At 19, Tijmen from Utrecht was one of the youngest employees at i-did. During his vocational training (PRO/VSO), he chose to specialize in hospitality, but that wasn't quite the right fit. He switched to design and did a one-year internship at i-did. It was right up his alley, as he also wants to work in clothing and design.

Tijmen at work at i-did in Utrecht

At i-did, the young Utrecht native learned all facets of product making: from laser-cutting felt to assembling bags, covers, and luggage tags himself using a sewing machine. He especially enjoyed making things himself.

It worked out so well for both parties that after his internship, he moved on to a program at i-did. “I really enjoyed that. At school, you learn a little bit of everything, and my classmates didn't do much. I was really lucky to end up at i-did. I wanted to work and earn money, and this was a perfect fit for me. It's hard work, but the colleagues are great, and you can really learn something there. They really helped me figure out who I am and what I want.”

Kuehne Nagel

After his time at i-did, Tijmen was able to find work for logistics service provider Kuehne Nagel, through the mediation of another social entrepreneur. They were so pleased with him that he was eventually hired through their own employment agency.

He's been working as a warehouse employee at Kuehne Nagel in Utrecht for almost a year now, in the inbound department, where all products arrive. "It's fun work where I get to do a lot of different things, like unloading the truck and moving the pallets to the right aisle in the warehouse. It's really cool that I see all the new products from places like Starbucks before they even hit the shelves. We use electric pallet trucks (EPT) to unload the containers, and I got my forklift certificate last month. I'm now allowed to drive one. I'd also like to get the reach truck certificate, a type of forklift with a long arm that allows you to reach the higher racks in a warehouse."

Own clothing line

Tijmen currently works thirty-two hours a week for the transport company, and he has a plan for himself. He eventually wants to design his own clothes and sell them through an online store. He's already found a company that can produce his designs, and he plans to handle the online sales himself. "I'm thinking of a whole line of shirts, pants, and socks with a theme, using a graphic design like Louis Vuitton. I think that's a beautiful pattern, and I want to create a variation on it. But I also like a more old-school style, like the style of the movie Grease, a bit of rockabilly."

Besides starting his own clothing line, Tijmen hopes for a good income and a place of his own in the future, together with his girlfriend, who currently lives in America. He'd love to live in a small village in the American countryside where everyone knows each other. His girlfriend would prefer to come to the Netherlands. But their first goal now is to both save up a lot so they can finally see each other in person in a year. After that, they'll figure it out together.

Tijmen at work at logistics service provider Keuhne Nagel

i-did turns textiles into social impact

Every year in the Netherlands more than 200,000 tons of textiles are thrown away, including large quantities of workwear. At the same time, more than 400,000 people are on welfare, including refugees and those for whom access to work is not a given. They have few opportunities to discover and utilize their talents.

At i-did, we connect these two challenges: old textiles are given a second life and processed into products that truly matter. Products made by people who, at i-did, have the opportunity to gain experience and contribute meaningfully to society.

More and more companies are choosing i-did products, which means our social impact and reach are growing every year. this page We share insights, figures and examples of how clothing reuse and social impact come together.