Aire went to meet one of the co-founders of the company HOUBLY. The goal of Manon Baste and Auriane Lefebvre is to create innovative materials. Indeed, they partnered with a common environmental goal: to reduce our waste with bio-based materials and those from the circular economy. Once again, we are faced with Made In France!
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Auriane Lefebvre, I’m 29 years old and with Manon we founded HOUBLY. But before that, I had another life because I earned a degree from a business school in strategy and marketing. Then, I worked for more than three years as a digital transformation consultant for companies.
Even though I learned a lot in this job, it wasn’t something that suited me. It was very far from my battles and personal commitments. And I wanted to work on topics that really motivate me and that are crucial for the future of society with materials bio-based.
Was there a trigger for this entrepreneurial life in materials? bio-based ?
It came gradually. I started in my personal life, in my student studio, thinking “my trash bin takes up more space than anything else in my kitchen.” I realized that wasn’t normal. So I asked myself what I could do about it. reduce the amount of waste.
Then I became interested in zero waste, starting with the bathroom. Then I did it for my kitchen. After that, I began to change my diet.
I gradually took action. Then, as I reached milestones, I wanted to do even more.
In my personal life, I am involved in an association that organizes events in support of societal and environmental transitions. I realized that I had to get involved in this because I felt motivated by these issues. Moreover, my personal and associative commitment was no longer enough. So I wanted to join a company that matched my values. Or create one in my image.
The meeting with Manon and bio-based materials
It was my meeting with Manon that changed everything. I was trained in these subjects (sustainable development, circular economy, eco-design). I was looking at companies that matched my values and took environmental and social issues into account. I was searching for what role I could have, what skills I could bring to them. Then during this search, I came across Manon.
She had posted a short message saying she had an idea for bio-based materials and didn’t know how to develop it. So she was looking for someone to potentially partner with.
We had the same reflections, A waste that comes from nature is not waste.
So it was obvious when she told me about her idea to reuse natural waste to create raw material through bio-based materials. We each explained our points of view on the project, and we shared a common long-term vision. Plus, we had the same major steps to reach that goal. We get along well, have the same vision for the project, analyze the same problem, and share the same conclusion. So the collaboration should work well. We collaborated from January to August. We matched even though we were different. This allowed us to complement each other in many ways. Then in September, we created the company.
Where are you in your bio-based material projects?
Our project has evolved a lot since we started. At the very beginning, the project was to use the waste from beer brewed at festivals. It was used to make compostable furniture with a very short lifespan. So, we thought about this idea and realized it consumed energy. Even though it was natural and low-tech, it was short-term. So it wasn’t a good solution for long-term valorization So, we thought about the entire project.
Our goal when we started working together was to make bio-based materials from this bio-waste. We use the intrinsic qualities of this waste, but also their visual appeal. We wanted low-tech, natural, bio-based materials that are visually interesting. It is an innovation still ongoing. Because in reality, it could have been very simple by mixing our bio-waste with wood glue or something else. It works. But the environmental approach isn’t strong enough. We want to go further and all the way. We don’t want to take that simple solution. So we invested in R&D. We thought about how we could replace that glue. Especially since from the start we have been thinking about the product’s end of life. The first observation was the number of wastes that have no other life after arriving at the dump. They are either buried or incinerated. And we didn’t want to contribute to that. That’s why it’s taking time and is still ongoing.
R&D
On the other hand, we have done the maximum in terms of R&D, so we surround ourselves with experts in biochemistry, agromaterials... We partnered with a laboratory to conduct research and hired our first intern. This relieved us of several daily responsibilities. Given the time research will take and our motivation, we decided we shouldn’t waste the time we were delegating. So we looked for areas where we could invest ourselves. We asked if there were other hypotheses we could test in our basement. Since we don’t have machines, the research has been very low-tech and artisanal. But today we have developed a bio-based material process that seems to work well. Currently, we are doing fire tests, for example. We take the product, a blowtorch, and see if it burns. Because, yes, you have to start somewhere.
It’s important to have an idea of the characteristics of our bio-based materials before we start marketing them and to be able to answer customers’ questions. Because we know very well what questions people will have when they see this product: does it resist moisture, fire? All of that is starting to come to an end, and we will be able to start marketing small items sourced from bio-waste, very artisanal and low-tech.
What are your roles in the company?
We created an SAS, so we had to have a president and a general manager. So these are the roles we have in the statutes. In reality, Manon has a design degree and is trained in eco-design. I have a degree in marketing strategy. So we divided the tasks. Manon takes care of everything related to production. I handle development and marketing.
