Green Bottoms was founded by Mark Smith and Simon Hunt in 2009. It recently launched a partnership with Childbase and eco baby product company Pura, pledging to donate 40,000 nappies to Baby Basics, a volunteer-led project aiming to support new families who are struggling to meet the financial and practical burden of looking after a baby.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLANS TO DELIVER NAPPIES TO FAMILIES IN NEED. WHAT DOES THIS INVOLVE?
Creating a sustainable future for the early years sector has always been our MO [modus operandi]. For 15 years, we’ve teamed up with our customers to make a real, positive environmental impact. But we know we can’t talk about sustainability in our sector without acknowledging there are parents who need essential, practical support.
So, we’ve joined forces with organisations to support families. Baby Basics does crucial work for new families, and we’re so proud to have built an alliance with our long-term partner, Childbase, and eco-friendly brand Pura. Together, we’re donating over 40,000 nappies to Baby Basics – 30,000 are already delivered, along with thousands of wipes.
Childbase has also launched a Winter Coat Drive to collect pre-loved coats and snowsuits, which we’re involved in. And earlier this year, we launched a partnership with London Early Years Foundation to provide free nappies and wipes to nurseries.
YOU’RE ALSO TAKING PART IN A TRIAL THAT AIMS TO RECYCLE ONE MILLION NAPPIES IN BRISTOL…
Yes! We’re very excited to be working with Pura, Bristol Waste and NappiCycle [a nappy recycling technology company] to run the largest nappy recycling trial of its kind in England. For years, we’ve serviced our customers in Bristol via the West Midlands and M5 corridor, collecting nappy waste from nursery groups like Childbase, N Family Club and Ashbourne. Now, at no additional cost to our customers, we’re grouping it with waste from Bristol customers like Nursery Village and Bristol Childcare and taking it to be recycled by NappiCycle in South Wales.
We’re also funding free collections from hundreds of households in Bristol. We have 2,600 households on the waitlist, so to make sure we can involve as many families as possible, two nurseries in Bristol are also acting as centralised hubs where parents can drop off their nappy waste.
HOW ARE THE NAPPIES RECYCLED AND WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
The nappies are being transported to NappiCycle, where they will be cleaned, and the plastics and cellulose fibres will be separated so they can be repurposed. They are turned into all sorts of useful things, from shelf-signage to asphalt for road surfaces. I love that in Wales there are footpaths in holiday parks and actual roads made in part from nappies.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE AMBITION FOR THE SCHEME?
NappiCycle have been doing this for a decade and councils in Wales are leading the way, with most of them offering a separate kerbside collection for nappy recycling. Ultimately, we want the trial to show that this is a viable option for England too.
WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR SETTING UP GREEN BOTTOMS COME FROM?
My daughter, who was in mum’s tummy at the time! When I realised how much extra waste her nappies were going to create, I jumped online and found that lots of people were working on ways to recycle nappy waste. I wanted to be part of the solution.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR GREEN BOTTOMS?
Over the years, we’ve grown and evolved to provide a wider range of services – including delivering eco-friendly nappies and wipes – and we now work with 40 per cent of the UK’s largest nursery groups.
Growth is always a target for us. We strive to do more. As we continue to expand the nappy recycling trial, we’re also speaking with companies across the world, from Belgium to Kenya to Australia, to hear about new approaches to nappy recycling and bring their thinking to the UK. We’re also involved in the Comfort Loop, working alongside UCL and other big names in the industry to find a sustainable way to provide absorbent hygiene products.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY?
When I was younger, it wasn’t on my radar like it is today. But as awareness of climate change has grown, so has my understanding of its impact. Becoming a dad was a real turning point for me. It made me realise that I have a responsibility – not just to my kids, but to future generations – to take action and make a difference.
Getting to know you…
What was your first job?
Humping crates of potatoes around the produce section of my local Sainsbury’s on a Sunday!
You’re clearly very entrepreneurial, have you run any other businesses?
I ran my own recruitment agency before launching Green Bottoms.
What are the three items that you couldn’t live without?
I’d have to say my phone, my kindle, and coffee!!
