B Corp Month – We ask fellow founders about their journey, from first steps to the future

March is the month dedicated to B CORP and this year the #thiswayforward. A focus on continuance and hard work after gaining your B Corp status. We have teamed up with 3 fellow brands striving to be better, whilst putting people and planet before profit. Celebrating what it means to be part of the community over the next month we will be sharing what it means to us, the highs, the lows and how it feels to be alongside other brands who are also taking the step to be better.

We asked the founders 6 questions on the experience so far, what it’s bought them, what they might like to change and how they will continue to evolve.

Aspiga champion ethical and sustainable fashion and after launching in 2005 have gone strength to strength. From eliminating plastic in their packaging to opening their first bricks and mortar store in 2020, Lucy, founder of Macnamara stays true to the reason she started the brand after visiting Kenya all those years ago.

After being inspired by the colours and craftsmanship, Lucy spent a year designing a small collection to launch with, mainly belts and sandals which were quickly snapped up by some top, high end British retailers.

Fast forward and Aspiga offers menswear, accessories and resort and what we love is the dedication to makers, the support and further education which is provided, the care and attention building initiatives, building workshops for craft and being a brand that represents circularity within the clothing and textile industry.

Sustainability has been core to our DNA ever since I launched Aspiga in 2005, when we started working with Artisans in Kenya. With so much green-washing in the fashion industry, we knew we needed a B-Corp status as a stamp of approval for everything we do.  As we were already sustainable so we passed quite easily we  didn’t have to change much in the way we create our clothes or operate.

We received a high score which I was pleased about.  Our 2 year anniversary is coming up in October and we are aiming to get higher accreditation  – so areas such as our carbon emissions and our impact goals are currently being addressed.

Yes it has, in so much it keeps us on our toes and we are always striving to do better so at present we are working on how to reduce our carbon footprint and introducing a small range of clothing using vegetable dies.

Yes super proud, it was a real achievement for all of us.  We had two team members working on it and it was a long process for them, but one they took great pride in and we were all delighted with the outcome.  I have passionate team who all really care about the brand being as sustainable as possible.

I think they are doing a pretty good job but i think they do need to keep explaining it to the general public as a lot of people do not know what it stands for. I think they are doing a pretty good job but I think they do need to keep explaining it to the general public as a lot of people do not know what it stands for.

Ahh I love so many.  We have used Jonquil at 20% in the Aspiga showroom and my bedroom painted in Cuisse de Nymphe Emue Pink ,  My sitting room at home is in Ethereal Blue which I love.

Naturalmat are providing us with the soundest sleep with principles that were set in stone from day one.

‘Since 1999 we’ve pioneered the use of organic and natural materials to create wonderfully comfortable beds & natural mattresses at our workshop on the banks of the River Exe in Devon.’- Naturalmat

They remain proudly the only bed and mattress company in the UK to achieve B Corp status and champion using renewable, sustainable and organic materials. They know inside out every step of their supply chain and it shows, honest, trustworthy and ever so comfortable, products made with care and attention, from organic wool to completely plastic free packaging, we loved speaking to co founder Mark about their B Corp journey.

Want to hear more about Naturalmat? After this, click HERE to read our other blog on sustainability, design and innovation with our favourite B Corp bed brand.

We were keen to join a community of like-minded, purpose-driven businesses working towards a sustainable future for all. B Corp is one of the only sustainability certifications that we feel provides a holistic evaluation of all aspects of a business and has real teeth, which is why we felt it was the right choice to assess our impact. It also opens up numerous opportunities to learn from and collaborate with other B Corps.

The B Corp scoring system is rigorous but fair. The assessment was particularly challenging for us as a manufacturing company that makes all of our beds and mattresses here in Devon as there was a high level of scrutiny of every part of the production process. There were no easy answers and we had to work hard to provide sufficient evidence for our answers. While our score was well above the 80 point requirement, we know where there’s room for improvement in the future.

