Major deal will help Shropshire upcycled fashion firm take step to international markets

Refined Brands, a digitally native portfolio of ethically sourced, natural and sustainable British brands, has announced the acquisition of Turtle Doves.

Founded in 2009 by Kate and Graham Holbrook, Turtle Doves uses post-consumer textile waste to create upcycled new garments and accessories.

On the back of accelerating consumer interest insustainable fashion, Turtle Doves’ recycled cashmere gloves, wrist warmers and upcycled garments, all manufactured locally to Turtle Doves’ head office in Shropshire, led the brand to achieve sales of £4.5 million in the last 12 months.

The company will join Celtic & Co in the Refined Brands’ portfolio, as well as Frugi, which offers ethically sourced, organic and recycled childrenswear.

Ben Barnett, chairman of Refined Brands, said: “The creation of Refined Brands was motivated by a desire to build a differentiated family of sustainable fashion brands, alongside founders and teams that shared our passion and vision.

“Turtle Doves are pioneers in fully recycled garments and accessories, and I am delighted to welcome Graham Holbrook and his team to the group.”

Mr Holbrook, Turtle Doves managing director, added: “This represents a natural step for Turtle Doves as we take our unique and sustainable proposition to international markets.

“The systems and expertise at Refined Brands will enable us to sell directly to customers around the world, and also to large retailers and online marketplaces.

“We will be able to employ more people in the UK, save more clothes from landfill, and deliver our award-winning service to more customers. We are already seeing the benefits from the exchange of ideas that come from like-minded businesses working together.”

James Williams, group managing director of Refined Brands, added: “Combined, our brands create the leading portfolio of digitally native, British ethical fashion brands with a razor sharp focus on natural and sustainable fabrics.

“As a group, we see significant opportunity to bring our pioneering brands to an ever-growing audience of ethically conscious consumers.”