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Prezervativele vegane care mentin viata sexuala in siguranta – si durabile

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Viata voastra sexuala poate fi mai durabila? Acesti antreprenori germani considera acest lucru – si au dezvoltat un brand de prezervativ vegan intr-o afacere de mai multe miliarde de euro pentru a dovedi acest lucru.

In 2015, Philip Siefer si Waldemar Zeiler se aflau in mijlocul crowdfunding-ului noului sau business. „Am auzit aceeasi intrebare de la oamenii care donau bani”, spune Siefer. „Prezervativele sunt vegane? Nici nu ne-am dat seama ca, de obicei, prezervativele contin o proteina animala pentru a face latexul mai moale. ”

Antreprenorii cu sediul in Berlin au cautat sa surprinda o portie din piata de prezervative globale de 8 miliarde de dolari, apeland la clienti constienti de eco. Spre surprinderea lor, acest grup de consumatori este remarcabil de mare – si de patru ani, marca lor de produse de igiena vegana durabile, inregistreaza un venit anual de aproximativ 5 milioane de euro.

Compania lor, Einhorn, inseamna unicorn in germana. Imaginile deoparte, antreprenorii spun ca este de fapt o joaca pe termenul folosit pentru a descrie gigantii start-up de 1 miliard de dolari precum Airbnb si Deliveroo. Cu toate ca Siefer si Zeiler nu se afla inca in clubul cu trei virgule, sustenabilitatea in centrul activitatii lor a avut succes si nu doar pentru ca este populara in randul consumatorilor. Mai degraba, construirea de valori durabile in brandul lor a deschis usi in cadrul comunitatii de afaceri la care altfel ar fi fost mai dificil de accesat.

Nu contine produse de origine animala

Prezervativele sunt a doua forma preferata de contraceptie din Germania, dupa pastila, dar in timp ce facea cumparaturi cu prietena sa, Siefer a fost surprins de cat de demodat parea brandul. El a considerat ca consumatorii de astazi ar putea imbratisa o noua alternativa ecologica si, dupa ce a respins initial ideea, Zeiler a sarit la bord, considerand produsul ideal pentru comertul electronic. Perechea a dorit sa creeze o afacere care sa fie corecta si durabila, nu numai pentru planeta, ci si pentru lucratorii sai.

Cazeina Einhorn inlocuita – o proteina care se gaseste in laptele de mamifer care este folosit pentru a inmuia latexul in prezervative – cu un lubrifiant natural bazat pe plante (Credit: www.einhorn.my)

Dupa un deceniu in scena de start, cautau o iesire din visul capitalist. „Daca m-ai fi intrebat de copil ce as fi vrut sa fiu cand am crescut, as fi spus„ milionar ”, spune Siefer. „Dar dupa 10 ani ca antreprenor, vedeam colegii si prietenii din jurul meu facandu-le milioane, dar inca nu eram fericit.”

Pentru a incepe, au lansat o campanie de finantare a multimilor, care a strans 100.000 € (111.000 USD, 84.400 de lire sterline), iar la acel moment veganismul a devenit parte a planificarii produselor Einhorn.

„Am vrut sa cream un produs usor de vandut si livrat online si ceva in care nu ar trebui sa ne ocupam de rentabilitate, deoarece acesta este unul dintre cele mai mari costuri pentru vanzarile online”, spune Siefer. „Deci prezervativele au fost produsul perfect. Nici nu am avut in vedere daca vor fi vegani sau nu. ”

In timp ce zilele in care prezervativele erau facute din intestinele de miel s-ar putea termina in mare parte, majoritatea optiunilor de pe rafturile de astazi contin inca cazeina proteica animala. Ingredientul cheie al prezervativelor, desigur, este latexul – o seva naturala laptoasa care este extrasa din copacii de cauciuc, cultivata in principal in regiunile tropicale din Asia. Proteina de cazeina, intalnita pe scara larga in laptele mamiferelor, este utilizata pentru a inmuia latexul.

In timp ce zilele in care prezervativele erau facute din intestinele de miel s-ar putea termina in mare parte, majoritatea optiunilor de pe rafturile de astazi contin inca cazeina proteica animala

Dar Einhorn lasa proteina de cazeina – optand in schimb pentru un lubrifiant natural bazat pe plante. De asemenea, are grija sa obtina latexul intr-un mod cat mai ecologic.

Einhorn nu a fost in niciun caz primul care a creat un prezervativ durabil sau vegan. Brandul nord-american Glyde a preluat acest titlu in 2013. De atunci, un numar tot mai mare de alternative durabile au lovit rafturile care spera sa faca o cura pe piata globala a prezervativului, care va valora 15 miliarde de dolari pana in 2026.

Desi piata este inca relativ noua, Einhorn a constatat ca majoritatea consumatorilor lor au intre 20 si 40 de ani, cu 60% din achizitiile facute de femei.

