Accessories · Oud-Beijerland, Netherlands
Marleen Gulden
“I wanted to do something that gives me joy in my work, and creates that joy for others too, by making better-quality, local and more sustainable products for this industry.”
Before Made Out Of, she spent years in the gift and merchandise trade, producing for big brands. The work meant fast production and big logos, and she seldom knew where a piece was made or who had made it. She quit, and set out to supply that same trade herself. A year behind the scenes followed, researching circular materials and local production in the Netherlands and setting up Eco Concept Group, the B Corp-certified group that Made Out Of belongs to. The brand now makes bags, laptop sleeves and notebooks, plus small pieces for the desk and for travel, from recycled and next-generation European materials. She trained in marketing and design in Utrecht.