We have always prioritised using natural and renewable materials, and we’ve worked hard to build a sustainable business that acts as a force for good. Our B Corp journey was a challenging one, and it pushed us to set up new systems that could measure our impact and track our progress towards our sustainability goals. Some of the key changes we made as part of the journey were launching a fully closed-loop mattress service (our Mattress for Life Initiative™), conducting our first comprehensive carbon-footprint assessment and introducing an annual supplier sustainability audit to ensure we are continually committed to responsible sourcing. Our performance against the set impact areas of assessment also directed our attention towards doing even more to support our local community and care for our team.

Becoming the first B Corp certified bed company in the UK was a milestone achievement for Naturalmat and the whole team that made it happen. We needed significant buy in from our team members to achieve this and they were a key part of the journey. Which means when we finally certified, it was a proud moment for all of us.

B Corp certification seems to have a high level of recognition and confidence from businesses and individuals that are part of the sustainability world, but amongst the wider population it definitely still has a pretty low level of awareness. Currently it’s businesses and brands that are doing most to promote it, and you’re seeing more B Corp logos on billboard ads and places like Waitrose creating B Corp sections within their stores. But in my mind B Corp themselves should be doing more to increase awareness too, with more advertising and events aimed at reaching that all-important mass market consumer.

Tricky one! I’d have to say Vert de Mer because it evokes happy memories of the ocean in Croatia where we spend some time most summers.

Navygrey are a British luxury knitwear company that we were pleased to get very well acquainted with last year when we were both on the Walpole Brands of Tomorrow program. Knitwear that goes a step further, eluding nostalgia, a sensation and complete comfort.

‘Inspired by the jumpers we’ve loved throughout our lives’

Clothes that make you feel good, look good and promote regeneration in the textiles industry. Working to the premise that a jumper has many jobs, they can be smart, casual, be that item that you hold sentimental attachment to. The wool is pure and sheared by hand and with love, carefully washed and spun with skill.

Read more about Navygrey’s B Corp journey here.

Becoming a B Corp was a natural step in our Navygrey journey. From the outset we have always strived to do things differently and B Corp is a way to formalise that from the outside. For us though B Corp isn’t the end point – it’s just the beginning. It serves as a wonderful formalised recognition that we’re doing good things, but for us it really is just the start. We go further and part of the reason to become a B Corp is to help you push forward for change. I believe it can help you go further, faster.

The scoring system can be quite confusing! The structure and nature of the scoring system was a little constrictive at times for us, particularly in regard to our local supply chains where we source wool from sheep in Yorkshire, Cumbia and Lancashire. B Corp isn’t quite set up to certify aspects of that because it’s so local and ‘new’ – and therefore parts of what we do, doesn’t quite fit into the B Corp system and therefore you cannot earn points for it. Whilst that can be frustrating, we understand that this all part of doing things differently. For us, we recognised early on that B Corp is just one part of the sustainable journey and can’t be all encompassing if we’re constantly striving to create change.

We always want to be the best that we can be. As a small, nimble team we’re on a mission to do things differently, and we’re always pushing for change. That’s the very reason we started Navygrey. Gaining the B Corp status has, in a way, given us more confidence to pursue change because we’re part of a global community wanting to create a different kind of value. I think however what it has highlighted for us is just how hard it can be to ‘certify’ change – the innovation around sustainability is moving fast and you can’t always neatly quantify that whilst you’re in the innovation and development stage. But if you always know why you’re doing something, and internally you can see that longer-term value then that really counts.

Most definitely. The process to becoming a B Corp is a very lengthy one and when you’re a small team that is challenging as you’re also trying to just run the day to day business. The team were utterly thrilled and we had some lovely feedback from our customers too.

B Corp has grown massively over the past couple of years which is wonderful to see, but I think there are still a huge number of people who do not quite understand what a B Corp really is. It’s also hard as you have huge corporations that are B Corp and then you also have small brands – and they can be B Corps for very different reasons. It’s also very hard as they cover so many sectors. I think if B Corp could provide sector overviews and what they’re looking for, that could be really helpful and I also think it could be really great to have brand summaries, where it’s really easy for consumers to see what a company is doing particularly well at, but also where improvements can be made.

Navy Blue. Predictable for me perhaps but it is a remarkable shade. Striking, historical yet familiar and comforting all at the same time.