Overall, we touch on everything. But each of us has our own areas of interest based on our experiences and studies. It would be a waste of time to always be together, so we still divide the tasks while keeping each other informed.
Your typical day?
Usually, I start very early and finish very late! But I always start with emails, checking in with our partners and our intern. I also keep everyone who has supported us (for over a year) informed. They could become prospects, so it’s important to get their feedback and comments. We must be sure togo in the right direction.
Then we make a lot of efforts to get known, to make sure to gain legitimacyWe want Houbly to be credible and legitimate in these environmental challenges with our bio-based materials.
Then, like any young business creator, there are many production tests and experiments. For me, that’s the fun part. Then there is the crucial aspect of thinking about the business model, strategy, product development, sales, marketing, and communication. All of this changes regularly.
The business plan for new materials
So, there is the building this famous business planIt takes a lot of time in the life of any young entrepreneur. Not only is it important for us to know which direction to take, but also because at some point we will need to seek funding. Because until now we have been self-financedBut when we have our concept and really need to launch, we will need a bank loan or other necessary grants and aid. We would also really like to work with ADEME. It drives us daily with Manon. Not to mention the part of our days when we pay attention to everything happening around us. Because today we are an innovative company, we must be alert to all advances. Let’s not forget that our dream product according to our specifications does not yet exist. So we must constantly check that we are not heading towards a false good idea.
What makes you dream with these innovative materials?
A world that runs smoothly. Like in circular economyLet’s say we see things in a much broader, global way. That we take our entire ecosystem into account and think about becoming as green as possible. Everyone needs to work together: communities, legal entities, and individuals.
We all need to think about our impact and consider making a transition.
Do you have favorite Instagram accounts?
@pourunréveilécologique
It started from a student association that wanted to create a movement upon seeing that environmental issues were not well taken into account. They wanted to train themselves on this, raise awareness among others, and do quality work (sometimes much better than some professionals). This association raises awareness well and provides a lot of information. Even today, thanks to them, I learn things. We can only congratulate them, as they were recently displayed in the Paris metro. This is the ultimate recognition because it acknowledges their work. On top of that, they have made it their mission to expose all companies that engage in greenwashing. They do it very intelligently with polite, structured phrases and lots of evidence. It also allows for self-reflection. Putting things into perspective. They explain why we need to go further. They give us all the keys so we can think for ourselves about different topics.
@materiae_co
It’s a person who highlights different materials. They can be new, innovative, or original. Some have just arrived on the market. These are beautiful photos. They are beautiful highlights of certain materials. It shows that things are moving a bit. But is it because it’s our field and we’re a bit in our bubble that we feel things are moving? Maybe. But in any case, I appreciate the aesthetic of their Instagram account.
What values do you want to share with your company?
We chose three values with Manon. It was difficult to choose only three. In any case, the ones that Houbly carries are:
- Innovation : because we want to show creativity by pushing towards innovation. Never rest on our laurels. We all have to work to achieve the expected final result. Moreover, innovation is for us a way to solve a problem virtuously.
- Community : We shouldn’t work alone in our corner; we’ll go further together. It might take more time, but I’m convinced we’ll get further.
- Kindness : sometimes we are aware of our mistakes. But we shouldn’t waste time blaming others. We need to support each other because we all have our limits and constraints. We need to lift each other up.
These three values are essential to successfully achieve a long-term ecological transition. They personally resonate with us, and we’re happy that Houbly embraces them too.
What are the stages of eco-design?
To put it simply, theeco-design is thinking about every stage of a product’s life. How to reduce its environmental impact. It starts with the product, but today we go much further than that. It’s a reflection that isn’t fixed in time. It will evolve based on our knowledge. It’s very important to have this idea from the ideation phase.
Where do you see Houbly in 5 years?
Manon and I often think about it. Houbly would like to have found relevant valorization solutions with at least three types of biowaste. The goal is one of three solutions:
- Open our own factory;
- Take over one;
- Open a co-factory;
We would really like to be responsible for our own production site. Manon and I have lots of ideas about what we could implement in our factory to reduce our environmental impact. Then we also set ourselves a positive social purposeWe haven’t defined the method yet. But we want to create quality jobs.
Does wasterial ring a bell for you?
The wasterial is the material created by a company based in Lille called EtNISIThey use waste from deconstruction in the construction sector. It’s great because it’s the sector that generates the most waste. There is very interesting work being done on the material.
On the other hand, we are different because we truly aim to stick to bio-based products and consider the end-of-life of our products. So it’s not the same project as EtNISI, but it’s one of the players we greatly admire. What they do today is impactful.
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