As part of the reSTART business program, which focuses on supporting small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, we were given the opportunity in the form of an interview, in which you can read all about our beginnings, philosophy, transformation and, above all, dreams and goals for the future. We wish you a nice reading! :)
You can read the original article here . #restartbusiness
GoodWays is a Czech company that dreams of a future focused on a healthy lifestyle without unnecessary waste. With the help of glass and bamboo wood, he searches for and creates design alternatives to disposable plastic products and thus helps his customers live a little more environmentally friendly every day.
The company used the quarantine period to create a new concept, change the brand and prepare new reusable and sustainable products. I asked Tereza Svobodová, who forms the ecological heart of the team, about what we can expect from GoodWays in the future and the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the environment.
- Your first product is a reusable drinking bottle. Did you have other alternatives or was it the obvious first choice?
Our first product, which remains our most popular and sought-after to this day, is the GoodGlass Thermo Double Glass Bottle - a double-walled borosilicate glass bottle with a wide mouth and a two-piece strainer for tea, herbs or coffee. Due to its universal use, this design was an obvious choice for us. We believe that there is no need to make any compromises between practical use and beautiful design.
- Why glass? Which properties were key for you when choosing the material?
We at GoodWays believe that when it comes to drinking bottles, glass is the cleanest way for both us and our planet. It leaves no odors or tastes like plastic and is easy to maintain. We use special borosilicate glass for our bottles, which is more durable than ordinary glass and can handle boiling water. And if you also prepare a tasty infusion of fruit or herbs in the bottle, you can enjoy looking inside while drinking it and thus motivate yourself to follow the correct drinking regimen.
- What actually led you to found GoodWays?
At the time GoodWays (then GoodGlass) was founded in the Czech Republic, there was not as much talk about a sustainable way of life and the need to replace disposable plastic products with reusable ones as there is now. We decided to change that, to do our part and reduce the world's dependence on plastic bottles and other disposable products. GoodGlass is a beautiful designer bottle that everyone wants to have with them and thus naturally behaves more sustainably, not buying unnecessary plastic water bottles or cups with lemonade. There is nothing easier than asking for a drink in your own bottle! At the same time as our products, we also try to spread the idea of reusability and zero waste . That's why we are now including other products that replace single-use plastic products to motivate people to live a life with less waste . We now offer, for example, GoodStraw bamboo straws, and we are planning more and more products.
- To what extent has the coronavirus crisis affected the behavior of your customers? And do you feel like it's getting back to normal at this point?
During the crisis, it was not easy, just like for many other smaller companies. We have noticed a significant drop in orders, both from customers and business partners. In the first wave, no one knew how the whole situation would develop, and therefore, understandably, people were primarily concerned with satisfying basic needs and helping others. We ourselves tried to help where needed. At the same time, we used this time to prepare a new company concept and create a new e-shop . After a while, people began to realize the impact of the crisis on smaller companies and thus began to support us with their orders, for which we are still very grateful. Already since the beginning of May, we have started to feel a renewed increase in interest and now we have to say that we are already "over the water".
- You used the quarantine period to prepare a new concept and new products. What can we expect from you in the coming months?
The biggest change we are currently going through is changing the company name from GoodGlass to GoodWays . In the beginning, we founded the GoodGlass company with one single product. However, we are gradually introducing new products and our new name now describes us much better. With our products, we try to offer the good ways or ways to a sustainable way of life . In the coming months, you can therefore look forward to the introduction of new products that will replace other disposable plastic products. Everything is going slower than we thought because we are testing them carefully and we don't want to release something that we are not 100% happy with. However, we can reveal that we are now intensively working on a number of sewn products together with the Vigvam design company from Pilsen, who are already sewing our new GoodGlass covers for us, which have literally exceeded our expectations.
- The main interest of your company is an environmentally friendly approach and sustainability. What do you think the effect of the coronavirus will be in this direction?
The impact of the coronavirus on ecology is a complex topic. During the crisis, we shared the article " How is the coronavirus related to ecology ?" on our Blog. In it, we describe both the negative and positive impact of the coronavirus crisis on ecology , as well as tips on how to continue to live sustainably during the crisis and after it. In short, at first glance, the coronavirus crisis may seem to have a positive impact on the environment, as CO2 emissions have decreased globally, the temporary lower consumption has caused lower demand, and thus production. On the other hand, however, the topic of the environment has disappeared both from the media and from national and international efforts, governments are now focusing on mitigating the effects of the economic crisis, and the topic of the climate crisis is relegated to the background. Another problem is the increased amount of disposable waste , whether it concerns medical devices, plastic packaging that returned to supermarket shelves as part of hygiene measures, or disposable cups and boxes from restaurants. It is therefore a question of whether we will learn from this and learn to live with less, or whether we will return to a consumerist way of life.
- What would you like to achieve with GoodWays? Do you have a "wild dream"?
We would like GoodWays to continue to grow, as it has been, to reach more people, so that we can spread our idea of sustainability further . We would like to offer reusable alternatives to most disposable products so that they can gradually disappear from our lives for good. Now we are still a small company, but our dream is to be able to support other meaningful projects . For example, those that try to naturally return water to our landscape and thus prevent it from drying out.
- Do you have any tips on how to be a little more environmentally friendly in your everyday life?
It is important to realize that no one is perfect and it is not possible to become a person who produces no waste and has a minimal ecological footprint overnight. It is important to introduce individual steps gradually and permanently . Because every step counts. Start gradually with steps that are realistic and easy for us to follow on a daily basis. I believe that many of us now carry our own shopping bag and bags for fruit , vegetables and pastries to the store. A reusable personal water bottle is also a staple. I know from my own experience that if I have my drinking straws or cutlery with me, it is much easier for me to refuse the disposable ones. It is therefore important to behave consciously and reject unnecessary waste . And above all, don't stress about it.
With love,
Terka, Johan & GoodWays team
