Gngr Bees is a London-based activewear brand helping to shift the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future. Whether it's through re-purposing materials or investing their profits into projects or communities, Gngr Bees is a brand with a conscience, seeking to empower all those who interact with it.

I caught up with Gngr Bees' founder Nathalia Grisard at an exciting time. On the brink of the release of their new collection, Gngr Bees is entering a new era. Nathalia and I chatted about mindful consumerism, the passions that shaped the brand, and the balancing act that is business and motherhood.

First of all, please could you give our readers an insight into how Gngr Bees came to be?

Yeah, sure. I don’t think Gngr Bees came because of one single thing. I think it was a combination of things that have happened to me and the different experiences that I’ve lived through.

Ultimately, if I had to nail it down to one point, it would be that a few years ago I had the opportunity to go swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, which was one of the most incredible things I have ever done in my life. I’m actually terrified of the sea, but the sense of connection in being there with this gigantic humpback whale was so strong, it really stayed with me. Then a few weeks after that, I came back to London and that was the first time, and you may recall this, that there was this big news that a whale (not a humpback) had been washed up ashore with a lot of plastic in its stomach. Looking through the pictures of the whale stranded on the beach and having all the plastic, we could see that it was not plastic that had been there from many years ago but from now. I think for the longest time I kept thinking all this plastic waste and all that is bad happening on the planet right now is because of previous generations.

Whilst that is true, we also need to be able to understand that the things that we’re doing right now have a huge impact on our planet. Now more than ever, because of the way we consume. So, it was quite shocking to me, because I’d just had this incredible experience.

I feel like at that moment, it became very clear that I needed to make my company sustainable and I needed to make it in a way that wouldn’t be harmful to the planet. It had to be in a way that would empower and support people and the planet, and all things that live here. Gngr Bees was born after that, as it was sort of the merge of all of my passions coming to one place together.

So, what steps are Gngr Bees taking to help make the fashion industry more sustainable?

To me personally, I feel like it’s all about educating our community and our clients because, ultimately, they are the ones that are deciding what they’re buying and the businesses that they’re supporting.

So, Gngr Bees as a brand is also about educating people about what they are buying, what they are consuming every single day, and how to make better choices for themselves and the planet. Of course then, we make everything from waste. We are using materials that have been discarded by other industries, by other fashion businesses with the aim that by carefully creating and crafting these pieces, we’ll be able to give this to our community and to our clients in the best way possible and in a way that will stay in their wardrobes forever, and not end up in landfills and being waste.

What do you think is the best way that we, the consumer can try and help fix the fashion industry’s sustainability problem?

I think there is a lot of talk about how we can make things more sustainable and how we can change the world that we live in right now and make it more sustainable for the future.

I think we need to change the way that we are consuming and that is a complete given. That’s the first step, but also, we can’t change the way we consume without understanding why it is that we’re consuming so much.

So many of us are constantly looking for validation and we’re constantly looking at being this person that we see on social media, that we think we want to be. Ultimately, I think we already have all the tools to be the best versions that we can be, and consuming and buying new things is not the way. I think there are necessities. When we want something, when we really want something, and this is what I always say at Gngr Bees, we should be thrifting, swapping, using, and reusing what we already have before we then consume new.

If we are going to consume something, looking into what brands are doing is the first step for us to be able to change how things are done right now, and to lead a somewhat more sustainable life.

Do you think that it will ever be possible to eliminate the fast fashion industry?

No, I don’t think so.

I think fast fashion, as we have been seeing, will try and adapt to the trends of the market, and at the moment, that is sustainability. It is interesting for them to try and come up with sustainable trends and collections, but fast fashion does serve a purpose and we can’t ignore that sustainable brands are more expensive and there is that barrier of entry.

It’s not affordable for everyone and I think again, the only way we can make the fashion industry more sustainable is by educating the consumers into understanding that, hey, wear what you have first, invest in pieces, so if you are wanting to shop sustainable because you need something new, then make an investment into brands that really care about what they’re doing, that have a good returns policy or they will mend the clothes for you.

