Startups 100’s Variety Bag reveals being inexperienced is sweet for development 

On this 12 months’s Startups 100 index, we turned our consideration to Variety Bag, an moral equipment model, to make clear its commendable practices. Now, it seems our recognition was well-founded as Variety Bag, the sustainable bag model, has achieved outstanding development for the third consecutive 12 months, surpassing expectations by producing a staggering £940,000 in income.

This development will be attributed to the surge in gross sales inside the UK market and the growth of export channels, notably in america. Variety Bag’s dedication to repurposing over 5 million recycled plastic bottles has resonated with eco-conscious customers, resulting in their robust efficiency.

Right here, we take a more in-depth take a look at Variety Bag’s inspiring journey, uncovering the secrets and techniques behind its industrial success and exploring the methods which have propelled it ahead within the face of adversity.

How Variety Bag is prospering on the wave of acutely aware consumerism

Variety Bag’s UK gross sales elevated by 55% in comparison with final 12 months. It established a presence in america this 12 months with the opening of its warehouse in Wisconsin, and efficiently exported merchandise to international locations resembling Australia, Spain, Italy, and France, amongst others, leading to international gross sales accounting for about 50% of its complete income.

The merchandise are constructed from RPET material, created by recycling plastic bottles that have been initially destined for the ocean or landfills. Not solely does repurposing these bottles scale back plastic waste, but it surely additionally prevents hurt to any marine ecosystems. 

The corporate prioritises moral commerce practices and has maintained long-term relationships with the identical moral factories since its inception. This dedication to moral manufacturing ensures honest therapy of employees and helps sustainable provide chains. 

By aligning its firm values with tangible actions, Variety Bag goes past mere claims of sustainability, making it a real champion of moral and eco-friendly practices reasonably than partaking in greenwashing practices. From its core manufacturing course of to its alternative of supplies and partnerships, the corporate demonstrates a holistic method to sustainability. 

A female-owned and female-run enterprise

One of many issues the Startups judges beloved about Variety Bag was the truth that it prides itself on being a female-owned and female-run enterprise. 

Founder Maria Rodriguez expressed her delight on the firm’s constant development amidst the UK’s present financial challenges and has formidable plans for Variety Bag, aiming to greater than double its measurement inside the subsequent 12 months. Regardless of the cautious shopping for patterns of outlets and stockists, Variety Bag has prioritised nurturing its enterprise relationships and implementing new procedures and methods to maximise efficiency. 

“We now have chosen to actually nurture the accounts we work with,” she states, “in addition to spending money and time implementing new procedures and methods to make sure we maximise the corporate’s efficiency.”

Variety Bag has additionally moved into producing bespoke luggage for different much-loved British establishments together with English Heritage, Kew Gardens, Oxfam and the Southbank Centre.

Acutely aware consumerism on the rise

Sustainability was a unbroken enterprise pattern for 2023. 

It stays a key consideration for 29% of customers particularly when looking for clothes, with this determine rising to 36% amongst Gen Z’s (18-24 year-olds), and 62% of customers worldwide refuse to compromise on sustainability even in occasions of financial uncertainty, based on a latest Shopify research. 

Variety Bag has capitalised on this pattern by providing environmentally acutely aware customers a spread of design-led, eco-friendly equipment, produced utilizing recycled plastic bottles, and captured the loyalty of those environmentally-conscious customers, with 20% of their clients being repeat purchasers.

Variety Bag’s success seems to be a testomony to its organisational tradition growing the significance of acutely aware consumerism and the demand for sustainable merchandise out there. 

Rodriguez observes: “Sustainability continues to be the one greatest focus in style as growing numbers of customers think about the environmental impression of their procuring decisions. 

Right here at Variety Bag, now we have a very sustainable and moral manufacturing course of. Every thing from the product itself, the ink we use, by to the packaging has been fastidiously chosen with the planet in thoughts.”

To see extra manufacturers that put goal alongside revenue, take a look at our SU100 sustainable startups shortlist.