Jeroo Doodmal secured a £15,000 loan in December 2021 to launch her sustainable Children’s footwear brand Pip & Henry, having noticed a gap in the market for sustainable, organic, and fair-trade children’s footwear options.
True to its mission to help children take their first steps into the world more mindfully, Pip & Henry create charming robust shoes for children that are sustainably made and recyclable. In fact, 80% of their shoes are made of environmentally sustainable materials, setting a high standard for the children’s footwear industry.
Since the business’ inception, Jeroo has been creative with her commitment to having an environmentally friendly and sustainable production line. The business has a shoe recycling scheme whereby customers send their old shoes to be recycled in exchange for £10 off their next order. They also have dual purpose (and recyclable) packaging, which doubles up as a game, aiming to help children become more aware of the role they can play in saving the planet through the use of storytelling and interactive play.
Looking ahead, Jeroo hopes to mitigate the impact of her international supply chain. Indeed, a lot of her raw materials such as pineapple leaves and coconut fibres are sourced abroad, which results in a greater carbon footprint than if they were UK sourced.
“As we grow, I’m interested in ways that we can make our operations’ carbon footprint lower without compromising on the quality and sustainable credentials of the end product for our customers,” she said.
Find out more about Pip & Henry here.
