Collection: The Impact Papers
Good Stories Episode 2 – circular economy pioneer i-did
With clients like Ikea and KLM, Dutch social enterprise i-did could be judged a success story. But breaking new ground in the social economy hasn't always been easy. Join Pioneers Post reporter Estelle Uba as she travels to the Netherlands to visit the award-winning circular economy pioneer.
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The loud roaring of factory machinery followed by the whirring of sewing machines captures perfectly i-did’s ability to break down unwanted items and create brand new products from them.
The Dutch social enterprise based in The Hague, which was founded in 2009 and makes wholesale products using felt from old clothes, has been years ahead of the curve when it comes to promoting circular fashion and environmental sustainability. Since its launch, it has gone on to work with large corporations like global home furnishing retailer Ikea and Dutch airline KLM, recycling their waste into new saleable products.
But creating environmental impact isn’t the only goal the social enterprise has. Another function it serves is to train and employ people who have been out of long-term employment and lack experience in the labour market.
In 2022, it won the EY Social Impact Award and in April 2024, it was nominated for the category of Impactful Circular Enterprise in The Hague Pearl, an annual award which celebrates the contribution businesses make to the city’s economy.
Listen to Estelle Uba as she speaks to the people behind the award-winning social enterprise and finds out:
- The pros and cons of working with local government and large corporates to deliver impact
- The challenges it face in maintaining a robust workforce while delivering and measuring social impact
- The founder’s future plans to expand the business overseas
Editor’s note: Since the podcast was recorded, i-did has pivoted its business model to focus on b2b sales.
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