#16 Sustainable packaging with Bella Collins of Flexi-Hex

For Episode 16 I welcome Bella Collins to the breakfast table.  Bella heads up a company called Flexi-Hex, which is an industry leader in sustainable packaging based in Porthleven in West Cornwall.  Flexi-Hex evolved when founders Will and Sam Boex – who are both surfers - were looking for a way to transport their boards without using plastic, or running the risk of damage.  They created the first Flexi-Hex product – a surfboard sleeve that fits like a wetsuit, uses zero plastic, and protects both their boards and the planet. Fast forward four years and Flexi-Hex is a small but fast-growing business that has developed a range of beautifully designed packaging products made from paper, using their unique concertina-like glove that fits snuggly around fragile items from bottles to electronics, cosmetics, surf boards and more. By creating a paper product that’s recyclable, biodegradable and natural, they’re removing unnecessary plastic from the ocean, and as a company they state “Our love of the sea runs deep through our team. It’s why we take care in everything we do, from the way we run our business to the way our product is made.” Although ‘packaging’ may not seem like a topic that’s likely to hold your attention, definitely tune in for this conversation – Bella not only shares how Flexi-Hex are making a positive impact for people (worth noting that they’ve recently become a B Corp), but there are also lots of useful take-aways for anyone involved with setting up a business that values human and environmental resources alongside the bottom line. Bella also discusses her world-record-breaking rowing endeavours, and I found it fascinating hearing how she links the skills and mindset that she cultivated when rowing for weeks on end across oceans in often extremely challenging conditions, back to the workplace.  Bella is engaging – she was listed by Forbes this year as one of their European 30 under 30; her story and that of Flexi-Hex is truly uplifting, and I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation just as much as I did. For breakfast with Bella I prepared Blueberry and Lemon Overnight Oats followed by Tostada con Tomate (Tomatoes on Toast) which is a fantastic recipe for using locally grown tomatoes during high summer when we can often have a glut.  You can find the recipes along with more information about the themes we discuss via the Episode 16 web page.   Thank you for listening, I’d love to know your thoughts on today’s episode.  Do join the conversation, you can email me [email protected] or message via Instagram @breakfast_and_beyond  Please do subscribe to the podcast, and I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review this episode, then share it with people in your network who you know would enjoy listening.  Thank you so much, welcome to the breakfast table …