#19: Manufacturing sustainable upcycled bags from discarded lorry curtains with Mat Dusting (Founder of M-24 & GPOWERUK)

START UP. START NOW.

Mat Dusting is the founder of M-24, an online bag company that repurposes used truck tarpaulins and car seat belts into ultra-durable, one of a kind pieces of road history. Originally backed by the Prince’s Trust, M-24 has grown from a university idea into a cult brand with customers in over 35 countries, 50 tonnes of waste plastic recycled and sold over 10,000 units to date. Manufacturing everything in the UK, Mat collaborates with the largest haulage firms in the country and has a developed a line of colourful, durable, waterproof bags and accessories, all of which are one-of-a-kind. Mat studied Industrial Product Design at Aston University and veered away from the traditional graduate job route to pursue his idea without a moment's thought. Having secured initial funding from the Prince’s Trust, Mat then raised £100,000+ investment from investors to open 5 pop-up shops in Central London before opening a permanent store in Brighton. As the business grew internationally and online orders increased, Mat tweaked the business to operate entirely online and focused on customer care. With a keen interest in sustainability, Mat has recently started GPOWERUK, which is aiming to shake up the renewables market by using data-driven technologies to help business owners in the UK make smarter and more sustainable decisions.
Connect with Mat Dusting via: LinkedIn.
Find out more about M-24 Bags via: website, Instagram and Facebook.
A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to Start Up and Start Now by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!
Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!
Connect with Start Up. Start Now. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk. To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.