Duurzaam ondernemen aan zee met Sjoerd en Jochem van Naïf

A brief moment of introduction, who are you guys?

"We are Sjoerd Trompetter and Jochem Hes. Our friendship goes back to our college days. Then we went our separate ways and lived in different places for work and finally settled here with our families close to the coast, in The Hague."

How did you end up in entrepreneurship?

"The moment we both had children and immersed ourselves in the world of baby shampoos and wipes, we saw that many products contained harmful substances. That got us thinking, not only because of what we were giving our children but also about what harmful substances do to the world. We missed quality in the current range and a beautiful product, which you dare to give to someone as a gift. That is how Naïf was born in 2013. A sustainable company that focuses on natural care for babies and toddlers."

How is Naïf qualitatively different from other care products for babies and toddlers?

"Our products contain no plastics and no harmful substances and ingredients, such as parabens and SLS. In addition, we try to leave as low an ecological footprint as possible with our packaging. For us, as an example, this means that all products are produced in the Netherlands.

Moreover, researching a natural product makes us more and more activist. The longer we work on it, the more we find out in what way certain substances are harmful to people and the environment. We want to serve a broader social purpose, not just the financial aspect. That's why we are now also B Corp certified."

"Did you know that 2% of all plastic in the ocean comes from personal care products?" - Sjoerd Trompetter, co-founder of Naïf

How harmful are baby care products?

"A good example is baby wipes. These are made of polyester, which contains microplastics. Each pack of baby wipes contains 53 grams of microplastics, which is equivalent to two bottles of Coke. They also pollute the environment. Which eventually will reach our children and us. For example, did you know that 2% of all plastic in the ocean comes from personal care products?"

Why is Naïf based in The Hague?

"In our working lives, we have always traveled a lot and lived in different places. Both of us had a dream to have an office on the coast. And to cycle to work. Where better to do that than in The Hague?"

Besides a place on the coast, what else does The Hague offer you?

"The Hague is a living city where a lot is organized for entrepreneurs. This is done by drawing attention to us and networking events for SMEs. In addition, space is made for starting entrepreneurs, especially innovative entrepreneurs within the platform InnovationQuarter. Other than that, it's a nice place with a large supply of well-educated people there who also do their bit for the city."

Finally, what would you like to pass along to other entrepreneurs from The Hague who want to make an impact?

"Stay critical of yourself and talk to your target audience. Keep exploring how things can be done better because you can always improve. It is important to listen to your target audience because they are a valuable source of feedback. This is how we stay close to nature, the customer, and ourselves."

Talk to Sjoerd and Jochem from Naïf during ImpactFest

Would you like to meet the two gentlemen? No problem! Sign up for ImpactFest, on November 15, 2022. You can register via https://www.impactfest.nl/. For students and young professionals, there are tickets for only €15 instead of €45.

When? November 15th, 2022

Where? Fokker Terminal

Tickets? €15,- for startups and students via https://www.impactfest.nl/