British fair trade luxury knitwear brand Tengri is celebrating the inspiring and important global movement, Fashion Revolution Week, which takes place from 24-30 April and unites fashion businesses and millions of consumers to raise awareness of the need for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry.

“These three core messages have been at the heart of Tengri’s business model from day one, spurred on by my own journey as a child sweatshop worker,” said Nancy Johnston, Tengri founder and CEO.

“In creating Tengri, we are incredibly proud to have built a brand knowing who makes our clothes – and how they are made – from start to finish. Ensuring integrity at every step of the process means Tengri has always been recognised as a fashion revolutionary.”

Tengri

The idea behind Tengri was conceived by Nancy Johnston, when she was 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.

The company’s products are made with yak fibres. As well as being 100% sustainably sourced, Tengri Noble Yarns are as soft as cashmere, warmer than merino wool, hypoallergenic, resistant to water and odours, and more resistant to pilling than other luxury fibres, according to the company.

“With your support, our 100% transparent supply chain reaches from east to west. From yaks raised in the Khangai mountains of Mongolia, to the family owned Yorkshire mills where our yarns are spun and our fabrics woven, to London, where we design and tailor our garments,” said Nancy Johnston.

Transparency

The brand purchases its noble fibres directly from cooperatives that represent more than 4,500 nomadic herder families. It then imports these direct to the UK, where the fibres are spun and woven in the heritage mills of Yorkshire, where textile-manufacturing dates back to 1777.

Some of the pieces are knitted in a small Scottish mill just south of Glasgow, hand-loomed by a passionate team of craftsmen, while bespoke knitwear pieces are hand-knitted by Stephanie Sobey-Jones, a highly experienced professional knitwear designer-maker.

Sustainability

Tengri’s social enterprise with nomadic herders aims to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 8, 12, 15 and 17 by promoting sustainable economic growth, ensuring sustainable production patterns, protecting and promoting sustainable natural ecosystems use and combating desertification through its global partnerships for sustainable development.

In 2016, Tengri was recognised as one of the world’s top 100 sustainable solutions by its inclusion in Sustainia100, the annual guide to innovative sustainability solutions.

www.tengri.co.uk

Further reading

Tengri kick starts the year with sustainable fashion project