Accompanied by birdsong, passing planes, and a delicious cup of coffee, I sat down with Tille on a sunny Monday. She spoke about her continued fascination for paper scraps and the small bouquets she made as a child.
Interview by Chiara Verschueren • Images by Rana Van Pellecom
How did Redopapers start?
Redopapers was born from a fascination for paper scraps and a passion for design. Linde and I studied graphic design together in Antwerp. During our studies, we often saw beautiful paper scraps in print shops and started itching to do something with them.
It started as a hobby, but when our planners became popular, we decided to go all-in.
We were lucky to be supported by the right people from the beginning. For example, we were allowed to work for a year for free in a print shop's studio, which gave us the chance to save for our own cutting machine.
As designers, how do aesthetics align with circularity?
They must go hand in hand. We would never launch a beautifully designed product that isn't made from scraps, and we also don't make products from scraps we don't find attractive.
Some people buy our products just because they like the look of them, without knowing they're printed on waste paper, which we take as a huge compliment.
Has the interest in circularity always been there?
Yes, seeing beauty in waste has always been part of it. As a child, I often went with my mom to the flower shop, where I'd make small bouquets from the scraps that fell during the making of larger ones.
Do you start with paper scraps or with a design idea?
Almost always with scraps. When we notice a certain type of scrap, we look for ways to use it. For example, we once received three pallets of yellow cardboard per month, which became our notebooks.
We also have our own ideas, and customers often request specific products. There's been demand for a yearly planner for a while, but we haven't found scraps large enough yet.
Do you use all types of paper?
No. We don't use smooth papers, for example, because they are not writable. We try to be critical, because we want to make beautiful but also usable products. We prefer to use large advertising posters, as the design becomes unrecognizable once cut into small pieces for blocnotes and to-do lists.
What happens to your own paper scraps?
We have very few scraps because our formats are calculated to minimize waste. The small amount we do have, long narrow strips, is sometimes picked up by workshops that make their own paper. But often, there's so little that it ends up in the paper bin.
You work with vulnerable groups. Can you elaborate?
Yes, we have actually been doing that from the beginning. We collaborate with people with disabilities, those re-entering the job market from psychiatric care, and people who don't speak Dutch yet.
The tasks of people with disabilities are often very clearly defined and people who do not yet speak Dutch come to us through a kind of integration course.
You seem to have a very versatile job....
Yes we do. We have to put on a different hat every time. We are currently figuring out where our own strengths lie and what each of us really likes to do. We keep doing those things and outsource the other tasks. Because both Linde and I don't like all the administrative work, for instance.
We also try to distinguish between things we like to do and things we are good at. For instance, there are certain things I can do well, but which don't give me much energy. Those things could be done by someone else.
We want everyone on our team to be in their own strength. That's super valuable.
What is your favorite product to make and use?
I enjoy cutting the covers for our planners the most because we hope people will use them for multiple years. My favorite product to use is the monthly calendar, as it helps me avoid overbooking my weeks.
You have teamed up with Wolvis to create blocnotes. Did you know Wolvis before the collaboration?
Yes, I even have a Wolvis scarf. Wolvis and Redopapers were actually both born out of a passion. That's a big difference from companies that see a gap in the market and immediately attach a business model to it. I think you do feel that difference as a customer. Not that one is better than the other, but because we both started from a passion, I do feel a connection with Wolvis.
What do you love most about your job, and has that changed over the years?
This has changed often. In the beginning, Redopapers really felt like a playground of leftovers. Back then we could also do more because we didn't yet have the costs we have now.
The thing I like most anyway is that I remain amazed when I look in the paper bin and see a nice shred. I actually find that very special, that this amazement is still there after all these years and that we continue to look for ways to preserve our playground.
What are you most proud of?
I'm proud when I see our products beautifully presented in stores. I'm also proud that we've stayed true to our values and norms. Working with scraps isn't always easy, but Linde and I have persevered, and we're proud of that.
