Thousands of sustainable flatpack flower vases developed in Scotland are due to arrive through letterboxes tomorrow following a deal between its creators and one of Europe's leading online flower delivery firms.
Glasgow-based POTR - which came to prominence three years ago when it launched what is said to be the world's first self-watering flower pot - has signed an exclusive six-figure deal for its "letterbox" vase that will accompany Valentine's Day deliveries from Bloom & Wild.
Company directors Andrew Flynn, a former Dyson engineer, and marketing expert Eilidh Cunningham first contacted Bloom & Wild in August 2021 and then spent 18 months working on concept designs, engineering and production for the reusable folding vase. More than 200 versions were designed and engineered to create the final product.
“Like all of our projects, this just started with simple, paper, origami prototypes," Mr Flynn said. "This forces us to use as little material as possible, to make sure the product is as sustainable as it is beautiful and practical.
“We worked together to create countless iterations of the product. We are incredibly proud of the result and delighted to be partnering with the incredible team at Bloom & Wild.
“Often when people send flowers to friends, loved ones or colleagues, they might not know whether that person has the right-sized and shaped vase. Our flat-packed design ensures the recipient has a perfectly suited vase on arrival with their flowers - all with the convenience of a letterbox delivery."
Research and development for the new product was funded by POTR's recent success in the Scottish EDGE competition, where it was awarded £100,000 despite having initially asked for just £50,000. The company also won the Scottish EDGE Net Zero Award for its sustainable practices.
Mr Flynn said the funds will allow POTR to expand its team, add to its range of products, and enter new markets.
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Hayley Glover, senior product designer at Bloom & Wild, added: “Our brand new letterbox vase has been on the Bloom & Wild wishlist for some time.
"We’re delighted to have developed it in partnership with the expert team at POTR. The result is a highly innovative product that provides a practical and playful solution to sending a complete letterbox bouquet gift."
Mr Flynn and Ms Cunningham, who are due to get married in May, said POTR was "inundated" with orders during Christmas but now feels ready to meet further demand.
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“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but this feels like the start of a new phase and having access to so many new customers could be a game-changer," Ms Cunningham said.
“Being rubber-stamped by Bloom & Wild gives us a huge seal of approval that there is demand for our approach to sustainable design. This has given us the confidence to open doors on a global scale.
"We are now targeting the USA and Japan - the home of POTR’s origami inspiration - where we’re currently speaking to potential retail partners about our range of self-watering pots and believe there is a real appetite for our products.”
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