A sustainable fashion brand is taking a stand against the ivory crisis, habitat loss and climate change.
North Dorset’s Jolly Elephant hand-prints and sells sustainable and ethically-made clothing.
The range includes 100 per cent organic vegan cotton and recycled polyester hoodies and t-shirts.
Aside from premium and sustainable materials, Jolly Elephant:
- Uses ethical Fair Wear Foundation member factories
- Donates ten per cent of its profits to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
- Plants trees for each order
- Uses no plastic packaging
- Uses only solar power from an on-site solar installation.
The company says that it is disrupting fashion and aims to be “one of the most sustainable clothing brands on this planet”.
Jolly Elephant has offices at Shaftesbury but operates its own facility and warehouse near Sturminster Newton.
Founder and Managing Director Kacper Jednorowicz began work on the wildlife and environmentally-conscious brand in mid-2019.
It took more than a year to create proofs of concept, purchase machinery from both UK and international suppliers, choose the highest quality and most ethical garment suppliers, and form the most environmentally friendly processes in the industry.
The company was incorporated in September last year.
Three people now work in the business.
Jolly Elephant’s base is at North Dorset Workshops in Kingston, near Sturminster Newton.
All of the sustainable and ethically-made clothing is hand-printed and prepared-to-order by the business.
As a result waste is reduced by preventing overproduction.
However, the company also has a unique way of dealing with returns and exchanges.
They’re all donated to homeless shelters and charity shops, giving their clothing an extended life.
When customers’ clothing reaches the end of its life, Jolly Elephant says that the cotton content – 100 per cent in t-shirts and 85 per cent in hoodies – is recyclable and biodegradable.
It is, therefore, safe to put into home recycling and compost bins.
Kacper said: “With no compromise on ethics or the environment, we’re a small team, fuelled by our passion for wildlife, that design and print clothing at our very own solar-powered facility and warehouse in a small rural village.
“We have partnered with one of the best ethical, sustainable and premium quality garment manufacturers in the world with an aim for Jolly Elephant to offer sustainable and ethically-produced clothing.
“Through our work, we hope to educate why elephants matter while having a direct impact on endangered wildlife and redefining the fashion industry by taking fast fashion out of the picture.
“Ten per cent of all Jolly Elephant profit directly supports the wildlife conservation efforts of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
“David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation is a UK registered charity working to raise vital funds supporting front line conservation projects which help secure a future for endangered wildlife in their natural habitat.”
Kacper added that, through its efforts, Jolly Elephant hoped to eradicate fast fashion while raising awareness of the ivory crisis and supporting a charity and various sustainable climate-positive projects.
By: Andrew Diprose Dorset Biz News
