Sara Baxter of Paperclip talks green premiums, trust & growing a values-led consumer brand

Building a sustainability business isn’t just about good intentions.It’s about the trade-offs you make when values, margins, and growth collide.In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I’m joined by Sara Baxter, Co-Founder and CEO of Paperclip.Sara shares what it’s really like to build a consumer sustainability brand under real commercial pressure - from absorbing higher material costs to competing with cheaper alternatives and navigating growth without losing trust.We talk about:Why sustainable materials often come with a “green premium”How founders decide when to protect margins vs valuesThe reality of DTC and wholesale growth for early-stage brandsWhy influencer marketing and agencies often disappointHow trust, education, and transparency shape long-term demandThe hard lessons Sara learned as a founder - and what she’d do differentlyThis episode is for sustainability founders and operators who want an honest look at what it takes to grow a values-led business without shortcuts.