INTERVIEW #49 1PEOPLE
Based in: Copenhagen, Denmark
Founded in: 2012
Founded by: Jonathan Tjoa Algreen & Rea Tjoa Algreen
Stores: Free shipping worldwide on our website www.1people.com. Also available in 60 Plus external marketplaces like : Wolf & Badger, Avocadostore, Verishop, Zalora, eTHikel marketplace among others. Physical store in Copenhagen called Another View as well as Wolf and Badger New york store.
Price range: $39 to $349
Instagram: @1peopletogether
Why we love them: A Sustainable luxury brand with roots in Denmark! What’s not to love about that? Clean designs, very high quality and with focus on details. 1 People produce closet treasures that will serve you a lifetime.
What is 1 People and why did you start your brand?
1 People is a sustainable luxury fashion brand with a strong DNA rooted in Danish design and minimalism. We use only the best sustainable and ethically produced materials with the highest quality to create our products. We don’t go crazy in either styles nor colours because we believe a timeless look is more sustainable.
What inspired us to start 1 People came from a wish to change the way business is done. We could see that a fast and very effective way to make a positive change in the world could be done through business. So our mission and business concept came before we had any idea of which product or service we wanted to offer. The reason we ended up with fashion was among others Rea’s struggle to find clothing that are sustainable, high quality and with a premium, minimalistic look. So we decided to add this to the market and came up with our sustainable minimalist capsule collections that are both contemporary and timeless and can be easily mixed and matched with anything. We understood that Rea was not the only woman who struggled with this and thus we wanted 1 People to be the sustainable fashion solution for women who seek style and sustainability.
What is your sustainability profile?
We have been using different innovative sustainable materials throughout our running course—to name a few—ECONYL® Regenerated Nylon, PYRATEX® and Piñatex® among others. On top of that, we are also proud to have been able to acquire several sustainable certifications that acknowledge our high dedication in delivering the best in sustainability. Some of these certificates include GOTS, bluesign, Responsible Wool Standard, Global Recycled Standard and OEKO-TEX.
We have our own way to calculate our sustainability. We call it “The Sustainability Score”—This is our way to calculate our product’s sustainability rate and to show that we are transparent and have nothing to hide. We calculate the score by dividing on different materials used for a product and each of that material is then rated on how sustainable it is. All recycled materials start as a rule on 100% sustainability if it is properly recycled and if the recycling process isn't polluting. Transport of raw material and finished material is not included in our measurement, but we compensate for all transportation and operations worldwide through a CO2 reduction programme. At last, scores from each of the impact materials are combined using a weighted average approach. And from this we derive our sustainability percentage score. Our sustainability score is present on all our product pages on our webshop.
How and where are the products produced and how do you choose your design?
When we choose our designs, we always go for styles rather than trends. We go for timeless designs that can be worn anywhere and anytime of the year. This way we will prevent people from wearing only once or twice. After we decide on the designs, we will choose materials that are either made from natural fibres or recycled. We prefer them to be biodegradable that can be reverted back to Earth. Finally, when choosing partner manufacturers, we choose those with the same values as us that prioritize people and planet. We make sure their workers are paid fairly and have a safe working environment. Currently we have found them in Portugal and India.
Where do you find inspiration?
We find inspiration in reminding ourselves why we do what we do—That we work every day to help millions of people get out of poverty and that we contribute to creating a world that is people and planet friendly. This makes us excited every single morning. We want to be the voice and pioneer of change for the betterment of our planet and all of humanity. This fills our heads every day and we know that we are not alone in this mission.
What have been and are the major challenges?
Throughout our journey, we found out that the most challenging and most costly process was production. It has been a challenge to find suppliers and manufacturers who are aligned with our values and quality. We started out with a very local focus where we wanted to source materials and partner with manufacturers located in Indonesia. But we ran our heads against a brick wall several times because of a lack of environmental and ethical focus or because their skills were not up to our standards. It has been a hard choice for us to stop collaboration with some of our small scale local manufacturers, but we have found ways to keep many artisans and social enterprises because supporting these has a strong positive effect on the local community. In our manufacturer rearrangements we have found skilled small manufacturers in Portugal and India who deliver the best in sustainability and also ensure their employees wellbeing and safety.
What has been and is the largest gain?
We have to say our biggest gain so far is connecting with like-minded people and building our own community. We support each other and come together in realising our common goals. At 1 People, we are very much community-driven. We are so thankful to be part of a local community and to have their support, especially during these covid times where a lot in our area have been struggling. It makes us happy that we can help each other. For our community, we have our own Loyalty Programme called ‘We Are 1 People’ where we give true value to our customers. We provide them lots of benefits because they are very valuable to us and make our mission of changing the world possible.
What do you think needs to change in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
The fashion industry definitely needs to reduce its waste from production and start thinking using circular and sustainable methods that would benefit both people and the planet. We believe that the fashion industry needs radical change in order to create clothing that is more sustainable and that involves all processes. Collectively as all—Designers, producers, marketers and consumers we need to make slow fashion the norm. When we do that, we will create a healthier industry that will produce less waste and harmful chemicals, which in turn will lead in helping our planet to heal.
What do you believe is “greenwashing” and what can producers and consumers do to avoid it?
Greenwashing is a marketing scheme that tries to make a particular brand seem eco-friendly through branding rather than through actual efforts in changing their process. An example of this could be seen in fast fashion brands who now have their own “green section” so to speak. However, when looking at the whole chain, they might use a “bare minimum” eco-friendly material, but still have low wage factory workers in China to produce the clothes, so to speak.
As consumers, we have to be more aware by looking at the information and see how transparent a brand is regarding their manufacturing process and sustainability. Make a conscious purchase decision by asking yourself these questions–What are the clothes made of? Who made these clothes? Are the people being fairly treated and paid? Are the materials biodegradable or recycled? If so, how do they determine that? Using what parameters?
What would you advise consumers to do who seek to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?
You don’t have to change overnight. Start small—turn off your lights when not in use, separate your trash properly, change your produce to organic and choose quality slow fashion over fast fashion every time you shop. From there you will slowly build a more sustainable closet and lifestyle.
What's next for 1 People?
We are now available in 16 markets across Europe, South East Asia, Australia and North America. We would like to expand into more markets such as India and Japan as we see huge potential in those markets as well. We also want to add to our community by providing many more benefits and special events through our Loyalty Programme, ‘We Are 1 People’.
