Supporting Sustainable Brands in New Zealand: iShipping at Go Green Expo

2025-11-11

Supporting Sustainable Brands in New Zealand: iShipping at Go Green Expo

The Go Green Expo, New Zealand’s largest sustainable lifestyle exhibition, has once again brought together brands, makers, local producers and consumers who share a commitment to living more responsibly. From natural skincare and handcrafted goods to organic food and eco-friendly homeware, the event highlights the growing movement toward conscious consumption and sustainable living.

This year, iShipping joined the expo as a logistics support partner, connecting with dozens of small and emerging sustainable brands. Through conversations with founders and hands-on discussions about production, packaging, and shipping challenges, we gained valuable insight into the realities these brands face and explored how we can better support them.

For us, Go Green Expo is more than a marketplace. It is a space where shared values meet vision, a place where we collectively ask, “How can we do better together?”

1.Changing Consumer Values: The Rise of Conscious Purchasing

Over the past few years, New Zealand consumers have become increasingly intentional about what they buy and who they buy from. Price and appearance are no longer the only factors—people now consider how products are made, what materials are used, and what impact their purchase will have on the environment.

Recent research from Consumer NZ and Shopless shows:

-66% of consumers prefer products made with sustainable materials or responsibly sourced ingredients.

-57% are willing to pay more for compostable, recyclable, or low-waste packaging.

-More than 50% look for transparency in sourcing and production practices before making a purchase.

This shift is visible offline and online: at local markets, in community shops, on Instagram and TikTok. Products like small-batch skincare, plant-based wellness items, hand-poured candles, reusable home essentials and slow-made fashion are gaining real traction, not just as goods, but as expressions of a lifestyle choice.

Consumers are increasingly choosing brands that align with their values. They are not just purchasing products; they are supporting a vision of what life can look like when sustainability becomes part of everyday decision-making.

2.Inside the 2025 Go Green Expo

Walking into Go Green Expo, the atmosphere is warm and intimate. Tables are filled with handcrafted soaps, beeswax wraps from local beekeepers, herbal teas, compostable tableware, natural fragrance blends, and handwoven bags. The scent of essential oils and raw materials lingers in the air.

Visitors aren’t rushing from booth to booth. They stop, listen, and genuinely engage.

-Customers ask brand owners about ingredients, sourcing and environmental impact.

-Founders share stories of trial, improvement, personal belief and commitment.

-Brands recommend each other to visitors and collaboration replaces competition.

Most of the visitors are not seeking discounts or bargains. They’re building relationships.
The expo reflects an emerging lifestyle trend:Consumption is no longer just a transaction. It is a form of gentle participation in shaping the world.

3.The Practical Challenges Behind Sustainable Brands

Despite gaining recognition, many sustainable brands still face daily operational obstacles, especially when it comes to logistics. Passion alone cannot solve these realities:

Higher Shipping Costs
Small order volumes make it difficult to access discounted courier rates. Even a small additional cost per parcel becomes significant over time.

Fragmented Order Fulfilment

Brands often sell through multiple channels, such as Shopify, Instagram, Trademe, local markets, pop-up events.Manually entering addresses and booking shipments quickly becomes overwhelming.

Limited Time and Capacity
Most founders are also designers, makers, marketers, photographers, customer support and warehouse staff. Logistics isn’t just one task among many. It can easily consume the time that should go to creativity and product development.

As many brand owners told us: “I want to spend my time improving my products—not comparing courier prices.”

We hear them. And we agree.

4.How iShipping Supports Sustainable Brands

Small brands don’t lack ideas, dedication or purpose.What they need is a logistics partner that reduces pressure, not adds to it. This is where iShipping comes in:

One-Platform Shipping & Price Comparison

Compare NZ Post, Aramex, Fliway and more in one place—no switching between courier websites.

Lower Shipping Rates Without Minimum Order Requirements

Send 1 parcel or 100, get the transparent, business-friendly pricing.

Automatic Order Syncing

Connect Shopify, Trademe, WooCommerce and more—no more manual address entry.

Enjoy exclusive business rates

Up to 50% cheaper than official courier prices.We also provide free courier bags to help you further reduce shipping costs.

When logistics become easier, brands gain back time for what matters most:
Product. Story. Community. Creativity. Purpose.

5.Closing Thoughts

A brand is more than what it sells. It represents a worldview, a commitment, a promise. Every maker who chooses responsible sourcing, local production, and sustainable packaging is shaping a better future for New Zealand—one product, one customer, one story at a time.

iShipping is proud to walk alongside them. Let’s continue to help sustainable brands in New Zealand grow with confidence, clarity and care.