Success Story
| Region/Nation | Scotland |
|---|---|
| Sector | Wholesale and Retail Trade |
| Programme | Start Up Loans |
| Partner |
Founder George Greer received a loan from the British Business Bank and Virgin StartUp in September 2022 to expand his line of sustainable dog waste bags, following a surge in demand from consumers in the USA.
Since then, the business has diversified into new markets with the launch of Harmless Fashion, a range of plastic-free accessories designed to combat greenwashing in the fashion industry and support the UK textiles sector.
The collection, featuring a previously unused tartan designed for the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, includes tote bags, laptop cases, and dog leads.
As part of its global expansion strategy, the business has recently extended its presence south of the border by opening a new office in Marylebone, London.
Project Harmless was set up during the Covid-19 pandemic when George noticed high concentrations of plastic dog waste bags along the shores of Loch Long while walking his Swiss Shephard, Noah. This gave him the idea to re-purpose a water-reactive, non-toxic and microplastic free material to develop a new class of dog waste bags that dissolve in the open environment.
As a purpose-driven business, our products help tackle the growing environmental issue of plastic pollution. Project Harmless started when I realised just how harmful dog waste bags are, and the same goes for fashion.
Many UK fashion brands claim to be sustainable, but their products are often made outside the UK and EU and most contain several types of plastic. There is a clear gap in the market for an alternative that is genuinely plastic-free and made by craftspeople earning well above the living wage in Scotland. But we’re not stopping there. We also plan to expand into new markets with innovative solutions in renewable energy and carbon capture, reinforcing our commitment to addressing climate change.
The initial loan was pivotal when starting up, covering manufacturing costs and building up our inventory, which was key to growing our customer base. I’m thrilled to be selected as an ambassador and hope to inspire others to take the plunge and start their own business.
George Greer Founder, Project Harmless
Tags related to this content:
More success stories
Read a success story about Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop
Natalie Press is the founder of Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop (Woof), which sells a wide range of organic, grain-free and sustainable pet products.
Read a success story about We Make Footballers
Leon Stapleton, founder of We Make Footballers Cardiff, a football training academy for children aged 4-12. Applying for a £15,000 Start Up Loan meant that Leon was able to launch the first We Make Footballers franchise in Wales.
Read a success story about Two Blues Solar
Dan Levene is co-founder of Two Blues Solar, a solar panel installation business which addresses the growing demand for sustainable solutions to help drive the nation's net-zero agenda.
Sign up for our newsletter
Just add your details to receive updates and news from Start Up Loans
Sign up to our newsletter