The opportunity of necessity

Plastic is an invention that has made our lives better in many ways. But with single use plastics, we also created an immense waste stream that wasn't there before. Today, plastic permeates our lives more than ever before, with an average person living in the west consuming 100kg/220lbs of plastic each year. Over 2 trillion single use plastic bags are thrown out each year, at a rate of 2 million every minute. So it must not surprise you to learn that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Existing alternatives that may look good, aren’t necessarily better: To match the total environmental impact of a single use plastic bag, you would need to use paper and bio degradable bags 43 times, thick reusable bags 54 times and cotton ones a whopping 7100 times. This estimate is even worse for organic cotton, because organic crop yields tend to be lower. You’d need to reuse that bag over 20,000 times to have the same impact as a single use plastic bag. Now who does that? Well you guessed it: nobody. 

There is hope because there is a simple answer: strive to be single use free. Millions of people around the world are already doing it, and so can you. We designed the SmartBag to empower you to take one small step: to never waste single use bags again.

 Everless is built on the idea that less is better. We believe in having fewer, but better things. In only consuming what you really need. In making sure what you need has a minimal imprint on the planet for those who come after us. We believe in design that is functional, timeless and always with the purpose to improve the flow in your life. 

Because the SmartBag was thoughtfully engineered, with only a minimum amount of materials, we’ve been able to maintain a small, tight knit supply chain. We build deep, multi year relationships with factories and keep in constant contact- we visit them, they visit us. In addition to conducting our own audits when necessary, we accept third-party, mutually recognized standards to reduce audit fatigue at factories and ensure safe, lawful, humane, and ethical manufacturing practices.

 

We are committed to ensuring that working conditions in our supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. Everless’ Suppliers, including subcontractors, are obligated in all of their activities to operate in full compliance with the laws, rules and regulations of the countries in which they operate. This Supplier Code of Conduct is in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production), in order to advance social and environmental responsibility. For more on the sustainable development goals, see below. 

 

Producing a physical product has an impact, whether we want to or not. From the very beginning it’s been our ambition to work towards zero carbon emission, in both material use, production and end of life. 

Mono Materiality 

The SmartBag was engineered with as little different materials as possible, to make it easier to recycle. This is called mono materiality. Many products consist of many different, often blended materials, which makes recycling next to impossible. The SmartBag is almost entirely made with polyester, to optimize recyclability and minimise its footprint. We deliberately use an extremely thin, triple ripstop ultra high performance fabric (that is used in the extreme sports industry), to minimise waste and maximise durability. Because we believe that making products that last, is one of the most powerful ways to reduce plastic waste. This is how we aim to empower our customers to be single use free. For what you don’t consume, you don’t waste. It’s that simple. 

When we set out we had a vision of ending single use plastic bag pollution around the world by creating a new smart solution to the problem. To make a product that people always carry with them, so they have a bag whenever they need one, wherever and for whatever. As members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we are committed to a transparent and fair supply chain, and to keep reducing our footprint towards a fully circular, zero waste model. We are not there yet, but we are making consistent and bold steps to continue to improve our processes, materials, supply partners and factories.

For us, sustainability is a double edged sword: On the one hand the SmartBag prevents plastic pollution, and one the other we are working to create a fully circular, zero waste model. We plan to create a mail-in system, so that damaged or used up SmartBags get sent directly to recycling and don’t end up in landfills.

IOT

The product is called the SmartBag because of its patented self storage technology. It is however our ambition to come out with an IOT powered SmartBag, That works as a double edged sword: On the one hand it has the capacity to run reward programs to directly incentivise our users to always bring their bag. Rewarded points may also be used to support environmental causes and give the consumer a direct impact on a better environment. On the other hand, the use of the IOT SmartBag creates a data set that is monetizable as a carbon offset for retail and corporations, giving them a direct incentive aside from their sustainability goals. 

The IOT SmartBag will empower big retail companies and corporations to move the needle on sustainability, for both their clients, as well as their employees. 

We are proud members of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). The SDG’s consist of 17 different goals that aim to combat poverty, inequality, environmental destruction, and more by 2030. We support goals 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 12 (responsible consumption and production). We are required to annual reporting to the United Nations on our progress and are committed to keep improving ourselves towards a zero waste future.