Our Story

Our story began with a simple desire: to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to go green – that bamboo products can be better, healthier and more fun to use than plastic ones.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

At 1.6 million square kilometers in size, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world. An estimated eight million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year. Now, the tonnage is on target to increase tenfold in the next decade unless the world finds a way to switch to plant-based alternatives to plastic.

A Drop in the Ocean

Growing up on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver, our Canadian Founder, David Bates, has always had a love for the great outdoors.

With our environment's preservation in mind, David had been spouting the virtues of making his own DIY homemade toothpaste, sunscreen – while going shampoo-free and all the rest – for years. But getting "greener" and "greener" in his own life wasn't enough to make a large enough impact in order to really make a difference.

David then came across an intriguing alternative to the hard plastic toothbrush of old, one made using bamboo. He was smitten! Adopting it, David had the same experience as using a disposable plastic toothbrush, only the bamboo was compostable and in terms of production, was several times more environmentally friendly.

Making Waves

He decided to take action.

The Plastic Apocalypse

If our lives are molded, packaged and sealed in plastic dependency, then the impact of Maple Yo is more important than ever. By replacing common plastic items in our homes with beautiful, biodegradable bamboo ones, we're drastically reducing the amount of petroleum used to create plastic and reducing the plastic waste that takes hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfills and often ends up floating in our rivers and oceans.

Also, when our customers use our products, they're inspired and empowered – they're reminded that there are simple biodegradable alternatives to so many of the seemingly "plastic-only" products in our lives.

Little Baja Big Adventure

David lives in Taiwan and Mexico. He’s swimming down by the Baja California del Sur beaches and oceans right now.

Maple Yo Movement

At Maple Yo, we are a community of everyday people who are passionate about protecting and preserving our planet’s oceans, waves and beaches. We believe in buying fewer things that are better, which is why we create only delightful and sustainably grown plant-based products.

Maple Yo was founded with a rebellious spirit - and a maple heart to show the world that the faster we stop relying on plastic and move towards a biodegradable bamboo future, the better.