Name: Henrik Holmén
Location: Utby, Gothenburg
Occupation: Tracks Recycle
Favorite place: In a tent by a lake
Family: Partner, two stepchildren, and two cats
What did you do before Tracks Recycle?
I had a dream of working at sea when I was young. So I pursued that dream and trained to become a ship captain. After working for a few years, I felt the urge to move on and try something new. I transitioned ashore and have since worked with safety, environment, operations, and maintenance in various roles within shipping and ports.
What made you change careers and why sports and outdoor life?
I had several intense years in the business world, pursuing career advancement and trying out many opportunities. At one point, I felt the need to pause and reconsider what I wanted to do next. Over the past few years, I've increasingly pondered the linear economy, where we extract resources to produce goods that we then discard.
I resigned without having a new job lined up. My partner noticed that Tracks Recycle was for sale and jokingly suggested it could be something for me. After many meetings and much reflection, myself and five other partners signed the purchase agreement. Sports and outdoor life have been a significant part of my life, so it felt great to work with them full-time.
My involvement in Tracks Recycle also led me to reflect on my own behaviors and how I've lived my life. I've worked a lot, and the reward has been the ability to consume. This is strongly encouraged in society: work hard and buy a lot. I felt I wanted to work on something where I could give back more than I take.
Do you think we're heading in the right direction environmentally, or do you see the future as dystopian?
We are facing an incredibly tough transition where we're using more resources than we have. It will require significant change, and changing behaviors is really difficult. I believe we can navigate through this change, and hopefully, we can succeed without hitting rock bottom. More and more people are realizing that something needs to be done, and it needs to happen now.
If we think about the economy?
Moving from a linear business model that relies on perpetual growth to a circular model where growth is viewed differently will be tough but absolutely necessary. The Swedish economy is currently only 3.4% circular. Source: https://www.ri.se/sv/nyheter/den-svenska-ekonomin-ar-bara-34-cirkular. If we fail to transition, nature will demand it of us. Already, certain geographical areas are becoming uninsurable due to the threat of climate disasters, and funds are being allocated for climate adaptations, costs which will increase significantly in the future.
Which brands characterize sustainable outdoor clothing/shoes/accessories?
There are several brands that offer high-quality products. My goal is to enable these products to have as long a lifespan as possible.
What is your biggest challenge to achieving your goals for Tracks Recycle?
Getting people to break and replace old habits/behaviors. We have a large customer base that is environmentally conscious, but we need to help more people understand that a circular economy is crucial for creating a sustainable future.
What is your favorite moment with Pure Effect?
Personally: When I can spray my wool t-shirts and avoid washing them. At work: When we can easily treat items like ski boots, thereby increasing the possibility of giving them new life.