# 141 - Kieran White from Return Protocol formerly at Lasso Loop

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2022-07-07
- Length: 29m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-87f

## Summary

Kieran White, formerly COO of Lasso Loop, discusses the company's mission to create a decentralized circularity system for home recycling. He explains how Lasso Loop’s appliance scans, cleans, and processes recyclables like PET bottles at the source to ensure 100% pure recycled material. White details the business model, including the $3,500 prototype cost and plans to offset this through resale revenue and carbon credits. The conversation also touches on his background at Tesla’s recycling division and his perspective on the challenges of traditional municipal recycling streams.

## Chapters

- [0:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=12) Introduction: Kieran White and Lasso Loop
- [2:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=157) Kieran White's Background and TEDx Talks
- [6:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=362) Tesla's Recycling Business and Circular Economy
- [13:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=833) How Lasso Loop Appliance Works
- [18:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=1107) Pricing, Prototypes, and Business Model
- [23:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-07-07-141-kieran-white-from-return-protocol-formerly-at-lasso-loop#t=1396) Gamification, Apps, and Future Incentives

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Lasso Loop (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Redwood (company)
- Scrap (company)
- True Cycle (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Making garbage useful with Tom Szaky of TerraCycle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-08-17-making-garbage-useful-with-tom-szaky-of-terracycle) (How I Built This)
- [Threading the future of circular fashion with Peter Majeranowski of Circ](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-09-07-threading-the-future-of-circular-fashion-with-peter-majeranowski-of-circ) (How I Built This)
- [The Waste Management Industry with Jeff Satwicz, Co-Founder of Bigbelly](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-06-23-the-waste-management-industry-with-jeff-satwicz-co-founder-of-bigbelly) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [510: The Secret Chip](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2025-09-19-510-the-secret-chip) (Embedded.fm)
- [Intelligent Dumpsters and Sustainable Waste Disposal with Ben Chehebar, VP of Hardware at RoadRunner Recycling, and Jason Gates, Senior VP of Strategy at RoadRunner Recycling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-03-30-intelligent-dumpsters-and-sustainable-waste-disposal-with-ben-chehebar-vp-of-har) (Hardware to Save a Planet)

## Citing this page

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