Industry Spotlight: CompoCloset

Photo By: CompoCloset

CompoCloset was born from experiences. Their co-founder and CEO, Richard Peter, was “living the van life” with his girlfriend, who suggested they put a composting toilet in their campervan. Richard was sold on the concept of composting toilets: they are better for the environment, and you can stay out and off the grid longer with no need for hookups and no wasted water!

Photo by Compocloset

At the time, composting toilets on the market were large, difficult to empty and clean, and it wasn’t uncommon to accidentally overflow the liquids bin (gross!). Richard saw an opportunity to make a sustainable, eco-friendly toilet that works in small spaces, is easy to clean, and (most importantly) doesn’t smell!

This triggered the ideation, creation, and implementation of Cuddy: the world’s first composting toilet that separates solids and liquids, fit’s almost anywhere, has a patented agitator to kickstart the composting process, and a smart LED light to let you know when the liquids bottle is ready to empty.

And oh, what a ride that idea took him on! As most startups do, CompoCloset needed a little help to get the idea rolling, so they started an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. But this wasn’t just a campaign to get funding – it was a campaign to learn what users truly wanted and needed in a composting toilet. So, they asked the community, and they listened. They listened so well, in fact, that they ended up delaying their product release to make sure it was what the community asked for.

From ensuring that ladies could pee freely without concerns of missing the urine diverter, to making the solids bin easy to remove for refreshing, to being able to discreetly empty your pee jug without seeing urine sloshing around in an opaque container, CompoCloset heard you. They designed, tested, redesigned, and retested to ensure Cuddy was the best composting toilet solution they could offer.

After the initial Cuddy was shipped, they quickly gathered feedback and made minor adjustments to future designs based on what the community told them. They love hearing from the Compo Crew and continue to provide education, updates to their composting toilet models (enter: Cuddy Lite!), and optional accessories (hello, bamboo lid!) to best serve those who want to sustainably manage their poo!

READ MORE: Overland Expo Trainer Interview: Sarah Batten

CompoCloset is acutely aware of the dire state of our planet, and they want to do their part to save it. From providing education about safely managed sanitation to sustainable packaging solutions to buying back carbon offsets, they are as passionate about saving the planet as they are about managing waste!

Going forward, CompoCloset is committed to striving to design better, safer composting toilets for everyone, making sanitation more accessible and sustainable to support people on their journeys. 

Latest Stories

Editors' Choice: Adventure Motorcycle Tires & Tools

Editors' Choice: Adventure Motorcycle Tires & Tools

When you’re hitting the trail on your adventure bike, choosing a set of tires that suits your ride is key.…
The Kia's New Tasman has Features Every Overlander Wants

The Kia's New Tasman has Features Every Overlander Wants

The 2025 Kia Tasman debuts with plenty of smart features and factory accessory support to make it a competitive midsized…
Gear Showcase: Winter Gear

Gear Showcase: Winter Gear

As Winter approaches, it's time to evaluate our gear for cold weather adventures. Whether you need to upgrade your suspension,…

Photo by Brett Willhelm

THE WORLD IS WAITING.

We keep our fingers on the pulse of the Overlanding world. Join the Overland News community and get our email on all things overland—including Overland Expo show updates, offers, and overland-specific articles.