At terra20, our story begins with building a home. In 2006, founder Steve Kaminski was building a home for his family from the ground up. While watching a hockey game with friend Bill Stewart, Steve mentioned how difficult it had been to find eco-friendly products, and wouldn’t it be nice if there was a single source eco-department store?

That casual remark was the start of something big. It fuelled a desire to create an entirely new concept on the Canadian retail market. Steve and Bill were two men on a mission – to create an easier way to explore green options.

“The key was not to be just another company with a broad range of products. It has to be more significant than that, and go beyond product offering,” notes Steve. “We wanted to really harness all the knowledge that’s out there to drive terra20. For example, can our customers have a say about what goes on our shelves? That’s key, because it’s about community and inviting participation. We want people to feel like they belong and have a voice.”

They created a vision for a different type of modern retail environment. One that acknowledged our busy lives and made it as simple as possible to explore healthier, more sustainable products. One that embraced the 21st century and looked forward to the future. One that was just as comfortable for a dedicated environmentalist as it was for an eco-beginner.

Equally as important, terra20 had to create a more streamlined –and transparent–method for vendors to get quality green products to market faster. At terra20 every product is chosen with care to make sure it lives up to our green standards.

“We’ve had to turn some vendors away. When it comes to understanding their certifications, we’ve really got to do our due diligence,” states Bill. “The comment we hear a lot is that other retailers don’t go as deep into understanding their product line.”

Community. Convenience. Credibility. These are the words that define terra20’s vision.

From our home to your home, green made easy. That’s the story of terra20. Learn more about our ethics and our team.