Enterprise: Act71
Green Credentials: On top of a zero-waste model, from production through packaging to shipping, the business also donates a portion of its profits to environmental charities around the world.
Founded by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Andy and Katie Mant, Act71 was launched early June 2021 with a mission to raise awareness about the global waste crisis by placing their zero-waste message front and centre daily on an item we use all the time – our phones.
“We embarked on a journey to reduce the volume of waste in our lives and in our home,” Katie explains. “We called our project ‘Act71’ after our house number and our quest to take action.”
Andy and Katie created their zero-waste message then adopted it as a screensaver on their mobile phones, as a continuous reminder to always think sustainably. “This visual cue was so powerful,” Katie says. “Every time Andy and I looked at our phones – which is a lot – we were reminded of our goal. This helped us consciously reduce our waste, dramatically.”
This got the couple thinking: since the message on their phone screen was so powerful for reminding them of their waste-reduction goal, what if the same statement was displayed on the reverse of their phone for others to see?
So, the idea to launch a phone case with a zero-waste statement was born.
Wanting to ensure that their products were environmentally conscious and reflected their zero-waste message, they designed Act71 phone cases to be made from materials that are plant based, recyclable, biodegradable, and at-home compostable. “We worked for many months to create the perfect balance of a case sturdy enough to protect a phone whilst also being eco-friendly and easily biodegradable and compostable,” Katie explains.
Beyond the product itself, having a zero-waste operating model was fundamental for the couple. The entire business operates on a zero-waste basis – from production to product, to packaging, to shipping. Every order is shipped out in compostable, vegan corn-starch mailers with recyclable thermal-printed shipping labels, making it entirely zero waste. “Our warehouse function is paperless, utilising an electronic picking system with invoices and receipts all handled digitally,” Katie adds. “We work collaboratively with our suppliers to ensure all incoming stock and supplies are packaged minimally and use only recyclable and/or biodegradable material. It’s an achievement we are very proud of.”
The most rewarding aspect of the Act71 business journey to date for Andy and Katie has been their ability to raise money for environmental charities around the world. For every order they receive, a customer gets to choose which charity the purchase supports. “Having a business model that allows us to do this is our ultimate highlight,” Katie enthuses.
The success of the launch of their zero-waste phone cases means that Andy and Katie are looking forward to expanding on the range of products the brand offers, and being able to make bigger contributions to the charities they support. “We will be able to reach more and more people with our zero-waste message,” Katie enthuses. “A simple visual cue can have such a profound impact and we cannot wait to see more and more people making a statement for change by displaying an Act71 zero-waste phone case on their mobile phone.”
This article first appeared in issue 35 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
