Mission-driven startup WOO, true to its name, is helping to create “Worlds of Opportunities” for artisans and other skilled laborers living in impoverished communities throughout Vietnam.Launched in 2009, the growing luxury lifestyle brand is the brainchild of philanthropist and entrepreneur Saskia de Knegt, whose vision to blend talent with underutilized local resources has helped establish livelihoods and repurpose waste streams through the production of handcrafted beeswax candles set in recycled wine and vodka bottles.With a background in medicine and business administration, de Knegt first worked in the medical field in Africa and South America before switching to development aid.
Mission-driven startup WOO, true to its name, is helping to create “Worlds of Opportunities” for artisans and other skilled laborers living in impoverished communities throughout Vietnam.
Launched in 2009, the growing luxury lifestyle brand is the brainchild of philanthropist and entrepreneur Saskia de Knegt, whose vision to blend talent with underutilized local resources has helped establish livelihoods and repurpose waste streams through the production of handcrafted beeswax candles set in recycled wine and vodka bottles.
With a background in medicine and business administration, de Knegt first worked in the medical field in Africa and South America before switching to development aid.
“I wanted to stimulate local economies, partnerships between rich and poor communities, and empower people born with less chance than others to get a new hold on their lives,” de Knegt explains. “WOO has nothing to do with charity. We help people to enrich their lives on their own with the creation of authentic handmade products, using what we have on location in terms of the people’s potential and raw material.”
While the supply chain is extended, the production process for WOO’s signature bottle candles is simple: The beeswax is sourced from local farmers, who are also encouraged to sell honey and Royal Jelly products for added income. Fragrances created especially for WOO by a leading Swiss perfume house are added to the wax along with a handmade cotton wick, which allows the candles to burn slowly and evenly for as long as 100 hours. Another WOO team collects empty vodka and wine bottles from local streets, hotels and restaurants. Workers then clean, cut and sandblast the WOO logo onto the bottle, all by hand. The bottles are then filled with the beeswax and given names evocative of the brand’s philosophy: Radiance, Tranquility and Treasure.
de Knegt says the opportunity to be involved in the production of WOO products helps workers learn skills that will not only bring them increased prosperity, but also allow them to stay on their land with their families.
The candles can be found online and at select shops throughout Malaysia and Western Europe. According to the WOO team, roughly 30,000 candles were sold through 2013, with sales — as well as artisans employed — expected to grow exponentially this year. In addition to their signature bottle candles, WOO plans to expand its product offering to include tea, herbs and spices; textiles; stationery products and more, and is looking to enter the US market through strategic partnerships and suitable distribution channels.
At SB, we are thrilled that we continue to discover mission-driven startups (some of our recent favorites include Thread, Yellow Leaf Hammocks, Ecofiltro, Nomadista, Jjangde, Isidore Electronics Recycling, The Empowerment Plan …) that are working to give a ‘hand up’ to those in need around the world. If you know of more that deserve attention, let us know!
Published May 29, 2014 4am EDT / 1am PDT / 9am BST / 10am CEST