This is how many products we saved in 2020

Everything we do at Mit Ecken und Kanten – from the initial idea to our daily work and our vision – is based on our values. Above all, we want to promote greater sustainability. We're not focused on maximizing monetary profit in the shortest possible time. We want to make a long-term contribution to making the world a better place, however utopian that may sound. To communicate our values and transparently demonstrate what we achieve as a sustainable startup and how we work, we've written an impact report. In it, we explain our mission, vision, and values, and show what we achieved with Mit Ecken und Kanten in 2020. We provide insights into our impact on resource waste, our social commitment, and offer a glimpse into 2021 and what we hope to achieve in the more distant future.

Our mission & our values

Our mission is to inspire and motivate people to use our resources mindfully. As an online shop, we not only want to sell products, but also educate and inform about sustainability issues.

In this context, we want to reduce resource waste and demonstrate what sustainable entrepreneurship can look like today . We lead by example, highlighting companies that are following our lead and inspiring others to adopt a sustainable path. As this impact report illustrates, our Imperfect Shop offers our customers a new way to consume sustainably . By working towards this mission, we hope to achieve our vision in the long term. This vision is to normalize the "imperfect" within ourselves and the world, and to strengthen consumer awareness and appreciation for our environment.
With Corners and Edges is more than just an online shop. We demonstrate that consumption can be sustainable and put the appreciation for the products we use every day back in the spotlight. Because we believe everyone deserves a second chance – even seemingly imperfect products! Our products are imperfect for a variety of reasons: an old design, an approaching best-before date, or minor cosmetic flaws are just a few examples. But all our products have two things in common: they were produced sustainably and fairly and can no longer be sold through regular channels. Since they still fulfill their original purpose, we buy them from our partners at a lower, but fair, price. This allows us to offer the products on average 40-50% cheaper. Ultimately, it's a win-win situation for everyone : the companies know that their products will find a new owner, and our customers not only rescue fair and sustainable products but also get them at a lower price.

Our mission is to inspire people to use our resources responsibly. To achieve this, we must first and foremost lead by example . We regularly inform our community on social media about sustainability issues . Conserving resources is also an integral part of our daily work as an online shop and of the entire concept behind Mit Ecken und Kanten (With Corners and Edges). We sell B-grade goods, highlighting that these products still have value and definitely deserve a second chance. Since we ship large quantities of packaging materials, we are also very careful to avoid waste and use resource-efficient materials whenever possible.

Our influence in brief

In 2020...

162,202 products saved

→ of which 48,030 were lifestyle products, 43,417 were food products, 38,146 were natural cosmetics products and 20,674 were fair fashion products.

87 sustainable companies supported through the purchase of B-grade goods
5,206 new cardboard boxes saved

→ Of 34,206 orders, we packed 5,206 with a used and therefore resource-saving cardboard box.

5,039.6 kg of recycled material used for packaging

→ This resulted in savings of approximately 176,386 liters of water and 11,087.12 kg of wood compared to the equivalent use of virgin fiber paper.

An estimated 15.9 tons of CO2e emissions are offset through shipping with DHL GOGREEN.
Over €26,000 donated to charity

→ We have passed on the VAT reduction implemented by the government to worthy organizations.

social commitment

Social responsibility and environmental protection are very important to us. The COVID-19 pandemic hit many people, organizations, and companies hard. The consequences for us as an online shop were comparatively less severe. This gives us even more reason to support those who have had and continue to have a significantly harder time than we have. In 2020, we donated a total of €26,582.74 to various projects and organizations through different initiatives.

Our path to climate neutrality

In the long term, we at Mit Ecken und Kanten (With Corners and Edges) aim to become a climate-neutral company. As a team, we're already contributing to this goal by having most of us commute to work by public transport or bicycle and by primarily eating a vegan diet. We all share a strong commitment to a sustainable lifestyle that extends beyond the workday . Of course, an online shop doesn't just exist on its own; it requires a significant amount of energy to function. Our server data center uses 100% green electricity from hydropower plants (RobHost, n.d.). The electricity consumed in our office building in Fürth also comes entirely from renewable energy sources . On the path to climate neutrality, it's crucial to consider what the bank managing our money does with it. That's why we chose GLS Bank. GLS finances sustainable entrepreneurs and has been committed to social and environmental initiatives for decades (GLS Bank, n.d.). Beyond the aspects mentioned above, we still have a lot planned and look forward to a climate-neutral future.

Future prospects

2020 was undoubtedly a challenging year for everyone. We, too, faced several challenges and weren't able to implement all our plans as we had hoped. That's precisely why we're so proud of what we've achieved. Mit Ecken und Kanten has continued to grow steadily: the shop, the team, the community, and the vision. Of course, we're far from finished with our journey . We still have so much to do and want Mit Ecken und Kanten to have an ever-greater positive impact on the world around us. Together, we're showing that imperfection isn't something to be avoided. We're taking away the fear of imperfection. After all, who gets to decide what's perfect?
Further information and data on our work and commitment last year, as well as sources, can be found in the linked impact report. Happy reading!