Attire Accessories - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 80)

UP AND COMING 95 Tell me a bit about how the company started. What was the aim of the label when it was launched? Throughout my design studies I was always interested in consumption patterns and when I graduated I was very wary of joining companies designing products that were wasteful, made from unsustainable materials or manufactured in unethical factories. So when in 2015 the 5p levy on plastic bags went into effect it planted a seed in my mind about reusables and how I could make a difference through products. That’s how the idea of Be For Change came about – to explore how products can have a positive impact in the world instead of being a source of destruction! How were the initial products developed, and what was the response? The first products I launched were two different colourways of our fabric tote bags, the Bags for Change, and the initial response was really good. I started by selling at a market stall and people were really impressed by the quality of the bags, which was a very encouraging start and helped me get over how slow sales were at some points. I also sent a few bags out to ethical bloggers at the time and got incredible feedback from them, which made it much easier to start selling online. What made you decide to create a sustainable, eco-conscious accessories range? As I started out with the idea to be sustainable, the challenge for me was how to grow my offerings while staying true to what my audience liked about Be For Change. In the end I decided that I didn’t want to be in competition with the many brands that were popping up and launching their own tote bags and produce bags, made to a lesser standard of quality and sold for cheaper. I decided to explore what would give me the most joy to make, and arrived at my current collection! What challenges were overcome when the company was starting out? I really struggled with creating a cohesive brand when I was starting out, as my guidelines were my values instead of any particular aesthetic. As a result it took me a while to create the Be For Change that people know today. Other challenges are around timekeeping, sales and marketing – and two years on I still very much struggle to stay on top of these three areas! What sets you apart from your competitors? The quality of our products and our approach to sustainability. Be For Change products really are made to last, which is why I am happy to offer free repairs and a take back scheme at end of life. The quality is down to our sourcing of high-quality materials and investing in great manufacturing. For example, some of our Bags for Change have been made from jacquard fabrics that would usually have been reserved for high-fashion due to the cost of the material. During production, the patterns are matched along the seams, and all seams are covered with fabric tape that really adds to how resistant the bags are. I would also say that our approach to sustainability is very different from most brands, as with Be For Change I’ve really tried to take a holistic approach to sustainability. It’s not just the base materials that are sustainable, it’s also the companies we partner with and how we manufacture. Our suppliers of off-cuts have great eco credentials too and are genuinely interested in supporting this business. We manufacture in small batches or made to order, partnering only with ethical manufacturers, like the social enterprise Juta Shoes. Pretty much all of the materials we use in our operations are upcycled or recycled, and all of our products ship plastic-free.  I know of only a handful of companies who can claim to be sustainable at this level, and you can’t find this level of care on the high street. How important is your location and history to the company in its success? I originally thought that being in London would be one of the defining reasons for the success of Be For Change, but as the business operates mostly online I now think that location is of very little importance in comparison to everything else. At the end of the day, it really is all about putting in the work. Do you champion any charities or have an eco/ ethical stance for the brand? We don’t currently partner with any charities, but have in the past run campaigns to the benefit of certain causes. Most recently, we donated all sales profits over the course of two weeks to The Rainforest Alliance to be passed on to the frontline organizations fighting the Amazon fires that devastated the forest this summer. How do you think other companies within the fashion industry could do better business practice in terms of sustainability? I think that there is a great opportunity at the moment to change from a culture of selling more, more, more; to selling fewer and better.  The largest fashion retailers are currently launching something like 16 collections a year, and they have a sale on all year round. To achieve this they work with the cheapest fabrics and squeeze production margins so tight that most of their makers live in poverty. It’s a horrible way to run a company from