TC: How did the two founders meet and what was the inspiration for starting this business?
The founders are Martin Jensen and Frantz Pedersen who have been good friends for more than 20 years as they went to high school together. They are both very passionate about tennis, golf, and hiking, and have both lived overseas in countries where tap water is recommended as non-drinkable, so plastic pollution was visible on streets, parks and on the local beaches. Throughout the years they often talked about how to solve the problem of plastic pollution and how it’s destroying the irreplaceable Ecosystems and our own health. During 2015 they both agreed to look into other substitutes for bottles on the market that do not consist of plastic, glass or steel.
TC: What was the reason for choosing to use bamboo sourced and created in Vietnam?
In the year of 2015, Frantz travelled around Asia, visiting various factories and plantations growing corn, sugar cane and coconuts to see if these materials were durable to produce a drinking bottle. However one day Frantz stumbled upon Bamboo and went to Vietnam and travelled around for a month with a mission to introduce the concept of a one-piece bamboo bottle, which has never been produced before. The reason they decided on Vietnamese bamboo is that it is naturally grown and regenerates within five years and is maintained and harvested by local families and not corporate companies. Frantz has met with local government in the districts where they source the bamboo to make sure that is harvested in a sustainable manner.
TC: What is the message behind the product?
Not Just a Bottle’s message is to provide filtered free water is not only 3rd world countries but also first world countries like Hong Kong, Singapore… The reason we founded the company is also to change people’s mindset and be more environmentally conscious using refillable biodegradable drinking bottles and have access to filtered tap water.
TC: What other sustainable practice do you have?
To us, SUSTAINABLE also implies conscious actions, creative thinking, questioning existing designs and methods and lastly, respect for people and the earth. It’s very important that our product, supply chain, and production are as sustainable as possible. Meaning that the bottle is made without any waste and almost zero co2 emissions. Therefore all the parts of the bamboo are used in the production. For example, any excess bamboo is used as fuel to heat up the rainwater used in the machine at our factory that steams the bamboo, which is one step in the manufacturing process. Even our packaging, business cards and labels are also made from sustainably sourced bamboo fibres and are biodegradable and don’t involve any plastic.
TC: Do you have any tips for busy people who are always on the run?
We have designed the bottle so it’s a walking message as well as being as close to nature as possible, which we and especially the busy people tend to forget and appreciate. The bottle is perfect for sports, travel, work, life on the go, and at home. Once you start refilling and using this bottle, you become more conscious and environmentally aware of how your usual everyday behaviour actually impacts on the environment.