Ethical Businesses: Festival Favourites

It’s that time of year again, as summer sun filters through the clouds, startups.co.uk have been searching high and low for the best new businesses of today.

When it comes to British startups to watch, we’ve got our eye on the business ball and have drawn up a conclusive list of the top 100 startups in the UK right now: the illustrious Startups 100 index.

As an influx of sustainable startups and ethical businesses flooded the list of entrants, we cited Eco Businesses as one of the top business trends from this year’s applicants – sitting alongside other cutting edge business crazes like the booming sharing economy and startups pioneering equality and diversity.

The rise of the sustainable startup

Microbeads are officially banned, the prevalence of single-use plastic bags is down by 86% since the 5p charge was introduced, and reusable coffee cup sales are up by 537%. But it’s not just by law and legislation that we’re becoming more eco friendly as a nation – the business world is bustling with sustainable, entrepreneurial spirit.

Born out of real global need to reduce, reuse and recycle, sustainable startup culture as a ‘trend’ has been bubbling to the surface for a while – giving rise to a new breed of business: the ethical startup.

The movement is spearheaded by the likes of renewable energy provider Bulb, and 100% vegan (0% palm oil) nut butter brand Pip & Nut – who are paving the way for other new businesses to follow the ‘green-brick’ road to ethical startup success.

And now, we’re over the moon to have found 2019’s hottest sustainable startups using their business prowess to keep the planet cool…

Meet the eco warrior startups saving the world

The Cheeky Panda

As the nation’s wracked with festival fever, The Cheeky Panda is here to mop our sweaty brows with 100% biodegradable tissues and baby wipes that are vegan friendly and palm-oil free to boot.

Named The Cheeky Panda on account of their 100% bamboo-based products, this startup is making a real splash in the sustainable sector as is one of the most ethical businesses in the UK.

Brits use a colossal 11 billion wet wipes each year – a habit thought to be responsible for 93% of sewer blockages, a problem The Cheeky Panda is set to solve with something as natural, simple and ecological as bamboo.

Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth (certain species can even grow 91cm in a 24 hour period!), so it’s no surprise that a startup with such a speedy material at the source of its sustainable success also boasts a growth rate to match.

ChargedUp

When your phone runs out of battery it can really put a spanner in the works. Out and about and lost your way to that restaurant to meet your friends, or, at a festival unable to snap those memories on your battery-dead smartphone – irritating scenarios that ring true for many.

In fact, Ofcom reports that the average amount of time spent on a smartphone is 2 hours 28 minutes a day. This rises to 3 hours 14 minutes among 18-24s, suggesting that we’re pretty dependent on our pocket-sized devices.

This is why we’ve selected ChargedUp to feature in the Startups 100 index: a startup making sure your phone battery’s full-up when you need it most. And, best of all, that energy comes at no extra cost to the planet, as ChargedUp boast a 100% green energy supply.

Providing an innovative alternative to the conventional power bank, ChargedUp are the startup with the green outlook we’re all impressed by. Combining convenience with a strong sense of environmental conscience, ChargedUp is a business that’s only two years old but is already creating a business buzz in the startup scene!