There are so many sustainable brands, and I think if you are a sustainable brand that really cares about the planet, you will give that customer service by saying, 'hey, you know, I’ve got a pair of leggings that I’ve worn for five, ten years, and they’re coming apart’ and the brand should tell you 'right, send it back to us and we will fix it for you and then we’ll send it back.' Fast fashion won’t die because it does serve its own purpose but I think we can, as consumers, make better decisions to make fast fashion go a little bit slower.

Yes, absolutely. I’ve been reading that many of your garments come with some interesting backstories about where the materials are sourced. Could you give us a bit of an insight into the partnerships that Gngr Bees has going on?

Yes, for sure.

So, I like to say we create everything backwards because when we are creating a new collection or a new piece, the first thing I look at is what will this piece support? Is there a project that we really want to support? Is there anything going on that’s worth us shifting our focus to?

The first thing we decide is what project is going to be supported by Gngr Bees. Then, we get in touch with the project, or a community partner, or we more recently have created our own project. When we put this project in place, so, what does it look like? How much money are we going to be investing into it with our profits? What is the piece going to look like that will look like that project? What will be the essence of that project?

Then we develop and design the collection based on that. We’ve had ocean projects before where we used discarded fishing nets, pre, and post-consumption. We’ve had other projects that were reforestation-based, community-based, a range of different things, indigenous rights, anything like coral preservation, we then used plastic bottles for that, so a recycled PET Textile. The idea really is to use waste and take it out of nature, to save nature. We’ve done a range of different materials. Our new collection also will comprise of deadstock, flex linen textile, modal – which is biodegradable, which is like a first for us and I’m really excited. Then again, we’re going to be using recycled plastic bottles for our activewear.

Lovely. I read on your website that you seek to empower everyone who interacts with your garments, wears your garments, produces your garments. How do you make sure that this happens?

It’s one of the most important things to me, I think because we can’t talk about sustainability in a business without talking about our whole supply chain, right? The product itself isn’t sustainable if you’re not looking at your supply chain. I wanted the sewing team, and all the artisans that are involved in the entire process of Gngr Bees to feel like they were part of Gngr Bees and their voices are always heard, but also that they felt like what they were creating wasn’t just another garment. They were actually a very active part of everything that we did. So, every single piece that we have reinvests profit into projects, but also sends money back to the hive which is our own project, which then reinvests into the artisans that are behind our pieces.

We made our first donation after a year running, and this is given to the union, the labour union of our manufacturers, or the sewing team, and they then decide how they will use this money. Whether they want to make something better in the factory, or they want to use it for a get-together and do an event together, or they want to have a meeting and sponsor the meeting, or they want to donate their money towards something, it’s completely up to them. It’s a thank you on top of, of course paying for the production and everything else, but it’s a thank you direct from us and our community to them for all the work that they do. I feel like this is only one part, just making sure that they are also being rewarded for the work that they do because we all are, in one way or another, financially or not.

The other part of empowerment to think about is being able to listen. As a small brand, I recognise that these are not only my manufacturers, they manufacture for many other brands, but to me, it’s really important to have allowed them to give me some direction. We talk almost daily about everything that is happening within Gngr Bees, all the things that we’re coming up with, and also gathering feedback from them and understanding what they’re enjoying doing and what is not so pleasant, or what they haven’t enjoyed making, or what materials they think should work for the new collection.

Although we’re only one of their many clients, it’s really an effort of love putting a collection together because we will sit down virtually and we’ll talk about everything, every single detail, what they think. Their opinion is really valuable to me, and I think that is the way of doing business, and doing it right, you know? Understanding and having a relationship with the people that you work with rather than just being a piece of the puzzle that is your supply chain.

Yes, absolutely. To go back to the beginning, you’ve also experienced the fashion industry from a different perspective – that of a model. Did this educate you in any way and affect your approach to business?

