Refined Brands acquires ethical label Turtle Doves

Refined Brands, the ethically sourced and sustainable British fashion group, has acquired Turtle Doves.

Turtle Doves was founded in 2009 by Kate and Graham Holbrook on the premise of utilising post-consumer textile waste to create upcycled new garments and accessories. Each piece is manufactured close to Turtle Doves’ head office in Shropshire.

In the last 12 months alone, the brand has achieved sales of £4.5 million.

Turtle Doves joins Celtic & Co. and Frugi in the Refined Brands' collection. All three labels hold similar values, working with a circular fashion model, sustainable materials, and exclusively using natural or recycled fabrics with a low impact on the environment.

Ben Barnett, Chairman of Refined Brands, commented: “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.”

The umbrella company is set to create many intra-group collaborations, with the first launching this year. The collaborative range will consist of recycled cashmere mule slippers, handcrafted in Cornwall using Celtic & Co.’s signature sheepskin lining with a Turtle Doves recycled cashmere upper.

Graham 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.”