I'm Adriana and I was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, to parents who had immigrated from Taiwan. I've always had a deep respect for nature since I was young but didn't know that much about preserving and conserving it. In my late 20s, I started cutting down on single-use plastic after learning how much and how long it pollutes. Then, after moving several times in a few short years, I was appalled by how much I accumulated and threw away with each move. So when I settled in Dallas in 2018, I decided to drastically reduce the waste I generated.

One of the first things I wanted to change was refilling my own soap and shampoo bottles instead of tossing them. When I couldn't find anywhere in Dallas to do that, I decided to roll up my sleeves and build it myself — that's how usefull was born in late 2020.

My aim with usefull is simple: make it easy to reuse the bottles you already have instead of buying new ones, cutting down on the waste we add to the environment. And while we're at it — the personal and home care products themselves are pretty great too. They're plant-derived, free of harsh chemicals, and made with high-quality, clean ingredients — good for your health and the planet's. I've made sure of it!