Growing up in Torquay – the beating heart of the Australian surf industry – e3 Products founder and Managing Director Carlo Lowdon didn’t just observe the pioneers of iconic Australian brands like Quiksilver and Rip Curl; he absorbed their ethos. Watching them, Carlo saw first-hand how businesses could be built to support a “life by design” – where work supports your lifestyle, not the other way around.
But for Carlo, it was also about designing a business that works for the planet. Raised by parents who actively picked up beach rubbish back in the 70s and 80s, the ethos of leaving the world a better place than when you arrived was ingrained in him early on.
When e3 launched around 2005, it began with a batch of 12 sticker designs for the Great Ocean Road, selling an incredible 40,000 units in the first summer. Even then, e3 wove environmentalism into their DNA, sneaking positive affirmations into the sticker designs as subtle reminders to “keep Australia clean”. Soon after, e3 introduced a soft toy range stuffed with unprocessed bamboo fibre instead of recycled polyester, and utilised organic cotton off-cuts – putting them well ahead of the sustainability curve.
The Battle for Better Materials
Today, sustainability at e3 isn’t just a marketing initiative; it is a non-negotiable core of the business. E3 recently achieved a massive milestone: originally aiming to reach 25% sustainable products or raw materials, they successfully hit 75% within just two years.
This progress didn’t come easily. It took nearly a year and a half of constant persistence and emails to convince overseas factories to produce recycled alloy for e3’s keyrings, magnets, and hat pins. Initially told it was “impossible,” Carlo’s dedication paid off. Today, these highly popular items are made from the swept-up off-cuts of car and phone batteries.
“We could change things to make them better instead of just producing the same thing year after year. We were actually dedicated to making change.”
Carlo – e3 Products Founder
Beyond the products themselves, e3 has aggressively overhauled its packaging. Poly wrap packaging was eliminated a decade ago, and the company has since transitioned to minimal, unbleached craft card and FSC-certified paper. This move was deeply appreciated by major retail partners like Taronga Zoo, who were struggling with the waste generated by traditional plastic packaging.
People and Purpose
“It doesn’t have to be a big project to make a contribution. One piece of rubbish makes a difference if we all do a little bit.”
For Carlo, true sustainability extends beyond the environment to social sustainability. He is deeply committed to ensuring his team enjoys the same work-life balance and lifestyle flexibility that he values. It’s about ensuring his staff can be there for their families, like attending a kid’s sports day, without being a slave to the traditional 9-to-5.
For years, Carlo drove the business solo, but a turning point came during a trip to France. Sitting on a chairlift, he realised he was essentially driving an “empty bus”- managing a company that relied solely on his own output. He made a conscious decision to shift gears: he stopped trying to do it all himself, choosing instead to build a team. “I had to make a conscious decision to go, ‘All right, let’s make it a bigger and better company as a whole and have other people involved,'” Carlo explains. “I didn’t want to just be driving around an empty bus.”
“If you are a business owner and you say money’s not part of it, well, you’ll be out of business. But you don’t want people to be slaves to it, either.”
Ultimately, Carlo recognises that people are at their happiest when they are on holidays. By partnering with eco-conscious tourist destinations like Sea Life, Taronga, and Scenic World, E3 ensures that the practical souvenirs tourists take home are a positive reminder of that happy mindset – without leaving a negative mark on the earth.
