The story of Bonter (and one smelly bin)

Hey, I’m Mats, founder of Bonter. What now looks like a carefully built plan actually started with something simple — a feeling that something wasn’t right. This is the story of Bonter, step by step, born from that small but persistent problem.

I grew up in the Kempen, surrounded by fields, chickens, and trees. As a kid, I was always outside — working with plants, building things, taking them apart again. Curious about how everything worked. That urge to understand and improve never left.

After studying in Ghent, I stayed. What was meant to be temporary became permanent, and I’ve been here ever since 2011.

The idea for Bonter didn’t come from a strategy session, but from frustration. Six years ago, I lived in a small apartment in the city (photo above). It was meant as a temporary stop. But I quickly realized I had nowhere to go with my kitchen waste. No compost bin, no organic waste collection, no garden. Everything had to go into general waste. And that didn’t sit right with me.

Back home, my organic waste always went to the compost heap, the chickens, or the green container. That felt right, natural. But living in the city meant I suddenly lost access to that system. Nothing was collected, and there was no space for a bin. So it all ended up with the rest of the waste — ready to be burned or dumped. The idea that something natural and valuable turned into waste just felt wrong.

My apartment had a small kitchen flowing into the living room, which meant the smell of that bin spread everywhere. The stench wasn’t even the worst part — it was the damp bags, the fruit flies, and that nagging guilt. That sense of throwing something good away, knowing there had to be another way.

Looking for a solution

Like many city dwellers, I started searching. There had to be a way.

Organic waste collection was out of the question: it wasn’t available in my area, and I didn’t have room for a container.

Then I came across Bokashi, a method that ferments waste in buckets. It sounded great, but in practice it just didn’t work for an apartment. Too little capacity, too many additives, and honestly — it didn’t look good.

Next, I found electric “composters” that promised to turn waste into soil. After half an hour of research, it was clear: marketing talk. They use a ton of energy, blow warm, humid air into your room, and what comes out isn’t compost but heated pulp. It even smells worse than before.

And then I discovered vermicomposting — composting with worms. A natural, slow process, but efficient and odorless when done right. And best of all: it works without electricity.

The first worm bin

I dove into YouTube and found a whole community of people building their own worm bins. Two barrels, some mesh, a few holes — done. I decided to give it a try.

I biked to town, bought two black barrels, and drilled holes in the bottom. Through a Facebook group, I met someone with extra compost worms. With a small Tupperware box, I cycled over to pick up my first batch.

Back home, my new housemates moved straight into their DIY bin. Within a few days, the system was running. The waste disappeared — and I was amazed at how well it worked.

But it still wasn’t what I needed. My apartment was small, and everything was in plain sight. Two stacked plastic barrels in the corner weren’t exactly stylish. And emptying the compost without disturbing the worms was a hassle. Technically it worked, but visually and practically, it was a no-go.

A system that runs itself

After some more research, I discovered continuous flow systems.

The concept made immediate sense: composting that never stops. You add kitchen scraps at the top and harvest compost at the bottom. No stacking, no scooping, no spare parts — just a self-sustaining natural process.

It was brilliant in its simplicity. Yet again, the existing models were meant for outdoor use — bulky, practical, but far from something you’d want next to your kitchen cabinet.

That’s where the idea for Bonter took shape: a continuous flow worm bin designed for indoor living. Compact, low-maintenance, and beautiful enough to display rather than hide.

From a personal fix to something bigger

At first, I just wanted one for myself. But as I talked about it, I kept hearing the same thing: “I want that too.” “Let me know when it’s ready.” What started as a personal fix turned out to be a problem many others shared without realizing it.

That realization changed everything. I had zero product design experience, but thought: why not. Let’s try to make something that’s functional and beautiful at the same time.

The first designs

With my background in 3D visualization, I could quickly turn sketches into digital models. That made it easier to test what worked and what didn’t. I experimented with shapes, proportions, how the waste moved, how the air circulated. The focus stayed the same: ease of use.

After countless iterations, I finally had a design that felt right. I bought a 3D printer, watched tutorials, and printed my first miniature version — at one-tenth scale.

Once it was ready, I tested it with real compost worms. And it worked. (No animals were harmed.)

It was a small breakthrough. Of course, I knew scaling it up would be another challenge, but the principle was proven. That was all the motivation I needed.

Research and validation

I wanted to know if people would actually pay for it. So I built a simple website with an interactive survey (using the Gabor Granger model) to find the ideal price point. I promoted it with Facebook and Instagram ads. Over two hundred people took part.

The results were clear: people want a solution for their kitchen waste, and they’re willing to pay for it. Two target audiences, two price points — enough proof to move forward.

Collaborations and growth

In 2025, things started moving quickly. I collaborated with the University of Antwerp, where over sixty product design students explored ideas for Bonter. Meanwhile, Stanislas from HoWest joined me for an internship at home. Together, we refined and scaled up the prototypes.

Since June, the first full-scale Bonter prototype has been sitting in my kitchen. Still a few flaws, of course — but it works. No smell, no hassle, no runaway worms.

Check, check, check.

What’s next

Right now, I’m finalizing the steps to officially set up the company. Once that’s done, a Belgian design agency will begin developing prototype V2. It will be tested in several households, each with their own habits, spaces, and rhythms. Their feedback will help shape the final production-ready model. Learn more about Bonter One.

After that comes a presale or Kickstarter campaign. If you’d like to stay updated, join the waitlist here.

I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead — not just because I can’t wait to have Bonter in my own kitchen, but because of all the messages I get from people following along, sharing tips, and cheering from the sidelines. It keeps me going.

The story of Bonter continues

What started as a solution for one person has grown into something that could change the way we think about waste.

Bonter isn’t just about making composting easier. It’s about bringing back the value of what we throw away.

This is only the beginning — but together, we can turn it into something meaningful.

Thanks for reading, and for believing in this journey.

Mats