QUICK QUESTIONS
James Bartle - Founding CEO
Tell us a bit about Outland Denim and how it started.
My introduction to the world of human trafficking came from the film Taken. After a research period, my wife and I learnt that once a woman has been rescued and reintegrated into her family or community, a sustainable career path is vital for securing her future. It was from there that the foundations of Outland Denim were laid as an avenue for training, employment and career progression for women who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, sex trafficking and other social injustices.
How does Outland Denim contribute to its three core values: Empowerment?
For us, the business isn’t about empowering women, it’s about giving them the opportunity so that they can be the source of their own empowerment. So what we do is give them the chance to work, to up-skill, and earn a living wage while also growing in confidence.
... Sustainability?
Our environmental stewardship begins with the engagement of suppliers who meet our strict criteria for raw material standards, and is realised in the development of our stand-alone wash and finishing house, which opened earlier this year. ...Transparency?
Transparency is an essential part of Outland Denim’s brand identity on a moral, customer, and industry level; from publishing our supply chain online to openly sharing the structure of our business model in the hope it will inspire other businesses.