5 June 2024
Praktijkverhalen
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In Maastricht is Greentom, a stroller brand that stands for "Green Tomorrow. Since 2013, this company has been working towards a greener future. Guillaume Smitsmans, Sales & Marketing Director, talks about their mission to give plastic waste a second life by offering circular product alternatives.
We use existing waste as a raw material to develop products with award-winning design," begins Guillaume. "By giving plastic waste a new life and creating sustainable alternatives for everyday products, Greentom aims to leave a better world for future generations."
Attention to circular business
Greentom strives to create the most sustainable alternative to everyday products without compromising on functionality and aesthetics. In this process, they follow the Greentom Design Principles: Sustainability, Product Excellence and Dutch Design.
Greentom's products are designed to be as circular as possible, by choosing the most sustainable option that is technically and economically feasible. "Our products are made from high-quality recycled materials that offer reliable and consistent performance. Moreover, they look different from any other product," says Guillaume. "We use innovative design solutions and gas injection molds. This allows the products to be produced locally, assembled and easily recycled after use. Where the bulk of the competition uses more than 15 different virgin materials and the assembly takes more than 90 minutes, we do it with 2 recycled materials and assemble the stroller within 5 minutes. As a result, we can offer the products at a fair price, making them accessible and affordable to consumers worldwide."
B Corp Certification
Greentom may call itself a "Certified B Corporation. "B Corp is the hallmark for organizations committed to a better world with consideration for people, the environment and society. With this certification, we belong to a global network of inspiring organizations that contribute to a sustainable and responsible society such as Nespresso, Patagonia, Rituals and Ben & Jerry's. Greentom is the first stroller brand in the world to achieve the coveted B Corp certification," Guillaume says proudly.
Circular strategy: refurbishment & recycling
Greentom aims to extract maximum value from its products by maximizing the product life cycle. "Our products are designed so that components can be easily exchanged. This enables circular solutions such as repair by the customer himself, as well as refurbishment and leasing through selected partners," Guillaume explains.
When the product has reached its full potential, the stroller can be easily disassembled. The parts and materials can then be reused, for example on the second-hand market or for refurbishment. "At the end of the life cycle, the stroller can be completely recycled and this material can be reused again in the production process," Guillaume adds.
Stip on the horizon
In five years, Greentom will offer several sustainable alternatives to everyday products in addition to the stroller. "Also, all sourcing of raw materials, production and recycling of the products will then take place within Europe. Preferably in the Netherlands, of course," Guillaume said.
.Back to basics: Less is more
For entrepreneurs who also want to do sustainable business, Guillaume has a few more tips: "The process really starts at the drawing board. Go back to basics and be creative in an innovative way. 'Form follows function' and 'less is more' are guiding principles. Put your vision on paper, start from the function and then the form follows later, where less is often more. Seek cooperation with like-minded people, learn from each other and create synergy. Because we desperately need each other!"
