Saving the world by design: Goodee offers better products for a better life

Byron and Dexter Peart, founders of Goodee, are changing the narrative around home decor. In our new podcast, The Export Impact podcast with host Joe Mimran, the pair discuss their shared philosophy and how shoppers need to think quality, not quantity, when they set out to upgrade their working and living spaces.

Born and raised in Ottawa, the twin brothers first popped up on the fashion world’s radar in 2000 when they opened a tiny shop in Old Montreal called Want Stil. Driven by a shared love of beauty and craftsmanship, they built a name for themselves by being the first to import major international brands to North America.

But the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry was a sticking point. “We weren’t going to try to bend the fashion apparel market to a more sustainable environment, which is tremendously difficult,” says Dexter. “We’ve always had a love for interiors—which I think is a natural evolution of fashion anyway—so, we thought the environment of the home was going to be a better tableau for us to experiment with our narrative.”

Goodee is about expressing that narrative: One based on ethical consumption, sustainability, and making a positive impact on the world. “On the (Goodee) platform, every product and brand has associated values and, in many cases, multiple values that it supports,” Dexter continues. “So, a customer who’s looking to buy for themselves or give a gift can do that, and attach something that’s important to them to the new product they want to bring into their lives.”

The brothers have had to overcome a lot of challenges to get where they are today, but have had a lot of fun along the way. Click here to listen.