Plumen

Energy-saving light bulbs aren't exactly the most exciting product out there. Well, until now. Plumen manufactures and distributes exciting and beautiful designer bulbs to replace the incandescent bulbs still guzzling energy in your house. The firm have won a clutch of design awards and have expanded from e-tail to wholesale: Plumen products are now stocked in John Lewis. The start-up is only a year old with two full-time staff but the business has already passed the quarter-of-a-million-turnover mark. This has been achieved through smart moves in digital media, the use of remote freelancers, and a clever bit of negotiation on supplier credit. Consumers win too: Plumen bulbs pay for themselves over their lifetime and save 80% of comparable energy in the process.

• Using design to make an eco-product a must-have product
• Business model has evolved from e-tail to wholesale
• Environmentally-sound and cost-saving