After graduating in 2013, James was unsure if he wanted to work for an existing company and earn some money like the rest of his friends, or start a business for himself. Whilst the latter seemed ideal, he was unsure what type of business he could run.
After a family conversation around the kitchen table, James and his sister discovered that their grandmother had hand woven wicker baskets for a living in China before the family had moved to England.
“We were inspired by this shared story and discovering that there is a decline in demand for handwoven goods using natural materials, we wanted to start something that would echo our grandmother’s past whilst sustaining artisanal jobs,” says James. Wicker Wings was launched in 2014, since the company launched, they have been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, The Times, Vogue, Glamour and many more.
The company also works hard to give back to the community. Wicker Wings has a ‘bag-for-bag’ where for every bag initiative sold they’ll donate a small bag of books to children in poorer areas of Asia.
“Our parents have taught us to remember that you may not have much, but you will always have more than some, so you should always help when you can.” James said: “They also instilled in us that education comes first and it’s the foundation for our future and that was where the bag-for-bag mission came from.”
James is particularly proud of the growth the business has seen in the past few years. “I think one of the things I am proud of is the small team we have assembled who are fully committed and driven by the exact reason we started Wicker Wings.”