MP visits innovative sustainable luxury business

13th February 2018
MP visits innovative sustainable luxury business

A local business that is working to solve the world’s waste problems welcomed Gordon Henderson MP to their workshop at Tonge Mill, near Sittingbourne.

Elvis & Kresse was started by Kresse Wesling and James Henrit in 2005 when, as a result of a chance meeting with the London Fire Brigade, they discovered that their fire hoses went to landfill at the end of their 25 year operational life.

Kresse saw the potential in the material and started the business with the aim of transforming the hose into handmade luxury accessories from belts to wallets and handbags.

The initiative has been a success for over a decade none of London’s decommissioned fire-hose goes to landfill and over 170 tons of material has been reclaimed.

50% of the profits from the Fire Hose collection are donated to the Fire Fighters Charity and in 2017 the company made its largest donation to date, over £30,000.

Over the years the range of recycled materials has expanded to fifteen and as well as the decommissioned fire-hose, Tea Sacks, printing blanket, auction banners, and parachute silk are all recycled into luxury items and sold worldwide. Elvis and Kresse have also recently partnered with the Burberry Foundation, they will transform at least 120 tonnes of leather off cuts from the production of Burberry products into accessories and homeware.

The company has grown to employ 13 people and is getting international coverage for its unique products and commitment to quality.

Elvis & Kresse has received many awards and accreditations and has been selected to be part of Unreasonable Impact - an innovative partnership between Barclays and Unreasonable Group which focusses on scaling up entrepreneurial solutions that will help employ thousands worldwide while solving some of the most pressing societal challenges.

Through the initiative the company receives mentorship and advice from business experts and serial entrepreneurs, and opportunities to network with like-minded entrepreneurs.

Kresse Wesling said: “We have loved living with and learning from a group of the UKs most environmentally and socially motivated entrepreneurs. We can’t thank Unreasonable and Barclays enough for facilitating that. We have also been impressed by how keen Barclays is to learn from us.”

Gordon Henderson MP said: “I was really impressed with what Elvis and Kresse are doing. The way they take waste materials and turn them into quality products is amazing.

“This lovely couple are proof that businesses can succeed and have a social conscience at the same time. They are setting an example that I hope more companies follow.

“I was impressed also with the way in which Barclays Bank is helping, supporting and mentoring socially conscious entrepreneurs through the Unreasonable Impact project. Well done Barclays!”

Caitlin Manning from Barclays Citizenship team said, “Unreasonable Impact is an important part of Barclays’ Shared Growth Ambition. By supporting entrepreneurs targeting the world’s greatest challenges with our resources and mentorship, we can help to facilitate job creation and benefit society as a whole. It’s great to see how Elvis & Kresse are flourishing, the business is a great example of how entrepreneurs can use flair and traditional skills to tackle a 21st century issue.”