Marianne van Sasse van Ysselt is the co-founder of Dutch pocketwear and wallet brand Secrid. The official Secrid journey began with the release of the Cardprotector in 2009, though the design itself had been in the works for eight years prior under a different banner. This latest iteration, featuring the brand’s patented Cardprotector slide mechanism that releases your card at the push of a lever, was designed to be the ‘best cardholder in the world’. And with tastes becoming more discerning when it came to what we put in our pockets, the Secrid aluminium cardholder was born. This tactile design continues to be at the heart of every Secrid style to this day, with modern versions incorporating new materials including leather and non-leather alternatives, or new silhouettes that double-up on the Cardprotector to offer more card space. With over 16 million products sold in 90 territories, the Cardprotector is an instrument through which the story of Secrid is told – design as a force for good.
- Can you tell us a little about your background and your company?
My name is Marianne van Sasse van Ysselt, and I cut my teeth in high-street fashion design before founding pocketwear brand Secrid in 2009.
My work in fashion gave me an insight into the global effect of fast production and the detrimental effect of fast fashion on the environment and people.
This drove me to make a dramatic change in both my personal and professional lives. Fortunately, my husband, Rene van Geer, an industrial designer, was on the same frequency at that time, and together we decided to approach design with a more holistic outlook, committed to creating products with respect and care for people and the planet.
Our first professional chapter was launching a design studio called SPIRID. In those early years, we were designing for multiple sectors, including child safety seats for internationally recognised brands.
Along our journey, we became increasingly fascinated with Eastern holistic practices and began to incorporate these into our design and day-to-day practises. These became noticed by the sectors we were working in, and most notably the agency provided Feng Shui consulting for the government in its design of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science building.
Having worked for various consumer-led brands, in 2008 we decided to focus entirely on our own products. The following year, we introduced the Cardprotector as a revolutionary solution for storing and protecting payment cards, complete with our pop-up design mechanism that allows easy access to your cards at the push of a lever. This innovation changed the market, with a combination of design and technology at its core. It has also led to over 1,000 copycat designs and counting.
Our vision is to make high-quality products in line with our own values, with local production as a conscious design choice. We assemble 100% of our products in the Netherlands and source our parts from nearby European countries, particularly Northwestern Europe. I have a dedicated approach to these values and the holistic way Secrid works, and I encourage our 140-strong team to share in this direction.
To date, we have sold over 16 million Secrid wallets across 90 countries.
- What inspired you to start your business?
As a fashion designer, I was exposed to the hard truth of globalised sourcing and the negative impact it was having across the world. At the same time, I was working with multiple manufacturing partners in the Far East, one of whom in Taiwan not only sparked my curiosity for Eastern spirituality, but also macrobiology. These principles, alongside a commitment to design and sourcing products more mindfully, helped in defining our code of practice at Secrid.
- How did you create awareness for your brand?
Initially, the success of Secrid proliferated through a combination of our innovative designs getting noticed through word of mouth, as well as our strong retail network from the start. The Cardprotector itself sold itself in the beginning because people were automatically sparked by the innovative mechanism which they had never seen before. On top of that, the durable design and quality delivered what was promised, and founding story us as Dutch designer couple, made people a fan of the brand and recommending / gifting it to their friends, families and colleagues.
- What strategies helped you secure funding and scale your business?
In the early days, we sought finance through the banking sector. But when the Dutch economy nosedived in 2008, the bank called back our loan and gave us a very tight window to repay the amount. We turned to our friends, family, and business partners for help. They not only helped us to repay the bank but also taught us to never again request support from the financial sector. Seventeen years later, the village baker and cheesemaker who both rushed to our help back then still provide our head office chefs with ingredients for the meals we serve our team daily.
- What have been your biggest successes so far?
There have been so many, but I am immensely proud to be part of a brand which is now recognisable as a market leader in 90 countries. And more importantly, a brand which remains uncompromising in its dedication to mindful sourcing, community initiatives, and the evolution of the next generation of designers.
Every single Secrid wallet is manufactured in one of three Sheltered Workshops in the Netherlands. These government-supported workshops encourage people with physical and mental disabilities to build careers, and we are proud to be a part of their initiative.
The quality of Secrid products has remained best of breed despite our manufacturing work force having multiple physical and mental disabilities. Seeing this team in action makes me prouder than I can imagine feeling when we first launched Secrid.
From a more business perspective, seeing Secrid stocked in premium departments stores such as Harrods and Selfridges underlines how the way we work, can work.
We are incredibly proud of our work with up-and-coming designers and have several initiatives through which we provide not only financial aid but also coaching and mentorship.
We have established the Secrid Impact Fund, where 1% of our revenue goes towards talented designers who share our ethos on the environment and a desire to do good.
With this fund, we select 7 designers a year to be part of the Secrid Design Community and spotlight their talent at Dutch Design Week where we have a podium. We are also main partner of international platform What Design Can Do Accelerator, where innovative designers worldwide are supported, mentored and funded to accelerate their circular and regenerative design concepts. Through both of these initiatives, myself and Secrid provide mentorship and a robust network to the Community, as well as cash prizes to help their business and their vision grow.
We also achieved B Corp status in 2022, a goal that we had set our sights on since our inception.
It is a great source of pride that we have been able to create a successful brand where we are able to maintain profitability whilst also taking care of people and the planet in every step of our process.
- What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Back in the early days, we had exceptionally high supply demand for our design. At times, we struggled to keep up, as we were producing everything ourselves – sometimes on our dining table with help from loved ones – and we wanted to remain independent from investors. We assembled around 13,000 Cardprotectors from our home, and it was certainly challenging to keep up with demand whilst also maintaining the quality that we stand for. But we persevered, and with the help of our family and friends, we have been able to build this brand that remains independent to this day and continues to go from strength to strength.
- What are your plans for the future?
The next chapter for Secrid is extending our message, both in terms of business practice as well as through our products, to new territories. For the coming year, we will be targeting new growth through more feminine positioning, as well as onboarding onto new digital channels.
This year, we have recruited an infantry of PR agencies in our most commercially significant territories to help in our efforts to spread the Secrid message. Through them, we hope to bring forward the message of the Industrial Evolution – a new outlook on design that seeks to do good.
From a product perspective, we have some very exciting news coming later this year. We are always looking for ways to improve and grow our product, and I would encourage you to stay tuned for the year ahead.
On a personal note, we are very proud to say that all three of our children work at Secrid right now, all in differing roles within the business. I plan to work here as long as I possibly can, but we are preparing them to take over the company in the future, and it makes me happy to know that Secrid will be in good hands when we leave the business.
- What advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs?
My main learnings have been that you can embrace family life whilst being unswerving in your dedication to commercial success. You can drive international growth without compromising your dedication to mindful business practices. And finally, that it’s often as important to follow your gut as well as your heart and your head.
- What are your top three tips for entrepreneurial success?
Follow your guts.
Embrace challenges.
Stay financially independent.
10. Who are five people who inspire you the most, and why?
My parents: It’s ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from it.
Tich Nath Hanh: Combine mindfulness in business, practise what you preach.
Vivienne Westwood: She was a pioneer in creating awareness around buying long lasting products.
Ivonne Chouinard: Drive your business while keeping faith in your purpose.
Anita Roddick: Building a holistic and sustainable business together with your husband.
11. What are your favourite inspirational or motivational quotes?
“The best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment.”
Tich Nath Hanh
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Ghandi
“Make every decision with the next seven generations in mind.”
Sankale Ole Ntutu (Masaai Chief from Kenya)
- Where can our readers connect with you?
