Two bamboo rivals join hands and start Undiemeister. How did that come about?

Two bamboo rivals join hands and start Undiemeister. How did this come about?

Undiemeister often receives the question of how it is possible that two former bamboo rivals from the underwear industry started working together. Therefore, it is high time for an explanation, but first a little history and background. Quite an exciting story!

In 2011 Rik Vegter(former lawyer) decided it would be nice to "do" something with tangible products, instead of intangible legal advice. Something you can hold on to, something tangible. Together with his brother, already an Internet entrepreneur at the time, he made a list of what those products would have to meet. Sustainability was at the top, followed immediately by quality. And, of course, a product that is always in demand, so a big market. Bamboo textiles, which Rik had already come across once in China, stood out head and shoulders above everything else at the time.

No sooner said than done and without being hindered by any knowledge of business, but with great enthusiasm, Greendaddy was started. Also with no capital and no supplies, but with a lot of guts. Supplies were bought with the money from orders. So customers had to wait a while, but didn't find that a problem at all. After two years, money was needed to continue the business and in record time it was raised via crowdfunding.

While Rik, who in the meantime had bought out his brother, was still busy being a pioneer in convincing consumers of all the benefits of bamboo, new parties were forging plans to follow the bamboo initiative. One of those parties was Bamigo.

Bamigo was looking for an entrepreneur with guts, e-commerce knowledge and experience to step up as its CEO. The company had to be built up by someone who was willing to put his feet in the clay and start from scratch as a real entrepreneur. Jeroen, who had already proven his ability to scale up a business quickly, was the ideal candidate. No sooner said than done.

At the time, Rik was delighted that new suppliers like Bamigo were entering the market, because now bamboo textiles were becoming a real market. With real competition and all that goes with it. It was therefore inevitable that sooner or later the two would cross paths. One had the market, the other wanted it. In those days, there were sometimes spirited conversations between the two. Competition was getting tougher, perhaps not something you expect from individuals who share each other's ideals. And more competitors presented themselves in the meantime. Actually, only Google got the better of it. The boom in TV ads cannot have escaped anyone's notice.

Fast forward to 2019. Jeroen Adriaans left Bamigo in the summer of 2018 in search of a new challenge. Jeroen's first child was on the way and then other things become important. Moreover, Jeroen began to doubt more and more whether bamboo, and especially bamboo viscose, was really that sustainable.

The same doubts had struck Rik Vegter. Although bamboo was a good step forward compared to conventional cotton, it could be better. Both in quality and in sustainability. Rik wanted to take that step, with a new fabric and a new brand. On to 2.0. And who better to market a new brand than Jeroen? So Rik got in touch (to Jeroen Adriaans' surprise), and the conversations between the two were mutually beneficial. The rest, as they say, is history.

The two former rivals joined forces and Undiemeister was a fact. Jeroen as a maestro and Rik as an experienced pioneer complement each other perfectly and combine almost 20 years of experience in the market for premium and sustainable textiles. A better combination is hardly conceivable.

The blood seems to run where it can't go, but is that true? Jeroen and Rik share the same passion for entrepreneurship, sustainability and premium quality. Both believe in better and sustainable items, without compromising. In fact, with Mellowood, Undiemeister has a fabric that raises the bar on both quality and sustainability, with great advantages over bamboo.

So for anyone wondering how it is possible for rivals to work together, the answer is easier than you think. Put egos aside and find each other in a common goal and shared passion.

It can be that simple!