Celebrating International Women's Day 2020... and Jakki's 1 year retireversary!

Colour, Story, Character.  It’s International Women’s Day on 8th March, a day for celebrating women’s achievements.  This year, the focus is on raising awareness against bias and driving action for equality.

There’s no person more colourful, inspiring, full of character and with an incredible story than our co-founder and warrior queen, Jakki.  We want to celebrate her as she’s made Ian Snow a place where equality, enablement and empowerment are part of its very (upcycled) fabric. 

Before Ian Snow, Jakki ran an incredible business selling clothes made from recycled fabric.  She got involved with Ian, and slowly grew the business into a team of twenty odd, united by a passion for unmistakable style and with a consideration for people and planet.  All achieved whilst raising and inspiring 2 daughters to be strong independent women who now run the company and embody the Jakki spirit.

Since ‘retirement’, Jakki hasn’t slowed down! She’s gone from taking on the retail world to the farming world.  Over the last year, Jakki’s been working on growing the farm in Devon into a wildlife haven of sustainability and tranquility;

• planting 13,000 shrubs and trees to provide food for birds and insects,
• splitting paddocks to introduce rotational grazing, which is so much better for the soil and animals,
• digging 9 ponds to dry up fields and provide a habitat for wildlife,
• laying wildlife friendly dead hedges
• and getting ready to plant over 3,000 trees for the Green Friday Forest.

All this, single handedly, usually with a dog or 3 in tow... or a granddaughter!

When it’s a ‘quiet’ day, Jakki’s looking at long-term sustainability.  Working on harnessing renewable energy from the two 100Kw wind turbines or fitting more solar panels to farm buildings or out on the farm. 

Jakki is still never far away from the office, she can usually be found in muddy wellies, mending, soldering, answering questions and welcoming anyone to the Ian Snow family with open arms and her infectious enthusiasm.  Jakki, you’re the reason to celebrate!

Today, with Daisy and India at the helm, there is nothing the team can’t do.  There’s no fear to take on any challenge or be held back by any stereotype.  When not breaking down barriers at Ian Snow, the ladies on the team, raise families, fix cars, drive tractors, run up mountains, run their own businesses, cycle thousands of miles, and farm the land.

At Ian Snow, there is no empowerment washing, we celebrate and empower every day, demanding total transparency in the supply chain;

• NO gender discrimination. All the suppliers we work with employ both men and women. There’s equality in the workplace and wage is based on skill, job requirements and experience.
• Help women to learn new skills and tell their story. We stock products that are made by female artisans with a story that we want the world to hear.

This cushion is handmade by a Peruvian company that works with women who come from a range of disadvantaged backgrounds including overcoming domestic violence. They work on developing their skills and creative abilities through the creation of these beautiful cushions.

These slipper socks, handmade in Kabul by women, many of whom are war widows.  They're paid directly and once a year donate to a children's charity.

• Enable women to work in a world that’s beneficial to them and their circumstances. This includes helping women work from home if they need to continue looking after family.
• Empowering generations of women across the world. Some of our suppliers give financial assistance to educate female children or support a vocational training center and shelter for abused, orphaned and destitute girls.