An East Midlands business has launched a natural replacement to plastic, leather, cardboard and other environmentally harmful materials.
Incredible Husk, based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, launched during the COP26 global summit last November to make a carbon-negative alternative to traditional materials using husk waste from rice, nuts and coffee.
Chief executive Keith Ridgeway said a team of scientists and experts had been working on a process which was already attracting interest from a number of household brands.
It is now receiving business support and guidance from NatWest to help take its products to the next level.
Mr Ridgeway said: “We have huge ambitions for a start-up company and want to target the leaders in every industry to help them make the transition to decarbonisation and inspire others in their sector to do the same.
“Our product is revolutionary, and we believe we have the potential to decarbonize entire sectors by 2035.
“However, we also understand the importance of rolling out these vital sustainable practices without disrupting entire supply chains, so the process needs to be gradual and well-thought-out.
“It’s fantastic to have received support from NatWest to help us fulfil our ambitions and deliver our plans.
“The bank is leading the way in terms of empowering and enabling sustainable SMEs and it’s great to work with a company that shares our vision for a greener future.
“The collaboration is truly authentic to our values.”
The business has already picked up recognition at the Green World Awards, which aim to find the world’s greenest countries, companies and communities, and was made a Green World Ambassador in November.
NatWest’s support follows the launch of its “Springboard to Sustainability” report, which suggested the UK’s six million SMEs could help achieve 50 per cent of the UK’s net-zero decarbonisation goals.
It also said that SMEs could create up to 130,000 new jobs, produce around 30,000 new businesses, and put tens of billions of pounds into the UK economy.
Amber Launder, local enterprise manager at NatWest said: “NatWest’s ambition is to be a leading bank in helping to address climate change, primarily through the support we provide to our customers and bringing stakeholders together.
“Keith and his team truly deserve to be celebrated for their efforts in driving forward plans for decarbonisation internationally and across industries.
“It’s great they’ve been recognised so publicly through the World Green Awards and NatWest is happy to play a part in their next chapter – I look forward to seeing what’s next for them.”
