Cornish woman fuels business with rubbish collected from beaches
A Cornish woman has launched her business using waste she has collected from the beaches of her home county.
And Flotsam Flo’s founder Kate Doran has now expanded with the support of waste management company Biffa. She is now taking plastic waste directly from holiday parks in the region.
Biffa provides Kate with a dedicated studio at their Redruth facility, and mentorship in essential business skills to help her grow her venture.
Flotsam Flo takes old wetsuits and inflatables that may otherwise end up in landfill or cause pollution, then upcycles them into one-of-a-kind objects such as bags, purses and mouse mats.
Kate began her venture using waste materials she found herself around Cornwall’s coastlines, but now collaborates with holiday parks to collect materials from them.
This – provides her with valuable materials for reuse, while reducing waste volumes and disposal costs for the parks.
Long-term, Kate plans to develop products from waste items which the parks can then stock and sell, creating a circular model for reducing waste and trimming down the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill sites.
Kate Doran said: “Lots of businesses don’t realise how valuable their waste could be to others, so are missing out on great opportunities to reuse and recycle materials, while cutting down the amount of waste they dispose of.
“My skillset can help organisations think smarter about their waste, but I don’t have a background in business. My partnership with Biffa has helped me build resources, skills and understanding of circular business models, so I can grow Flotsam Flo and bring my offering to more customers who are trying to cut their waste. Partnerships like ours can give all businesses a boost to support a circular economy.”
Peter Giddings, general manager for Devon and Cornwall, Biffa, also added: “It’s great to see small to medium sized businesses and entrepreneurs taking the initiative and collaborating to reduce their waste. SMEs can provide key skills training and support for entrepreneurs in their local circular economy, while helping them to make innovative projects that provide further value within that community.
“Biffa’s Blueprint for Waste Net Zero recommends the introduction of minimum standards for product design to encourage resource efficiency through recycling, reuse, or refurbishment, as well as rewarding businesses who innovate on this ambition. There could be a Flotsam Flo in every town which fulfils this critical need.”
