LastObject LastSwab Reusable Cotton Swab

Key numbers

The product

LastSwab is a reusable swab with a non-porous TPE tip on a glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene rod and a travel case of ocean-bound recycled plastic, designed to replace 1,000 single-use swabs. The TPE tip rinses clean in seconds and, unlike cotton fibers, does not harbor bacteria; it meets EU cosmetic applicator safety standards. Priced from about €12, it is sold DTC globally with refill options. An independent ISO 14044 life-cycle assessment found 8.3x lower environmental impact than equivalent disposables, a claim most 'eco' rivals cannot substantiate. The product family grew into LastRound (reusable cotton pads), LastTissue, LastPad and LastBrush, each replacing a specific disposable.

How they did it

Isabel Aagaard, a medical-device designer frustrated by how carelessly designed everyday objects were, co-founded LastObject in Copenhagen with her brother Nicolas (furniture design + economics) and cabinet-maker-turned-industrial-designer Kåre Frandsen; the company was formally registered in 2016 and launched its first product in 2019. LastSwab's Kickstarter hit its goal in 22 minutes and closed above $700K from nearly 20,000 backers, followed by an Indiegogo that added tens of thousands more. Every subsequent campaign (LastTissue raised $792,553 from 13,538 backers; LastTissue Box $408,092) has fully funded. Press including Vogue, BuzzFeed, Wallpaper and Good Morning America plus the Beazley Design of the Year selection cemented credibility, and the company now operates as B Corp under the broadened 'Better Objects' brand.

Why it worked

• Picked genuinely 'impossible-to-replace' single-use objects (swabs, tissues, pads) where no reusable alternative existed
• Backed every environmental claim with ISO-certified life-cycle data instead of vague green marketing
• Turned crowdfunding into a repeatable launch engine: 8 of 8 campaigns fully funded, 61,000+ backers as a customer base
• Design-school pedigree earned museum-level recognition (Beazley Designs of the Year, Design Museum London)