The goal of the Austin husband and wife team is to promote conservation and sustainable development, one glass at a time.

In June, Sarah Scott Mitchell and Ernesto Humpierres launched Neutrall, a series of environmentally friendly glassware upgraded and recycled, including the use of discarded items and creating new things from them in their current state.

This process is different from recycling, which recycles decomposed materials and processes them into new substances. With upscaling, think about chewing gum wrappers turned into handbags.

The first product launched by Neutrall is a series of drinking glasses made entirely of waste glass and transported in sustainable packaging. A set of two 8-ounce green glasses starts at $23.99. The company is adding additional parts, including bowls.

According to data from the Glass Packaging Institute, only 33% of glass food and beverage containers in the United States are recycled. Neutrall obtains glass from a network of restaurants and bars in Montgomery, Texas, otherwise these restaurants and bars would not have a recycling program. 

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"We have a partner responsible for picking up the goods," Humpierres said. "They didn't throw the discarded bottles in the trash, but put them in our trash can, and then we recycle them."

The American politician recently had a conversation with the company’s founder. For the sake of brevity, this interview has been edited.

The twins of Mitchell and Humpierres got some small Swiss glasses as babies a few years ago. When one broke, they couldn't find a substitute.

The couple already own an environmentally friendly e-commerce startup called Nestani, which they launched in 2017 to sell reusable heating and cooling packages. These packages made of dried cherry seeds can be heated in a microwave oven or cooled in a refrigerator for thermotherapy.

"We have been discussing adding other products to the product portfolio, so small glasses entered the discussion," Mitchell said. "After several years of development, this idea has finally become a brand new enterprise with a very specific mission."

Mitchell was born and raised in Austin and holds a master's degree in habitat assessment from Texas State University. She is currently the executive director of the Cook Branch Conservation Association, a vast nature reserve in Montgomery County, where she helps restore natural ecosystems.

Humpierres was born in Oregon and grew up in Venezuela, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. After obtaining an MBA from Harvard University, he moved to Austin in 2015 to start his own business. He is now the director of customer success, strategy and planning for VMware.

"Neutrall's customers value reducing waste, lowering their carbon footprint, and being a good steward of the planet," Humpierres said. "They are also very practical and solution-oriented. Applying their values ​​to every purchase they make is a way of change."

The founder said that reducing the use and exposure of plastic is important for the company's customers. Neutrall has established a Montessori follower because the educational method encourages the use of glass with children to teach consequences and care. "Our original 8-ounce cup is the perfect size for kids to comfortably use," Mitchell said.

Investment: Neutrall's funds all come from Nestani's profits to guide the business. "We have considered that as we grow, we may need capital to significantly expand the scale," Humpierres said.

The biggest challenge: "Enter its niche market and effectively tell the story of the value of glasses," Mitchell said. "This is a great story. Every time you buy, you are actually avoiding items in the landfill, creating jobs and promoting land restoration."

In addition, the company is small in scale and high in manufacturing technology. "Each piece of glass is processed seven times before it is finished," Humpierres said. "This means high production costs because we are committed to creating quality jobs with fair pay and benefits.

Transportation costs are another challenge, he said: "Before reaching high volumes, the cost of heavy packages will be high. We have iterated our package design many times to optimize transportation barriers."