Coconut Palm: what started as sewing therapy became a sustainable brand with colour at its core. Behind the business is heritage, hand-me-downs and founder Georgia Leslie, who works magic on the machine to craft eco-friendly African print accessories.

How did Coconut Palm begin?

Coconut Palm started during lockdown as a way of therapy. I would often sew face masks and other small items, including kids’ clothes, [which were] all good items, but not as exciting as the products that I make now.

How did you learn to craft pieces and how has your process evolved along the way?

When I was 15, my mum thought it would be a good idea to pass on a generational skill and taught me how to sew. She would often get me to use fabric scraps from the bin to test out the machine, and it was from there that my interest grew into making pieces from waste [and] offcuts.

The process along the way has developed by me now accepting donations from friends, potential customers and passersby at markets. I would say I’m picky with the fabric I use if it’s not already mine, as I want the bright colours and different prints to be a reflection of my brand. 

Tell us about the process of sourcing fabrics and reproducing them as new accessories.

I source my fabrics either from selling pieces or making them for friends, which in turn creates more offcuts, or from simply being at markets where a customer asks if they can donate to me their printed clothing that they no longer wear. But also friends have items that members of their family have been hoarding.

How do you decide what kind of products to create?

From seeing which products did sell and were in demand. Before I had the set product list, I was making a lot of random pieces that either did or didn’t sell, and I would often still end up with offcuts I couldn’t use.

Why is it important to you for your products to be vibrant, colourful and African print?

I firstly have a background in printed textile design, and the prints have always been eye-catching to me, but now even more so, since a lot of the fabrics I receive are pot luck. But I still get pretty excited when I do get them.

What’s your personal journey with sustainability and why did you create a brand with reusability at its core?

My background in sustainability started in the family home when I was a child. I’m sure for most young people with siblings, you would get your older siblings’ clothes. I would often get my brother’s hand-me-downs – and fast forward to now I am always trying to find new ways of reusing most of the items I make and use.

An example is the face wipes I use for removing my makeup, applying a toner, or even when I’ve gone for a run. They are handy to carry in your pocket, yet you can still throw them in the wash afterwards.

Things that have multiple uses make more sense in my life, so it definitely should in others’. The pouches I make could be for your makeup [or] for travel toiletries that you can throw into your handbag or rucksack. The same goes for the half pouch too.

If someone’s discovering your eco-friendly African print accessories for the first time, what do you want them to feel?

I’d want them to feel a sense of joy, the colours being so vibrant and to remind them of warm sunshine on a dull day.

How does your heritage shape your business?

For someone who is from a mixed background – two quite different cultures, Barbados and British – my business was mainly shaped by my mum with the influence of my dad’s side: the summer holidays in Europe and the odd visits from family in the Caribbean. I wanted to replicate the bursts of flavour you got from the food in the products I made, almost like a constant feeling of happiness.

What’s been your proudest moment?

My proudest moment was my first sale. It wasn’t a huge sale but from just seeing something I made, the sale gave me so much joy and proof that my business was going to work!

I’ve managed to sell my products in great places and met some amazing people in the process, I’m still pinching myself.

What kind of products can we expect next?

Next for Coconut Palm, I’d like to make some products for men too, as that seems to come up a lot as I don’t have much for them. I dabbled in bow ties and pocket squares for a friend for a wedding – I will go back to the drawing board and figure them out. Watch this space!

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