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Mateja Angelina Kramar
Episode · #589

VRIJEME JE ZA GOSPODARSTVO Mateja Angelina Kramar

Guest Mateja Angelina KramarHosted by Darko BukovićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

The company name, In Wood, immediately brings to mind forests. But what Mateja Angelina Kramar and her family business are building isn't just *in* wood; it's *with* wood, creating sustainable, mobile wooden objects that challenge conventional construction. Their path began when Mateja's father, after decades in horticulture, saw an unmet need in the very hotels and camps he was landscaping. This conversation explores what it means to pioneer a new product category in a market not yet fully ready for it, from sourcing rare materials to navigating regulatory frameworks and cultivating international demand. You'll hear how a deep-seated commitment to ecology can drive innovation, even when it means building your own supply chain and market from the ground up.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
From 30 years in horticulture for hotels and camps, Mateja's father identified an internal need for sustainable accommodation that led to a manufacturing venture. Businesses often emerge not from new ideas, but from solving unaddressed problems within an existing industry you already serve.
02
In Wood has operated "without any incentives or support" since its inception, building its market from scratch. When you're creating a truly innovative product, assume you'll be building the market and the support structure yourself.
03
The company struggles to find local suppliers for sustainable insulation materials like hemp, cellulose, or sheep's wool in Croatia. Pioneering a truly sustainable product often means you're also pioneering its entire supply chain, and the market for components may not yet exist.
04
Mateja notes that foreign markets are more interested in fully sustainable objects than the domestic Croatian market. When your product is ahead of its local market's purchasing power or awareness, the real demand may lie in international territories.
05
While sustainability is a trend, Mateja distinguishes it as an "authentic story" stemming from an "internal need" to care for people and nature. Products that endure aren't just riding a trend; they're anchored in a genuine mission that separates fleeting interest from lasting value.
06
The objects are designed to be mobile, not just for flexibility, but because legal regulations require them to be movable. Sometimes, what appears to be a core product feature is a pragmatic response to legal constraints, opening up new market segments by navigating existing rules.
07
Mateja challenges the idea that sustainable objects are inherently "luxury," framing them instead for the "conscious traveler" who values nature. The perceived exclusivity of a sustainable product often shifts when you focus on the intrinsic values it offers, rather than just its price point.
08
In Wood produces its objects in a natural setting near Varaždin, and plans to open its own camp there. To truly convey the value of an experiential product, allow customers to immerse themselves in it at the source, turning your production site into a direct sales and branding tool.
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