Tell us about Midori?
Today, Midori is a brand of high-end frames and sunglasses from locally collected recycled plastic here, in UAE. This is a Professional product for the optical market. It utilizes our 10 years of expertise in the eyewear field and provides long-lasting comfortable eyewear for everyday use. Our first retailer in UAE is Vision Industry Space, which recently opened in MoE.
A little bit about the Founder/story of how you started out
I’m a 10 years entrepreneur with a background in fashion, supply chain management and product design. During my trip to Japan in 2019 I was moved by how the Japanese handle the waste – you can’t literally find a single cigarette butt on Tokyo streets. After my first business based in Russia finally found a key to global markets and first COVID struck, then the Ukraine war unfolded – I understood that supply chains are no longer stable and we have to invent a new way for business to become truly sustainable. I’ve realized that our manufacturing process is very compact and we can easily multiply it in different parts of the world, building a decentralized network of workshops, self-sufficient in supply and serving their local markets. So I moved to Dubai as a global business hub to start a new business here. I believe that when it becomes successful here – it will almost automatically grow worldwide.
What impact is Midori trying to make?
First, we transform plastic waste into valuable consumer products which substitute virgin plastic products and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill. Yes, it’s only 20 bottle caps needed for 1 frame, but we believe we can be the moving power closing the loop of the circular economy in UAE and worldwide.
Second, our decentralized manufacturing model dramatically reduces the percentage of intercontinental transportation in the product supply chain, which is IMHO unnecessary CO2 emission, as well as extra costs which could be channelled to pay workers better.
Third, our design code is all about building long-lasting products, which can be used for years and then safely recycled into new products.
What sets Midori apart?
I want Midori to be a product-first company. So, it’s lifetime warranty, high-end parts and wearing comfort.
As a new company, where do you aspire to be in 5 years?
Midori will operate in 20 countries, offer more than 100 recycled plastic products and will utilize over 1 million tons of plastic waste into valuable products.