What's between 300 tonnes of landfill material and a handbag?

This piece was written by Kresse Wesling CBE, Co-Founder, Elvis & Kresse

This month we interviewed Kresse Wesling CBE, environmental entrepreneur and co-founder of Elvis & Kresse, to find out more about the driving force behind her and her partner’s company that transforms decommissioned fire hoses into lifestyle accessories - all whilst donating 50% of profits to charity.

Can you tell us what the driving force was behind Elvis & Kresse?

It really was the waste, the fire-hose... I arrived in the UK in 2004 only to discover that 100 million tonnes of material went to landfill that year. I saw this as a complete failure of creativity. I couldn't solve the whole 100 million tonne problem but when I discovered that London's damaged, decommissioned hoses were headed for the trash heap that was it... love at first sight.

Can you share a pivotal moment that made you realise the benefits of leading a purpose-driven organisation?

Honestly it is every single day - hope comes from action, joy comes from action. Every day we are rescuing materials and building our pot of donations (we give 50% of our profits to charities related to our wastes). Every day we are generating our own renewable energy, treating our own waste and waste water in a natural system, running a regenerative farm and manufacturing with integrity (we make everything ourselves and are a certified Living Wage Employer). We reap the benefits every day, which is why it baffles me that more companies don't work regeneratively.

 What would you like to see more businesses do differently?

I think they all need to abandon shareholder primacy... not shareholders, no, I am not that radical! It just isn't acceptable to 'earn' profits when people are exploited or ecosystems are destroyed. Shareholders can't come before people or the planet. We need to abandon the egosystem and return to the ecosystem.

What advice would you give to businesses wanting to lead with purpose?

Come to the farm, come and see us. We can help. There is a whole network of people who are already a long way down this road, and the only growth I am really jazzed by is scaling this community of truly good businesses.

Find out more about Elvis & Kresse’s story here.