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Award for sustainable, ethical clothing company
22.06.10
A Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) graduate has led eco clothing company Rapanui to a 2010 Sustainable Business Award by designing a world first tool to help customers trace exactly where their clothing comes from and how it’s made.
Mart Drake Knight and his brother Rob founded Rapanui in early 2008. At that time Mart was still studying for his BSc in Renewable Energy run by Camborne School of Mines via the University of Exeter at the CUC Tremough campus. CUC receives support from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Convergence programmes.
The brothers are passionate about sustainability and use natural, organic fabrics, renewable energy powered factories and ethical, fair labour: Mart has designed the traceability tool - http://www.rapanuiclothing.com/eco/traceability-textiles.html - which was a major factor in Rapanui winning the best Micro Business at May’s Sustainable Business Awards. Rapanui also made it to the finalists of Enterprise UK’s Enterprising Young Brit Awards.
Mart explained, “The brand says that it’s not that people don’t care, it’s just they don’t know, and believe that talking to customers more is key to sustainability. The result is an interactive map format with images, video, facts and figures where shoppers can investigate the complete product lifecycle on page, “packaged simply so that consumers can shop quickly with a conscience.
“If we can inform and educate people as to where clothing comes from and how it is made they can make informed decisions as shoppers. As a brand, if we can mix eco with trend and inspire people to think about the environment in wider lifestyle choices, we will have done our job.”
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said, “This is a great example of a business that was supported by the Combined Universities in Cornwall and is now winning recognition on a global stage. Congratulations to Rapanui on its latest award.”
Rob added, “The idea behind Rapanui is to inform and educate people as to where clothing comes from and how it is made and turn ‘eco’ into trend to influence wider lifestyle choices. Fashion has the greatest potential to be the medium that brings about sustainable change through its unique power of influence.
“The majority of our range comes from India, and we use quite a famous factory there which is powered by Vestas wind turbines via a wholesale power purchase agreement at the factory. The factories are all Fair Wear Foundation audited, and that means everyone in the factory and in the fields gets a fair wage and clean working conditions. Down the road is the organic cotton plantation, the fields are hand worked, then the cotton is put on a camel and goes up to the factory, there it is spun and turned into a jersey. Then it is embroidered and put into a container on a truck. We never air freight stock so we ship it to London.”
Rapanui’s website also hosts a live Wikipedia style resource packed with information about their supply chain, where consumers can find out where clothing comes from, how it is made and ask questions on anything – from planting the seed to stacking on the shelf.
COPY ENDS.
For further information:
Rob Drake-Knight
01983 873430
rob@rapanuiclothing.com
For specific information on sustainability:
Martin Drake-Knight
01983 873430
mdk@rapanuiclothing.com
Clare Morgan,
Media Relations Manager,
Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Tel: 01872 241379 / 07973 813647.
E mail: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
EDITORS’ NOTES:
Rapanui: has held Seminars and Lectures at UK and EU universities and multinational companies such as Centrica PLC on Sustainable Business and sit on the Panel at Plymouth University's All our Future Conference.
Rapanui has made bespoke versions of its clothing for multinationals and charities including Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and the Marine Conservation Society.
Rapanui was set up by brothers Mart and Rob Drake-Knight in early 2008 with £200 of savings and was listed in the Top 100 Startups of 2008. Rob and Martin are listed on the Future 100 List of Top young Entrepreneurs and were recently finalists in Enterprise UK's Young Brits awards. Rapanui was the youngest company to win the Sustainable Business Awards in May 2010 and has recently been nominated for the internationally-recognised ISPO Brand New Award.
Convergence:
For further information see: www.convergencecornwall.com
Convergence helpline telephone: 0800 0280120.
