The story of a Slovenian entrepreneur: from scraps to a new product

A Slovenian entrepreneur's story reveals how leftover materials can spark innovation. The tale centers around Jure Sreš, owner of Les-Rock, a company based in Prekmurje that specializes in custom furniture and interior design. Every piece of material left over after production raises a practical question: What to do with it? In some companies, these leftovers might be wood scraps, metal shavings, textiles, packaging, or other materials that can't be used in existing manufacturing processes. While throwing them away into the waste bin seems straightforward, these remnants often hold potential for new products, cost savings, or even new business opportunities. Numerous small and medium-sized enterprises already consider such possibilities. They understand their materials and production processes well, often have plenty of ideas, but struggle with turning those ideas into viable solutions. Determining how to develop a concept, finding appropriate expertise, understanding relevant regulations, and accessing financial incentives can prove challenging. The journey from a good idea to a workable solution can quickly uncover questions a business owner hasn’t encountered before. In this process, small and mid-sized businesses receive support through entry points of the Slovenian Centre for Circular Economy (SCKG). These entry points offer free assistance in developing circular solutions, searching for relevant information and funding sources, and connecting with experts, service providers, and other businesses. The story of Les-Rock illustrates how such support works in practice. The company, located in the forested region of Prekmurje, views wood as a local, renewable raw material with great potential for developing new products. In its workshop, which produces custom furniture and equips restaurants, cafes, and other interiors, the team encounters a wide range of materials. Particularly notable among these is solid wood. Sreš sees it as a homegrown, sustainable resource that offers numerous ways of application, prompting the company to try to utilize almost everything that remains after processing. Very little of the wooden scraps ends up in the waste bin. Larger usable pieces are repurposed into secondary products, while sawdust can continue its path into pellet production or serve as a base for plants. Thinking creatively about what else could be made from high-quality pieces of wood that aren’t suitable for the main product has opened up space for new ideas. Among these ideas are wooden toys. “Wood is a renewable resource that can be used in thousands of different ways. There are countless opportunities for development, just need to get the idea,” says Sreš. He is particularly drawn to wooden toys because they allow children to interact with a natural material early on, introducing them to nature and sustainability. “We live in the era of plastic modernism, capitalism... Why not let a child feel, when playing, something natural, alive, instead of chewing artificial plastic things? Wood won’t harm a child, at worst, it will make them aware that the world isn’t a laboratory. Children should be taught that life without nature and plants doesn’t exist. Many don’t realize this.” For Les-Rock, such ideas are currently not a major source of income. Sreš emphasizes that the search for new uses of wood is driven primarily by their relationship with the material and a desire to use it better. In the future, however, these thoughts could lead to new products and additional business opportunities. The idea itself was not the biggest obstacle. More challenging were financing the further development and the lack of suitable personnel. When looking for ways to take the next step, the company connected with the Pomurski tehnološki park, one of the entry points of the SCKG for small and medium-sized enterprises. “The technology park helps us include ourselves in new projects and tenders,” Sreš briefly describes his experience. In practice, this means that each business is treated individually, including helping them review their options.