In a world where sustainability and social impact are increasingly important, there are entrepreneurs who do not wait for changes from outside, but take the lead themselves. Thus was born Up To Do Good, a retail concept that connects design, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. In a recent interview with Esther Blaffert of Up To Do Good, she shares her vision of entrepreneurship, social initiatives and the power of collaboration.
From idea to impact: the genesis of Up To Do Good
Up To Do Good opened its first store in 2020, in the middle of the turmoil of the corona pandemic, at Schiphol Plaza. Esther Blaffert saw an opportunity to combine her passion for beautiful design and social responsibility. “I really want something really beautiful, super badass,” she says, ”everyone wants it, and in the meantime we're doing good things.”
I really think you can build a very commercial business with really great things and at the same time make a real difference.
- Esther Blaffert -
A store as a platform for change
The concept of Up To Do Good is simple: selling beautifully designed products - from sustainable fashion to accessories - supports charities and social projects. This can be big, like supporting initiatives around mental health or working with makers in developing countries, or small, like connecting entrepreneurs who can strengthen each other.
With stores at Schiphol Plaza, Utrecht Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal, Up To Do Good forms a visible platform for sustainable and social brands. These locations, with their high visitor numbers, are not only commercially interesting for Blaffert, but also ideal for reaching a wider audience with her message. This is the strength of her approach: beauty and quality attract people, after which the story behind the products makes them think.
Collaboration with Sheltersuit
That's also how Esther ended up at Sheltersuit. A spontaneous message on Instagram, an enthusiastic response, and not much later Sheltersuits were showing off in the shop window at Schiphol Airport. This collaboration is not a coincidence, but typical of Esther's entrepreneurship. It is her way of delivering meaningful work with concrete actions, without long procedures.
Sometimes I really don't understand how the world works. I can complain about it, but my opinion is not our reality. So I just have to do it myself.
- Esther Blaffert -
The Future of Up To Do Good
So what does the future look like? Esther dreams big, but cautiously. She would like to see Up To Do Good grow into a movement where everyone, from employees to customers, feels a co-owner. Where consumers not only buy beautiful products, but are inspired to do something good themselves. And all that without being pedantic. Not by wagging the finger, but by seducing people with quality, design and meaning.
Statements like this typify her mindset: instead of standing on the sidelines, Esther creates her own bubble of positivity and vigor. She does not rely on grants or charity, but builds a commercially solid business that helps others in its own right.
A lesson for other entrepreneurs
In closing, her advice to other (start-up) entrepreneurs is simple: just start. Don't think too long, don't be afraid of failure, just do it. The worst that can happen is that it doesn't turn out as expected - but you only learn from that. The story of Up To Do Good and its collaboration with Sheltersuit shows that you can get far with guts, creativity and an open mind. This is how Esther Blaffert and her team are building, piece by piece, a world where doing good is as normal as buying a great product. And in the meantime, she inspires others to make that world a little better themselves.
