ReBrush

• Developing a market- and manufacturing-ready product over the course of six months
• Pursuing a comprehensive sustainable design strategy – download life cycle analysis here.
• Becoming unexpectedly well-versed in the field of dental hygiene
• Getting accepted to Mass Challenge, a leading venture accelerator in Boston
• Philosophical learnings about the hierarchy of needs for a commodity consumer product

ReBrush was a toothbrush like never before that featured replaceable heads with a patent-pending attachment mechanism. Developed by LittleBonsai– the product design studio I co-founded– it featured gorgeous, durable handles were made from anodised aluminium and sustainably-sourced hardwood. This product concept attracted a lot of attention with feature articles in TechCrunch and the Boston Globe.

Our inspiration for ReBrush was simple: over 50 million pounds of non-recyclable toothbrushes end up in US landfills every year. By replacing only the used portion of the toothbrush every few months, ReBrush reduced waste by up to 80% over two years. We were also excited about introducing a refined aesthetic and a set of rich materials that had never before been used in this product category. We believed that changing people’s relationship to something as simple as a toothbrush can pave the way for deeper understanding about personal environmental footprints.

We worked with another funded startup in New York City to commercialise aspects of the ReBrush concept.