少年 CEO 讓泳裝變減塑英雄

來自美國北卡羅來納州的 18 歲少年 Holden Bierman，年紀輕輕便成為永續時尚品牌 Coastal Cool 的創辦人兼 CEO，靠著售賣由海洋回收塑膠製成的泳裝，不僅創業賺錢，還默默為海洋減塑盡一份力。

At just 18 years old, North Carolina native Holden Bierman is already making waves in both fashion and sustainability. As the founder and CEO of Coastal Cool - a swimwear brand made from recycled ocean plastic - he’s proving that being eco-conscious and stylish can go hand in hand.

Bierman 在 12 歲、疫情封城期間因「太無聊」而開始研究商業點子，從 YouTube 教學、論壇與播客自學如何開網站、找供應商、寄貨，再於 2020 年 13 歲生日當天正式成立公司，靠著父母的 500 美元小額借款起步，最初僅販售 T 恤與帽 T，後逐步轉型，專注於高品質、環保意識強的泳裝。

Bierman’s entrepreneurial journey began at age 12 during the COVID-19 lockdown. With plenty of time and curiosity,

Coastal Cool 的泳裝面料採用 88% 至 91% 的回收聚酯纖維製成，主要來源為海洋或海岸線附近的廢棄塑膠瓶。品牌並與非營利組織 Tidey Ocean 合作，承諾每售出一件產品，就回收一磅的海洋塑膠，同時支持開發中國家提供公平薪資的淨灘工作。

he taught himself about e-commerce through YouTube tutorials,

business podcasts,

and online forums. On his 13th birthday in August 2020,

「賺錢當然很酷，但把它和使命感連在一起，更加酷。

armed with a $500 loan from his parents and a self-made pitch deck,

he launched Coastal Cool.

」Bierman 說。

Originally selling T-shirts and hoodies, the brand eventually evolved into a sustainable swimwear label. Today, Coastal Cool’s swimsuits are made from 88% to 91% recycled polyester derived from discarded bottles and ocean-bound plastic.

他深信品牌價值來自於社群與理念連結，而非單純商品銷售。

The company partners with nonprofit Tidey Ocean, which removes one pound of ocean plastic for every product sold while creating fair-wage jobs in developing countries. “Making money is cool, but it’s even cooler when there’s real purpose behind it,” Bierman told GMA.

Bierman 一邊做大事業、一邊完成高中學業，雖錯過舞會、球賽等青春日常，卻靠著堅持獲得更多人生經驗。他積極到各地學校與大學演講，鼓勵同齡孩子「用熱情創造改變」。

Balancing business growth with high school hasn’t been easy - Bierman admits he missed out on proms and football games - but the tradeoff has been invaluable. Now, he regularly speaks at schools and universities across North Carolina, inspiring young people to follow their passions.

下一步，他計畫在讀大學的同時，讓 Coastal Cool 進軍零售通路，並持續擴大全球市場影響。「冒險總是值得的，你永遠不知道你的想法能走多遠。」他說。

With plans to attend college while scaling Coastal Cool into retail stores, Bierman says his biggest lesson is simple: “Take the risk. You never know how far your ideas can go.”