Straws Made from Grass, Rice, Sugarcane and Coffee Step into International Markets: EQUO's Green Start-up Journey

“We are living in a world with a range of environmental issues, and it is our responsibility to build a more sustainable world for future generations. To make the world a better place, we need to alter our consumption patterns and give customers easy, convenient and affordable solutions”.

Marina Tran-Vu, a young Vietnamese Canadian passionately expressed. Having travelled to many countries around the world, Marina has firsthand knowledge of the effects that plastic trash has on the environment, wildlife, and people. From sea turtles to birds and whales, to vulnerable coastal and indigenous communities, plastic pollution has had an overwhelming destructive effect on the health and survival of many. Every year, plastic waste kills millions of marine animals and impacts human health, with the primary problems being posed by their nearly impossibility to decompose and by the toxic impact of the residual microplastics they leave behind.

"We need to take action now, or risk not leaving a livable future planet for our children and future generations to inhabit.” As a result of this awareness and a series of events, including a personal family incident, Marina decided to move to Vietnam, and started her journey to create a sustainable future for coming generations, including her newly born nephew.

By developing and marketing eco-friendly products in a fresh, engaging and quirky way that appeals to the young and skeptical consumers, Marina hopes to breathe new life into environmental matter, to build EQUO, a brand that consumers will love, trust and care about for the long run. This big ambition includes representing Vietnam on the world stage, building jobs for people locally, and strengthening Vietnam’s position as a leading country in innovation and sustainable development.

Marina Tran Vu – Founder & CEO of EQUO, brings sustainable products to international markets

In 2020, the sustainable brand, EQUO, was established, offering straws, dishware, drinkware, cutlery, and food containers produced from natural materials in Vietnam, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia. The name EQUO is the combination of ECO – meaning not harmful to the environment, and STATUS QUO - an existing state or condition. EQUO stands for the principle of producing goods with the least possible negative environmental impact.

“EQUO is my way of trying to help solve the problem of plastic pollution through a high-quality product, a relatable and trustworthy brand, and sustainable education”, shared Marina.

Start-up with local resources and global absorption

Prior to establishing EQUO, Marina had over 13 years of experience working in marketing, product management, and brand management for multinational corporations. Her background influenced Marina in her brand development strategy, and the way EQUO was launched and marketed initially.

With a focus on meticulous product, consumer and market research, EQUO developed a unique brand position relative to similar products available at the time – particularly, being a company that places a strong emphasis on the "fun". "Protecting the environment is essential," Marina acknowledged, "but we try not to create too many obstacles for people to adopt sustainable products and behaviors – being green should be easy and convenient in order for people to make this change long-lasting ". EQUO illustrates their viewpoint through the vibrant, fresh, and playful packaging of their products, as well as their welcoming message of any small change being a step in the right direction. This explosive newcomer brand in the market of sustainable goods - which frequently employs green or brown to signal sustainability – is turning the category on its head, conveying a refreshing innovative, energetic, and spirited new take on how to approach commodities like straws.

EQUO makes an innovative approach to eco-friendly products

Another competitive advantage of EQUO is the diversity of Vietnamese natural materials used in their products, including grass, coconut, and rice. The company has done extensive research and quality testing to address the typical drawbacks of paper straws and other natural alternatives like pasta and wheat, such as quick softening or disintegration, or impact on the taste of drinks, while ensuring aesthetic appeal and ease of use. EQUO emphasizes that they aren’t looking to just produce another inconvenient reusable option that you have to carry around or wash; they focus on alternatives that you can use once and throw away, but are much better for the planet than plastic, paper and bioplastic alternatives. The diversity in material offerings also allows customers to actually have options to choose from that suit their unique needs.

EQUO's competitive advantage is the diversity of Vietnamese natural materials such as grass, coconut and rice

As a result, the Made-in-Vietnam EQUO has won hearts of international customers in markets including US, Canada, Australia and of course, Vietnam. “I want to reflect both Eastern and Western features in our brand and product, because it is a huge part of how I grew up - the East in Vietnam is where my heritage lies, and the West where I was born and raised - are the influences of the environment I grew up in. My wish is to show everyone that Vietnam can take the lead in sustainable development trends locally and globally”, said Marina.

Made-in-Vietnam natural straws go cross-border

To expand her business, a focus on cross-border e-commerce via Amazon was a choice of Marina in order to enter international markets. Through selling on Amazon, she enabled EQUO to approach millions of users globally, raise awareness of the brand, and attract new customers, presenting the world with natural and environmentally sustainable products from Vietnam. Marina also sought recommendations and guidance from a close friend who was a previously successful seller on Amazon while exploring channels for her product, demonstrating the unlimited business opportunities for startups and young business owners on Amazon.

With cross-border e-commerce, opportunities for startups and young business owners on Amazon are unlimited.

Amazon’s recent focus on elevating sustainable brands fits perfectly with the young sustainable brand, as EQUO works towards a vision of minimizing negative impacts on the planet with sustainable alternatives. With consumers becoming more discerning with the impact that brands have on the planet, EQUO has piqued customers’ interest on Amazon. EQUO on Amazon store has seen great success cultivating real-time and authentic customer feedback and reviews, through well-developed brand stories that are communicated through the company’s brand store. EQUO has also managed to leverage Amazon’s innovative tools and services in logistics and operations, adopting FBA – Fulfillment by Amazon to ease logistics on product fulfillment and reduce delivery times of products to the customer.  

When a consumer places an order, EQUO's products are picked, packed, and shipped to customers through the Amazon Fulfillment Center. This solution also includes post-purchase customer services that handle inquiries and requests about shipments, returns and product exchanges. This enables smaller businesses like EQUO to offload complicated order fulfillment processes so that they can focus on other parts of the businesslike brand building and product development.

Buying EQUO’s products many times on Amazon, Amanda from US commented, “I actually bought these for myself, but my three-year-old has become fond of using them and we’ve been using them daily for his milk, water, and orange juice. We were using reusable plastic straws for him, but he kept biting and cracking them. These straws are nice and sturdy, and I don’t feel guilty about constantly tossing out straws.”

An environment-friendly Amazon’s customer from Canada shared, “I am an avid straw-user, but ever since I became environmentally conscious, I wanted an eco-friendly option - these straws are perfect! I ordered the sugarcane straws and was very impressed at how sturdy and well-made it is. There is no odd taste or texture and does not affect the enjoyment of my drinks at all. Neutral and simple in design, it feels and looks good; modest yet attractive especially if you like minimal designs. An absolute must-try for anyone who is looking for an elevated and sustainable alternative!”

T.H (Vietnam Business Forum)