Turning Waste into Sustainable Materials - with Ayse Yilmaz, Founder of OTTAN

Fashion, Fibres and 50% You Never See — w/Kaela Katz, Founder of FibreLab

Welcome to The Changes We Make - the podcast about small choices that create a big impact. I’m Vitalina, and in each episode I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the “why” behind what they do - and how their work can reshape the way we think about sustainability, business, and everyday choices. In this episode, I’m joined by Kaela Katz, founder of FibreLab, an innovative textile recycling company that keeps textile waste local and valuable by transforming it into new materials. Kae shares how her journey began while studying Fashion Futures at the London College of Fashion, after working in the fast-fashion industry and questioning the enormous amount of waste created long before clothes reach consumers. What started as academic research eventually evolved into FibreLab - a studio exploring circular textile systems while also building a community around creative reuse. We talk about the realities of building a sustainability-driven business, learning the practical skills founders need, and navigating skepticism when introducing new circular materials. Kae also reflects on what sustainability really means today, why creative problem-solving is essential for climate solutions, and how small improvements, even just doing things 10% better, can push industries forward. 💬 If you’re curious about circular fashion, textile recycling, or building purpose-driven businesses - this conversation is for you. About Kaela Kaela Katz is the founder and director of FibreLab, a London-based textile recycling studio transforming fashion waste into new materials. She is also co-founder of Matter Forms and a recipient of the Mayor of London’s Entrepreneur Award for Creative Industries, the Better Lives Award from Procter & Gamble, and an Innovate UK Fast Start Grant supporting FibreLab’s future innovations. Learn more about : Kaela Katz LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaela-katz/] Kaela Katz Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kaekatz/] Website: https://www.fibrelab.co.uk/ [https://www.fibrelab.co.uk/] Find me here: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/]  Support Podcast at Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake]

Turning Waste into Sustainable Materials - with Ayse Yilmaz, Founder of OTTAN

Welcome to The Changes We Make - the podcast about small choices that create a big impact. I’m Vitalina, and in each episode I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the “why” behind what they do, and how their work shapes the way we think about sustainability and our everyday choices. In this episode, I’m joined by Ayse Yilmaz, founder of OTTAN, a circular materials company transforming organic waste into sustainable materials for design and construction. Ayse shares how her journey began long before founding a company, as a child who instinctively saw value in discarded materials and turned them into something new. Growing up in Ankara shaped her adaptability and resilience, which later helped her build a sustainability-driven business in Turkey before eventually moving to London. We talk about what it takes to build a circular economy business - from overcoming skepticism about materials made from waste to learning the essential skills founders need, from sales and marketing to finance. Ayse also reflects on leadership as a reflection of our inner world, and shares her vision for OTTAN to help define the next generation of sustainable materials globally. 💬 If you’re curious about circular design, purpose-driven businesses, or seeing value where others see waste - this conversation is for you. About Ayse Ayse Yilmaz is the founder of OTTAN, a circular materials company developing sustainable solid materials from organic waste streams. With a background in industrial design, Ayse focuses on transforming overlooked materials into high-performance alternatives for architecture, interiors, and product design. Learn more about : Ayşe Yılmaz LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayseyilmaz-ottan/] Website: https://www.ottan.co.uk [https://www.ottan.co.uk/]  Find me here: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/]  Support Podcast at Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake]

Building Climate Collaboration at Scale — with Matt Ward, Founder of 4WARD

Welcome to The Changes We Make — the podcast about small choices that create a big impact. I’m Vitalina, and in each episode I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the “why” behind what they do — and how their work creates ripple effects far beyond themselves. In this episode, I’m joined by Matt Ward, founder of 4WARD — the world’s largest global ecosystem for climate and sustainability doers, connecting startups, corporates, NGOs, investors, and talent across 90+ cities through a community platform and in-person hubs. We talk about why climate action is often slow not because we lack technology, talent, or capital — but because the ecosystem is fragmented into silos: startups, corporates, investors, governments, and researchers rarely meet in the right rooms at the right time. Matt shares how Forward Earth grew from a simple insight: sometimes a two-minute introduction can be “10–100 steps forward” for a project. You’ll also hear Matt’s personal “why”, including his Grandma Test (can you say what you do without feeling uncomfortable?) and Kid Test (does it feel meaningful telling your child about it?) — and why he believes real change requires shifting systems, incentives, and defaults, not relying on individual motivation alone. 💬 If you’re building in climate, transitioning careers, or simply curious how collaboration can accelerate impact — this one’s for you. About Matt Matt Ward is the founder of 4WARD, a global climate community designed to connect startups, corporates, investors, governments, and talent — helping people align career growth with climate action. Forward Earth runs events and hubs in 90+ cities and is working toward 100 by 2027. Learn more about : Matt’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwardio/] 4WARD LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/4wardearth/about/] Website: https://4ward.earth [https://4ward.earth/]  Find me here: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/]  Support Podcast at Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake]

