Shopequo

EQUO is a sustainable brand focused on providing 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable alternatives to everyday single-use items. The company, headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was founded in 2020 by Marina Tran-Vu. The brand name itself is a fusion of the words "eco" and "status quo," reflecting its mission to make environmentally friendly products the standard.

The inspiration for EQUO struck its Vietnamese-Canadian founder, Marina Tran-Vu, after she moved to Vietnam from Canada. With over a decade of experience in brand management and marketing for major corporations like Unilever and Bacardi, Tran-Vu was visiting a local café when she discovered a drinking straw made from grass. This discovery, coupled with her concern about plastic pollution and a desire to build a better future for her nephew, prompted her to establish a business that could elevate Vietnam's profile in sustainability while creating local jobs.

EQUO operates on both a direct-to-consumer and business-to-business model, selling its products through its website (shopequo.com) and platforms like Amazon, while also supplying wholesale to other businesses. The company's business model is centered on offering consumers convenient, one-for-one replacements for plastic products, eliminating the need for significant behavioral changes. Revenue is generated through the sale of its diverse product line. In 2022, EQUO successfully raised $1.3 million in a seed funding round led by NextGen Ventures to scale its operations.

The company's product portfolio is designed to tackle the single-use plastic problem head-on. It includes drinking straws, utensils, dishware, and food containers made from a variety of natural, upcycled materials such as grass, rice, coconut, sugarcane, and coffee grounds. These products are chemical-free, PLA-free, and home compostable, designed to decompose naturally without leaving harmful residues. A notable feature is that some straws are edible, like the rice straws which can be eaten as a snack after use. By focusing on creating accessible and appealing alternatives, EQUO aims to make sustainable choices an easy and integrated part of daily life for a global audience.

Keywords: sustainable products, plastic-free alternatives, biodegradable utensils, compostable straws, eco-friendly consumer goods, Marina Tran-Vu, Vietnam startup, single-use plastic solutions, natural materials, coffee straws, sugarcane straws, rice straws, coconut straws, grass straws, environmental impact, direct-to-consumer, B2B sustainable supplies, home compostable, PLA-free, circular economy, green consumerism, waste reduction, food service supplies, sustainable packaging