Definitely. I, as a model, felt really, what’s the word? Un-empowered?

I feel like I never had a voice.

I was a product, and many times I was told I was just a product. They’d be like ‘ wow, you’re just like this canvas, you know? You’re not meant to have an opinion, you’re not meant to talk about anything, just stay there, just look pretty.' I always felt like when you’re working, firstly, you want people to work with you because they’re passionate about what you do and because you’re inspiring them positively. Secondly, you want them to enjoy what they’re doing, right?

What goes on behind the scenes at fashion shows, the campaigns, how they’re creating their clothes, how they’re treating people. It was a real eye-opener because I think often when we see the fashion industry from the outside, there’s such glamour that comes with it, you know? The reality is very far from it I’d say, at least from my experience. I can say that the reality was not what we see and what we romanticise it to be. So, 100% it has shaped the way that I see the relationship with the people that I work with, but also, how everything in Gngr Bees comes together.

So, out of all of the products that you could have brought to the market. Why activewear?

Good question. I’m a really hyper person, I have lots of energy as you can probably tell! I’ve never been passionate about gyms, but I’ve always been passionate about moving and I’ve unavoidably had to go, being a model. I’ve always been super passionate about body movement because I feel like there’s so much that we express with our bodies, and there’s so much good if we move our bodies. I’ve always had to find ways to get rid of all of this energy and Gngr Bees was born this way, I guess.

I was really passionate about movement and wanted to make movement with purpose so, it was this creation that came to life.

I wish I had some of your energy! (laughs).

I have to admit though, before I came to you I was at the gym and I had a pre-workout and I was like whooo! (laughing).

So, how do you have so much energy as a mum? I’m a mum too and certainly do not share in your energy levels!

Hmm, I think, I just went through this whole period of really being exhausted, and I’m sure that as a mum, you can relate to that.

You sort of lose part of yourself when you become a mum because suddenly, you’re like a walking shopping mall. You're feeding, you’re clothing, you’re giving physical and emotional support. Everything, right? You become this sort of unicorn which is exhausted and has no colour. I feel like part of me had to just accept that that’s what it would be like and to say, because I had my business, I could never stop.

I had Sophie and then within less than 24 hours I was back home, and I was packaging orders because I had to, because no one would do that for me. So, if I didn’t do it, and if I said you know, I’m going to take a 6-month break, 1 month, 2 months, a year's maternity, my business is going to stay at a standstill, and I couldn’t afford to do that because I wanted Gngr Bees to grow so much. I wanted to be a brand that is out there teaching others and showing other people that doing business with purpose is possible and to be something different in the market.

I knew that if I didn’t do it then no one else would do it, so I sort of had to be like, right, this is exhausting, but I’m going to have to suck it up and do it because it is what it is.

How do you find the balance between running a business and motherhood?

I guess, for the longest time there was no balance, and for the longest time, I would run myself into the ground because I had to be there for Sophie during the day. Nighttime was the only time I could work, and it would be, as I’m sure you’re well aware, business between night feeds and night wakes and having 2-3 hours of sleep a night, and then the next day it was the whole thing again.

So, life was really imbalanced, and I think right now, I’ve had to learn. As an Aries I am terrible at asking for help or delegating but, I just had to learn to ask for help because I think it’s amazing. You know, all women, we are all amazing because we can conquer anything and we will always find a way to balance, especially when it comes to family and things that we’re really passionate about like our business or whatever that is.

You always find a way even if it comes at a personal cost. I think it’s incredible to be able to do that, but also, I think that we need to know when to ask for help because it’s time I think that together women, especially mums, will break down this concept of being like a ‘super-mum’ and like ‘superwoman’, we can do everything because it comes at such a big cost to us. There is so much beauty in asking for support and asking for help from our partners, from other mums, from friends, and I think ultimately it makes us all much stronger. So, I’ve had to learn how to ask for help which I’m terrible at, but it’s helped me a lot to be able to bring balance to my life and to be able to run this business.

