NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator

LOOP LOOP

Loop Loop started from a simple idea, creating sustainable cards, with a twist - these cards can be planted to give the gift of fl owers without having to spend big at the fl orist! Sophie, the founder of Loop Loop makes wildfl ower seed cards from recycled materials and zero plastic. Like many, Sophie wanted a job that she felt passionate and invigorated by.

Having not found this in England, in 2017, she uphauled everything, quit her 9-5 and moved to Portugal. She started a new life stripped back to basics living in a caravan and practising sustainable permaculture. During this time Sophie took on a period of self-reflection to discover what she wanted in life and what impact she wanted to have on the world. She noted her passions centred around her creativity and sustainability.

She moved back to Brighton after a year, rejuvenated and ready to search for a job that would allow her to fulfil these passions. Sophie started experimenting with her creativity working through trial and error to see what she enjoyed. She had always made cards for her friends and families birthdays and a friend of her family offered to stock more of these in her flower shop. This sparked Sophie’s artistry and she began designing using watercolours and teaching herself photoshop. Sophie knew if she wanted to sell more of these cards, she wanted to use only recycled and the most sustainable products.

Using this ideology Loop Loop was born, with the ethos of wanting to loop life back into old materials. Once opened the cards can be soaked in water and planted in composted soil, if kept moist beautiful wildfl owers will blossom from your loved one’s message.

As her business continues to grow, she has made some tricky decisions in keeping her supply chain sustainable. Although at times this hinders some of her business growth, Sophie remains strong to her morals and wants to do right by the world “it’s always a really tricky thing, and you can chase the money, but I think the core values will need to be there”. She has started to diversify into other sustainable products such as eco-friendly art prints and recycled saris and rag notebooks.

Sophie has now sold over 60,000 cards over the course of three years. If looked at collectively, you could fi ll 230 football fi elds with all the cards planted! The wildflowers that bloom from these cards also help the declining bee population in ensuring these pollinators can continue to survive on our planet. On average we buy 33 cards each year in the UK, but most end up in the trash. Loop Loop provides a sustainable solution for card giving and a small piece of hope for a brighter future.

Buy her cards online at www.looploop.co.uk For every order received one tree gets planted by Tree Nation to contribute to reforestation projects. Follow Loop Loop on Instagram @think_looploop

Gatwick Diamond Business Awards: Diamond Alumni

DIAMOND ALUMNI is a prestigious new members club, exclusive to Gatwick Diamond Business Awards winners, sponsors and partners; the very best of Gatwick Diamond businesses as recognised by the region’s premier business awards. In partnership with Creative Pod, DIAMOND ALUMNI launches on 1st October 2021 with a lunch at The Grand, Brighton. The Alumni lunch will be an annual event offering high-level networking opportunities and adding value for sponsors and winners of our Awards. But the lunch is just the start - we plan to develop DIAMOND ALUMNI to provide other exclusive opportunities for members. Members of DIAMOND ALUMNI have responded very positively to this new opportunity and are already inviting guests and booking their places at the lunch. If you are interested in sponsoring this prestigious new annual event please contact James at Creative Pod (see below).