At a Glance
Location: Colombia
Impact Areas: Circular Economy, Suppliers, Financial Inclusion
People Supported:
At-risk Women, Population over 50
Joined NESsT Portfolio:
2024
Overview
Founded in 2021 by two women passionate about reducing plastic waste in their lives and homes, Okolo is a Colombia-based enterprise that produces eco-friendly reusable diapers and promotes their environmental and health benefits.
Single-use diapers are one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste globally: every minute more than 300,000 disposable diapers are incinerated, sent to landfills, or pollute the environment.
Okolo developed a washable diaper that can be used up to 1,000 times. In the business’s three years of operation, it has saved over 40 billion liters of water, prevented the emission of over 116,000 tons of CO2, and stopped over 14,000 tons of disposable diapers from degrading soil, groundwater, and seas.
While traditional diapers contain harmful chemicals that can cause rashes and dermatitis, Okolo’s diapers feature a bamboo fiber inner layer, known for its hypoallergenic properties that are gentle on baby’s skin.
Conscious that the initial cost often prevents more people from opting to use reusable diapers,, Okolo keeps product costs low by assembling its diapers locally, while supporting women textile workers over the age of 50. Of the 12,000 customers who use Okolo’s eco-friendly products, 80% are from Colombia's lowest income levels, benefitting from up to 80% savings compared to using disposable diaper costs.
Okolo’s women-led team also runs a Brand Ambassador program to drive engagement and sales while providing flexible income opportunities to its community of women – many of whom are on maternity leave or caring for their children at home. To date, the program has supported 300 mothers from low-income families to increase their earnings by up to 50%.
Results & Impact
+2M
trees prevented from being cut down
+140M
cubic metres of water expected to be saved by 2026
+37,000
low-income families expected to be impacted by 2025
““At Okolo, we lead with the conviction that every small action matters in building a sustainable future. Our mission is to support the empowerment of communities by offering solutions that improve their quality of life while caring for the environment. With NESsT’s support, we are amplifying our positive impact and proving that out-sized change is possible when innovation and social responsibility go hand in hand.””
NESsT Investment
Okolo is well positioned to harness the potential of the growing global trend toward environmental care and child health.
With NESsT and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship’s support, the enterprise aims to reach 100,000 families in Colombia and internationally over the next three years. Key areas of focus will include strategies to develop new products tailored to the Colombian market and deepen engagement with current customers.
NESsT’s investment will go toward boosting Okolo’s digital marketing efforts, specifically an "Eco-Conscious Dads" campaign, which aims to emphasize fathers' active role in sustainable parenting and promote shared responsibility in childcare.
Okolo serves families with limited economic means, offering them significant savings through its reusable diapers. These savings are crucial, particularly during early motherhood, allowing families to allocate funds to other essential needs. The company is piloting a micro-credit program to provide credit for essential items to low-income mothers without a credit history or banking access, aiming to expand to 1,000 mothers per month by 2026.