Why Outdoor Gear Is Almost Impossible to Recycle - And How One Founder Fixed It | Ben Wood, WipWrk

Ben Wood, co-founder of Waste in Progress, joins us to talk about how a random old tent sparked a design business built on upcycling, sustainability, and community partnerships. In this episode, we explore how creative founders can scale impact, balance craft with cash flow, and turn circular design into a viable business model—without burning out. Whether you're building a mission-led brand or bootstrapping a product business, this one’s for youIf this episode helped you, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or follow on Spotify so you never miss an episode. It takes 30 seconds and it's how the next founder finds us.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to WipWrk and Textile Upcycling01:25 - Backstory: How WipWrk Was Born02:51 - First Product: Chalk Bags for Rock Climbers04:33 - Partnership with Off Track and the Second Life Project06:36 - From Prototype to Commercial Business09:04 - Two Pillars of the Business: Consumer & Commercial10:41 - Biggest Challenge: Maintaining Mental Balance12:29 - Creative vs Business: Working with a Partner14:44 - Why Technical Textiles Are Hard to Recycle16:55 - Advice for Creative Entrepreneurs18:49 - Balancing Creative Vision with Business Needs20:44 - Quick Fire Questions23:34 - Preventing Burnout as a Founder24:34 - Ben's Question for the Next Founder25:32 - Closing Thoughts💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.FOLLOW US⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersInMotion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thea.yaps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@foundersinmotion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/theango/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hosted by Thea Ngo, a Wharton grad, venture capital investor, and (your new favorite?) interrogator behind Founders in Motion. Subscribe for the stories that don't make the headlines yet.Subscribe for the insider playbook on building companies, growth tactics, and founder stories.