At Alectro, we’re constantly on the lookout for sustainable and impact-driven alternatives to everyday items. This is an opportunity to share the brands that we love and that are making the world a greener place to live.

Pela makes waste-free alternatives to everyday technology accessory essentials, like phone cases, apple watch straps, and others.

The company uses plant-based materials that naturally biodegrade at the end of their life cycle so that its products don’t end up in landfills indefinitely.

We caught up with the team at Pela to discuss how they are changing the world of technology accessories.

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Why does Pela exist?

“While on a trip with family, our founder, Jeremy Lang, noticed his son continually digging up plastic at the beach. This real-world issue peaked Jeremy’s innovative mind to research and develop better alternatives to toxic and harmful plastics.

From then on, the company aimed to make eco-friendly, fashionable and accessible products for its customers that won’t contribute to plastic waste.

Now the company is on a mission to make a waste-free future a reality. Pela does this by making its products using environmentally sensible materials such as compostable bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials which have a lower carbon footprint than traditional plastic materials. These products are also compostable in a home composting environment meaning they are also reducing plastic waste with every case."

Pela’s cases and tech accessories come in hundreds of designs, so each individual can find something they are looking for without sacrificing style.

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What are the trends in Pela’s market space?

“Unfortunately, there’s a lot of greenwashing in the space. This means that customers should do their research when a company promotes their products as eco-friendly as in many cases they may not be.”

Greenwashing refers to companies making claims that are deceiving their customers to believe that their products are eco-friendly, sustainable or have a better positive environmental impact than reality.

Here are some key aspects which customers should consider when purchasing goods to avoid greenwashing:

• What materials are the products made from?

  Companies sometimes promote their products to be made from natural or eco-friendly friendly products when they are actually damaging to the environment. Therefore, customers should be aware of toxic or harmful materials being used.

• Where are the products made?

  Companies are sometimes producing products in unsafe and harsh environments for their employees. Another factor which is important is taking into account the transportation of goods from source to where they're sold as this can have an significant impact on the overall carbon impact of the product.

• How does the company contribute to the environment, sustainability or social good?

  There are a range of ways a company can contribute, for example, becoming a B Corporation, measuring its carbon footprint to either become carbon-neutral or net zero, and also investing in its employees and community.

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What's up next for Pela and what should we get excited about?

"Pela has recently launched compostable Rings and Dog Tags in partnership with Qalo. The company is also going to have some big collaborations coming up with names you’re sure to recognise.

Watch this space..."

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What are the challenges of starting a sustainability journey for a business such as Pela?

“One of the biggest challenges for businesses is that they don’t know where they stand. It can be scary to measure emissions only to find out you’re not where you want to be - but it’s the best place to start.

Show people the good they’re doing by making everyday swaps. Often, it can be hard to measure our impact but that kind of positive reinforcement or ‘cheerleading’ can make all the difference in helping us to stay motivated and keep doing the right things.”

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Thanks so much to Pela for taking the time to talk to us about their sustainability journey and future.

If you're interested in finding out more, make sure to keep an eye on their socials @pelacase and visit their website for updates or more information!

Let us know who you'd like to see us cover next in our Brands we Love series by emailing hello@alectro.io

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