In 2023, the issue of clothing take-back programs and their impact on the environment and local industries remains a pressing concern. Despite the initial promise of providing a guilt-free alternative to landfill disposal, the reality of what happens to donated clothes has become even more evident.

Q: What inspired you to pursue building your brand and bringing it to life?

A: The idea for Copenhagen Cartel came about after I spent a year living and working in Bali, and "surfing in my lunch break." But then the monsoon season arrived, when wind, rain, and strong sea currents conspired to bring mountains of plastic garbage onto Bali's beaches. Sometimes you could stand on the beach and see as far as the eye could, and there was almost a carpet of plastic...

MASSON & GREEN | ALFA VEGA We are presenting another exciting interview between the founder of the brand, Masson & Green, Michael Baines and the founder of the brand, Alfa Vega, Ieva Balciute. Masson & Green is all about the sustainable ethos and produces premium clothing for menswear.    What inspired you to pursue building your brand and bringing it to life? Working in the textile industry for over 25 years developing and selling to the UK high street, I was disillusioned about the way garment manufacture was all about profit and not about making garments that last and are...

LARK AND BERRY | ALFA VEGA  Here we are presenting to you another powerful yet inspiring interview between the founder of the brand, Lark and Berry, Laura Chavez and Alfa Vega. Lark and Berry is an exclusive jewellery brand that uses lab grown diamonds to create exquisite designs.                                                                                      What inspired you to pursue building your brand and bringing it to life? From way back, when I was very young, I loved jewellery. I think the first time I noticed it was on my grandmother, who was a beautiful, independent woman and bought all her pieces herself. I definitely remember the diamonds, the...

THE DUST COMPANY | ALFA VEGA  This week in our ‘Interview with the founder’ series we present the founder of The Dust Company, Luca Ricci. The Dust Company prioritises the Made in Italy legacy, and the leather craftsmanship that manifests in goods with alluring designs.   What inspired you to pursue building your brand and bringing it to life? I always had a passion for leather since I worked in my father's company so I used to breath leather all the time. I was looking for a new bag and I couldn't find what I wanted so I created my...

NEEM LONDON | ALFA VEGA Presenting an ‘Interview with the Founder’ series. This week, in our first interview we’re talking to Nick Reed - the founder of modern sustainable brand, Neem London. Neem London is a brand that believes in climate conscious clothing, winning consumers’ hearts with their power casual menswear collections and revolutionizing fashion by doing things differently.       What inspired you to pursue building your brand and bringing it to life? Seeing certain firms' myopic and selfish responses to the pandemic throughout my 20 years in the apparel industry inspired me to launch a new model.   What...