Innovation

Farid and Daniel started with a main idea and got support from their brothers who were already entrepreneurs. Daniel's brother has a recycling business so they took ideas from there.

The idea started the day Farid saw many tires discarded on the streets, so they started to research about this problem and the harm this caused; they found that it was an alarming problem in Mexico: 40 million tires are thrown away each year, and only 9% of them are recycled. The other 91% goes into the waste stream.

As there are so many tires, and people don't know what to do with them, they are often burned. But when a tire is burned it pollutes to the same degree a car does during an entire year. That's why they wanted to make a difference about it.

Ecü created footwear using this material. The sole for the shoe is made with recycled tires that they source in garbage dumps and on the streets, so to diminish the impact of the contamination produced by the waste and burning of tires.

Daniel mentions that his innovation was "to create a friendly product, for daily use, that could be replaced with a product of responsible consumption by means of the use of the tire sole in our footwear, diminishing the environmental impact generated by the tire dump".

The handmade bags are designed by indigenous women from communities located in the central region of Mexico that are part of the Zihuame Mochilla's organization, supporting and improving sustainable development objective number 10: Reduced Inequalities.

They promote the "Made in Mexico" concept to promote the consumption of national products and improve Mexico's economy.

Ecü also makes bamboo socks; bamboo requires little water and is a 100% biodegradable plant.

Ecü footwear highlights the beauty of the Mexican culture.

Inspiration

Ecu was created in response to a problem of tires in the waste stream. The company wanted to make a change in the country and create a eco-friendly product for daily use to promote responsible consumption. They detected an opportunity area in using disposed tires for the sole of shoes.

What motivated Farid Arturo Dieck Kattas and Daniel Noroña to start the business was to help the environment by using the tires for footwear soles. Farid studied musical production and Daniel economics so they weren't experts in any topic about fashion.

They also got inspired to create a product with a Mexican seal and were truly motivated by the idea of generating positive social impact. Daniel mentions that "[...] we want people to use our shoes and think 'I am proud to be using a 100% Mexican product that is environmentally friendly'. One of our goals is to create an impact, in the way people think."

They were motivated by using the least quantity of natural resources and creating the same product that the consumer needs: shoes and socks.

Overall impact

There is a serious pollution problem in Mexico and all around the world. Tire materials are very difficult to recycle and take a lot of time to decompose, so they become more waste that leads to more pollution. Ecü promotes the recycling of tire materials, making the company a pioneer in this practice in Mexico.

Ecu has recycled about 500 tires and has contributed with $45,000 MXN to the Zihuame Backpack program that helps them develop the packaging of the shoes.

Some other important facts about the firm's impact is that they generate less waste, they use less natural resources, and they also promote the objective 10 by reducing inequalities and giving jobs to women in communities with need.

Also, Daniel mentioned that an impact in the business area is "to prove to society and to all the young people of today that a social enterprise can also be profitable".

Business benefit

Ecu is a socially responsible business. Buyers choose to buy their shoes because of the innovations and the common good that is being generated. By buying these products, people know that they are helping low-income women and the environment because of the recycled materials that Ecu uses to create their shoes. These materials are very difficult to decompose and improper disposal contributes to diseases like dengue.

This company also contributes the Mexican economy and promote the regional products by making their shoes 100% Mexican and adapting it to something that a Mexican person would buy.

Also, thanks to the type of products they offer, it has been possible to make alliances with other brands. They mentioned that if they didn't have these products, they would not have those alliances; Daniel said "We would never have achieved these collaborations of not being a company that saw for the environment and for the good of society".

Social and environmental benefit

Talking about societal benefits, Ecü provides jobs to native women from communities such as the Otomi which is located at a center region of Mexico. These women are in charge of the packaging design in which the shoes are delivered. Founders, Farid and Daniel, through their firm, contribute to these womens' work development, improving the "Entrepreneurship Program".

Also, they transform everyday products to products that have a social-environment impact, in order for people to have a responsible alternative. From January 2016 to August 2016, 160 tires have been recycled and reused in their entirety. In Daniel's words during the interview he said: "A single burned tire can contaminate the same as the average use of a car for a whole year, so it's a great environmental benefit to produce this shoes."

Interview

Farid Dieck/ Daniel Noroña, Business Founder