Fashion Business Ethics - Case Study: Cut from a Different Cloth

Case study: Cut from a different cloth

Written by: Barney Jeffries

From fashion studies to the Clothes Show, via the mountains of Morocco, Amana have come a long way in a short time. Barney Jeffries traces the journey with managing partner Erin Tabrar.

Helen Wood and Erin Tabrar launched ethical fashion company Amana in March, less than two years after graduating from university.

Creative partner Helen had become interested in sustainable textiles and natural dyes while studying fashion design at Central St Martins, while managing partner Erin, who studied fashion management at the London College of Fashion, had written her dissertation on fair-trade fashion.

"We wanted to do our own thing, and knew that if we did it would have to be ethical," says Erin. "There seemed to be a gap in the market for ethical clothes that were also beautiful and fashionable."

Despite having no experience in the industry, Helen and Erin wrote a business plan and approached a bank.

"They said they loved it," recalls Erin. "Then they phoned back to say they couldn't give us any money because we had nothing to borrow against and no trading history."

Undaunted, Helen and Erin wrote a new business plan, and this time approached family and friends to buy shares. People readily bought into the idea, agreeing to leave their money untouched for five years before any dividends would be paid out.

Helen and Erin also turned to friends to contribute their skills: "We'd graduated about a year before, so we got other final year students to help with graphics, photography and so on," says Erin. "We'd been quoted up to £10k for an e-commerce website, but we got someone to do a brilliant one for £1500."

Sourcing ethically and environmentally sound fabrics was a major