[BC Interview] Behind the brands - KAFFEEFORM

#WhoIsBehindTheBrand?

There are over 25 brands that Borderless Creations are sourcing from.  We’ve introduced the brands and their products but who are the people behind the brands?  What are their thoughts?

We asked the same 10 questions to all the brands so that you can get a better understanding of the brands and their stories.

Today we interviewed Mr. Julian Lechner who is the product designer of KAFFEEFORM from Germany.

 

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Q1) What triggered you to tackle ethical and sustainable issues? 

A1) I noticed the tremendous amounts of by-products such as coffee grounds and wanted to create a useful application for these. Therefore I felt a strong need to use my skills as a product designer to start working on the issues in that field. 

 

Q2) What has changed from when the brand started and now?

A2) The brand started form a very small scale. I had only a handful of sellable products in the beginning and arranged most of the logistics on my own. Now we are working in a bigger team and built strong relations to a range of suppliers. 

Q3) What was the hardest part of developing your brand? On the contrary, what was the best thing about continuing the brand?

A3) It was very difficult to scale the brand without any external investment or bank loan. Therefore I had to focus on every detail and make the products as attractive as possible for direct purchase for our end consumers. Every sold product helped to scale the company very organically.

Q4) Tell us about someone that you know who are working on being sustainable. What kind of activity/initiative is this person doing?

A4) A good friend of mine is working on a network of young entrepreneurs within the field of food, alternative materials and regional food production in Germany.  The idea is to collaborate and amplify the individual organizations to a bigger movement named "Good Food Collective“. 

 

Q5) What is your favorite quote? And why do you like it?

A5) “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.”
― Allen Saunders

 

Q6) Tell us about any books or movies that have had a great influence in your life!

A6) I am very inspired by the Japanese Designer Naoto Fukasawa. He published a book called: "The ecological approach to Design" 

Regarding new materials and its values I would like to recommend the German Chemical Scientist with his book: "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things"

 

Q7) If you can eat ANYTHING now, what would it be?

A7) We would love to have a plate full of grilled vegetables and potatoes.

Q8) If you can go ANYWHERE now, where would you like to go?

A8) I would take a break and go to the beautiful islands in Greece.  

 

Q9) Any other country or city you want to live?

A9) I would love to spend a few years living in Japan. 
The country is very beautiful and the culture is very inspiring.

 

Q10) What are you most mindful of when you think of your lifestyle?

A10) I am very mindful with my diet and prefer on a vegetable food from local, organic farmers.  Therefore I became a member of a German collective supporting its organic farmers. 

 

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[About KAFFEEFORM]

Coffee is deeply rooted in many cultures and holds the status of the most popular drink worldwide. Global consumption is steadily rising, meaning that the coffee grounds, the remainders, are too. So, where do the coffee grounds end up? Is it possible to make preserve them? To find a sensible way to reuse them?

Product designer Julian Lechner was intrigued by the idea of creating something new and lasting out of waste and began experimenting with coffee grounds. Three years later, he discovered the unique formula: recycled coffee grounds and renewable raw materials were transformed into the durable, robust material Kaffeeform. Which then became the Kaffeeform cup. 

[Brand Site]

https://www.kaffeeform.com/en/

Find KAFFEEFORM products on Borderless Creations：

https://borderlesscreations.com/en/collections/kaffeeform