From Fair Trade Pioneer to Regenerative Revolutionary: Safia Minney's Evolution
How one woman's commitment to ethical business created a blueprint for purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
Hello, Denyse here, and a very warm welcome to We Are Mimosa, a place for women building brands which are aligned with their purpose and values, and who care about making the world a better place.
In times of global uncertainty, when the path forward seems unclear, we often find our greatest inspiration in those who've navigated similar challenges with grace and purpose. Today's story feels particularly relevant - not just because of what Safia Minney built with People Tree, but because of how she responded when that chapter closed, evolving her mission rather than abandoning it.
As we explored in Tuesday's piece about building resilience in uncertain times, true strength often comes from staying aligned with our deeper purpose while remaining adaptable in our approach. Safia Minney's journey from fair trade pioneer to regenerative revolutionary offers a masterclass in this kind of purposeful evolution.
The Power of Starting Small with Clear Purpose
In 1991, while living in Japan, Safia Minney identified a problem that would shape her life's work: the lack of ethical and sustainable fashion options. Rather than being overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge, she started small but with clear purpose - creating a free leaflet about environmental and organic products with two university students.
This humble beginning evolved into Global Village, a non-governmental trading organization that would later become People Tree. What's remarkable isn't just that Minney built a successful ethical fashion brand, but that every step of her journey remained aligned with her core mission of creating positive change through business.
Building Through Challenges
Like many female founders, Minney faced significant obstacles:
Limited understanding of ethical fashion in the 1990s
Complex international supply chains
The dominance of fast fashion
Balancing social impact with commercial viability
Yet rather than compromising her values for easier growth, she innovated within her constraints. She developed the "Market Exposure Program" to build capacity in producer communities, pioneered organic textile certification in developing countries, and created new models for ethical retail.
A Time for Transition
By 2015, after more than two decades of pioneering ethical fashion, Safia Minney faced a pivotal moment. People Tree had achieved remarkable successes - becoming the first company to launch a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified clothing range in the developing world and the first to achieve the World Fair Trade Organization's product label. The brand had collaborated with designers like Vivienne Westwood and gained supporters including Emma Watson.
Yet Minney sensed it was time for a personal evolution. Following her separation from her husband (People Tree's CFO), she stepped down as Global CEO while remaining a shareholder and board member. This wasn't an ending but a transition - a chance to explore new ways of advancing her mission.
The years that followed brought both challenges and opportunities. While Minney explored new ventures, including a role as Managing Director at ethical shoe brand Po-Zu, she never lost sight of her core purpose. Instead, she used this period to deepen her understanding of what sustainable fashion truly meant, eventually expanding her vision beyond fair trade to embrace regenerative practices.
The Evolution of Purpose
When People Tree UK entered liquidation in 2023, with debts exceeding £8.5 million, it could have seemed like the end of Minney's mission. Instead, she demonstrated what purposeful evolution looks like in practice:
Founded Real Sustainability, a community interest company supporting transition to carbon-zero
Launched Fashion Declares, a grassroots campaign for radical industry change
Published "Regenerative Fashion," expanding the conversation beyond sustainability
Continued advocating for systemic change through speaking and consulting
What Makes This Story Matter Now
At a time when many female founders are navigating uncertainty, Minney's journey offers valuable insights:
Start Where You Are: Begin with what's possible now while holding a bigger vision
Build Strong Foundations: Create systems and relationships that can weather challenges
Stay True to Purpose: Let your mission guide evolution rather than compromise
Embrace Innovation: Find new ways to advance your mission when old paths close
Focus on Movement Building: Create change through collective action rather than working alone
A Blueprint for Purpose-Driven Evolution
Let's talk about what Safia's journey teaches us about building businesses that can evolve without losing their soul. Because that's really what we're all trying to do, isn't it? Create something meaningful that can adapt and grow while staying true to what matters most.
Start with Your Why
Think about what really drives you - not just what you want to build, but why it matters. Safia never saw People Tree as just a fashion brand. For her, it was always about creating positive change through business. When you're crystal clear about your why, it becomes your compass through uncertainty.
Build Your Foundation with Care
This isn't just about business plans and profit margins (though those matter). It's about creating relationships and systems that can weather storms. Safia built deep connections with producers, customers, and fellow change-makers. Those relationships didn't disappear when People Tree UK closed - they evolved into new forms of collaboration.
Learn to Dance with Uncertainty
Here's something I've noticed about successful female founders: they know how to work with constraints rather than fight against them. When Safia started, ethical fashion barely existed as a concept. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, she used it as an opportunity to create something entirely new.
Stay Open to Evolution
Sometimes the best way to honour your mission is to let it take new forms. When People Tree UK entered liquidation in 2023, Safia didn't see it as the end of her work. Instead, she's channelling her energy into Fashion Declares and Real Sustainability, finding fresh ways to create the change she's always believed in.
Looking Forward
Today, as Minney continues her work through Fashion Declares and Real Sustainability, she demonstrates that purpose-driven entrepreneurship isn't about building a single business - it's about creating lasting change through whatever vehicles serve the mission best.
Her journey reminds us that in uncertain times, our greatest strength comes from staying aligned with our deeper purpose while remaining adaptable in our approach. As she writes in "Regenerative Fashion," the goal isn't just to sustain what exists but to create systems that allow both people and planet to thrive.
Questions for Reflection
How might current challenges be inviting you to evolve your approach while staying true to your purpose?
What systems or relationships could you strengthen to build greater resilience?
Where might you find opportunities for innovation within your constraints?
If this resonated with you, please take a moment to "❤️" and share this post. Your story matters, and sharing it helps build the supportive community we all need.
Until next time,
Denyse
P.S. If you're curious about creating an unforgettable brand like Safia, check out my new series on building an unforgettable brand and my Summer Business School series on business planning which includes a piece about marketing on a shoestring.
About Purpose-Driven Evolution: Research shows that businesses built on clear purpose demonstrate greater resilience during uncertainty, particularly when leaders remain adaptable in their approach while staying true to their core mission. This "evolutionary resilience," studied by both business and psychology researchers, proves especially powerful in women-owned businesses that prioritize stakeholder relationships alongside financial success.
About me
If you’re new to my work, it might be helpful if I explain who I am and what I do!
I’m Denyse Whillier, a former Chief Executive with more than 25 years of business experience under my favourite Sézane belt. I upcycle my skills and experience to provide business mentoring and strategic support, reimagined for female founded businesses.
My mission is simple. It’s to make it easier for women to build thriving brands which are aligned with their purpose and values and to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship, one female founder at a time.
To find out how I can support you on your business journey, check out this link. And if you’d like to know more about the results my clients get, here are some of my case studies.
One-off advice | 3-hour intensive | Ongoing monthly business coaching | Done-for-you business audit