Fair trade luxury knitwear brand Tengri has launched a Crowdfunder campaign to raise funds for its ethical fashion projects in the UK and Mongolia. Hosted by the UK’s biggest rewards based crowdfunding platform, the campaign aims to connect communities and to raise the company’s profile.

A fairly recent phenomenon, crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.

Mongolian Yak wool

London based Tengri works collectively with yak herders in Mongolia as a fairshare business – sourcing and purchasing 100% pure yak wool, which it says is as soft as cashmere and warmer than merino wool.

The luxurious yak wool is then used to create bold knitwear pieces designed by Royal College of Art graduate and Knitting Industry blogger Carlo Volpi, and crafted by local hand-knitters and manufacturers in the town of Hawick in the Scottish Borders, which is known for its high quality knitwear manufacturing heritage.

Shortlisted for London & Paris Fashion Week 2015

The company has also been shortlisted to showcase its debut Warrior collection for the London and Paris Fashion Week 2015 Fashion Scout panel.

“I’m thrilled that Tengri has been shortlisted by Fashion Scout to showcase our debut collection at the 2015 London and Paris Fashion Week. It’s been an amazing journey for Tengri,” commented Nancy Johnston, Tengri’s founder.

“From working directly with herders in Mongolia to source the wool, creating a fashion brand, designing and producing the collection in the UK – it’s an adventure.  It’s a great honour to represent a brand that stands for community spirit and collective action and I hope the support continues in our crowdfunding campaign.”

Tengri’s debut Warrior collection launched in September, at a music and fashion event hosted by the fashion brand at London’s Truman Brewery.

The collection has been developed in collaboration with Drapers Fashion Awards finalist Shoes By Bryan, and includes women’s 3D printed shoes made from Mongolian yak leather.

Tengri

According to Nancy Johnston, Tengri is a fashion label that brings together design, fashion, ethics, business, environmental activism and individual consumer choice.

The idea behind Tengri was conceived by Nancy Johnston, a social entrepreneur, when she was travelling with friends and staying with herder families in Mongolia. Nancy became fascinated by the delicate and interwoven relationship between people, animals and the land, developing a deeper understanding and respect for the bond between the herder families' livelihoods, their yaks, and the Mongolian landscape.

This experience inspired Nancy to set up Tengri and back in London, with modest life savings and the support of an extended network of friends in fashion, design, community development, marketing, business and product development, Tengri was born.

“We do more than fairtrade and social responsibility. Our business is about being fair and sharing our skills, time and effort freely with small and medium-sized enterprises in Mongolia. Life is not just about give and take; sometimes it is just about creating and giving... with a purpose,” says Nancy Johnston.

“Tengri is built on a commitment to craftsmanship, collective action and challenging the status quo. We are driven by long-term thinking about the ecology, economy, people and spirit of Mongolia. Respect for the delicate balance between human existence and nature is at the heart of our approach. Working with cooperatives of herders, as well as spinning, processing and knitting companies, we aim to help preserve the Mongolian landscape and support nomadic herders’ way of life.”

This commitment applies to the way every Tengri product is made. The company’s ‘Handmade in Britain’ collection is created by expert knitters recruited specifically for their outstanding skills and experience.

Visit the Tengri Crowdfunder campaign

www.tengri.co.uk