Innovation

Gunnbelievable creates custom handmade crafts from raw recycled materials. Gunnbelieavble offers unique products such as the Bonsoy Wallet (made from soy milk carton) and recycled beer carton notebooks. Founder, Chloe, makes each product in limited quantities and with love. Additionally, Gunnbelievable also hosts Recycled Craft Workshops for 8-15 people. The workshops teach the skills to her unique craft of producing beautiful products from recycled materials. Her workshops foster creativity and collaboration, while also educating the students on sustainable living.

Inspiration

Chloe’s inspiration and skill developed as she pursued her studies in the art of theatre. This experience gave her the “knack” for creating beautiful things from limited materials. Designing costumes and sets from restricted resources took a special eye. It also made her question what everyday rubbish is, and how it could be repurposed to live a second life.

Chloe has always been a hands on person, preferring the tactile nature of objects. As a she grew up, she never “took to computers”. In a time of the digital age, where capitalism and consumerism allows humans to “buy anything you need, whenever you want, wherever you want”, Chloe began giving products a second chance through her creative crafts. Starting with the Bonsoy wallet, she moved onto Beer Carton Notebooks and kept expanding her product range. She finds opportunities to learn new crafts that fit a common need, and feeds this creativity into her business. Good and positive opportunities are what Chloe continues to pursue.

Overall impact

When people see Gunnbelievable’s products, they are simply amazed. Seeing something so beautiful made from what people perceive as rubbish is an eye opening experience. Gunnbelievable’s products serve a need while also indirectly educating society and positively influencing the environment. Gunn believes that “one Bonsoy wallet won’t save the world”. However, what it might do is alter people's perspectives, who will then change their behaviour and influence others. It is a chain reaction effect, that begins with a handmade recycled product, and leads to the changed conscience of a human. It is this, Chloe believes, that can make an impact on the world.

Business benefit

Selling crafts that are made from recycled materials comes with the benefit of low cost of raw materials. Gunnbelievable uses what others may not want to power her business and generate profits. The other positive that her innovation brings to the business is the sense of contributing to the greater good. When people purchase products or partake in a workshop, they are making a change in their behaviour and begin reducing their impact on the environment. This concept produces a positive influence on her business.

Social and environmental benefit

Gunnbelievable benefits society through educating and empowering people. Chloe’s workshops are conducted in a “fun and chatty environment”. She educates the classroom on different recycling systems relevant to the workshop location and raw material used. She talks about closed loop recycling systems and working towards zero virgin material products. The workshops also encourage discussion, in which students share their experiences or ideas about recycled craft. Her classes empower people to take the skills learnt into the world and continue to find creative and innovative ways to repurpose raw materials. Chloe believes that her class “is not the end, but the beginning”

Gunnbelievable also uses its social media platform to share the message of sustainable living and promote other innovations that are doing good in the world. Chloe researches online articles on sustainability and recycling. She acts as the “sieve” and shares the most interesting and engaging articles onto her social media for her customer base to read. By doing this, Gunnbelievable adds to the conversation of reducing environmental impact and living sustainably.

Gunnbelievable’s direct impact on the environment is through reducing waste. However, due to the size of the business, it is obvious that this impact is only a drop in the ocean, in grand scale of the human waste epidemic. Although, as previously mentioned, it is the indirect impact of Gunnbelievable that leaves the greatest effect. Customers that buy products or attend a workshop, are able to gain an appreciation for the “usefulness of recycled materials” and how they can be repurposed into valuable new things. They also grow their understanding of living sustainably and recycling. It is with this new perspective that influences people to change their practices and the way that they live.

Interview

Chloe Gunn, Founder