Sustainable bottle business
An enterprising graduate of our Mathematics degree course founded her own company offering flat, reusable and BPA-free water bottles, designed to fit where others can’t.
Loughborough University alumna Francesca Kennedy Wallbank (who graduated with a degree in Mathematics in 2016) was inspired to create the bottles during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, when only one hour of outdoor exercise per day was permitted.
When going on long walks in the countryside, Francesca found that traditional water bottles caused a problem.
I started to go on long walks in the countryside and only wanted to carry the bare minimum. My bulky water bottles didn’t fit into my small bags or coat pockets meaning I had to compromise; either not carry water or swap to a much larger bag. That’s when I went on a hunt to find a water bottle that was flat and square. I soon realized there was very little choice. That’s why I started H₂O².
All H₂O² bottles are made with vegan materials and use recycled, recyclable and biodegradable packaging. Operating carbon neutrally, Francesca can hand deliver local orders as well as plant a tree for each bottle sold.
On sustainability, Francesca says:
I’m a strong sustainability advocate and believe every consumer should know the full ‘carbon cost’ of each product. That’s why for every bottle sold, we plant a tree to offset the carbon created in the full production process.
The company are also affiliated with the Prince’s Trust, who guided Francesca through the start-up process via mentorship.
If you think Francesca looks familiar, she was also a contestant in season 16 of the reality recruitment show "The Apprentice" (BBC One).
