champ-Tardieu: I never understood why something that is used once, is engineered to last for centuries. Little Green Panda (LGP) was founded on the belief that single-use products shouldn’t be made to last. [There are] eight million tons of plastic dumped into our ocean every year. That equals four million jeeps every single year. Overwhelmed by where to even begin, I decided to tackle an item that I used to use everyday which were plastic straws and start from there.  Working in the fashion industry, I saw the monumental amount of waste the industry produces. I saw an opportunity to use the excess straw from making hats and bags, which would usually get burnt or thrown away and turn. We’ve turned this opportunity into creating drinking straws that help to combat a huge environmental problem – single-use packaging – and to re-imagine disposable plastic in a sustainable way with drinking straws as our first product. IR: How do you create sustainable straws made from sugar cane and wheat? MBT: Our range of sustainable straws are made from agricultural waste that normally gets thrown away, buried or dumped into the ocean. We take this “waste” and give it a second life by transforming them into straws that are 100 per cent compostable, biodegradable, non-toxic, plastic and gluten-free and 12-hour water resistant.  All our straws are handmade by female artisans in developing communities across Mongolia, Vietnam and Taiwan and this provides them with a second source of income that they can bring home to support their families. Collectively, we are all joining forces to create something that is kind to the oceans and that meets the growing consumer preferences towards environmentally-friendly options.  IR: How do you convince consumers to switch to using sustainable products? MBT: Consumers have the power to create change and today, more than ever, we are more and more aware about the negative impact plastic has on the environment. Each time we buy something, we are casting a vote to say we endorse that company, that brand or product. We give the nod of approval to their values, ethics and standards. By casting a vote with our wallet, we are telling them to keep doing what they are doing. That is why education has been a big part of our marketing to teach and inform individuals about how powerful they can help in making a difference. IR: What are your international expansion plans for the business? MBT: Our traction internationally is particularly strong in France, where myself and my co-founder, Loris Campanile, originate. We also launched our range of straws in New Zealand last year with plans of expansion to other countries as we continue to grow. IR: Any new products your company is launching this year? MBT: LGP currently sells to thousands of businesses and franchises in the hospitality and hotel industry. Our clients range from boutique distilleries like Four Pillars Gin to hotel empires. Plant-based drinking straws are just the beginning. To work towards our vision, we’re actively working on expanding the range to other products that typically rely on single-use plastics. To date, we have prevented over five million plastic straws from being manufactured (equalling 8.5 tons of single-use plastic).