Island entrepreneurs Rob and Mart Drake-Knight, the brothers behind the groundbreaking eco-fashion brand Rapanui, have launched a new company calling on other businesses to boost their eco credentials.
Credit: Rapanui
Simon Light, Wholesale and Bespoke Manager, with t-shirts Rapanui made for INORE and fidgetstick
Rapanui makes clothing from organic natural fabrics in a wind powered factory audited by the Fairwear Foundation, ensuring every worker gets a fair wage and clean and safe working conditions. Their commitment to sustainability has allowed them to reduce the carbon footprint of their products by 90% compared to the high street standard, which has earned the brothers national recognition, winning the 2010 Sustainable Business Awards and a runners-up place at the Enterprise UK Young Brits awards.
Now the eco-entrepreneurs have turned their attention to offering its eco-casual wear on a wholesale basis, making organic, ethical, and sustainable clothing for other businesses, brands and events.
"We wanted to open up the eco-clothing market and make it accessible to all business no matter how big or small; as people are becoming more conscious of environmental issues we aim to make it easy and affordable to choose the more sustainable alternatives," said Rob Drake-Knight.
Credit: Rapanui
A T-shirt Rapanui made for the Marine Conservation Society
"Sustainability is a trend that is not going to go away," said Mart Drake-Knight. "We want businesses to recognise that sustainability in a company can be won through a bottom-up hearts-and-minds campaign. Other businesses can benefit from our specialisation in award-winning eco clothing and make their staff think green by really feeling the difference in wearing eco-friendly organic uniforms that don't cost the earth."
There is also a really exciting personal story around this new, fledgling business, in that Rapanui employee Simon Light, who joined the company as the first member of staff on the Future Jobs Fund scheme, is managing it, providing a great example of what people can achieve if you put time and faith into their ability to grow and develop.
Simon told Island Business that prior to getting a job with Rapanui, he had been unemployed for 11 months: "Because of the present economic climate, I was facing the same situation as lots of people, taking small time jobs to get by, and generally in the same boat as plenty of other people."
Then, through the Government's Future Jobs Fund scheme, he was taken on by Rapanui: "I was employed as a researcher for Rapanui originally," said Simon, "and as the business grew so did my role. Now I'm Wholesale and Bespoke Manager which is a big progression for me.
"I’m really happy that I've been able to see the new Wholesale Organic Clothing business from the ground up; it’s the closest experience to starting up my own business I could ever have without taking out a loan."
To find out more about Rapanui's range of eco clothing or how their custom service can help your business, just get in touch via the Rapanui web page shown below.
www.rapanuiclothing.com/wholesale-organic-clothing.html Rapanui website, Wholesale Organic Clothing