Eco Annie opens shop at Oxo Tower Wharf

Eco Annie has a yarn at the opening of her shop at Oxo Tower Wharf

Annie Sherburne (Eco Annie) opened her new shop, selling sustainable yarn and designer rugs, scarves and bags, last week, at Oxo Tower Wharf.

Using textile waste from London, Eco Annie, a long time passionate sustainable designer, has established a manufacturing chain making recycled yarn for use by knitters and weavers, and in the production of her own rugs. She incorporates recycled yarn into her designs, offering the perfect gift for those with a green conscience.

Annie Sherburne said: “The opening of my new shop will help raise the profile of using recycled yarn in textile designs and sustainable clothing. The support I've had from enhance has been essential for the growth of my business and the development of the recycled yarn.”

Eco Annie is answering the demand for a product that didn't exist. This is helping to preserve the textile manufacturing expertise and skills in London and develop local production capacity for textiles. This will hopefully create jobs and provide a solution to the problem of waste management and landfill, by the better use of resources.

Peter Harden, Senior Project Manager, enhance, said: “Eco Annie is producing high value designer products from a low value resource. Her shop is sure to become a hub for sustainable design.”

It is thought that Eco Annie's work will have far-reaching implications in London and across the United Kingdom. Her recycled yarn is one of a wider range of yarns, which are locally produced in collaboration with farmers and designers. The yarn is blended with organic fleece to produce subtle colour differences; natural dye will be applied to others. So far, one tonne of waste textiles have been saved from going to landfill.

Eco Annie
Annie Sherburne's sustainable shop can be found at: Unit 1:10, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London, SE1 9PH.

Annie Sherburne (Eco Annie) has been designing and manufacturing textiles and fashion for over 25 years, including 18 years for Jean Muir OBE. Eco Annie has researched environmentally friendly yarns for 12 years, including post graduate research at Kingston University. She identified recycling textiles as a priority ecological source of materials urgently in need of economically viable business development to reduce the major issues of landfill.

The enhance team provided Eco Annie with introductions to waste management companies and charities and helped her manage her finances. London Remade awarded Annie a £6,000 grant from the London Development Agency's (LDA) New Product Development Fund to make the first recycled yarn from London textile waste.

Annie's White Horse rug offers a striking design made from a mixture of environmentally friendly materials including recycled white wool, factory ends and naturally dyed yarns. The design was a finalist in the Homes & Gardens Classic Design Awards 2006.
Eco Annie recycled London textile yarn costs £2.25 per 25g ball; recycled knitting needles cost £2.50 per pair; White Horse rug costs £750.

For those who prefer to create their own designs, Eco Annie has an environmentally friendly yarn. The pure wool is made from 50% recycled London textiles and 50% organic UK wool and can be dyed as required. She also supplies recycled knitting needles.

Patchwork kits comprising of recycled textiles, including vintage off-cuts, ensure a unique Christmas gift. The kits are colour co-ordinated, enabling budding designers to create one-off quilts and cushion covers to last a lifetime.

Products available from her new shop at Oxo Tower Wharf, www.anniesherburne.co.uk or info@anniesherburne.co.uk or by calling 020 7328 2182.

enhance
enhance is a free service, funded by £1.8million from the London Development Agency (LDA), and delivered by London Remade and London Community Recycling Network (London CRN). It provides business support and advice to London-based enterprises working in, or aspiring to join, the recycling sector.

It aims to facilitate growth amongst small and medium-sized businesses and social enterprises, working with recyclable materials across the capital; offering expert advice on business development, marketing, access to funding and finding premises.

A comprehensive online information resource provides access to the latest news, events and training, funding and tender opportunities. You can register for the latest tailored industry and enhance news updates with the enhance fortnightly e-newsletter and RSS feeds – visit www.enhancelondon.co.uk

Businesses and social enterprises working, or aspiring to work, in London's recycling, reuse, remanufacturing, reprocessing and refurbishing sector can apply for funded support at www.enhancelondon.co.uk. For more information contact info@enhancelondon.co.uk, 020 7061 6369 (business) or 020 7324 4694 (social enterprise).

London Remade
London Remade is in the business of recycling, creating environmental solutions for a sustainable capital. This is achieved through developing markets for recycled content products, providing tailored support to help grow green enterprises and introducing green practices to existing businesses.
www.londonremade.com

London Community Recycling Network
London CRN is a not-for-profit, second tier organisation, dedicated to supporting and promoting community-based sustainable waste management activities, and make them the preferred solution – financially, socially and environmentally – for the people of London.
www.lcrn.org.uk

London Development Agency (LDA)
The LDA is the Mayor's agency for business and jobs. The LDA prepare the Mayor's business plan for London and mobilises the support and resources of hundreds of partner organisations to help build a thriving economy for London's people, businesses and communities. The LDA is dedicated to improving sustainability, health and equality of opportunity for Londoners.
www.lda.gov.uk