„Prea multe persoane se simt inca jenate de cumpararea de produse precum prezervativele si ajung sa le ascunda in restul cumparaturilor. Asadar, am vrut sa contactam consumatorii constienti cu un produs durabil, scapand in acelasi timp de acest tabu cu desenele noastre distractive ”, spune Siefer.

‘Fairstainable’

Extinderea rapida a plantatiilor de monocultura de cauciuc natural pe scara larga in ultimii 30 de ani a dus la defrisari, ceea ce a afectat habitatele naturale ale vietii salbatice. Pentru a combate acest lucru, Einhorn s-a indepartat de plantatiile traditionale si, in schimb, lucreaza strans cu un grup de mici detinatori din Thailanda.

Acesti fermieri evita pesticidele acolo unde este posibil, optand in loc sa inlature buruienile cu un instrument. Scopul este ca o ferma sa fie intr-o zi completa fara chimicale. Sunt, de asemenea, in curs de desfasurare teste pe teren pentru a determina ce specii de plante locale vor promova biodiversitatea.

Cercetatorii spun ca, in timp ce un pas in directia corecta, impactul produselor de nisa precum prezervativele vegane asupra mediului este limitat (Credit: Kate Brady)

Studies have revealed serious issues linked to working conditions at some rubber plantations, so a member of Einhorn’s “fairstainability” team aims to be on site to help oversee production for at least three months of the year. Farmers are paid 15% above the minimum wage and projects to better inform workers about their rights are currently being organised.

Sustainable packaging remains a work in progress. While the company’s original packaging has been replaced with 100% recyclable paper, the next step is to create more sustainable individual wrappers without aluminium.

Pledging for the planet

Einhorn hopes to see its sustainable concept applied to other businesses. One way could be through their ‘Entrepreneur’s Pledge’, which they signed when they founded the business.

Inspired by The Giving Pledge, launched by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, the pledge mandates that Einhorn invests 50% of its profits into sustainable projects. In 2018, for example, it invested 10% of its profits in CO2 offsets, which fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as restoring forests. Other beneficiaries include the bioRe Foundation which promotes sustainable organic cotton farming.

About 100 other entrepreneurs have since signed the pledge, and it has certainly boosted Einhorn’s business. Its big break came when it sealed a deal with German toiletries and household products giant DM.

“When we told DM what our buying and retail prices were, they weren’t convinced,” Siefer says. While Einhorn condoms retail at around €6 for a pack of seven condoms, industry giants are selling packs of eight for around €5. “But then we explained that we were going to reinvest 50% of the profits,” he recalls. “‘So every cent you take from us now,’ we said, ‘you’re going to take it away from a good cause.’”

DM took the plunge and offered Einhorn a platform in the mainstream German retail market. Sebastian Bayer, managing director for DM’s marketing and procurement division, says customers are increasingly concerned about sustainability, “so we want to offer sustainable product alternatives”.

These smaller niche products are good but we really need to focus on areas like mobility and energy in the home which have the biggest impact on CO2 emissions – Anna Sundermann

Green products are certainly a growth area; according to the German Environment Agency, German consumers spent some €60bn on “green products” in 2016, and the trend is expected to continue.

Yet Anna Sundermann, an environmental research fellow at Leuphana University Luneburg, says that while products such as Einhorn condoms should be welcomed to the sustainable market, their potential long-term effect on the environment is limited.

Einhorn founders Philip Siefer and Waldemar Zeiler have used their ‘Entreprenuer’s Pledge’ to invest 50% of profits back into sustainable projects (Credit: Robert Wunsch)

“These smaller niche products are good but we really need to focus on areas like mobility and energy in the home which have the biggest impact on CO2 emissions,” says Sunderman. That said, she believes that the more sustainable alternatives there are to conventional products, the better. “Networks of companies like Einhorn can make a difference in addressing systemic problems like global sustainable supply chain,” she adds.

New products, new initiatives

Today, Einhorn’s sustainable concept is making headway: last year the company sold more than 4.5m individual condoms. It also launched its own range of period products made from 100% organic cotton in early 2019. “We still have to pinch ourselves to realise that it’s still going strong,” says Siefer.

With a huge event planned at Berlin’s Olympiastadion in summer 2020, the company’s next venture is to bring its fair and sustainable concept to German politics. At a day-long event involving some 60,000 people, Einhorn plans to submit multiple e-petitions to the German parliament focusing on climate change policy and gender equality.

In the meantime, however, Siefer and Zeiler intend to give their shares in Einhorn away. At the end of this year, they will donate the shares to the company itself – meaning that it can never be sold, preserving its founding sustainable values: economically, environmentally and socially.

Prezervativele vegane care mentin viata sexuala in siguranta – si durabile

In timp ce zilele in care prezervativele erau facute din intestinele de miel s-ar putea termina in mare parte, majoritatea optiunilor de pe rafturile de astazi contin inca cazeina proteica animala

These smaller niche products are good but we really need to focus on areas like mobility and energy in the home which have the biggest impact on CO2 emissions – Anna Sundermann

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