About us
We started Origin because we believed business could be about more than making money.
Origin was founded in 2018 with a simple idea: what if a clothing brand could make great clothes, treat the people who make them fairly, take responsibility for its environmental impact... oh, and give away all of its profits?
That idea became Origin. From the beginning, we set out to challenge the way fashion is made and consumed. We wanted to create clothing that was made with care, transparency and respect, while using the business itself as a vehicle for positive change. Our journey has taken us from working with social entrepreneurs and communities in Africa to building more responsible supply chains and supporting people and organisations tackling some of the issues that matter most to us.
Today, Origin is evolving. While our roots remain an important part of who we are, our purpose is bigger than one continent or one cause. We believe that positive social impact should be global, collaborative and responsive to where it is needed most. That means supporting charities, community groups, social enterprises and grassroots organisations working across a wide range of social, environmental and justice-related issues.
The principle, however, hasn’t changed: we exist to use business as a force for good. We make clothing to create the profits that allow us to give back and the more Origin grows, the more we can give.
We don’t have all the answers, and we don’t pretend that one clothing brand can change the world. But we believe businesses have a responsibility to do more than simply minimise their harm. They can actively contribute to something better.
That’s what Origin is here to do: make clothes, create impact, and prove that fashion can be a force for good.
Our Advisors
Judith Ndane - Bamako, Mali -: Mali Hub Co-Director, Community Development and Entrepreneur Liaison
Judith was born in Gabon and now lives in Bamako, Mali with her husband, one daughter and two sons, Rose-Francoise, Moses and David. She works for an international NGO in Mali and is passionate about helping people in her community.
Tracy McDonnell Goad - Cornwall, UK -: Good Business and Business Growth
Tracy is a director of a successful business growth story of her own in Cornwall, UK. She manages this with her husband, Dave. They have three wonderful children Henry, Reggie and Agatha. She has a business and finance background and together the couple have brought together an impressive sustainable growth campaign to their business.
Didier Ndane - Bamako, Mali -: Health & Cross-Cultural Working
Didier is Judith's husband who first met Origin directors Alice and Tom in 2016. He is a doctor and works in the Southern region of Mali but lives with his wife and their children in Bamako. He has helped immensely since day one of starting Origin and has worked tirelessly to support the entrepreneurs in the region.
"We have respect and appreciation for what Origin does, and therefore we are excited to be the Hub Directors here in Mali."
Scott Beasley - London, UK - : Media & Public Relations
Scott is a journalist and producer at Sky Business News in the UK. He has been behind Origin every step of the way and has provided us with so much guidance over the past two years. He is passionate about international human rights and poverty alleviation as well as celebrating cultures from around the world.
Annabel Allcorn, UK - Speciality: Global Health & Cross-Cultural Working
Annabel is a nurse in the UK. She has spent a great deal of her career working in West Africa. She worked in Sierra Leone, during the Ebola outbreak, working closely with communities throughout the West African epidemic. She is a great asset to the Origin team and has helped immeasurably in just a short time.