Kind Bag, a sustainable fashion accessory company based in East London, has secured a £250,000 loan to support its growth and development.

The company creates bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, which are also 100% recyclable themselves, and to date, has saved three million plastic bottles from ending up in landfill or the ocean. The bags are designed to embrace slow and circular fashion, while still placing an emphasis on both functionality and beauty. Products include backpacks, pouches, reusable bags and totes, which emit less CO2 than cotton bags.

The company has a large focus on ethics and sustainability, working to reduce the 92 million tonnes of textile waste created annually from the fashion industry. Kind Bag recognises the importance of a sustainable supply chain and works in partnership with its factories, suppliers, and warehouses to ensure that they are members of the ethical trade organisations and hold the highest certificates in the market for manufacturing.

The business has ambitious plans to become a leading accessory brand, using the loan from Triodos Bank UK to accelerate its growth. The finance will be used to expand the team, invest in marketing, and develop the range of bags through new product development.

From its base in Hackney, Kind Bag has had a strong presence in the UK since 2019 with listings in prestigious retailers such as Selfridges, Waterstones, Anthropologie, and Kew Gardens. It also exports to over 25 countries worldwide with international accounts including Macys, David Jones and Bealls.

Founded by director and CEO Maria Rodriguez, Kind Bag is currently an all-female and multi-cultural team. The company actively aims to support and collaborate with female artists – its fashion collections to date include working with illustrators Roeqiya Fris and Maggie Stephenson on two ranges of printed shopping bags.

Maria Rodriguez, CEO of Kind Bag, commented: “We are excited to grow the business even more, and are eager to bring unique and stylish yet ethical and environmentally friendly accessories to a wider audience. We are pleased to be working with Triodos, a bank that fully understands our social and environmental mission. Good ethics is at the core of what we both do.”

Kate Donovan, business banking relationship manager, added: “It is important to Triodos that we finance organisations committed to making a positive difference, Kind Bag has a strong focus on sustainability, working hard to reduce plastic and textile waste, and bring a positive influence into the fashion world.”

Beyond the products themselves, all of Kind Bag’s packaging is fully recyclable and eco-friendly, using paper tape, recycled cardboard sleeves, FSC-certified paper and eco-friendly ink. Its UK warehouse is plastic free with a goal to be net zero by 2023.

Kind Bag supports 1% For The Planet, the respected international organisation whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual profits to environmental causes.