Innovation

Currently, there is an obscene amount of plastic waste that is deteriorating the environment of our earth. Approximately 350 million tons of plastic waste is created annually, which could increase to 1 billion metric tons if there are no changes to the current policies around this issue by 2030. The B corporation, Hamilton Perkins, contributes to change by creating its bags and accessories using materials most wouldn’t gravitate towards utilising.

Plastic water bottles, pineapple leaf fibres, billboard vinyl, apparel, and retractable banners are just a few materials used to make their durable yet fashionable bags. The mission is to make unique bags and contribute to the community by creating sustainable products, making them stand out from their competition. In addition, they take responsibility for the entire life span of their product, which assists in reaching the current target and indicators for SDG 12.

Inspiration

From a young age, Hamilton Perkins had an entrepreneurial spirit and found a passion for recycling in middle school. He concluded that he has always been a “lifelong entrepreneur” that has seeped into his current career. This motivation for innovation stems from the need to be challenged in his career. Hamilton Perkins started his professional career working in investment banking. Since this respected career can be repetitive, Perkins felt the need to be challenged in other ways than through the stability of a career in corporate. He explained, “It's very lonely when you are working alone, and I felt as though I wasn’t being challenged intellectually and felt as if there is more to see.” To pursue his ambitions, he founded the Hamilton Perkins Collection.

In his days working for a banking company, he realised that he needed a bag, which caused him to question the lifespan of an item. He expresses his motivation: "I needed a bag for myself and realised there has to be a better way of making the bag…” and says a few moments later, noting that “there were problems that needed to be solved.” This inspired Perkins to founded the Hamilton Perkins Collection in 2014, which led to the release of his first product in 2016.

Overall impact

Since he is the founder of a collection focused on bettering the environment, he has seen the long-term and short-term effects of his innovation. Since he wanted his product to be constructed from waste streams and materials that can be used for bioconversion. In 2016, they launched their first product and obtained a kickstart of $10,000. To get his business moving in the right direction, he did trade shows and wholesale to bring awareness to his brand. In addition, he also received recognition from the Ellen show, Nordstrom, Target, and many more.

In addition, as the business continues to expand, scaling toward positively impacting the environment is possible. The Hamilton Perkins collection prioritises its passion for recycling, emphasising its dedication to making bags that gather the essence of the beauty of conscious consumption.

Business benefit

In 2016, the Hamilton Perkins collection released their first product after working on their idea since 2014. within those two years of development, they were now focused on receiving the necessary funding. In our interview, he explained, " In 6 days, we reached our funding goal of $10,000, and within our time of our product being on the market, we received $25,000 in pre-orders...". Their success immediately made them feel they were headed in the right direction. However, with their success, they waited over a year to sustain their supply chain and construct their product. After obtaining support from their supply chain, they still wanted to form a business that could retain a direct relationship with their consumers.

To think like an entrepreneur, it's important to remember why you are working towards your goal. Whether that be to help sustain the environment or help communities grow, it's essential not to limit your dreams and to keep moving forward. Hamilton Perkins encapsulates this through his business by expressing the need to push their climate-efficient products to those in the community. The B corporation is participating in a fellowship with the Department of Energy, which has been helpful. They continue to grow their business from the inside out through consistent learning and determination. This is a big step for the Hamilton Perkins Collection since they are being provided with resources such as funding, mentoring, and the process of commercialising their upcycled bags. Although the brand has had exposure, its next step is to go through the commercialisation process to expand its customer base.

The Hamilton Perkins Collection stands out in the industry by prioritizing the environment in their luxury bags. This unique approach has not only contributed to their business growth but also opened doors for collaborations with Fortune 500 and publicly traded companies.

Social and environmental benefit

Many can lose sight of what we should care about in a society focused on staying on top of trends. Yes, it is reasonable and admittedly tragic that portraying the standards of society can be the focal point of one feeling as they belong, but yet, living during a time where it is so brutally common to walk the beach in California and not bat an eye at the trash on the sand should be taken more seriously. Hamilton Perkins Collection takes this problem seriously and is attempting to combat the overflowing landfill affecting everyone across our earth. Aren’t we just as responsible as consumers for contributing to the situation that everyone desperately wants to fix but continues to live without change?

Not only is the Hamilton Perkins collection producing products using materials that combat waste that will deteriorate the earth's health, but this B corporation is an excellent example of how an idea can mean so much more in the grand scheme. When it comes to bettering our environment, they take responsibility for understanding the entire lifespan of their product.

Interviews

Hamilton Perkins, Founder & President

Hamilton Perkins, Founder & president