We’ve Been Fooled Too
We’ll be the first to admit it — even as Canadian consumers ourselves, we’ve fallen for it. You land on a .ca website, see a maple leaf in the logo, and assume you’re buying from a Canadian company. But then the package arrives from across the ocean. The company wasn’t Canadian at all.
It’s frustrating, disappointing, and honestly misleading. And if we — as pretty seasoned shoppers — have been duped, it’s easy to see how others could be too.
Tariffs and the Rise of "Maple-washing" (as we like to call it).
The landscape of international trade has shifted dramatically. Ever-changing tariffs, fluctuating thresholds (de minimis), and unpredictable cross-border rules have become the new normal.
With these changes has come a troubling trend: Maplewashing.
Just like greenwashing in the eco world, maplewashing happens when companies slap a maple leaf on their website, grab a .ca domain, sprinkle in “Made in Canada” language, and/or offer CAD pricing — all to make shoppers believe they’re supporting a Canadian business.
In reality, the products are often mass-produced overseas, shipped directly from foreign warehouses, and owned by companies with no ties to Canada at all.
This practice doesn’t just mislead consumers — it undermines authentic Canadian businesses who truly design, assemble, and employ people here at home.
What Maplewashing Isn’t
It’s important to make one thing clear: being a truly Canadian company doesn’t mean every single raw material must come from Canadian soil.
The reality is that many premium materials simply can’t be sourced here — take the Canadian owned and operated company enVy® Pillow , who source natural latex, which only grows on rubber trees in tropical regions, and Mulberry silk, which can only be produced in Asia.
What matters is what we do with those materials once they arrive in Canada.
Authentic Canadian companies — like us and many others — are transparent about their sourcing, then design, assemble, infuse, package, and proudly operate from Canada. That transparency is the difference between a company that’s authentically Canadian and one that’s maplewashing.
Our Solution: The Verified Real Canadian Company Badge
We wanted to do something about it. Not just for us, but for every Canadian company working hard to maintain honesty, quality, and transparency.
That’s why we created the Verified Real Canadian Company badge above — a clear, trustworthy seal that shows customers:
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🇨🇦 The company is Canadian-owned
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🇨🇦 The products are designed & assembled in Canada
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🇨🇦 The business is proudly transparent about its operations
When you see this badge, you’ll know you’re supporting the real thing.
Building a Movement Together
This badge isn’t just about us at enVy. We want it to grow into a movement. Our vision is simple: a collective of truly Canadian companies who wear this badge proudly, making it easy for customers to support authenticity with every purchase.
Over the coming months, we’ll be using this blog to highlight other Canadian-owned businesses that deserve this recognition. If you know a brand that should be celebrated, let us know — we’d love to give them a nod and invite them to join us in displaying this badge of honour.
Because...
We’ve been in your shoes — duped, disappointed, and left questioning. That’s why we’re starting this movement: to make sure “Canadian” means something again.
🍁 Two nurses. Two Canadians. One mission to keep it real.