From Plastic Waste to Purpose — with Marina and George, Founders of Recycledin

Welcome to The Changes We Make — the podcast about small choices that create a big impact. I’m Vitalina, and in each episode, I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the why behind what they do. In this episode, I talk to Marina and George, founders of Recycledin [https://recycledin.store/] — a creative recycling studio on the island of Kos that transforms plastic waste into beautiful, meaningful objects. They started their journey with only €4,000 in savings, a strong sense of purpose, and no formal background in engineering or design. What began as an experiment to clean up their local beach has turned into a vibrant hub for circular innovation — where discarded plastic becomes furniture, décor, and even art. We talk about what inspired them to take the risk, the challenges of building a sustainable business from scratch, and how they found strength in community and each other. Marina and George also share their experience creating an academy that teaches people how to recycle plastic themselves — empowering others to turn waste into opportunity. This conversation is about courage, purpose, and the stubborn optimism it takes to keep going — even when the system, and sometimes the world, says it’s impossible. 💬 Tune in if you’re curious about creative sustainability, circular design, and the new generation of change makers proving that real impact starts small. Learn more about Recycledin: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/recycledin.store [https://www.instagram.com/recycledin.store]  LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/geolms/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geolms/]  Find me here: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/ [https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/] LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/] Support Podcast - https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake [https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake]

From Coffee Grounds to Circular Design — with Maksym Havrylenko, Founder of Ochis

How a Ukrainian designer turned coffee waste into the world’s first circular eyewear brand — and a symbol of sustainable creativity. Welcome to The Changes We Make — the podcast about small choices that create a big impact. I’m Vitalina, and in each episode, I talk to entrepreneurs, activists, and changemakers about the why behind what they do. In this episode, I speak with Maksym Havrylenko, founder of Ochis — the world’s first eyewear brand made from coffee grounds. We explore how Maksym transformed a small workshop in Kyiv into a brand that’s redefining sustainable design — turning what most people see as waste into something beautiful, functional, and circular. Together, we talk about taking risks before sustainability became a buzzword, balancing creativity and purpose, and staying grounded while leading a mission-driven business. Maksym also shares his honest reflections on leadership, resilience, and the quiet strength of believing in what you do — even when no one else does. ⸻ About Maksym and Ochis: Born in Kyiv, Ochis is the world’s first coffee-based eyewear brand, creating biodegradable glasses from recycled coffee grounds, natural oils, and plant-based biopolymers. The result? Durable, waterproof, lightweight frames that keep their subtle coffee scent and decompose naturally within about ten years. Founder Maksym Havrylenko grew up in Izium in a family of opticians and repaired over 20,000 pairs of glasses before deciding to design his own — without plastic. After months of experimenting and over 300 failed prototypes, he created the first coffee-based biopolymer. Early funding came from personal savings, Kickstarter, and later Ukrainian investors. Today, Ochis sources around 20 kg of coffee grounds every two days from local cafes in Kyiv. The brand has since expanded globally, with over 60% of sales abroad — including the US, Germany, and the UK. Ochis represents more than innovation — it’s a philosophy of circular design and cultural storytelling, proving that sustainability and style can, in fact, go hand in hand. Learn more about Maksym and Ochis: https://ochis.co/ [https://ochis.co/]  Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/max.havr [https://www.instagram.com/max.havr]  LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/maksym-havrylenko-b609b5166/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maksym-havrylenko-b609b5166/]  Find me here: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/ [https://www.instagram.com/vitalina_makakenko/] LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalinamakakenko/] Support Podcast - https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake [https://buymeacoffee.com/thechangeswemake]