Most days start in the kitchen: a chipped mug, the whistle of a kettle, a wooden spoon stirring sugar into tea. These simple objects bring comfort and routine, yet we rarely think about the materials or energy behind them. What if that same simplicity could help the planet? After a decade at a top consulting firm, Anthony Paris noticed how small choices add up. He left the stability of EY, spent months questioning assumptions, and zeroed in on a new idea: score and share clear data on low-tech products so businesses and consumers can pick tools that really make a difference. That insight became Lowreka—a platform that rates, curates and sells practical, low-impact goods.

From Corporate Comfort to Climate Friction‍

Anthony Paris didn’t expect to find himself cold-emailing scientists or debating the impact of solar ovens. For more than ten years, he followed a clear script at EY—stable income, measurable milestones, board-room metrics. But during a six-month break, he realized, “The numbers looked good, but they didn’t mean much anymore.” He started sketching ideas in renovation, materials and construction, only to land on low-tech tools: simple, durable products whose real environmental power comes from use rather than cutting-edge design. He saw a gap: no consistent way to understand or compare these tools. So Paris and a co-founder built Lowreka in France—a public marketplace plus B2B scoring service—to bring clarity and credibility to every wooden spoon, solar cooker and compost bin they list.

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Scoring Simplicity, Not Just Sustainability

Lowreka’s model revolves around context. Their team developed a scoring framework covering 16 impact factors—from carbon and water to biodiversity and land use—designed to deliver quick, usable insight.

They call it a 20/80 model: 20% of the data yields 80% of the clarity. Instead of lengthy €20,000 lifecycle assessments, Lowreka offers fast, credible evaluations that help companies understand and communicate product impact in a matter of days.

This makes the platform useful for early-stage and resource-constrained businesses. One of their first clients, a surfboard maker using agricultural waste, needed a way to quantify his product’s benefits. Lowreka gave him exactly that—clearly, affordably, and fast.
The consumer-facing marketplace reflects the same logic. Each product includes comparative scores and usage notes, offering buyers the kind of context that traditional sustainability labels often leave out.

“Recycled plastic sounds good,” Paris said, “but that’s not the whole story. What matters is what a product does, how often it’s used, and for how long.”

Paris calls this functional framing—a practical approach that puts real-world behavior ahead of feel-good branding.

Looking ahead, Lowreka is focused on expanding its B2B scoring services, building partnerships with scientific bodies, and strengthening the methodology. The consumer platform remains the brand’s anchor—but the engine is clarity.

There’s no rush to scale. No big promises. Just steady progress, one impact score at a time.

“We already have a community that gets this,” Paris said. “Now we just have to help it grow.”

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