Elvis & Kresse is a blueprint of what business as a force for good means. The brand was established in 2005 to save London’s decommissioned fire-hoses. Founders ‘Elvis’ Henrit and Kresse Wesling fell in love with these old hoses (too damaged to repair and destined for landfill) and mounted a rescue. Today, Elvis & Kresse‘s highly skilled craftspeople make beautifully designed homeware and accessories, including bags, belts and wallets, from 15 different reclaimed materials. The brand has always donated 50 percent of profits to charity. In 2021, the duo also took on a farm near Faversham to establish a regenerative agriculture project, generate their own renewables and implement a host of environmental initiatives, including a 10-acre vineyard.
Highlights
- Elvis & Kresse has rescued and transformed more than 310 tonnes of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
- Donates 50 percent of its profits to charity partners, principally the Fire Fighters Charity and Barefoot College International.
- Manufactures all its own products and packaging across two sites. Their HQ in Kent is constructed from straw bales; it runs on its own renewable energy and treats its own wastewater.
- An ongoing partnership with Burberry where Elvis & Kresse rescue Burberry’s leather off-cuts and recraft them into new luxury pieces.
- Elvis & Kresse are a certified Social Enterprise, a Founding UK BCorp (one of the highest scoring globally), a certified Living Wage Employer and a Queen's Award winner for Sustainability.
Accredited or assessed by
B Corp: B Corp Certification is a rigorous and holistic certification demonstrating that your business is meeting the highest standards of social and environmental impact, verified by transparency and accountability requirements. Brands have to recertify every three years. bcorporation.uk
