From Local Waste to John Lewis Shelves: The ReBorn Growth Story with Brian Walmsley (episode 548)
Brian Walmsley is the founder and CEO at ReBorn, the world’s first homewares brand made entirely from local waste. Founded in 2022 they now sell via wholesale, Amazon, and their Shopify store, and are doing £500,000 a year.
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Dive in:
[04:04] “Sustainable Housewares Market Opportunity”
[09:19] Recycled Materials Procurement Overview
[12:55] “Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Insights”
[15:15] Hybrid Teamwork Approach
[17:30] Key Partnerships: Legal & Human Focus
[20:55] “Category Building for Profitability”
[21:50] Listen to Brian’s Top Tips!
Real Consumer Research Beats Assumptions
Brian shows how deep consumer research can save you from costly mistakes. He tested early product designs that looked exciting but failed miserably in real market surveys. Consumers didn’t want “marbled” recycled plastic—it felt unclean to them. This highlights how vital it is to mix both qualitative insights and quantitative validation. If you’re making product decisions based on gut alone, this episode is your wake-up call.
Sustainability Must Be Built-In, Not Bolted On
Reborn isn’t just another “green” brand—it was designed from the ground up to be circular and sustainable. Brian made the hard choice to start fresh, instead of retrofitting old systems. This decision allowed for better storytelling, product development, and authenticity. If your brand is struggling to integrate sustainability, Brian’s approach offers a powerful roadmap. You’ll hear exactly why that “from-scratch” mindset matters more than ever.
Wholesale Success Starts with Relationships
Getting stocked in John Lewis wasn’t luck—it was strategy. Brian leveraged existing relationships with buyers and knew how to speak their language. He didn’t just pitch a product; he pitched a category opportunity backed by data. If wholesale is a goal for your brand, this episode is packed with real, actionable insights. It’s a masterclass in how to build trust and credibility with major retailers.
Local Supply Chains Create a Brand Advantage
Most brands source recycled materials from chemical giants. Brian went straight to the waste collectors instead. This gave Reborn tighter control over supply, lower emissions, and a more powerful story. Local sourcing turned a simple product into a meaningful one—and that makes a difference to both retailers and customers. It’s a reminder that your supply chain can be a secret marketing weapon.
Sweat Equity Can Scale a Lean Team—If Done Right
Instead of hiring a big team, Brian used sweat equity to bring experts on board. From designers to engineers, everyone had skin in the game. But he did it with structure—legal clarity, long-term commitment, and mutual respect. If you’re scaling without deep pockets, his approach is a smart, low-risk alternative to expensive hires. He shares the exact mindset and systems that made it work.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- SEO
Tool Top Tip
- Survey tools such as Toluna
Carbon Top Tip
- Go local. Sourcing and collaborating within your community can significantly cut carbon emissions and uncover valuable, unexpected synergies.
Interview links
*Thank you to Paul Finch from the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator for the guest introduction!
Related Episodes
- Exponential growth driven by a commitment to sustainability with Dan Dicker from Circular & Co (episode 310)
- Taking a Sustainable Products brand to 2million+ customers with Jennie Perry from Grove Collaborative (episode 377)
- High Growth Success for a D2C Brand with Mark Rushmore, SURI (episode 460)
- The Power of Purpose: How B Corp Values Fuel eCommerce Growth at Sarah Raven, with Ash Pallet (episode 532)
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