Project Harmless selected as Start-Up Loans Ambassador

Scottish company Project Harmless is among 14 new businesses announced as ambassadors for the Start-Up Loans programme, part of the British Business Bank. Founder George Greer received a loan from the Start-Up Loans programme via its Business Support Partner, Virgin Start Up, in September 2022. This finance was used to expand his line of sustainable dog waste bags, following a surge in demand from consumers in the USA.

Since then, the business has diversified into new markets with the launch of Harmless Fashion, a range of plastic-free accessories designed to combat greenwashing in the fashion industry and support the UK textiles sector. The collection, featuring a previously unused tartan designed for the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, includes tote bags, laptop cases, and dog leads.

Project Harmless was set up during the Covid-19 pandemic when Greer noticed high concentrations of plastic dog waste bags along the shores of Loch Long while walking his Swiss Shephard. This gave him the idea to re-purpose a water-reactive, non-toxic and microplastic free material to develop a new class of dog waste bags that dissolve in the open environment.

The annual Start-Up Loans ambassador’s programme, now in its ninth year, celebrates inspiring UK business owners who have launched enterprises using finance from this government-backed scheme. The selected ambassadors embody the resilience, creativity, and determination required to make a smaller business successful, and aim to inspire other entrepreneurs across the UK.