Traid University - Misha Medvedev & Peter Frelinghuysen // Williams ‘22

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Long Island, NY

hats and cups

Earth Caps Website | Instagram

Earth Cups Website | Instagram

Tell us about yourself.

I come from a Russian background - I grew up in Queens New York - I moved to Long Island when I was 12 - I played tennis since I was 3 at a competitive level - I committed to play on the men’s tennis team at Williams College - I am majoring in Economics and Environmental Science - One day I ordered a couple sample hats and the rest was history.

How did you get started with your business?

My co-founder and I always knew we wanted to start something together. We had long hair, always wore hats, and loved the environment. So it clicked - we started an eco-friendly hat brand that gives back to amazing organizations. My two projects share the same mission: to reduce global plastic waste. Earth Caps reduces plastic waste through our unique fabric and Earth Cups are a replacement for toxic, plastic, non recyclable red party cups.

Who is your targeted audience?

Everyone with a head.

How do you get customers?

Social media, word of mouth, and a lot of stickers.

What do you do with your profits?

Donate and put every penny back into the company.

Who are your competitors?

Keep your enemies close.

How do you balance this work with all of your other commitments?

I don’t tend to think about this, I just sort of do it. I get so much joy from working on my projects that it never feels like work or something I am forced to do. It’s fun. It’s fun to see what I have built so far. It’s fun to keep working and watch the brand grow.

How has the pandemic affected your work?

The pandemic has given me a lot of free time to work on these projects.

What has been your biggest business-related accomplishment?

Created the first ever sustainable Earth Cap made out of recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton. Genuinely, one of the most comfortable hats I have ever worn. Like Cinderella's shoe, but on my head.