Byron and Dexter Peart are ready to bid good riddance to unsustainable design practices.

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The identical twins behind Goodee—a marketplace dedicated to bringing together good design, good people, and good purpose—are on a mission to bring intentionality and beauty to the everyday through the use of thoughtfully-produced products. “There’s something kismet when hyper functionality is met with beautiful forms,” shares Dexter. “There are rituals to be found in everyday moments, whether it's watering your garden or sweeping the floor—the products in those moments matter.”

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The Montreal-based duo sat down with host Jake Arnold and Jessica Romm Perez, VP of Partnerships at The Expert, for the latest episode of The Expert Podcast. Join Jake, Jessica, Dexter, and Byron as they chat about everything from the psychology of beautiful design to how Goodee has forged relationships with artisans and makers around the globe to give a platform to products that don’t just look good, but do good too.

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On Looking to the Future

Dexter and Byron are no strangers to combing through vintage gems for past inspiration, but if there’s one thing they want each product they carry to have in common—it’s one eye looking to the future: “When Byron and I think about design, we want to push the idea of where something can go instead of where something has been.” shares Dexter.

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On Freedom From Fast Fashion

With a background in fashion (the twins previously built—and sold—the label WANT Les Essentiels) Byron and Dexter can’t help but compare the two industries–and caution those in the home space against mirroring fashion’s trend-driven culture: “We think a lot about the home space being a place for things that were made to last and can be improved upon instead of the throwaway culture that has permeated the fashion industry,” shares Byron.

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On Being Thoughtful First

Always stewards of a fewer-but-finer approach to design, Dexter and Byron employ a thoughtful-first strategy when it comes to the products they sell, “When you think about providing people with tools to help them live their lives, it’s a really powerful concept,” reveals Dexter. “That’s at the center of our process.”

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On Continuous Improvement

Inspired by trips to Japan, the twins have employed the philosophy of Kaizen—the ongoing process of continuous improvement—into not only their everyday lives, but also how they approach their business, “There is a specificity and thoughtfulness present in Japanese culture that we try to emulate,” reveals Dexter. “In Japan, every single thing that's made, from a teacup to a hamburger, is done so thoughtfully. When design is seen as a thoughtful enterprise, it pushes the conversation forward.”

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On Sustainability That Lasts

On a mission to put sustainability at the forefront, Dexter and Byron set a strict boundary with every product they sell—it has to have impact. “A lot of times sustainability is just words. We care about added value, whether that be at the local community level or giving back to the environment,” shares Byron. “Our mission with Goodee is to build a place where people can find really great products that are serving the planet.”

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Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts now.