Ethical fashion brand People Tree is entering liquidation in the UK, with debts exceeding £ 8.5 million, including outstanding payments to suppliers, customers, and the majority of its British employees.
Founded by former partners Safia and James Minney, People Tree gained recognition for its ethical fashion practices and counted celebrities like Emma Watson and Jo Wood among its supporters. It played a significant role in the UK fashion industry by advocating for organic materials and better treatment of garment workers worldwide.
However, due to a decline in its trading performance, the company has informed creditors that it cannot meet its financial obligations. This has left suppliers in India with significant outstanding debts.
Creditors of the company have been notified that a meeting will be held on September 28 to dissolve the business, which has already laid off most of its employees in recent months. Liquidators from Opus Restructuring & Insolvency will be appointed at the meeting to wind up the company’s affairs.
Founded in 1991 in Tokyo as Global Village, People Tree expanded to the UK in the 2000s and collaborated with renowned designers like Vivienne Westwood and Orla Kiely. Jo Wood, the former spouse of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, visited the brand’s producers in Nepal and Bangladesh.
While People Tree continues to operate in Europe and Japan, its future in the UK and Europe remains uncertain. Although the European website is still functional and promises shipping to the UK in the near future, former insiders have reported that the sole employee of the European operation is being laid off, raising questions about how the business will continue as buying and marketing activities were primarily managed from the UK.
