For Rachel Castillo, there is one thing she’d ideally see at the core of all commercial brands: no bullshit. If it were up to her, all brands would add a meaningful piece of value to the world, whilst being genuine through and through in doing so. This vision makes all the sense when considering Rachel’s background. The 27-year-old globetrotter lived in Hong Kong, India and Berlin. Here she, amongst other things, interned at a research company that allowed her to visit an array of international factories. Recently she returned to Amsterdam, where she advises fashion companies on human rights and responsible, transparent production systems.

Rachel admits she often thinks about the risks of marketing, but continues to explain that at House of Treats, she encounters its positives. “What I notice is that brands often make products the conventional way. They design something and then hope someone likes it, or they just go with a trend. Whereas I think it’s really cool to start the conversation with your customer to find out what they want. This way you also ensure that less bullshit goes out into the world.” This is where Rachel sees the connection with her own work too. “That’s why I promote House of Treats to all my clients!”, she concludes laughing.

In a nutshell, Rachel appreciates the different way of applying marketing, that looks beyond sales and focuses on a connection between brand and customer. “Of course sales are important, without them a company simply cannot exist. But, to me House of Treats feels deeper than that. I also notice this in the interviews, which go to the core with questions like ‘what value do you have as a person’ or ‘how do you stand in life.’ That way you can add something really beautiful. I think more and more brands are – thankfully! – discovering this.”

Rachel Castillo – House of Treats member since 2022