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Eco Hero - Kurt Jewson

Greta Jonyniate | 21.02.12

Kurt Jewson is one of the co-founders of Frugi, an organic and ethical children’s clothing brand. Frugi began in 2004 under the name Cut4Cloth, which Kurt co-created with his wife Lucy after realising that it was incredibly difficult to find clothes to fit over their son's cloth nappy bottom. For a few years they specialised in organic baby clothes to fit cloth nappies, but as the range expanded they decided to rebrand under a new name, Frugi, which means 'Fruits of the Earth' in Latin.

What inspires you?

What inspires me now, and maybe always has done, is people who put two fingers up to convention and plough on regardless of the barriers when they have a belief in themselves and what they are doing. Without coming across a a great big softie my wife, Lucy, is quite inspirational. Frugi is her baby, and I am in awe of her ability to see and cut through the bull shit and get to the heart of the matter in a nanosecond.

What makes you angry?

Bad customer service makes me fume. At Frugi we have always strived to be the best in everything that we do. The best designs, the best organic cotton, the best manufacturers the best..everything. If you don't strive to be the best, then what's the point? Go work for BT and sit back and relax.

If you were Prime Minister, what would be the first thing you'd change?

I would help schools to teach children about money, investments, business, savings and its role in making the world go around. It is all around you when you leave school, but no-one has a clue really. I don't have a clue! All I know that you shouldn't spend more than you earn, or have the ability to repay. I'd maybe then do something regarding sustainable energy..but that's two things...oops!

Can individuals really make a difference?

Of course. Passionate, intelligent driven individuals can inspire and show the way. The crowd will follow, eventually, and their detractors will move on.

What is your personal mission?

To prove to the world that businesses can start, grow and be successful whilst also being ethical. The two are not mutually exclusive. I would also like to be a proficient Pasty maker, but my efforts so far have been..well..middling at best.

What’s more urgent: changing things from the inside or starting a revolution on the outside?

Well, they both have a place. With regard to business, what we are doing at Frugi is trying to change things from the inside. We are not evangelical hippies about the place, proclaiming that all business is bad and that money is the route of all evil. We live in the real world. However, if the real world can be made as devoid of greed, vested interests and suits as possible then that's a good thing. ( ridding the world of tie dyed t-shirts and sandals is quite urgent )

What is the best meal you’ve had in your life? Cooked by whom? Eaten with whom?

The best meal that I've ever had, despite everyone thinking that I live exclusively on Cornish Pasties ( which I sort of actually do ) consisted of fresh French bread, cheeses and chutneys. The ingredients came from an organic farm shop in Somerset (as did the wagon load of cider that we had with it) and was eaten by myself, my wife Lucy and my best friend Jamie and his wife Liz.

Can you describe a typical work day? (ie. what you do within that day and who you have potential to influence etc)

My day starts with getting the kids fed, dressed, teeth cleaned and ready for school. Then it's the cat, chickens and goldfish followed by a cup of tea in bed for Mrs. J. ( she's a night person )!
After dropping the kids at school it's into the Frugi 'today' department to crack on with getting orders out of the door as swiftly as possible ( did I mention I'm fanatical about customer service? ). I tend to spend a good portion of any day answering questions and steering people to make decisions. One of my favourite questions to pose to someone facing a customer service decision is to ask, "if you were that customer, what would you like to happen now?" it sort of makes the decision process much easier.

How do you define success?

Sometimes I quite literally punch the air and say, "Yes!" when I see Frugi influencing others to take the ethical route. I don't think that we are successful yet, because we haven't finished our mission...we are just beginning to appear on the radar and gain an audience.

What’s the best advice anyone’s ever given you?

"if it don't feel right, you don't have to do it. Just leave a message on the phone and tell them to screw it!" John Lennon "keep 'er 'ard" my dad.

What’s your favourite book or film of late?

Reading Andy Kershaw's, 'no off switch' and really enjoying it. Again, someone who has a passion for what they do and making a career out of their passion.

What would you most like to happen to protect the planet?

Crikey, that's a biggie. If we can persuade business that being an ethical business is what consumers demand, and persuade consumers that buying ethical is the only choice then businesses will have a vested interest in being green. It's getting there, I have hope.