THE SFW TEAM
Amelia Twine | Founder/Director
SFW is the passion project of Amelia Twine. She’s spent over a decade working in sustainability in different industries. Between 2018-2020 she ran the online store GIVE WEAR LOVE, before launching SFW in 2020 with them aim of making sustainable fashion more relevant, accessible and inclusive, promoting community-led action at a grass-roots level.
Amelia runs A Single Thread CIC - the organisation behind SFW - and coordinates all activities delivered by the two brands.
Amelia is supported by ad hoc student volunteers.
NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Helle has a decade of experience in human rights and environmental research for NGOs. Her writing on fast fashion’s environmental and human rights impacts for Greenpeace UK has always garnered huge interest, further cementing her passion for learning about the various ways people can take individual and collective action for sustainable fashion.
Helle’s PhD on the impacts on Indigenous peoples’ rights of lithium mining in Argentina and Bolivia sparked a lifelong obsession with turning wool into clothing and accessories. Travelling and living in various countries opened her eyes to the extraordinary talents of traditional makers throughout the world. Helle also owns Snü. The brand developed a slow fashion, eco-friendly air pollution mask hidden in a scarf.
Helle Abelvik-Lawson | Director
Katie is a sustainability advocate, author and educator. She has worked in the fashion industry across a variety of sectors and with different types of companies in different roles, giving her a broad overview of the wider issues that face the fashion industry today. As a lecturer of twelve years, Katie is passionate about sharing the need for systemic change within the system with her students (and anyone that will listen). She believes that fashion is powerful and that power can be used for good. She is currently the Sustainability and Fashion Development Lead at Bath Spa University.
Katie Friedlander-Boss
ADVISORY BOARD
We’re building our leadership structure in 2023, to keep extending what we offer in knowledge and expertise for communities across the UK.
Our Advisory Board work with us throughout the year to develop our strategy, increase our value and deliver on our project outcomes.
Operating at a senior level (30+ years) in buying & merchandising helped Adam recognise the fashion industry working model needs to change. Currently blending an academic role at London College of Fashion, connecting to industry expertise, and consulting to develop retail journeys maintains awareness of alternative methods in the way we make, procure, sell & extend the life of product. Industry is poised make critical change - Adam trusts his commercial experience and the expertise and influences of connections can help make that happen.
Adam Rose
Alison is a supply chain and sustainability consultant with 25 years’ experience in fashion and retail. She has held senior leadership roles covering merchandising, buying, sourcing and product development. Her mission is to help, and empower designers, buyers, consumers, and other industry stakeholders to drive positive change, and to reduce the negative impacts of fashion production and consumption. When buying for herself, Alison favours charity shop finds, which she coordinates with high quality, investment pieces, sticking to the advice of the late, great Vivienne Westwood: ’Buy less, choose well, make it last’.
Alison Reupke
Abigail Wastie is a sustainable textile educator and artist based in Derby. Delivering workshops to children, adults, public and private sector that are aimed at equipping the students with hands-on knowledge, tools and skills to increase the longevity and sustainability of their dressing. With previous industry experience in luxury and ethical fashion having worked at Paul Smith Ltd and People Tree. Abigail also organises large events to enable her customer base to shop ethically and support local makers and SBO such as Derby’s Ethical Christmas Market which has over 1000 person footfall.
Abigail Wastie
Susan is Deputy Chief Executive at the Charity Retail Association – the trade association for charity shops - where she has worked for 17 years specialising in membership body operations such as CRM, communications, website, and member services. She creates themes and assets for the CRA’s social media campaigns and has created the Directory of Charity Shop Influencers, among other resources to help members shout about the amazing work that they do. Susan also looks after the CRA’s sustainability work, supported by Climate Action for Associations. She is also a charity shop volunteer.
Susan Meredith
After pattern cutting, designing and developing product for a number of brands, I retrained as a digital marketer, learning how to use behavioural science to push brand. I currently work as a Brand Experience Manager for vvast with experience in organic/paid social and search, email marketing and analysing data.
James Friedlander-Boss
Alex Barrett
After spending 10+ years in corporate and nonprofit organizations as a communications expert, Hande decided to pursue her goal as an entrepreneur. She started her own company offering consulting services in sustainability communications. The main focus of the business is the fashion industry as its impact is very multilayered and touches people and relates closely to their consumption patterns. She is particularly interested in honest communication practices and how they can be achieved by especially small businesses.
Hande Ustundag
Jamilla Ives
WE WON AN AWARD!
SFW achieved the ‘Sustainability’ award for our 2021 flagship event, at the Bristol Life Awards. Recognising how we’ve taken action to mobilise and support the community in moving away from fast fashion and feel empowered for a more sustainable relationship with clothing.
THANK YOU to all the volunteers who have helped SFW since 2020. We’ve had so many helping hands, putting their time in for free to support us on our way to where we are now.
Equally thank you to Amber Rochette and Maria Loria, previous non-exec directors.