INTERVIEW #9 HYBER
“Up to this day our members have saved 2636 SEK each through choosing Hyber, together the children have grown almost 20.000 cm (that’s taller than Sweden’s tallest building Tuning Torso) and most importantly, saved 850.000 kg CO2e through renting instead of buying new.”
Why did you and the co-founders started Hyber?
Markus Hjelm, Douglas Heidergren and myself (Olivia Rothschild) are co-founders of Hyber. Douglas and Markus founded Hyber already in 2015 under a different name. There was, and still exists today, a large gap in the market where products of very high quality and function are used for a shorter and shorter period. We saw the enormous potential of extending the life cycle of children's products to make it easier for families with children to adopt sustainable consumption habits and at the same time simplify family life.
In 2017, it took off really well and I joined the founding team to take a holistic approach on the brand, mission & direction.
How does it work?
“There was, and still exists today, a large gap in the market where products of very high quality and function are used for a shorter and shorter period.”
Hyber is designed to provide a very simple and practical service - you create a membership by choosing the pre-made package of products that you need and pay a monthly fee. Whenever your child needs a new size, you log into your account and order a new size. Then you simply send back the old products in the same package in which the new sizes arrive.
What has been and are the major challenges?
The challenge we’ve been facing has been, and still is, that we are reinventing the wheel. We are creating something unique not only when it comes to the business model but the way we approach consumption of children’s products. Hence, we always need to work towards changing consumption habits in the first place before the purchase is made.
What has been and are the largest gains?
Up to this day our members have saved 2636 SEK each through choosing Hyber, together the children have grown almost 20.000 cm (that’s taller than Sweden’s tallest building Tuning Torso) and most importantly, saved 850.000 kg CO2e through renting instead of buying new. For us as a company this means we can have a great impact and contribute to better consumption habits - making family life easier meanwhile.
What do you think needs to change now in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
A great deal. We need to revalue all business models and switch to circular models in all parts of operations - production, transportation, materials, sales and consumption. The fashion industry has always been creating trends effectively and this is no exception - players within the industry need to show the way.
What would you advice consumers to do who seeks to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?
Simplify! Use what you have, put more effort into finding new ways of using your things than finding new stuff. Don’t be afraid of trying new concepts.
