‘So many nappies go to landfill, we had to do something’
Becoming a mum gave Julie Chen, 40, from Kent, the inspiration she needed.
‘After a whirlwind romance, my fiancé Chris and I travelled to China, my home country, so he could meet my parents. While there, I had a suggestion: ‘There’s a factory I’ve heard about that makes products out of bamboo,’ I told Chris. ‘Let’s take a look!’ It sounds odd, especially as it was a three-hour flight out of our way, but I had an idea for a business.
In China, bamboo is used in many ways, but since moving to the UK in 2005, I’d noticed it was barely used at all. I dreamed of starting a sustainable business, using bamboo as an alternative to paper.
As we toured the factory, Chris was astonished. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this,’ he said.
In the UK, Chris had his own head-hunting company and I sold dance shoes; but we felt we had nothing to lose by chancing everything on bamboo. So, in January 2016, we got to work on our own eco-friendly brand, The Cheeky Panda, starting with toilet roll because it contributes to 15% of all deforestation. By creating it from bamboo, which grows 30 times faster than trees, we could help to save forests. The bamboo would be sourced in China and turned into loo paper, before being imported.
Crowdfunding helped us raise £12,000 to launch online. We turned our spare room into a study and started calling retailers. Ocado, Amazon and Whole Foods showed interest, which spurred us on.
Things grew quickly. Within two years we had 25 staff, and in July 2018, I gave birth to our son, Leo. His birth marked the start of a new venture. Shocked by the number of nappies and baby wipes going to landfill, Chris and I were inspired to create eco-friendly nappies, wipes and more.
This year, we’ve turned over £12m and now have stockists in China. With a young child and a growing business, I’ve learned that juggling both is hard work. I try to go easy on myself and not fret over little things, and Chris and I lean on loved ones for support. But seeing Leo grow into a happy, caring boy has made us more passionate than ever about creating a better world for his future.’
‘We had nothing to lose by chancing it all on bamboo’