli's takeover of the Dessange group in Luxembourg, after devoting virtually his entire career to this internationally renowned French brand, marks the culmination of a successful career. During our interview, we wanted to find out about what motivates him and the various steps that had made him a major entrepreneur in the Luxembourg hairdressing market, as well as the details of this business takeover, which has been supported by our experts Johny Basher and Franck Alter from the Transfer team at Spuerkeess. Happy reading!
Tree.to.Skin – Self-care meets Earth-care
Is it possible to create nourishing self-care products for body and soul while protecting the planet? This question has been at the heart of how Tree.to.Skin came about.
Our answer is yes. With a lot of work, collaboration and careful selection of ingredients, everything is possible.
We believe that, progressively becoming more mindful about what we consume, is one of the most powerful ways to drive positive change. The bathroom is a great (and rewarding!) place to start introducing small earth and body care habits into your daily life. No more plastic bottles are needed in your bathroom. We have optimised our recipes in a way that no more packaging is necessary as the whole line of products comes in solid bar form: Shampoo bars, Natural Soap, Facial Detox Cleanser, Body Butters and Bath Bombs. The magical ingredient that makes all of this possible while being very nourishing and hydrating to your hair and skin is…cocoa butter.
We put a lot of time, care and creativity into developing the recipes. Especially the shampoo took quite some experimenting to find the best result. Before starting out with our idea, we have tried out many shampoo bars of other brands but we were never really satisfied with the result. Hair would either be as greasy as before the wash or too dry. That’s why we are so proud of our shampoo bar, that leaves the hair clean, shiny and soft. As a consumer, you don’t need to compromise on quality if you want to go green, quite the opposite.
What’s so special about Tree.To.Skin is that we really try to create 100% ethical products across the entire value chain; from the organic cocoa production, to the transportation overseas, and the final crafting in Luxembourg. Our ultimate goal is to avoid plastic and pollution from the tree to the skin and minimise carbon emissions as much as possible.
By relying exclusively on organic, mainly local ingredients (except for the sun-loving cocoa) and avoiding all types of synthetical additives, we have solved part of the puzzle. All our products are free from plastics, parabens, petroleum-based substances, sulfates, formaldehyde, synthetic colorants and fragrances, silicones, glitters, and other nasty stuff commonly used in conventional shampoos and soaps.
We keep on dreaming big. In the future, we would like to push further by directly sourcing the cocoa from indigenous families in Costa Rica, and making sure the organic cocoa butter we use travels to us in a climate-friendly way. Luckily, some passionate sailors have started transporting products such as coffee beans, rum and of course cocoa beans across the Atlantic. There are still a few hurdles to take linked to import laws and finding the right sailing boat company but we are optimistic we will make it happen in the future.
We commit investing 100% of our profits into getting more trees into the ground. Especially in areas where vulnerable communities can profit from the food, medicine, and general livelihood support those wonderful cocoa forests generate. Add to this the manifold benefits of trees for wildlife and the climate, and you’ll understand why we love cocoa forests so much!
Our products are freshly handcrafted in the Seefenatelier from Yolande Coop in Betzder, a workplace for professional inclusion in Luxembourg which employs people with special abilities and works towards inclusion for all. We are happy to collaborate with an institution that is 100% aligned with our social values, and - most of all - we are totally enjoying this unique experience of working together with such a lovely team!!
What’s next?
Like for most of us, the pandemic created a bit of a slowdown in our work. However, now that regulations are easing, we are excited to start crafting new batches. If you are interested in trying out our products you can always contact us through our Facebook or Instagram page. We have pick-up points in Betzdorf and Bettembourg, as well as postal delivery.
Nyuko has signed a partnership with Spuerkeess, in order to foster entrepreneurial spirit and strengthening the bank's position with company founders from the start of their businesses. More info in our article: https://www.spuerkeess.lu/en/blog/experts-corner/nyuko-fostering-entrepreneurial-spirit/.