Gwen Whiting, the innovative entrepreneur behind the popular eco-friendly cleaning brand The Laundress, found herself facing a shocking situation in late 2022. While she’d sold the company to Unilever in 2019 for a reported $100 million, leaving behind a successful start-up she nurtured for two decades, she was blindsided by a massive product recall that impacted millions.
It all unfolded when a friend sent Whiting a viral Instagram post revealing that The Laundress was warning customers to halt the use of its entire product line due to potential bacterial contamination. This unexpected news came as a gut punch, especially since Unilever had terminated her email access after her employment contract ended. Whiting was forced to watch helplessly as customers, many of whom she considered personal friends, voiced their concerns and frustrations online.
Bound by a strict non-disparagement clause, Whiting was legally prohibited from addressing the unfolding drama. “It made me feel like I didn’t care,” she admitted months later, her voice laced with frustration. “That’s what I would have thought if someone never replied,” she added, recalling the helpless feeling of being silenced while her creation faced a devastating public crisis.
When the dust settled, Unilever blamed a third-party manufacturer for the contamination. However, Whiting, now free from the non-disparagement clause, launched a very public and impassioned critique of Unilever’s handling of the situation.
Whiting painted a picture of a corporate giant that had failed to provide the promised support and expertise during the acquisition process. She recounted feeling unsupported and unheard within the massive corporate structure, describing her attempts to alert Unilever executives about potential issues as futile. “I didn’t think, naively, that it was my responsibility to say, ‘Where’s my bank account tomorrow?’ There was no manners, no ethics, no professionalism,” she said, recalling her experience.
As the debacle unfolded, Whiting found herself yearning to return to what she knew best: creating high-quality, environmentally conscious cleaning products.
She envisioned a brand that couldn’t be tainted by the negativity that clung to The Laundress.
This desire led to the launch of The Fill, a new aromatherapy-focused cleaning line. Drawing on her years of experience, Whiting sought to build a sustainable and ethically responsible company. The Fill, with its elegantly designed refillable bottles and essential oil-infused formulas, aimed to elevate the everyday chore of cleaning into a more luxurious and sensory experience.
While the Fill initially embraced a membership model for its online store, excluding traditional retail channels, Whiting insists on creating a brand based on transparency and direct customer communication. Following in the footsteps of her previous venture, Whiting continues to act as a personal cleaning consultant for her customers, offering advice and remedies for even the most stubborn stains and dilemmas.
The relaunch allowed Whiting to reclaim her place as a leader in the world of eco-conscious cleaning. This time, she was determined to steer her own course, leaving behind the corporate behemoth and embracing the direct connection with her loyal customer base.