From campus to national impact-driving the movement to end single use plastics
Chemical engineering alumni Jacqueline Hanton and Kayli Smith (both BASc ’20) founded a start-up called Friendlier in 2019. The company is dedicated to addressing Canada’s single-use plastic problem.
Hanton and Smith both did a study term in Sweden during their undergraduate degrees. This experience opened their eyes to the power of conscious consumerism and ignited a shared determination to preserve the planet and minimize the effects that humans are having on the environment—leading to the creation of Friendlier.
Since 2019, Hanton and Smith have raised a total of $10 million and prevented 3.7 million food and beverage containers from ending up in landfills. Friendlier has expanded its operations and now has 200 locations in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Quebec, quickly building a national presence.
Friendlier recently received $4.5 million to continue their expansion across Canada with investments in infrastructure, logistics and new technologies, to make it easier for people to reduce their use of plastics by making reuseable choices easier and more accessible.