Amy de Castro

Bamboo Revolution was born out of a project Amy Castro completed for a postgrad degree in entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town. Amy, 24, worked with a team of five other students who were inspired by the sustainability of bamboo. ‘We wanted to come up with a bamboo product that had the potential to become fashionable.’ After considering several ideas, the group decided to focus on bamboo watches.

They created a beautifully simple design, had the face and movement produced in China – ‘nobody makes watch movements in South Africa!’ – sourced the straps locally, assembled the watch themselves and launched it on campus in August 2012, selling 100 watches in the first five hours. Her postgrad completed, Amy was enthusiastic about transforming the project into a business. She made it her full-time concern and eventually bought out her partners to become sole owner of Bamboo Revolution in February 2013. Within two months, she was making a profit.

Stylish and sustainable

‘Bamboo Revolution aims to alter consumers' perceptions by persuading them that eco-conscious, sustainable fashion can be beautiful and stylish,’ says Amy. ‘We take an everyday object and simplify its form in a sustainable way by using bamboo as its core product material.’ The company adopts a triple bottom line approach – ‘people, planet, and profit’ – and aims to support local industry where possible. ‘Our leather straps are handcrafted at a factory in Cape Town and the brand’s in-house craftsmen are trained to assemble the wristwatches.’ For the time being, due to a lack of local manufacturing ability, the watch’s carbonated bamboo face is still made in China. Closer to home, the company makes a monthly donation to Greenpop, a neighbouring social enterprise working in reforestation and tree-planting initiatives.

At a price point of approximately US$100, Bamboo Revolution watches are mid-range products. To date 9,000 units have been sold and demand is high, with interest for 2,000 units or more a month. They are distributed online through the company’s own website and in a variety of boutiques in South Africa and abroad, through distributors based in seven countries. Starting up, Amy ran the business single-handed for six months. ‘I was doing everything from the packaging and ordering to finances, customer service, marketing… I started to realise that I couldn’t carry on like that, I was going to burn out!’ Today she has been joined by one full-time employee and two part-time crafters.

Determination

While Amy’s background did not necessarily predestine her for entrepreneurship – ‘it was go to school, get a degree, work for a corporation, move your way up’ – her character fits the bill. When her initial application for the entrepreneurship postgrad course was turned down, Amy insisted on being told why and discovered it was because she failed to enclose a motivation letter. She wrote to the course head to set the record straight and tell them she would not take no for an answer. The day before the course payment deadline, she was accepted. ‘They told me I got through because I didn’t give up: this was the quality they were looking for. Otherwise I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s crazy where different paths can take you!’