07. Sustainable fashion: How to create a sustainable backpack by cleaning up the ocean, with Benny Mandos (Got Bag)

In this episode I had the chance to talk to Benny Mandos, founder and CEO of Got Bag. 

Benny’s company is not just another backpack brand. They have for mission to clean up the oceans and they get their hands dirty: with their team and a network of 1500 fishermen they collect and recycle plastics from the ocean in Indonesia and turn these pieces into various sustainable fashion products. 

Started in 2014, Got Bag has now more than 30'000 customers. 

During this episode, we discussed Benny’s challenges and what he has learned on the way. 

Among others you will learn:

• how Benny and his cofounder started Got Bag beside his full-time job, 
• how they manage to grow a profitable company and to fund it without investors
• how they organize the clean-up in Indonesia and their holistic approach to not only recycle PET but other types of waste in the ocean
• how they found and selected their partners all along the supply chain to make it as sustainable as possible
• how important certification and transparencyof their supply chain are important for their team and their customers
• how he organized their Kickstarter campaign (and his pre-sales) before he quit his job

Finally, from his entrepreneurship experience, Benny shared with us 5 Do’s and 3 Don’ts about how to create a sustainable fashion accessory.

If you are interested in entrepreneurship, sustainable fashion, and you are passionate about our ocean, this episode is definitely for you!

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