Transforming reclaimed materials, with Kresse Wesling CBE

In our revelatory interview, Kresse:

• Explains what the business is all about, and how they rescue and transform materials into luxury fashion accessories.

• Runs through their regenerative agriculture enterprise and their plans to produce wine there.

• Discusses Elvis & Kresse’s revenue streams, and how roughly 85% comes from D2C (Direct to Consumer) sales.

• Details the evolution of their manufacturing process and production sites.

• Expresses her concern about the future of the UK’s craft industries.

• Highlights the growth of the trend of the ‘conscious consumer’ and its positive effect on their business.

• Talks through their marketing strategy; the importance of telling a true and honest story to customers and the value of authenticity in an increasingly ‘post-truth’ world.

• Shares Elvis & Kresse’s origin story and, before that, her biodegradable packaging business.

• Reflects on the fact that a business is destined to fail if the timing isn’t right.

• Recalls the experimentation stage of trying to work with the materials, and how the product lines increased.

• Stresses how widening the brand’s impact through collaboration is very important for the business’s future, believing that climate change and bio diverse loss are the most important problems our world is facing.

• Describes her and her co-founder’s roles and how their skills are complementary.

• Reveals her most important learnings, including getting started without a perfect business plan and being motivated more by the greater good than financial gain.