Back in 2008, Brita, the global water filter company, wanted to 'do something' to present itself as an alternative to bottled water and highlight plastic waste.. A stunt, perhaps?

Rather than commentary on the problem I proposed a solution. At the time, refillable water bottles were designed for outdoor sports and leisure. Ugly, bulky and clunky they were NOT for stylish, urban mums on the move. Yet, premium brands like Evian and Fiji water had built their success on branding and design - including designer collabs - to appeal to women.

My proposal was creating a reusable plastic water bottle - made of HDPE plastic - that was a fashion statement as well as an eco one. One of the UK's leading designers, Orla Kiely came on board.

The result was The Wottle, the world's first designer reusable water bottle. Not just a stunt or a limited edition, The Wottle secured mass distribution through John Lewis and Robert Dyas and launched with Orla-led features in both Vogue (a coverage first for Brita water filters) and The Sunday Times.

The Wottle was a major commercial success, selling over 500,000 units worldwide, over half of which came in Asia, and was shortlisted for an Observer Ethical Award. One of my career regrets is not having a commission on the idea.