Introducing: Who is Pim Hilgerdenaar?
That’s me. I was born a little over 60 years ago in Amstelveen, on the outskirts of Amsterdam. I grew up in Amsterdam and still live there with my wife and our daughter.
Can you briefly share the history of Crohill? And how large is your company and market?
Crohill was founded in 1995. The name is a combination of Du Crocq, my former business partner, and Hilgerdenaar. We added an extra "l" simply because we thought it looked more sophisticated.
You could say that cleaning has been in my blood since childhood—my grandfather used to go from business to business with a handcart, selling cleaning products. Crohill started as a wholesale company, but over the years, we have grown into a full-service provider for the professional cleaning industry and healthcare sector. We not only sell products but also develop cleaning methods. While our main market is the Netherlands, we also supply to Belgium, Germany, and Poland.
What is Crohill doing to reduce its plastic footprint? And since when?
At Crohill, we have a clear mission: we want to make the entire cleaning industry more sustainable—meaning better for our planet and the people who live on it. We do this by selling cleaning products and methods that minimize harm to people and the environment. And if those products don’t exist, we create them ourselves. Since 2021, we have been a partner of Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF).
For example, we developed Crohill Smarter Cleaning, a range of cleaning agents and materials designed to help cleaners work more comfortably and effectively, reducing physical strain. A few years ago, we also introduced Crohill Cleaner Cleaning, a product line that is better for the environment. This includes our Crohill cleaning tablets, which are designed to reduce plastic waste. You simply dissolve a tablet in a reusable plastic bottle filled with water, and it’s ready to use. Once the solution is finished, you rinse the bottle and reuse it. This significantly cuts down on plastic waste and reduces CO₂ emissions because transporting tablets requires far less packaging and weight. These tablets have been tested and approved by PSF.
We continuously search for products that contain less plastic, require less plastic in manufacturing, or leave behind fewer plastic residues. For example, instead of traditional air fresheners, we now offer scent sticks, which contain minimal plastic and require no batteries.
Why do you find this important?
I believe everyone has a responsibility to leave the planet clean and livable for future generations. It may sound ironic, but the cleaning industry isn’t actually that clean. Yes, it focuses on cleaning, but at the same time, it generates a lot of plastic waste and microplastic pollution in water.
When you see how biodiversity is declining and that plastic particles are now found in animals and humans, it’s clear that this cannot continue. Plastic pollution affects the health of our children and grandchildren, so we all need to take action—even small steps can make a difference.
What do you enjoy most about sustainable entrepreneurship?
I love coming up with products or methods that truly make a difference. And I really enjoy inspiring others to join our mission and make sustainable choices. At Crohill, we are working hard to create a movement—even small steps can lead to big changes. That’s what makes this work so rewarding and energizing.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who want to become more sustainable?
Keep going. It’s not always easy to find high-quality sustainable products, but they do exist—or you can develop them yourself. Many companies want to become greener, but sometimes they need convincing. So, patience is key.
What do you personally do to reduce your plastic footprint?
At home, we try to use as little plastic as possible. We always bring our own shopping bags, use reusable water bottles, and avoid pre-packaged fruits and vegetables whenever possible. My wife also uses the Beat the Microbead app to check cosmetic ingredients for microplastics.
What is a realistic sustainability tip you often share with people?
What’s achievable differs for everyone, but awareness is the first step. That’s why I talk to people about what I read, see, and do—from major industry shifts to small, everyday solutions. Since learning about the microplastic-checking app from my wife, I’ve recommended it in countless conversations.
How do you see the future of sustainability?
It’s crucial that we all continue working towards a more sustainable world. The government also has a role to play by discouraging plastic use and encouraging alternatives, such as powder-based or tablet-form cleaning products.
How do you view the current focus on CO₂ reduction versus plastic footprint reduction and climate change?
I think both are equally important. However, I’ve noticed that some low-plastic products still have a high CO₂ footprint, and vice versa. Fortunately, we’ve managed to develop products—like our cleaning tablets—that significantly reduce plastic waste while keeping CO₂ emissions low.
What is the biggest misconception about sustainability that you’d like to correct?
That the company with the best sustainability marketing is the most sustainable. In reality, there’s a lot of greenwashing. Many companies make a big deal out of their sustainability efforts, but their actual impact is minimal. That really frustrates me.
What should people truly understand about plastic pollution?
Plastic never fully breaks down—it decomposes into microplastics, which remain in the environment and enter our food chain and bodies.
People often assume that nature will solve the problem for us, but in this case, it won’t. No matter how distant or abstract this issue may seem, it affects us all.
What are Crohill’s sustainability goals for the next 5–10 years, particularly in reducing plastic waste?
At Crohill, we have a big goal: by 2030, we want all cleaning companies in the Netherlands to clean smarter and cleaner.
That’s why we are working tirelessly to convince companies to adopt more sustainable methods. In the coming years, we aim to:
- Replace as many liquid cleaning products as possible with tablet-based alternatives.
- Use only fully plastic-free packaging.
- Continue developing alternative products to further reduce plastic waste.
And most importantly, we will stay committed to our dream.
