In this spotlight we’d like to introduce you to Josh, the cofounder and CEO of Tweedy Clothing who design and make sustainable, vegan clothing under their brand “Tweedy” and run The Yew Tree in Lyndhurst, a vegan lifestyle shop & vegan Cafe in the New Forest.

What came first? Veganism or your business?

Vegetarian came first, then the business, then Veganism.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Cacey wanted to go home and see her family and friends, I made a plan so we could do that, as well as earn money. Once this worked, we were in, this was the seed that grew into the Tweedy Tree.

What's your favourite thing about trading at vegan markets?

We wear our clothing and jewellery everyday. I love that we get to share our love for our clothing & jewellery with people who have similar values.

What's your top selling product at markets?

Depends on the season. Probably our Yoga Tops made from 100% organic cotton or our organic cord Dungarees that have so many cool details in their design.

What advice would you give someone wanting to start trading at vegan markets?

Do it. Test your product. If you need help with marketing or product development, reach out to a pro like us to mentor and shortcut the costly mistakes.

What are the biggest challenges you are facing as an independent business owner right now?

Rising overheads & the weather. The rain has been the killer. Whenever we are faced with hard times it pushes us to rethink, think outside of the box, cut costs and improve every facet of the company, so when good times role around we go better than ever.

In the harshest winters, there is always a hot summer just around the corner. 

If you have a rare weekend off, how are you spending it?

Going to markets to see what other businesses are doing, see where we can improve. 

What's your favourite…

…Vegan restaurant/cafe

the Yew Tree in Lyndhurst The New Forest  of course!

…Go to meal?

Vegan Mexican Burrito 

What does the future hold for you and Cotswold Vegan Bakery?

Apart from being the best Ultra Small Batch Vegan Clothing Brand in the UK. We plan to create an app that allows the customer full transparency called Farm to Fashion, so the customer can access every detail in the process of the making of their garment, knowing how much the cotton farmer is paid, their lifestyle, the process used, all the way through to the Tailor. We want this to become industry standard. By lifting the bar, by using transparency, we can make a massive difference on the impact of fast fashion on the environment. 

You can find Tweedy Clothing and a whole host of other brilliant vegan run businesses at our events. Check out our upcoming events to see if we’re coming anywhere near you soon!