Our Story
Numa'lo Refillery is an indigenous and women-owned sustainable goods store, resource hub, and community dedicated to the advocacy of a zero waste lifestyle. We like to think of ourselves at the nexus of Zero Waste and Environmental Justice, providing education and access for our island community to create less waste and more conscious consumption habits.
As Indigenous peoples of Guåhan, the Marianas, and Micronesia, we move from a place of deep reciprocity for our land and water. We believe active practice of a zero waste lifestyle is an extension of being a responsible ancestor, protecting our island for the next generations to come.
educate about the intersectionality of climate justice and zero waste
inspire collective responsibility for conscious consumption habits
Build a regenerative economy to secure for future generations
where it started
The idea for Numa'lo Refillery was sparked in 2020 when Founder Mina Flores-Cantrell was daydreaming how she could create a career that combined climate action with community. She was living in California and had plans to move home to Guåhan but knew there'd be no access to continue practicing the zero waste lifestyle she had curated over the past three years. Instead, she committed to building the Zero Waste movement on the island by opening Guåhan's first refillery.
the Mobile Refillery
Mina moved home in the summer of 2021 and worked with Micronesia Climate Change Alliance, who helped to procure a Ford Transit van. With the help of her cousin and god sister Tori Flores, she self-designed and renovated the van, transforming it into a mobile store. The two launched the Numa'lo Refillery Van in the beginning of 2022 and traveled island-wide to conduct routine pop-ups, home deliveries, and DIY workshops.
Brick & Mortar Store
After a year of establishing a presence and building a solid community base, the business received a grant from the Guam Unique Merchandise & Art Incubator Program and opened its own independently-owned brick and mortar store front that launched in Chamorro Village in February 2023. The team has since been able to employ a third worker and hopes to transition to a future worker-owned cooperative.
