Scientist behind sustainable wet wipe brand Twipes, is nominated for award

Having co-founded Twipes, a wet wipe brand and frontrunner in sustainable technology, Ellenor Mcintosh has been successfully shortlisted for the Women in Social Enterprise Award 2022.

In the spring of 2015, Ellenor underwent five years of research and development to create a truly flushable wet wipe that biodegrades within just three hours. The resultant product – Twipes – represents ground-breaking innovation in terms of environmentally-friendly technology. Ellenor’s wet wipes are made from natural wood pulp fibres, eliminating the plastic pollution and micro-plastic issues associated with regular wet wipes.

The importance of social enterprises specialising in environmentalism is increasingly recognised by organisations such as Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) – the institution presenting the Women in Social Enterprise Award. SEUK leads “the world’s largest network of businesses with a social purpose who together are helping to create a fairer economy and a more sustainable future for everyone.” The organisation states that “as understanding of the climate crisis grows, it is clear that social justice cannot exist without environmental justice”. Twipes is responding to this requirement for environmental justice, with Ellenor’s valuable flushable technology and impressive entrepreneurship culminating in her shortlisting for this prestigious award.

The Women in Social Enterprise Award makes up one of fifteen categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2022 and will be presented to “the woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work”. Previous winners include Yvonne Farquharson, who was recognised in 2021 for her work at Breathe Arts Health Research – a social enterprise that designs and delivers creative programmes to improve health and wellbeing.

SEUK describes the UK Social Enterprise Awards as “the country’s biggest celebration of social enterprises recognising the best in the sector”. The ceremony will provide “a chance to showcase the incredible contributions made by businesses that have been making a real difference in tackling social and environmental problems both in the UK and around the world”.

Out of a cohort of over 300 applicants, Ellenor was shortlisted as one of just seven finalists, acknowledging her outstanding contribution to the field of environmental sustainability.

In response to being shortlisted for this award, Ellenor stated “it's an honour to be nominated for such a great award. It is important to recognise that social enterprises are the truest form of business, putting what matters most in the minds of many. Seeing so many deserving businesses share that common vision of profit with purpose is simply a wonderful demonstration of how small enterprises really can make a huge change.”

This is not the first time the value of Ellenor’s innovation and entrepreneurship has been recognised. Alongside her co-founder Alborz Bozorgi, Ellenor was named the Mayor of London’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, awarded the Princess Diana Award in 2019, and listed in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2020. All eyes will now be on Ellenor as she takes her exciting next steps with this revolutionary technology and start-up brand, and as her product further contributes to increasing environmental wellbeing!

The award ceremony will take place on Thursday 8th December at London’s iconic Roundhouse building, where the winner will be revealed.

For more information about the award and other nominees, click here: https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/all-about-social-enterprise-uk/uk-social-enterprise-awards-2022/