As a woman in business have you experienced any adversity?

Yes, I was having this conversation today with a friend who I haven’t seen for 12 years actually, who was also a model at the time that I modelled. We were talking exactly about that.

Right now, receiving a ‘no’ feels easy because we’ve received so many no's, every day. If you received a ‘yes’ that was something different, but receiving ‘no’ and being discarded for your ideas because you’re a woman, or because people are just not ready for that particular thing, it doesn’t matter. I think that has helped me have a thick skin and to understand that most of the time, and I think this is one piece of advice that people starting their businesses can take, ‘no’ may mean ‘no right now’, but it’s not a no down the line.

We shouldn’t feel discouraged about receiving a ‘no right now’, because it might be that it’s just not the time, it’s not working right now, but it could work later.

Understanding why you received that ‘no’ is fundamental. Whether it’s like - I’d really like to put my collection to this store and they said no. Why is that? Is it because it doesn’t fit your aesthetic? Is it your values? Is it the ethics? What is it? Understanding why you’ve received that no allows for you to work on it, and then maybe approach the situation again, and then maybe receive a yes. It has also happened many times at Gngr Bees where we’ve received no's and then sometimes I had to re-approach the situation, the person, the store, and other times they approached us and said ‘hey, we’re looking at the work you’re doing, we really like it now, could we have a chat?’, and it’s worked out.

Do you have any more advice for businesswomen who are maybe just starting out?

Now, a lot of people are more in tune with the things that they are passionate about after the pandemic. We’ve had time to rediscover ourselves. I’d love to see people creating businesses that are creating change. There are so many people doing so many things, some incredible things, so creating a product alone is no longer enough. Creating a product that is slightly different from someone else’s is no longer enough. If you are creating something, if you’re passionate about something, then bring out your passion and create something that has a higher purpose than simply selling your product, because when your story and when your passion speaks through your products or through your service, then you’re bound for success, however you measure that.

Then you have a sense of fulfilment whenever you do something like an interview, or you’re putting your product forward or selling your service to a particular place because you’re not only selling that, but you’re selling your story, you’re selling your passion and what drives you.

My advice would be that – just create things that have a higher purpose, that merge your passion, that show up your passion to the whole world.

My last question is – is there anything new that you’re currently working on?

Yes! We have an entire collection coming out, which I’m so excited about! Gngr Bees has gone through a full rebranding after two years, which is something that I really, really wanted to do for us because I created Gngr Bees entirely by myself, website, all of the design visuals, and I really wanted to have a professional eye on what I wanted Gngr Bees to be, but I didn’t know how to translate this visually.

So, we had an incredible team of designers from Brighten Made - Bri. She made Gngr Bees everything that I’ve always wanted it to be. Visually, we’ve gone for a whole new website, packaging rebrand and then this new collection is really beautiful. It’s coming out to create a whole new concept of what we want Gngr Bees to be. We’re working with deadstock from other fashion brands, we are working with a really curated capsule collection that has an incredible project in the Pacific that will be coming up with it. It’s a project that was really dear to my heart and that is supporting an incredible community of people that I am so, so happy to have on board. So, yes! We have Gngr Bees 2.0 coming through so soon, and I’m so, so excited about it.

To learn more about Gngr Bees visit their website: www.gngrbees.com , or check out their Instagram: @gngrbees

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Abigail is a photographer, writer and mother of four based in West Yorkshire. She is keen to explore all manner of themes within human nature and history through her photographic practice, amalgamating in a dusky, decadent aesthetic. These visual characteristics are further enhanced through her use of analogue equipment. Her photographic work is informed by a unique depth of research, and she prides herself on becoming fully immersed in the intricacies of each theme that my work explores. Whilst she specialises in editorial fashion photography, her work is also characterised by elements from a variety of photographic genres, particularly street and documentary photography. When she’s not photographing, she is writing, especially on topics such as visual arts, culture and history and is currently undertaking personal and editorial work in this field.

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