In Conversation: Canopy and Nama Fiji

In April 2026, Nama Fiji joined Canopy's Pack4Good initiative, committing to keep Ancient and Endangered Forests standing by eliminating them from its paper packaging supply chain and  supporting the transition to lower-impact, Next Gen packaging solutions.

Founded in Fiji, Nama Fiji creates premium skincare products powered by sustainably harvested Nama sea grapes, a mineral-rich seaweed native to the Pacific. Built on a deep connection to Fiji's natural environment and communities, the company has pioneered the world's first sustainable Nama harvesting program, creating new economic opportunities for women in the Yasawa Islands while protecting an important marine resource. As the first Fijian brand to join Pack4Good, Nama Fiji is demonstrating that businesses of all sizes can help transform paper packaging supply chains and protect the world's forests.

Canopy's Pack4Good Brand Engagement Manager, Cait Green, sat down with Nama Fiji Founder Debra Sadranu to discuss the brand's sustainability journey and how partnering with Pack4Good supports Nama Fiji's commitment to caring for people and the planet.

Cait: For those who may not know Nama Fiji, can you tell us about the brand and what inspired you to create it?

Debra: In 2014, I took my passion for skincare into designing skincare formulas, founding Essence Group Fiji, a health and wellness business centred on supporting local economic development goals. My extensive knowledge of the benefits of sea minerals for the skin led me to explore the various types of local seaweed. Through a partnership with James Cook University in Australia, I learned that Nama (“sea grapes,” Caulerpa racemosa), a long-time local Fijian delicacy, has incredibly beneficial properties for the skin due to its high concentration of minerals and vitamins. Nama sea grapes are considered the “Rolls-Royce” among the different types of seaweed around the world. From that discovery, Nama Fiji, Nama Thalasso, and Nama for Men Skincare emerged — brands created through my passion for the island and its rich natural resources, using super ingredients that promote health and wellness.

From there, I embarked on a journey to determine how best to sustainably harvest and incorporate Nama into my skincare formulas. Being mission-driven, we built the world’s first sustainable Nama harvesting program alongside the Australian Government-funded Market Development Facility. The sustainable Nama harvesting program was designed to create opportunities for the women of the Yasawa Islands. It generates a new income source to complement the traditional village system while safeguarding an important natural resource in a pristine environment.

The Nama brands are focused on being environmentally and ethically responsible premium skincare ranges made in Fiji, with a passion for the beauty and spa industry and a love for the local people of this country. We are an aquaculture brand that impacts women’s lives and a company that proudly supports Fiji Made.

Cait: What drew Nama Fiji to partner with Canopy's Pack4Good initiative, and how does it align with your values?

Debra: For us, environmental and social responsibility isn’t just a mission; it permeates every facet of what we do. Living on an island in the middle of the Pacific teaches us the importance of protecting our environment for future generations. 

We understand the importance of sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging. We are a no-plastic company with glass bottles, and we do everything we can to learn, improve, and elevate our core values. Partnering with Canopy was essential to our development and strategy in meeting our objectives with responsible care. At the same time, forests are critical to a healthy and resilient future, and our partnership with Pack4Good helps ensure that our paper packaging supports keeping Ancient and Endangered Forests standing for generations to come.

Cait: Since joining Pack4Good, what has surprised you most, or what have you learned about forest-friendly packaging?

Debra: We have learned that glass bottles, while a positive initiative, do not equate to total accountability if we are truly serious about protecting our environment and elevating our ethos to become a fully environmentally responsible and sustainable brand. We have also learned that investigating and tracking the root source of our craft paper and all packaging helps ensure that our supply chain and our message are fully transparent and accountable.

Through this initiative, we are demonstrating that brands of any size can influence supply chains to adopt more circular, planet-friendly solutions. Working together is key to scaling innovative packaging solutions and driving impact across the industry. 

Cait: What would you say to other spa and beauty brands considering a similar sustainability commitment?

Debra: This direction is an exciting and rewarding journey that teaches our staff, customers, and brand partners the importance of being a responsible brand, and how collectively we can impact the world and achieve extraordinary goals that truly matter.

Debra: For readers who may be new to Pack4Good, what is the initiative, and what sets it apart from other sustainability or forest initiatives?

Cait: Pack4Good is an initiative created by Canopy in 2019 to keep Ancient and Endangered Forests out of global paper packaging supply chains. Canopy works with companies across the beauty, food and beverage, and technology sectors to enhance their sustainable packaging policies and diversify their sourcing strategies through the scale-up of smarter, low-carbon packaging alternatives.

At Canopy, we describe ourselves as ecosystem architects. We understand that it takes creative collaboration and bold innovation to transform global supply chains. What makes Pack4Good unique is its overarching strategy to help brands increase visibility into their fibre-based packaging supply chains and connect them with tools and emerging innovations that ultimately displace risky wood fibre with forest-friendly packaging alternatives.

Debra: Why should brands make paper packaging a priority? What are the risks associated with paper packaging?

Cait: Without full traceability, wood fibre used in paper packaging can present financial, reputational, and regulatory risks. Rising consumer demand for packaging, climate-related supply chain shortages, and growing regulatory pressures mean that businesses are facing an increasingly constrained and more expensive fibre supply. Even credibly certified forest fibre through organisations such as the Forest Stewardship Council is becoming scarcer while demand for wood fibre continues to grow.

Canopy works with brands like Nama Fiji to identify risks in their supply chains. When risk is found, we support partners in diversifying their sourcing strategies through alternative Next Gen fibres that can lead to lower Scope 3 emissions and significantly lower impacts on land use and biodiversity. Investing in Next Generation Solutions means that companies can secure lower-risk supply, diversify their fibre basket, and help keep critical forests standing. It’s a win for business and the planet.

Debra: Finally, what makes this partnership with Nama Fiji especially meaningful?

Cait: Nama Fiji is the first Fijian brand to join Pack4Good and make this level of commitment to help safeguard Ancient and Endangered Forests. Spa and beauty brands across the Pacific Islands depend on globally imported pulp and fibre-based packaging and therefore are not immune to supply chain risks. 

This partnership demonstrates that brands of all sizes can make a meaningful difference for the world’s forests, and that practical solutions are available for beauty and spa companies that want to protect their supply chains against nature-related shocks while helping keep vital forests standing.