Feb. 25—SHARON — With shelves of glass jars and large plastic jugs containing different products, customers don't come to Robin's Refills for a bottle of soap or shampoo — they come for a refill.

Aside from topping off soaps or lotions, customers can buy a few other products as well, including homemade bath bombs and reusable shopping bags, all of which combine to make Robin's Refills a zero-waste shop.

The proprietors of the business are Hermitage natives Sarah Hinkson, 59, and her daughter Robin Atwell, 31.

"Instead of tossing out old plastic bottles and buying new bottles of soap, people can just refill the soap," Atwell said.

The idea first came about a couple years ago, when Atwell was a part-time real estate agent while working a full-time job, and Hinkson's job in Hermitage relocated to a new location about an hour away.

Not wanting to retire, Hinkson said she wanted to find something new to do. But her options were limited since she's legally blind, meaning Hinkson can see to some extent but can't read text or drive.

"I wasn't going to just sit at home," Hinkson said.

Hinkson eventually found an idea in the form of a TikTok video--- a zero-waste shop in the Netherlands, which emphasized refills and reusable items. Hinkson shared the video with her daughter, who was interested in the idea but not necessarily ready to start a business.

"I remember my mom used to send me these videos and ask me, 'What do you think of this?'" Atwell said.

The more environmentally-friendly business model wasn't entirely new to the duo, since their family had previously lived in Germany for five years.

During that time, Hinkson and Atwell saw firsthand the increased awareness some Europeans had toward sustainable living, whether it meant walking or biking more often, to getting refills or avoiding grocery bags when shopping.

"A lot of people over there still buy groceries every day, and they'll take a basket that they reuse over and over again," Hinkson said.

Eventually Atwell became a full-time real estate agent, allowing her to quit her previous full-time job and creating time to start Robin's Refills with her mother. Hinkson, although nervous, also received some encouragement from her husband as well.

"I asked my husband, 'What if it fails?' and he said, 'So what? At least you two tried,'" Hinkson said.

The duo started Robin's Refills by attending the Hermitage Night Markets in September , as well as some other festivals and events that catered to vendors and artisans.

Although new to owning a local business, the duo said they were received positively by customers at the Night Markets, especially younger people, who were interested in living more-sustainable lifestyles.

"A lot of people would say they'd heard of refill stores, but they didn't know of any local stores," Atwell said.

Hinkson said it was difficult at first sourcing the different goods that the duo offers, since she and her daughter have to buy products in bulk that contain natural ingredients or are recyclable.

"Some companies will put a little green leaf on a label or they'll say something like 'recyclable,' but then you read the list of ingredients and you see some of the chemicals and things that regular brands use," Atwell said.

One of the duo's main suppliers is the company Rustic Strength, which not only offers natural products but maintains a "Close the Loop" system with clients.

This allows vendors such as Robin's Refills to purchase items from Rustic Strength, and then return the empty jugs to Rustic Strength to be refilled for sale, cutting down on the number of plastic jugs produced, Atwell said.

Such products also offer health benefits to customers, since Hinkson said some customers may have medical conditions that require products with natural ingredients.

"Depending on how sensitive someone is, their skin can get irritated by some of the chemicals in something like laundry," Hinkson said.

The Hermitage Night Markets also introduced the duo to another partner and friend, Dani Johnson of The Wandering Soul: Gifts, Books and Furniture. The store opened last year at 142 E. State St. in downtown Sharon.

Since her kiosk was next to Robin's Refills, the entrepreneurs had a chance to talk and learn about each other's products and businesses. Eventually, Johnson offered some space in her shop for Robin's Refills, giving the duo a physical location to display their wares from noon to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

"We're able to support each other, and it's encouraging whenever we see each other doing well," Johnson said.

The duo also maintain an online presence, with Robin's Refills pages on Facebook and Instagram. Atwell said this allows the business to share updates on products and events, while also handling some smaller-scale sales for customers unable to make purchases during events or regular hours.

Looking forward, the duo plan to continue growing their customer base and expanding their available products in the future, such as natural makeup products, Hinkson said.

The duo also hope to eventually have their own brick-and-mortar establishment, possibly located in downtown Sharon, which would give the business a place to store their many planned products and offer regular shopping hours, Atwell said.

While they're planning to continue growing Robin's Refills, the duo also had some advice for anyone with a business idea but too nervous to start — "try."

"I get to spend almost every day with my daughter," Hinkson said.

"And we're doing something that helps people save the environment," Atwell said.

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at .

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.

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