Many a musician has found inspiration in a bottle. For Earth Bottles founder (and musician) Danni Carr, the lightbulb moment came when a batch of customised water bottles for musician husband Ash Grunwald sold out to fans in just two hours!

Four years on, and the ‘style meets substance’ ethos of Earth Bottles has a fan base of its own. Here, Danni shares her passion for a plastic-free world and the brand that took her family from Byron Bay to Bali… and back again.

We’re so excited to be launching our first collaboration with Earth Bottles. Can you take us back to how Earth Bottles began?

The whole concept was born from the idea of doing some branded water bottles as merchandise for my musician hubby, Ash Grunwald. Then doing the same for other bands. I had realised that there was a hole in the market at the time for a beautiful and functional bottle. So, I built the brand from there.

When you were first formulating the grand plan for what Earth Bottles would be, what were the most important elements for you?

From the very start I wanted the company to have a strong "give back" policy and to make a difference. The company had to be more about making a difference than making profits.

Not just any old stainless-steel drinking bottle, tell us about what sets Earth Bottles apart from the rest?

Well, again, that drive to make a difference I think sets us apart from the rest. I have no business background, so the company is very much driven by sheer passion for the environment and doing what we can to educate and make an impact. As my journey deepens, so does the business and what we think we can achieve. I have gone from just selling water bottles to running education programs and doing public speaking on plastic pollution. I think that is really were my passion lies.

Since launching in 2014, you have partnered with some really amazing good-cause organisations. What’s been the most rewarding element of these partnerships?

I have personal reasons for partnering with each charity, so giving them money to help support their work is really an amazing feeling.

Go-getter business woman, mother to two young children and wife to talented musician Ash Grunwald, what are the most important moments of your day?

Without doubt I find the most important part of my day is meditation and my morning walks. I need that time to clear my head and just be still and get everything into perspective. Perspective is a very important thing in business. For sure it's important for things to go well but there are so many hiccups, so to remember to have perspective and not let things consume you is essential.

Do you have any advice you can share with us for creating a family-first approach to the daily grind?

Absolutely, I’m an early riser so I usually get some work done before the kids get up. I do my best to stay off phones and emails while the kids are around, so I can be fully present with them. So, a bit of work before they get up and then phones and emails away when they get home. Family is the most important thing and you need to nurture that no matter how busy you are.

Can you recall the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about motherhood?

Hahaha, my best friend said to me when I was pregnant with Sunny “Never take over when Ash goes to do something with the baby like change the nappy or getting up with the baby. Let him make mistakes just like you and figure it out together” I did, and I swear that was the best advice ever. He really is a hands-on dad and we share the load equally.

Who inspires you most and what’s your daily source of motivation?

My kids for sure, and also the kids here in Indonesia. They are so open to learn, and they get so excited. I see them as the ones who will make the difference. They really inspire me to want to teach how to facilitate change.

A note to your younger self?

Good on you, legend! All the mistakes you made and all the choices you chose, got you to this exact point today.

What does 2019 hold for you and for Earth Bottles?

We will hopefully have our education program here in Bali in full swing which is super exciting. We also have some exciting new products being launched which we can't wait to unveil.

For our own curiosity, and as an on-going source of inspiration, we always like to find out as much as we can about our featured guests, can you humour us with the first thing that comes to mind for each of the below?

Currently I am....

Drinking | Lots of mineral water. Ash and I gave up drinking at the start of 2017. So, it's lots of kombucha and mineral waters

Cooking | I don't have an oven here in Bali, so I am making lots of raw vegan cheese cakes. It's a bit of an obsession

Planning | To do some travelling with the kids and Ash

Listening | To Ash's new demos

Dreaming | Of travelling with Ash and the kids

Wearing | Whatever is clean in my cupboard

Watching | Who gets time for that?

Reading | Wayne Dyer’s Living Wisdom of the Tao

Wishlist....

To hear | That plastic bags and water bottles have been banned in Bali!

To see | No plastics on the streets, rivers and beaches in Bali.

To hold | My visions strong in my heart.

To visit | Rural China, that's new on my wishlist.

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